Neil Gaiman is a master of the macabre, and his version is as creepy and disturbing as you might suspect.Ĭommonly in this tale, the boy and girl are left by their father in the deep dark woods at the behest of the traditional evil stepmother. Hansel & Gretel has been told countless times, by countless authors and translators. I wasn’t, and still am not, somebody who enjoyed being scared by books, but this one in particular was given added appeal by the fact that my dad hid it on the top shelf in my closet. Read 11 of 2023.When I was young, maybe 6 or 7, I had an edition of Hansel & Gretel, which I enjoyed reading and re-reading, despite how much it scared me.Translated from the Spanish by Sean Manning Translated from the Korean by Deborah Smith and Emily Yae Won. Translated from the Bengali by Arunava Sinha Also, please ensure that the children have read the earlier Grimm’s tale as well, more so for literature’s sake. “Hansel and Gretel” is a work that is beautifully reproduced by Gaiman and Mattotti and a definite read for both children and adults. They somehow change your perception as well, over time and years to come. We have all heard it in our childhood, but I feel that for most stories, different versions are always welcome. There is something redeeming and at the same time something so unforgiving about this tale, that it will make you think over and over again. “Hansel and Gretel” is a delight to read, even if it is just fifty-six pages long. The images are in black and white, so that is another twist to it. And while others might say that it is too dark, it is really not that dark. They are dark, brooding, and melancholic to the core. What makes this edition so unique of course are the wonderful illustrations of Lorenzo Mattotti.

“Hansel and Gretel” tells the tale of a brother and sister and yet there are so many layers to it – of poverty, the parents’ role in sending the children away, the witch but obviously and the children with their intelligence and wit. It stays true to it and yet there is something about this version that both your dreams and nightmares will be made of. Neil Gaiman’s “Hansel and Gretel” does not drift away from the real story at all. Nothing could take away the beauty of a good fairy tale, so much so that its macabre underlined meaning was lost on us. Everything about fairy tales was fascinating and intriguing. We have all read and loved “Hansel and Gretel” when we were growing up.

Hansel and gretel by neil gaiman