Well done Sadie and Sophie! I loved the unique way the Cuffe sisters wove the tale of Hansel and Gretel through an 1880’s frontier town.
Dear, plump Gretel, an avid baker, finds herself ousted from her brother’s affections by his newly betrothed. The miserable woman’s plans for the siblings jointly owned bakery include giving Gretel away in marriage as a prize for a town sporting event. We commiserate with Gretel as she must explore the depths of her brother Hansel’s betrayal in agreeing with his intended’s plans. Gretel’s soul searching also stirs up the siblings’ mystical past and causes Gretel and her brother to face questions they have tried to ignore for years. Were they abandoned by their father and step mother? Were they really held captive by an evil witch who lived in a delicious cottage in the woods?
Further complicating matters for Gretel, a strapping young man, Jake Wilde, has fallen for her … and her delicious baking. Jake’s persistent in his understanding and kindness toward poor, wounded Gretel. I found myself rooting for Jake and his pursuit of true love and yet anxious about how the future would unfold for Gretel.
The story is written in first person, which is hard to do well, yet the authors accomplished it. The smattering of time-period words along with a lexicon makes the tale realistic and engaging. I will be reading more of the Cuffe sisters’ work in the future!
Birds and Breadcrumbs, along with my novella, Ella, and four other fairytale redo’s are available for the great price of only $5.15 on Amazon.
