ibjilln's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
dannycakez8808's review against another edition
4.0
I love being back in The Hinterland! Melissa Albert does such a good job at story telling these absolutely twisted tales. You just never know what you are going to get and I love that.
amplenert's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Very dark, but some of the stories were really cool.
theshaggyshepherd's review against another edition
3.0
Tales from the Hinterland // by Melissa Albert
I have to be honest and admit that this is the first book in this series that I have read. I meant to read the other two first but after a talk with a co-worker, we decided it would be interesting to see how I liked and understood the other two if I was familiar with these fairytales first. If you also plan on reading this first or as a standalone, which is definitely possible, know that these aren't the stories we are used to from Disney. These are dark and twisted fairy tales, and while I did like how the bad guys sometimes lost in the end, more often than now, you won't find everybody married off with a happily ever after here. As someone that hardly ever reads dark and scary stories, I did actually enjoy this more than I first expected after reading this one and I am glad to have The Hazelwood at home to read soon as well. The writing isn't overly flowery but it is still descriptive in an enchanting way that I personally haven't seen much this year in my YA reads. The tales are creative and unpredictable, and I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
I do have a feeling that if I had a print copy with all the promised extras, such as the illustrations and printed end-papers, that I probably would've been dazzled into four stars as I am a big fan of those, as many of us readers often are.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have to be honest and admit that this is the first book in this series that I have read. I meant to read the other two first but after a talk with a co-worker, we decided it would be interesting to see how I liked and understood the other two if I was familiar with these fairytales first. If you also plan on reading this first or as a standalone, which is definitely possible, know that these aren't the stories we are used to from Disney. These are dark and twisted fairy tales, and while I did like how the bad guys sometimes lost in the end, more often than now, you won't find everybody married off with a happily ever after here. As someone that hardly ever reads dark and scary stories, I did actually enjoy this more than I first expected after reading this one and I am glad to have The Hazelwood at home to read soon as well. The writing isn't overly flowery but it is still descriptive in an enchanting way that I personally haven't seen much this year in my YA reads. The tales are creative and unpredictable, and I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
I do have a feeling that if I had a print copy with all the promised extras, such as the illustrations and printed end-papers, that I probably would've been dazzled into four stars as I am a big fan of those, as many of us readers often are.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
j3mm4's review against another edition
fast-paced
4.0
Albert's prose is beautiful, and each individual Hinterland tale is fascinating both on its own dark merits and in the way it engages with and warps fairy tale conventions, but stacked back to back, there are a few too many shared turns of phrase, and they begin to feel a little same-y.
izzadorah's review against another edition
3.0
An enjoyable collection of dark, fairytale like short stories. I can't say I was blown away by any of them, but it's a beautiful book that I'll keep for years to come.
bcantread's review against another edition
5.0
Holy shit this was everything I expected it to be and so much more. Perfect for Hazelwood fans and people who love twisted, brutal fairytales.