A Grimm Legacy (Grimm Tales Book 1)
Also I can't help feeling, that the tale would have been much stronger if Andy's leading character role had been shared with Quinn. It's not that I disliked Andy. She is a smart and intelligent character. But the way Quinn was presented at the beginning of the story lead me to expect much more of her character! In fact I commented with my co-blogger, that I was expecting Quinn to have Maya's a character from Kelley Armstrong ya series charisma and strength!
She climbs mountains, saves boys from tree tops and she isn't white She could have, better yet, she should have shared "the leading character role" with Andy!! That way, we wouldn't feel a sort of "division" between those two: And the thing is, due to their initial characterization, I couldn't help feeling that Quinn's would be the leading character, not Andy. This book definitely needed more girl power!! And those two had everything on their side to be a sure win.
Also, the action scenes were well done, but they could and should, have been inter-spaced with a more consistent character development I wanted to "feel" the characters bonding with each other! Let's not forget that in the beginning of the story they were all strangers to each other This could have been achieved with more instances of dialogue between the four main characters. Also, more informations regarding the lives they used to have would further enrich the tale. Then I don't know if this is some sort of requisite to write a YA novel: Romances although in this story,they are more of the budding romances "variety".
Then there was the occasional jealous behaviour from almost all the characters, that felt somewhat displaced between individuals that up until a few days ago had never even heard of one another! Four teenagers who suddenly find themselves in another reality, where fairy tales are real, and where they supposedly are meant to play a part, should have bigger concerns than "having" to fall in love. On the positive side: Well, besides the very strong and imaginative plot, dynamic characters, and fluid writing. I liked how the author fought the commonly accepted ideas that fairy tales are supposed to always have a happy ending.
Oh, and can I just say how happy I was when I realized that psychotic and obsessive behaviours weren't going to be glorified in this story?? Let's just say that the only perfect thing that the Prince of this story has, is that he's a perfect example of guys girls should just run from!! Very promising story and series. I only hope that the grammatical issues I mentioned in this review, won't appear on the second volume.
The Grimm Legacy
I have no idea if I got an unedited copy or what, but the writing was terrible. I don't mean like a low level or something, no, it was totally and utterly confusing. Many words which should have been plural, or agreed with the rest of the sentence did not. Not only that, but often times it felt like an entire paragraph was missing from the story.
And then, to go on top of all of that, the punctuation was off, and sometimes so was the formatting. This made it a very confusing read in it Writing: This made it a very confusing read in itself, but then at the beginning of every chapter there would be a line from later on in the chapter as the first line of the chapter. Chapter 34 "I'm a girl of many hidden talents. Keeping myself out of trouble is not one of them.
Overgrown grass and wild roses blanketed the area, running right up to the base of the tower and entwining themselves into the architecture. And then a ton of the chapter until, low and behold: At first I didn't have any clue who took me. Oh, and here's some more! This is where it feels like a paragraph is missing or something: Prince Wilhelm had been spinning her around the dance floor for the last hour, while his mother tracked them with a concentrated look, and Andi was getting nervous.
She hadn't seen Dylan or Quinn for sometime. Fredrick still kept within her line of vision, which was odd considering he'd been glued to Quinn all evening. It was getting late and Andi felt she should be making her Cinderella-exit soon. She never did get a chance to read the story in her grandmother's book. Without the mice and the fairy godmother, was the magic still going to wear off at midnight? When Fredrick surreptitiously shook his head at her, his face worried, her stomach dropped. Did that not confuse you?
Because all those paragraphs were together in the book, but I felt like whole other paragraphs were missing.
Parents say
They don't even connect together!! Want to read more? View all 5 comments.
Oct 15, Marjolein rated it it was ok Shelves: Read all my reviews on http: I finished the book a few weeks ago I know it, I'm horribly behind on my reviewing and frankly - but unsurprisingly - my eReader did yet another reboot deleting all my notes. Which brings me immediately to the biggest problem with the book. The story is quite forgettable. I remember some of the details but the story itself is a bit of blur. Not that it was that much better immediately Read all my reviews on http: Not that it was that much better immediately after reading.
What I really liked was the fact it tries to interweave well known and lesser known at least in my region fairy tales in to one story. I suppose they are all Grimm tales, though I wouldn't know enough about that to check it. The only problem is that the execution of this idea doesn't really work. It results in some fairy tales being really glanced over while others receive almost half the book.
It never really worked for me. I was also wondering about the world. How can they all live in peace together? The characters are all quite interchangeable except for one girl who gets kidnapped all the time. I didn't really plan on continuing the series, although I normally like fairy tales with a twist I saw that this one wasn't really for me, but I already had an ARC for the next book in this series, so I read that one as well. The second book is Grimm Memories. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Jan 18, Morgan E rated it liked it Shelves: I received this from Netgalley for an honest review: So if I ever wrote a non-review, I think it would be this one. I liked the idea of this story more than the actual story and I felt like I read a lot of description. Or maybe not read, more like skimmed. This book has promise, though. There were parts that made me laugh and other parts that just felt blah.
I have the second as well and I'm going to read it. Jan 13, Samantha rated it it was ok Shelves: Middle grade, but there are much better fairytale themed novels out there. I wanted to love it. The cover is beautiful and magical, and the blurb caught my attention. I really had to reign in the editor in me here. I found a lot of issues, even for a review copy. Now for my highlights: Ultimately, the confusion did it for me. I had to keep rereading. Vague sentences, emphasis in the wrong place, and just not enough to grip me personally.
The novel starts with four introductory chapters. Alone, each story is interesting and ends in a mysterious way. But combined, I felt like I had just read the first chapters of four rather repetitive stories. I could have forgiven the choppy, four-prologues-long introduction and inevitable overuse of proper nouns in the prose if some sort of explanation was provided when the four finally meet. They steal a car, crash, get frozen and turned into birds all within a few minutes of reading.
I started to feel like I was losing the plot Similar to life, the loud characters are easier to remember. And why must Quinn always be the one to get kidnapped? Is it because she clogs up the already named-packed narrative? Apart from adding some Indian heritage to this novel, she became a bland side character. I hope she becomes more defined in book 2 because she started so strong! And I did enjoy the fact she was a diverse character. The Brothers Grimm were German after all — it makes no sense for every character to be a white American other than the lack of diversity we see in the media go Quinn!
Unfortunately, she was probably the least necessary of the four, and the book might have been easier to follow and connect with had she been dropped. If I regressed every time something was vague, confusing, illogical, or jumped around, then I would have never finished it. So I changed tactic. Its strength is definitely the pace. In this fairy tale realm, I found the references to brands a bit distracting. They even had cell phones. How much contact with the regular world does Elorium have?
Sometimes the plot did have obvious holes in it. But the connection between the four teenagers is forced. Description should be more than just nouns and verbs with adjectives and adverbs in front of them. Most could be scrapped to no ill effect. The language often took odd turns. A Grimm Legacy did have redeeming qualities.
The author must be a very creative spirit. I also thought the chapter titles were clever. Strange quotes from the narrative were picked out which intrigued me to read on as well as showed the quirks of the novel. I enjoyed the quirkiness where it worked. If only it worked more. I enjoyed skimming it more than reading it. Mar 08, Sharon Tyler rated it liked it. A Grimm Legacy Grimm Tales 1 by Janna Jennings is a book that takes fairy tales, including so that are not incredibly well known, and adds a special twist, combining the timeless quality of old folktales with the challenges of the modern world.
The woods of Elorium appear normal to Andi Grace. At least they might seem normal if she had not been somewhere else mere moments earlier, birds are talking, and elves are answering doors. Andi and three other teens have been pulled out of the world an A Grimm Legacy Grimm Tales 1 by Janna Jennings is a book that takes fairy tales, including so that are not incredibly well known, and adds a special twist, combining the timeless quality of old folktales with the challenges of the modern world.
Andi and three other teens have been pulled out of the world and are the reluctant guests of the perplexing millionaire, Mr. Jackson, a stranger keeping secrets while saying he will help them get home. Unexpected family connections to this fairy tale land have the group relying on each other as they dodge evil fairies and battle giants. Faced with characters short on whimsy and bent towards treachery, Andi, Quinn, Fredrick and Dylan are forced into fairy tale roles to find the way home. A Grimm Legacy is the start of a series that holds great promise. Andi, Quinn, Fredrick and Dylan are fairly normal teens that are yanked out of their very different lives and end up in Elorium, a world where all the fairy and folk tales live.
There are fairies, elves, witches, princes, queens, and all those characters that make the stories timeless. Each of the teens have their own unique skill set, which aids them along their way. The questions underlying the whole story is why are they there, who is pulling the strings, and how can they get home. I enjoyed the interplay between the characters, and while there was a hint at romance and resulting conflict ahead, I was glad to see that the action and fairy tale conflict was a much bigger part of the story than anything to do with romance.
I do not want to get too detailed about the kid's gifts or the stories that they find themselves in, because that discover is part of the fun. Just enjoy the read and remember that the stories we know are not the whole story.
I would recommend A Grimm Legacy older middle grade readers, young adults, and adults that enjoy seeing new takes on folk and fairy tales. There is also mystery, adventure, and a bit of self discovery in the story. Despite this being the start of a series, I will say that enough of the questions are answered to give readers a happy feeling of resolution, but there are still enough larger questions in my mind to make me eager to read the second installment which is already on my Kindle and waiting for me.
I doubt this is a spoiler since I guess this was happening from the title the characters, on the other hand, did not , but if you don't want to know, skip this paragraph. But anyway, if you've heard of the web-cartoon series Ever After High, then odds are you won't be unfamiliar with the idea of fairy-tale characters having children. They all come from different places and different families, bu I doubt this is a spoiler since I guess this was happening from the title the characters, on the other hand, did not , but if you don't want to know, skip this paragraph.
They all come from different places and different families, but they soon discover that they have something in common. Realising that Elorium is a land filled with fairy-tales, they have to survive using their wits and Andi's grandmother's items a fairy tale book, a cloak, a pair of slippers. Personally, I loved this book! The book goes through quite a few fairytales, and it was interesting to see what happened after each story ended.
For example, in the tale of Jorinda and Joringel, the witch catches Jorinda many many times. But Jorinda refuses to live in fear of the witch, and takes it as a part of her life. Another thing that I loved was the character of Quinn. Quinn is Indian, so she brought with her a really rich heritage.
She's also a proper main character, not the token person of colour. She gets her own fairytale and her own romance. The only thing that would make it better if there were a few more characters like Quinn. Oh, but when I say 'main character', I mean 'in the party of four that was pulled into Elorium'. If I had to pick only one main character, I would say it was Andi.
Because she was the one who brought items in, she's the one that gets them out. So there's a good part of the story that focuses on her and her fairytale. But I would say that Dylan, Quinn and Frederick get enough space of their own. If you're looking for a modern day fairytale involving descendants of the original characters, look no further! And if you haven't watched Ever After High, you totally should. I got this book free from the publishers in exchange for a free and honest review.
I read this book for the fairytales retold reading challenge. This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile I'm really excited to take part in the "Grimm Legacy" by Janna Jennings book tour.
A Grimm Legacy
I received this book for an honest review. I thought the book was fantastic. Individually each was pretty basic teen, however as a group they we I'm really excited to take part in the "Grimm Legacy" by Janna Jennings book tour. Individually each was pretty basic teen, however as a group they were charming. Since the blurb for the book is just up above I'm not going to rehash the basics. I will however say that when the group first arrives in the realm if Elorium it gave me a completely "Willy Wonka" feeling with a dash of "Edward Scissorhands".
A very cool thing about this book is that it has a lot of really specific actual original fairy tale bits. None of that "let's not tell that part cause it's scary". There have been a lot of great books coming out bringing back the fairy tale with modern twists.. Fae blood in the family tree.. All that great stuff. I really enjoyed reading this book and was pleased to see a 1 next to the title. I will defiantly be keeping my eyes out for the next book in the series.
There are tons more, Laini Taylor's another great author with a few fairy tales tucked up her sleeve. As a absolute adult I really enjoyed it. I'm obsessed with all things fae so I might be a little biased. Just for the older crowd there's also a very much adult series that features the fae by Laurell K. Hamilton and the "Fever series" by Karen Marie Moning.
I highly recommend checking out all these authors. Today however head over to the links provided above and add the Grimm Legacy by Janna Jennings to your "To be read list"! Keep checking back there is a bunch of holiday fun coming up.. The fairy tale world had me captivated instantly and I was rooting for the four main characters the entire time. Andi is the unwavering leader, the main link between the other characters and the fantastical world of Elorium. Fredrick, a compassionate southern boy, is the brave protector. Quinn, strong and selfless, is always quick-thinking in stressful situations.
And Dylan, a stereotypical Californian surfer, has a secret soft spot beneath his persuasive exterior. This story begins when these four teenagers from different areas of the country mysteriously appear in a foreign world. As the plot progresses, we discover that Andi, Fredrick, Quinn, and Dylan each have a connection to the world of Elorium. One of the coolest things about this novel is how it echoes popular Grimm fairy tales, but with a twist, of course: For the lesser known tales, Janna Jennings summarizes them in a fitting way that still leaves you anxious to find out what happens next.
During the more mysterious plot lines I found myself devouring every page. And let me just comment on this gorgeous cover: I am a sucker for beautiful book covers even though I try not to ignore or judge books with horrible covers I fail sometimes. This book exceeded my expectations. It was full of mystery and suspense, and several of the big reveals really surprised me. Check back for that review next week: Oct 08, Sam rated it it was amazing Shelves: Every so often you come across one of those books that grabs you and pulls you into the world you read.
I love Fairy Tales and The Brothers Grimm are right up there near the top of my list simply because they are different and different is good. This book was just that, different and very good. It reminded me of a combination between Alice in Wonderland and Th Wow! As far as the characters go, Quinn was probably my favorite from the start due to her rock climbing I could totally identify with her joy of climbing and it was nice to see a girl who did not panic and at least tried to stand up for herself.
Andi was definitely the brains behind the group and I think she rocked the part, and while the talking to birds thing seemed a little strange to me, she was still bad ass and I found her to be a very strong character. I could see Fredrick as a stable older brother figure providing the voice of reason to the group, and I hope that the next part of the story focuses a bit more on him in the next book.
- The Grimm Legacy Book Review?
- The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman - review.
- Prince Of The Prism.
- Royal Coachman: Adventures in the Fly Fishers World.
- Everlore Circle (The Illorium Cycle Book 1)!
I guess that could be considered a spoiler? I suggest this for anyone who enjoys fairy tales getting twisted up but still leaving you relatively happy, as well as any fans of Once Upon A Time the TV show because it shares a striking resemblance in many fashions. This is such a wonderful and new take on the Grimm tales.
Jennings has tapped into a new and exciting way to relate the tales and make it relevant to today's society. Those who don't know the tales will like this version for it is twisted and exciting. I wasn't at sure first about Andi she was a little off putting but she grew on me. I also didn't know if she was Cinderella or Red Riding Hood because I never recalled Cinderella having a cape but like I sad this is a new exciting take on the t This is such a wonderful and new take on the Grimm tales.
I also didn't know if she was Cinderella or Red Riding Hood because I never recalled Cinderella having a cape but like I sad this is a new exciting take on the tales. Andi and three others are taken suddenly from their world and placed in Elorium. Well that I can't tell you because it is a spoiler and you definitely need to read the book for that answer. So they are in Elorium and facing new challenges. Frederick is the one I couldn't figure out until I was told. Great job in keeping his Grimm tale a secret.
He is however up there in a favorite character with his shy heroic ways. And how he is around Quinn is so cute. Dylan that boy is a ladies man but we find out why in the end. He though has a thing for Andi and boy does it show when he has to see her with Wilhelm. Anjali-beautiful and nice , Marc- star athlete and super good looking, and Andrew- serious, caring and funny. The pages, with the help of some younger siblings, will have to solve the mystery of the missing objects in the library.
They find out soon enough that to find lost magic, you have to use magic. Suffice to say it's beyond interesting to see how they pull this off. I had to turn it in the next day and I read up till the last minute, so I could feed the need to know what happened. I am so glad I did. There were a few fairy tales mentioned in the story that I never heard of, and it's always a plus to find out something you didn't know about.
The one thing I enjoyed the most other than the idea of the library was the dynamic between the characters. It's uncertain but still heart-warming. If you are looking for an original idea this is it. The only reason why I docked off a star was because I would have liked to have seen how Elizabeth's homelife developed.
I will definitely read more of this author's writing. Ok so can anybody give me any idea how to get this job? Aug 10, Valerie rated it really liked it Shelves: I can't resist books like this. The thought of a library that has magical objects you can actually borrow is amazing. I've always liked Fairytales though probably not as much as Elizabeth so the title is what really caught my attention.
We find Elizabeth in a rut. She has no friends at her new school, and all she does at home is chores and homework. So when she is given the opportunity for a job after school at an unusual library she takes it with optimism. And this new job of hers leads Eliza I can't resist books like this. And this new job of hers leads Elizabeth through a mystery that requires her and her friends to borrow a lot of magical objects in order to save the day.
The Grimm Legacy was imaginative, exciting, and funny. The beginning is a bit slow because Elizabeth is just starting her job so she is confused about what she has to do and acutely curious about the all mysterious Grimm collection. Consequently, she keeps asking question after question and some of them didn't seem all that necessary. I was very impatient to get to the part where she sees the Grimm collection. The romance is kind of woven in a roundabout way. It slightly annoyed me that Elizabeth kept mentioning how great her new friend Anjali looked and how the two guys where fawning over her.
Sounded a tiny bit jealous but I'm glad that Elizabeth holds no malice. She is a very kind hearted character; she has to be or else she probably wouldn't have gotten the job in the first place. One thing is I couldn't get enough of was all the magical objects that the characters got to use, I was kind of jealous myself. Oct 28, Mike the Paladin rated it liked it Shelves: I was pretty sure I'd go 4 stars on this one, but finally had to go 3. I mean I know it's a YA book, I know that the protagonists are young but there's something that when it shows up in a read that simply drives me crazy Have you ever seen that TV commercial where the voice over says: The people are arguing about "what to do".
Should they "hide in the attic, hide in the cellar??? Then one if them says, "why can't we get in the run I was pretty sure I'd go 4 stars on this one, but finally had to go 3. Then one if them says, "why can't we get in the running car? Let's hide behind the chainsaws!
The book begins very slowly but some of you may love it because what we're doing is learning in great detail about the New York Circulating Material Repository. It takes a great deal of time to get into the actual fantasy of the book I was a bit tired but the story finally kicked in only to have Elizabeth and her friends frustrate me no end by making choices somewhat like deciding to "run across the quicksand instead of taking a path. There's lots of whimsey in the ideas and the book will work well for a wide range of youths View all 12 comments.
Jan 13, Jessica rated it really liked it Shelves: Such a cool idea!
There's a repository, half-museum, half-library, where you can check out everything from Marie Antoinette's wig to the shoes belonging to the Twelve Dancing Princesses. Special students are referred by their teachers to be pages at the repository, and there the fun begins. I had a hard time getting into this book because, even though it was in first person, I didn't really connect with Elizabeth the main character. We aren't privy to a lot of her thoughts and feeling Such a cool idea!
We aren't privy to a lot of her thoughts and feelings, and she is easily baffled by the motives of others. I honestly couldn't tell if the other pages liked her or were being mean to her for most of the book. The story was interesting, the action rolled along, everything was great, but I just didn't feel for the characters as deeply as I should have. View all 3 comments. Jan 17, Laura rated it it was amazing Shelves: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here. It exceeded my expectations: Elizabeth is a semi-Cinderella wicked stepsisters are in college, and they're really more annoying than wicked , doing chores and trying to fit in at her new school. When the opportunity arises for her to work as a page at the New-York Circulating Material Repository, she takes it and that's when the adventures begin. Forget the magical aura of some of the objects: And then there are the special collections The adventure Elizabeth goes on, her relationships with Anjali, Marc, Aaron, Jaya and Doc Rust, and the overall feel of this book make me think this has potential for next year's awards.
ARC provided by publisher. Aug 09, Ash rated it really liked it Recommended to Ash by: This is a very original and magical story. I have always loved fairy tales of all kinds and I don't think I'll ever grow out of it. Maybe it's a girl thing. Either way I don't care because I had so much fun reading this book. Yes, I felt that I literally had fun. Elizabeth Rew hasn't been doing too hot lately. Her best friend has moved away, and she hasn't made any friends at her new school. Things seem to be finally going in the right direction though.
After a referral from her This is a very original and magical story. After a referral from her social studies teacher, Elizabeth gets a job working as a page for the New York Circulating Material Repository. The repository is a sort of library, but not really. But there's no knowing who to trust. First off let me just say that I really want that job! Can they please hire me? I'll make the commute. Which is like 6 states away, but who's counting. Why does everything have to be in New York? This is a genuine peeve of mine, but completely beside the point.
I found that I really liked Elizabeth despite the fact she stole my dream job. She is a normal everyday girl. She isn't destined to save the repository, she just does what she thinks is right. I also really appreciated the fact that Elizabeth isn't dumbed down for the sake of practicality. When she finds out about the magical things in the Grimm Collection she doesn't take a moronically long time to resist and then come to the realization that magic actually exists. Major points right there. All that said though, I did take off a star for a reason.
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The beginning was a little slow. Like the theft of the Grimm objects doesn't really become a focus until almost halfway through the book. It was also hard to know just how old the characters were. I'm guessing they were in high school, but you aren't told, which was mostly confusing because they sound younger or more mature at times.
I still had fun reading the story and I'm pretty sure that my younger self would've totally fallen in love with this book. For now though, I'll just have to settle with falling in genuine like with this story Although I really like the cover. It got me seriously thinking about what I would use as a deposit if I ever got to check anything out of the Grimm Collection. Would definitely recommend to anyone that has a thing for fairy tales. View all 4 comments. Jul 26, Stacy rated it did not like it Shelves: There is something rather grand about finding a new, good book to read.
And it is always disappointing to discover that the new, good book isn't all that good. The dialogue was weak in a few areas, and the plot was too slow in some spots and too fast in others, but these issues were easily forgotten as I continued reading. But, as is inevitable in "modern" teen lit, the author decided that her charming story couldn' There is something rather grand about finding a new, good book to read.
But, as is inevitable in "modern" teen lit, the author decided that her charming story couldn't go on without at least one reference to sex. Are teenagers really that low? Can we truly not read anything without needing a titillating reference to "birds and bees"? Are we as brainless as that? Why can we not enjoy a beautifully crafted, innocent, exciting story without some sort of "adult" theme dragged in unnecessarily? We deserve more credit.
I would have sincerely enjoyed this book if the author had not decided randomly shock her audience with risque images. The charm of her modern fairy tale quickly spun into yet another steamy teen romance. I must admit, I am quite frustrated with the whole Young Adult genre in general; having condescending adults shove tripe down my throat does not appeal to me in the least. Would I write this book off as a failure?
The author truly has talent, and her story, in general, was enjoyable. Unfortunately, she saw fit to include two or three scenes which completely drew attention away from the plot and toward a relationship that was more infatuation than true romance. It would have merited a four or five-star rating from me if not for this tiresome, cliche plot device being yet again dredged up by Shulman.
Dec 07, Wanda rated it liked it Shelves: Maybe I'm a grinch. Dec 11, A Canadian Girl rated it it was amazing Shelves: Right from the start, it was extremely easy to get lost in the pages of The Grimm Legacy. I especially love the fact that Shulman began each chapter of the book with a Repository object that would b Right from the start, it was extremely easy to get lost in the pages of The Grimm Legacy.
I especially love the fact that Shulman began each chapter of the book with a Repository object that would be used in the chapter and a call number. This neat detail to the book just makes you feel as if the Repository does exist! The other thing that I really enjoyed about The Grimm Legacy is the cast of characters. Meanwhile, Jaya is that annoying younger sibling, and her interactions with Anjali bring back memories of growing up with my own younger sister. For example, she does an amazing job describing the Repository without spending a huge amount of time on minute details about how the Repository would work — the basic details are covered — or slowing down the story.
Then when answering back in a rhyme, although the mirror had to speak the truth, it would make the truth as ambiguous as possible and call Elizabeth by variations of her name simply to annoy her! Despite the hints of threat though, the novel remains a fun and light read that will appeal to tweens, teens and adults alike. Dec 03, Lindi rated it really liked it Shelves: I adored Enthusiasm and have been waiting for Polly Shulman's second book ever since. Once again we have a charming high school girl learning about love and friendship in the context of classic stories, but this time the stories are folk tales.
Elizabeth Rew is having a rough year. Her widowed father has remarried and, with two stepdaughters in college, he can no longer afford the tuition for her old school or for her ballet classes. Her best friend has moved to California and Eliza So much fun! Her best friend has moved to California and Elizabeth hasn't yet made any friends at her new school. After a particularly dismal day, her history teacher recommends her for a page job at a specialized library, the New York Circulating Material Repository, which checks things out instead of books.
For example, storage-strapped Manhattanites who want to have a fondue party, but don't have the right pot, or costume designers researching Elizabethan clothing for a play know that this is the place to come. Suddenly, Elizabeth has not only friends, but a mystery -- or several. Just what is going on with the special collections? Why is everyone so mysterious about them? Could a large bird be stealing artifacts. This is apparently not due to be published until summer of , and I'm not clear on the title -- the cover says The Grimm Legacy.
Up until a minute ago this was marked as Never finished, but I decided to give it another try. Lets see how that goes. Jun 23, Morgan Oats rated it liked it. This book was in no way a "bad" book, but it wasn't altogether great either. At times I really thought I liked it, and then there were others when it fell to "okay. If I had to give this book a one word description I would say cheesy.
I could think of others as well, but right now "cheesy" comes to mind. The book is about a girl named Elizabeth who writes a paper over the Brothers Grimm and is recommended a job at a rath This book was in no way a "bad" book, but it wasn't altogether great either. The book is about a girl named Elizabeth who writes a paper over the Brothers Grimm and is recommended a job at a rather special repository, which if you don't know what that is like me is just a "library" for objects where people can check things out.
Only this repository is special for it has magical objects that can be borrowed. Now when I first saw the pretty amazing cover and read the title "The Grimm Legacy" I was hooked immediately. I know it's going to be about magic and it just looks like a great book. The only problem is I don't think the book lived up to its potential in the slightest. With an idea where you can have magical items being introduced into the real world, fairy tales coming alive, or any number of strange occurences, the plot of this book is simply that some of the objects are going missing And the number one suspect is a giant bird I expected this to be a magical story full of things you expect in fantasy, but instead I was given a book about completely ordinary things with a "tiny" amount of magic being a part of it.
I just don't feel that the magical aspect of this book was utilized as it could have been. There are far too few instances where the magical items are even used. The plot of the book? But really used, shown, and described? At one point a magical table is used to make food. And I think that was the height of the magical uses.
Besides my overall disappointment over the lack of magic this was still a good book, albeit, a little cheesy. The book has kids in "love" with each other, jealousy, betrayal and such that are in many books. I don't want to say the book was bad, but I can't completely say it was great.
It was just under-utilized. If that makes any sense. I think this book had amazing potential, and instead it went down a more conventional path that really could have been told without magic completely, with only a few minor changes. But there still wasnt a moment where I wanted to completely stop reading because it wasn't good enough.
I never got to the "I can't put this down" moment we all, as readers, look for in a book, but it was a good book that simply made me feel that it could have been so much more. If you are considering reading this book or not, definitely read it. You won't hate it and it is a good read. Just don't expect more from the book than it is: A book about an average girl who is working for a repository with magical items that has recently had thefts, and she teams up with some friends to try and save the day.
Nov 24, Inge rated it really liked it Shelves: What to say about The Grimm Legacy? It was strange, but in a very good way. Elizabeth gets a job in a sort of rotating library for objects instead of books. People borrow things and bring them back later. It can be something as trivial as a lamp, but then there are the special collections.
There are people out there who have less honorable intentions. And when a co-worker is abducted by a giant bird, it all comes down to Elizabeth and her friends to save the day. Honestly, The Grimm Legacy reminded me of a mix between Harry Potter and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory because of the magic and the weirdness, but it was a delicious combination. While Elizabeth is very timid but curious, co-worker Anjali is bubbly, Mike is the jock and Aaron is the suspicious sourpuss. Together, they form a very dysfunctional team.
I loved the dry sense of humour this book used. It all added something to the story and they usually added another smile to your face, too. Definitely worth a try on one of those rainy days. Get lost in the magical world of this quirky library and enjoy the ride. Nov 29, Amina rated it liked it. When she got her after-school job in the New York Circulating Material repository, she was expecting books, but, this was no ordinary library. Elizabeth makes new friends, starting with the beautiful Anjali, for whom everyone is apparently falling. When magical items from the grimm collection start disappearing, Elizabeth, along with her new buddies, Anjeli, Marc and Aaron embark on a dangerous adventure to unmask the thief and bring back what was stolen.
The book was fun to read and even if it started real slow, I really enjoyed it, there was humor, sarcasm and that innocent romance. May 16, midnightfaerie rated it liked it Shelves: