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Two roads lead into a dark forest. They meet at Greymist Fair, a village hidden in the trees, a place kept alive by the families that never leave. The people of Greymist Fair know the woods are dangerous and magical, and to set foot off the road is to invite trouble.
When Heike, the village’s young tailor, discovers a body on the road, she begins an investigation to find out who within her village is responsible. Soon childhood fears and adult responsibilities clash as her quest triggers more strange happenings around Greymist Fair.
Greymist Fair is a murder mystery based on lesser-known (and somewhat bloody) Grimm’s fairy tales, including The Riddle, The Fisherman and His Wife, Clever Hans, The Shroud, Hansel and Gretel, The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids, and Godfather Death. Perhaps what makes this story so unusual, though, is the method of storytelling the author utilized. There are eight sections in this book, each with a series of their own chapters, and each told from different characters within the village. Yet in the end every story weaves together to create one overarching original plot. I loved how this setup worked and how the author used it to carry the story.
But what I didn’t love was the style. When I picked up the book, I was naively expecting a dark fairy tale. Sure, Greymist Fair has an odd, fairy tale innocence to the writing style, but whimsical horror is definitely not my genre.
Despite that, I still think the joining of lesser-known fairy tales told by their varying protagonists was well done. It’s something I’ve not seen yet in fiction and in my opinion that certainly makes this story unique — just one that may best appeal to fans of the Twisted Tales series or the Broadway musical Into the Woods.
Rated: Moderate. There are around 5 uses of mild language. Violence borders on high. It can be unsettling and gory at times, with countless horrible deaths, stabbing, blood, and implied child abuse. One story involves a kidnapper and serial killer. Sexual content implies sex happening between several couples, with one on-page sex scene that has very little description.
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