The Grimm Legacy (The Grimm Legacy, #1) in Into the Forest

Mar 14, 2010 Cara rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, 2010, fairy-tales, awesome-covers

Ms.Shulman totally gets fairy tale readers. When I finised this book I thought; Now why didn't I think of that?

Elizabeth at the moment is friendless. Her best friend has moved to California and she is still trying to get accustomed to her new home situation, new stepmother and two step-sisters who thankfully are at a college now. Things start to shift when Elizabeth decides to do her paper in history over the Grimm fairy tales. Elizabeth's history teacher gives her a recommendation to work at ...more

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Nov 26, 2021 Danielle The Book Huntress rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-checkout, part-of-a-series, 2020-action-adventure-aficionados-c, 2020-action-heroines-yearly-challen, books-about-books, audiobook, metafiction, fairy-tale-theme, owned-copy, middle-grade-juvenile

I totally read this series out of order, and I finally went back to read this, which is the first book. My library had it on audiobook, so that was very helpful. I have been wanting to read this for a long time because I love fairy tales, and I really enjoy fairytale retellings. The idea of a place that archives items from fairy tales was really exciting. I have to say the book lived up to its promise.

In the story, Elizabeth is recommended to be a clerk at the New York Circulating Repository by I totally read this series out of order, and I finally went back to read this, which is the first book. My library had it on audiobook, so that was very helpful. I have been wanting to read this for a long time because I love fairy tales, and I really enjoy fairytale retellings. The idea of a place that archives items from fairy tales was really exciting. I have to say the book lived up to its promise.

In the story, Elizabeth is recommended to be a clerk at the New York Circulating Repository by her teacher. She has no idea what to expect, and is surprised that the objects in the Grimm Legacy part of the enormous repository are real and are related to the fairy tales she grew up reading. In fact, some people check them out to use them. That's just the beginning of the story.

This book an interesting turn and had some things I wasn't expecting. I loved how diverse the cast was and how well the author fleshed out the characters and their motivations. Research has proved how impactful it is for kids to see characters that look like them and share their culture in books and media. Speaking for myself as a black woman whose favorite place on earth was the library growing up (and admittedly still is), I know I would have been thrilled to see myself in one of the characters in this book.

I'm always surprised at how evil bad guys can be in middle grade books. I mean, they will harm kids and do terrible things to them. As an adult, I do have a soft spot for kids and it bothers me a lot when kids are harmed. I wonder how it impacts children when they read books with that subject matter? That is not to say that this book is graphic or description or has really disturbing content. At the same time, I still was shocked that a grown person would do some of the things to kids that villains in this book.

I loved Shulman's imagination in how she used some of the fairy tale objects. With my emotional connection to fairy tales, I really connected to the content. I enjoyed the audiobook and I was sad when it ended. I really would like to see more adventure in the New York Circulating Repository, particularly in the Grimm Legacy and the Poe Estate. ...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Melissa rated it liked it

Protagonist Elizabeth is Cinderella-like, with braggart stepsisters, a mean step-mother, and an absentee father. Piling on the misery, she's lonely at her new school. In steps her social studies teacher and in true fairy god(father?) like fashion, hands her a phone number and directions to call the New York Circulating Material Repository for a part-time job. This is no library. This place is a lending house for objects, ordinary and extraordinary. There's also this super secret room in the base ...more

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Jun 07, 2010 Mir rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, mythology, ya

Cool concept and setting, although not otherwise that memorable.

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Aug 30, 2010 Anki rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, status-borrowed, borrowed-from-library

2.5 / 5.0

The concept of a library that lends out objects rather than books is very fun, and it makes a very good setting for any number of stories. Adding in the fairy tale elements just makes it more intriguing.

When it comes to characterisation, however, this novel falls rather flat. None of the characters really seem to have much depth, even Elizabeth as the narrator. Additionally, several things are just quickly glossed over in the telling, and a number of things got solved too quickly, in my ...more

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Mar 28, 2012 Melanti rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, 2014, mythopoeic-award, e-book, library

In terms of writing style, this straddles the line between Middle Grade and Young Adult.

It's an okay book. A bit formulaic and nothing really unusual or special. A little dull, to be honest, because you always know exactly what is going to happen next. There's nothing really special or unusual about it - which was rather disappointing after the sheer number of awards it was nominated for.

They could have done so much more with the Grimm items. What could have been a really fantastic and magical b ...more

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