Reviews

The Sisters Grimm by Menna van Praag

almyworld's review against another edition

2.0

Ich muss sagen, dass ich schon ein wenig enttäuscht bin, obwohl ich keine hohen Erwartungen hatte. Das Buch wurde unnötig in die Länge gezogen, wodurch es stellenweise echt langweilig war. Die Charaktere waren mir alle nicht sonderlich sympathisch und deren Entwicklung wirkt viel zu künstlich. Ich kann dem Buch nur 2 Sterne geben, weil mir der Plottwist gefällt, wie dieses Buch als Bestseller in England durchgehen kann ist mir ein Rätsel.

imlouisamay's review against another edition

5.0

Loved it, barely put it down since I started

kistireads's review against another edition

1.0

DNF’d at 60% - I gave this book a fair chance but at 60% I still wasn’t clear on the real plot. It’s beautifully character driven but there are no clear plot intentions. There was some vague romance and hints of an upcoming battle.
I really wanted to love this book especially from the premise and synopsis - however, it’s far too slow paced after almost 300 pages.

natalie_is_reading's review against another edition

4.0

I actually really liked this book! I was worried at the beginning, it seemed like it was going to be one of those books that is super descriptive and poetry like and mysterious and confusing where nothing actually happens(does that even make sense??) But thankfully it quickly got to more concrete, plot related things while only being vague and disconnected enough to make it interesting. The book was very overtly feminist but pulled off pretty well. Over all a successful book randomly chosen off the shelf at the library (which is open for browsing again!!!)

jasmintreha's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

lostlibraryofalli's review against another edition

2.0

*Will update when I have more time*

When I say I was excited about the concept of this book, I was, I really was, but that also was paired with trepidation and worry that it wouldn't...really...work? And although I tried to like it more than I did it just kept not working for me. The pacing was off - something a lot of writers I feel can struggle with when they want their ideas on the page but with no real concept of how to get to the end in an orderly fashion. There were mistakes, I was willing to look past the first one or two but consistently getting POV names wrong for when the girls were in Everywhere became slightly predictable. And was the girls' birthday Halloween (31st October) like Bea stated in one chapter or the 1st November?

Will update later...

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition

3.0

The Sisters Grimm by Menna van Praag is a creative tale. Goldie, Liyana, Scarlet and Bea will soon turn eighteen and be in for a fight of their life. If these four sisters are to survive, they only have thirty-three days to learn who they are, where they are truly from and what specials powers they have as well as how to utilize them. The story is told in alternating points-of-view between Goldie, Liyana, Scarlet, Bea and Leo. The four sisters each represent a different element (earth, wind, fire and air) and each possess different powers. Menna van Praag crafted a unique fantasy world and her vivid word imagery brought it alive. Unfortunately, I found The Sisters Grimm a difficult book to read with the alternating POVs (five of them and then there are the characters younger selves). The timeline counts down the days to the girls eighteenth birthday as well as going back in time to eight years earlier (can you see why it is confusing). The Sisters Grimm is a creative, original and magical story. However, it is totally confusing and difficult to read. I had to read it in small installments over a two-month period. I wish the author had written this inventive tale in the third person. The last ten percent of the book is the best part, but you need to make it through the other ninety percent first. There is a lot of repetition as each girl and Leo tells their story. While I have enjoyed Menna van Praag’s other novels, The Sisters Grimm is a miss for me because of the slow pacing, repetitiveness and alternating points-of-view. This is certainly not what I expected from one of my favorite authors. I suggest you obtain a sample to see if The Sisters Grimm in the right fit for you. The beauty of books is that each reader sees them differently. I highly recommend checking out Menna van Praag’s other magical stories.

soaraus's review

I found the PoV character immediately unlikable. I think the author was trying to have her be in a charming misfit with a bad attitude archetype but she just seemed bitter in a way that didn't even make me want to see if she developed beyond that over the course of the book.

suvata's review against another edition

3.0

“Once upon a time, a demon who desired earthly domination fathered an army of dark daughters to help him corrupt humanity. . . As children, Goldie, Liyana, Scarlet, and Bea dreamed of a strange otherworld: a nightscape of mists and fog, perpetually falling leaves and hungry ivy, lit by an unwavering moon. Here, in this shadowland of Everwhere, the four girls, half-sisters connected by blood and magic, began to nurture their elemental powers together.”

hb1998's review against another edition

adventurous dark lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0