The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley

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The Fairy Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, Book 1)
by Michael Buckley
(Audio)

I had the pleasure of seeing Michael Buckley at FaerieCon last year. I love re-telling or re-imagining fairy tales. So I've been interested in picking up this series about the Sisters Grimm.

It's definitely aimed at an audience much younger than I am, but I still really enjoyed it. Lots of the choices made by the characters surprised me, so it felt interesting and fresh all the way through, even though it involved fairy tale characters I thought I knew well.

I like the basic concept- that all the world's magic and magical creatures are restricted to one town so word of their magic doesn't get out to the mainstream public. And I liked how the two sisters took a while to A- accept that the old woman really was their grandmother & B- accept that they were living among a whole town of magical "Ever Afters". Buckley eases the reader into the concept as well, but it's easier for us to jump on board because we knew what kind of story this was from the beginning!

I like that this series is classified and located in the mystery genre. All the classic mystery elements are there and it's fun to try to solve things and sort things out amidst this amazing world. Everything from Shakespeare's characters to Wizard of Oz characters to fairy tales from all over the world, with magical objects and elements all thrown together; there are bound to be conflicts and mysteries. And I like that the girls' missing parents server as a greater, background mystery, with little hints and elements being thrown in as well.

I saw a lot of twists coming a mile away. And I was surprised by a few as well. It's a very interesting cast of characters and a VERY well done world. I look forward to the second book in the series!

Highly recommended for anyone who likes fairy tales of any sort.