This is yet another book that I've had on my bookshelf for quite sometime. Sometimes picking it up, only to abandon it again for other books that caught my interest. It's a serious shame that I didn't give this a full chance.

The Beginning - This story starts off with a young woman named Gilly who lives in the a broken down hut with two old wise woman. The story telling is wonderfully told, and it's not hard to imagine the three woman picking through the dead bodies on the battlefield. Soon, Gilly begins to ask the two woman when they will kill Him (Macbeth). I am worried at this point that I have never read any Shakespeare other than the required reading of Romeo and Juliet in High School. Hopefully I will be able to follow along, as this book is written about the three witches that foretell the downfall of the great Macbeth.

The Middle - Even though this story uses slightly different English and phrases used today it isn't hard at all to follow along. Speaking of phrases, there are a few that Gilly repeats over and over again. I'm a little tired of reading it. The author has done a good job with the characters, they are likable and easily imagined, but sometimes it's hard to take Gilly's "always have to be tough attitude." I also wish I knew more of Macbeth and why Gilly hates him. I don't know if it apart of Shakespeare's play or not.

Ending Review

Book Description:

In September 1863 Jacob Grimm travels through rural western Germany with his devoted niece, Auguste-- who longs to learn, at last, the truth about her family-- and Kummel, their new and enigmatic manservant. As relations between the three reach the boiling point, Jacob's traumas and heartbreaks here in his original homeland are revealed in vivid flashbacks. Now, old, Jacob resists Auguste's attempts to make him take stock of his life, but memories that are repressed have a tendency to reappear in other places and in other guises.

Throughout Jacob's travels, he is reminded of the folk tales he and his brother Wilhelm collected in their Tales for the Young and Old. Although the brothers were renowned language scholars and passionate supporters of German unification, they were haunted throughout their lives by the Tales. Most notable is the feverish fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, which holds a shattered mirror to a life, a country, and a history. The Sleeping Beauty recounted here is neither the Disney version nor even the Grimms' version, but an enchanting tale that goes beyond the marriage of the prince and princess to reveal the surprising truth behind the evil spell.

In his compelling historical novel, Haydn Middleton re-creates the life story of literature's most famous brothers. It is a history that could almost be a fairy tale itself, with its fabulous changes of fortune, tests of duty and honor, arrogant princes, lost loves, and twisted family relationships-- all unfolding in a world of dark forests and even darker politics.

My take:

I've had this book on my bookshelf for over three years, and finally picked it up to read. What an amazing story, it's a shame I waited so long.