Paul E Garstki

Gretel Paul E Garstki

Gretel is a deep re-telling of the Grimm Brothers' "Hansel and Gretel," told in first person by Gretel, the woodcutter's daughter and heroine of the story. This is not a children's book, although it plays on its resonance with the tale we learned in childhood. Gretel's strong and independent voice gives readers a new context for the action. Her perspective on life is intrinsically feminist, although not anachronistic. The invented dialect spoken by the book's young narrator is engaging, moving the story quickly forward with its meditative rhythm and keeping the reader deeply involved. It draws the reader into Gretel's time and place, enhancing the reality of this essentially magical world. Oh, and there's more than one witch.