Full review to come nearer to publication date. Suffice to say that this was wonderful. Intelligent, beautifully written, queer, diverse and feminist in the best possible way. While the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perault and Hans Christian Anderson get credited with writing fairy tales, it’s long been recognised that they began as women’s stories passed from mother to daughter, and grandmother to granddaughter, aunt to niece and sister to sister, so it was amazing to see fairy tales handed back to women in this way. And no there is no direct retelling here, merely influences and themes.

To begin, I’d like to thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press for sending me an ARC of this book, and to NetGalley for facilitating. And a huge thank you to Menna Van Praag!

No spoilers as usual in this review.

This was a huge book to read. Not just because it was quite long but it was packed solid. So many different stories to follow, lots of characters and so many plot lines within each characters story. Then of course the main storyline. It’s written from the perspective of 6 different characters plus a few sections not focused on any character in particular. The individual sections are quite short so it keeps you on your toes keeping up with who is where. To make matters even more complex there is also time jumps in the narration from each of the characters as well as some sections that are “outside of any timeline”... that will make sense when you read it. And you really should read it.

It was full of magic, tension, betrayal, secrets, love, fairy tales, darkness and light... and a big dose of “girl power!”! Lol! Like I said, it was a huge, jam-packed book! And it really was beautiful and a pleasure to read.

I can’t say too much without giving any spoilers so I’ll just say that it is well worth a read and there is nothing about the book that I would change. For me it was perfection!

I wanted to like this book more than I actually did, because there are so many compelling elements. In the end I felt that the book was a little too ambitious and the author struggled to combine so many narratives. I also thought this was simply fantasy genre but it is more of a YA read which isn't really my thing admittedly. I'm sure it will really appeal to others with more of an interest but leaned a bit too close to fanfic for my personal tastes

This book follows four girls:

Bea - A student at Cambridge college, incredibly hardworking and a bit of a strange character. I couldn't really connect with her. Air witch.

Liyana - a woman of colour, her family came to the UK from Ghana. she is also the only queer character, and has a secret girlfriend. Used to be an athlete (Olympic level swimmer) before an accident that injured one of her legs. Water witch.

Scarlett - a young woman running the family cafe, and also looking after her grandmother who is suffering with Dementia. Fire witch.

Goldie - working as a maid in a hotel, whilst also bringing up her younger brother Teddy. Steals things in order to pay for things and clothe her brother. Earth witch. 

Every daughter is born of an element, infused with it's own particular power. 

These girls are all Grimm girls, girls who subconsciously meet when dreaming in this place called Everwhere, have magical powers and are unknowingly hunted Lumen Latros who are 'star soldiers' half falling stars and half human who have to kill the Grimm sisters so they can live. 

Everwhere - it's an autumnal place, with a winter chill and hue.

I liked Scarlett the most out of all the 'sisters' and Bea the least, as her personality was too abrasive for me. I really enjoyed the romance between Goldie and Leo, it was very enemies to lovers to enemies, and although I enjoyed the rep I felt bored most of the time during Liyana's chapters. 

I liked the story overall, but I think that there were too many POVs or possibly the POVs were too short for me as I did get a little confused at times who I should be focusing on or who we were following. I enjoyed the little twists, and overall I feel like it was a good YA, but I think I've outgrown that particular genre as I felt it was a little predictable. 

I gave it 4 stars, but I felt like it was more of a 3.5. I would recommend this to those who enjoy dark, contemporary YA with a magical realism twist to it. 

Trigger warnings for Sexual harassment, dementia, racism, sexual abuse of a minor, rape, self harm, suicidal thoughts and self harm.

I really enjoyed this book! Not only was the plot clever and intriguing, but I felt that the characters were ones you could empathise with and fully comprehend their emotional depth! I will absolutely be buying a physical copy and recommending this to everyone!

I was really interested by the premise of this but sadly I couldn't get into it, the writing style not being to my liking. I struggled to connect with the plot or characters despite the interesting hints of story I got from what I read. Really disappointed as it sounded just like my sort of thing!

The Sisters Grimm was a special book. It was even more special to read as a woman about the magical story of these 4 sisters. It has a really good idea behind it. The magic of each sister is related to the Earth's elements: water, fire, earth and air. They don't remember each other, growing up separately, but they will come together one day, in a different, magical world to discover their powers.

This book was beautifully written, slowly revealing itself to the reader. It reminded me of The Night Circus for sure. Not that its ideas are similar, but the styles and how stories reveal themselves are similar. So, I think the fans of The Night Circus should try this out.

I read it in a couple of days, feeling myself in another world rooting for these sisters. It's hard to pull off so many perspectives, yet I think it's done beautifully.

The story and the atmosphere is intriguing, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this fantasy world. Highly recommended.

4.5 STARS - review is on my blog (linked), goodreads (linked), and a link on twitter @BookrviewsKb.


The Sisters Grimm, by Menna van Praag is the perfect Grimm Fairy-tale infused story. Filled with magic, darkness and secrets, it is a tale of war, violence, and unity.


Synopsis used on Netgalley: *this was an eARC so quotes are subject to change*

"There are hundreds, possibly thousands, of sisters Grimm on Earth.
You may well be one of them, though you might never know it.
You think you’re ordinary.
You never suspect that you’re stronger than you seem, braver than you feel or greater than you imagine.
But I hope that by the time you finish this tale, you’ll start listening to the whispers that speak of unknown things, the signs that point in unseen directions and the nudges that suggest unimagined possibilities.
I hope too that you’ll discover your own magnificence, your own magic …"


The Sisters Grimm by Menna van Praag follows five different narratives; Goldie, Bea, Liyana, Scarlet, and Leo. However, while Leo is key to the story, the main evolution of the plot comes from the other four narratives.

This novel follows the story of four girls, four Sisters Grimm "each born out of bright-white wishing and black-edged desire". The sisters, however, do not know who they are, what they are capable of or what their future holds for them. We follow each girl as they each untangle their own individual and different lives, as well as realise that there is more to them than they first thought. We watch as they visit Everywhere only to forget, remember their childhoods only to be confused, and find each other only to recognise them but not know why. As the story moves forward we learn more about the sisters through their present lives, through snippets of their pasts and from Leo who knows much more than he lets on.

As the girls unravel their truth, they learn of a more sinister fate that awaits them, for in only Thirty-Three days they will meet their father, and partake in a fight for their lives, and for each others.


I loved this, I love anything that uses Grimm fairy-tale elements and this does that so wonderfully. However, this is most definitely NOT a retelling or a Grimm twist on a traditional fairy-tale, this IS completely and utterly original and the fairy-tale elements are so subtle and clever that it creates something so distinctive and unique that I was completely drawn in. Menna van Praag's novel is reminiscent of Angela Carters', 'The Bloody Chamber', with feminist influences and gothic elements intertwined with the fairy-tale origins- which was wonderful to see (my love for gothic literature was greatly rewarded).

This novel is definitely a must read, particularly for women, but also for men. Many a time the question of 'What book's should every woman read?' has been asked and the answers (that I have heard) are usually Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, and Little Women or similar titles, of course more contemporary novels are now listed but the classic are always there. I do not disagree with the classic choices, I also recommend them, but they are novels set in a time when women could not even own property, choose who to marry, or simply be free. So what about books we should read for a world where women are free from those previous shackles but are still bound by so many others? Well this book is definitely one of them.

The Sisters Grimm is about more than the fantastical elements, its about the strength of women and what unity of that strength can bring. The fantasy and magic of the Sisters being able to control or manipulate the elements creates a strong connection between the reader and the characters. Perhaps because women have long been key to elemental mythology; from Goddesses to Mother Nature, and from Nymphs to Faeries, the link has always been women who have predominantly featured in each of these myths. Thus having the characters embody an singular element allows us to connect with each in a different way.

(Minor spoilers - elements/fairy-tale links for each of the four main characters) This connection is also built with the influences from traditional fairy-tales. For example, Goldie (Goldilocks) is linked with Earth, she can manipulate nature. She is a hard worker, despite her tendency to steal from the rich, she is not afraid to get to work. This is significantly due to her little brother Teddy, she adores him and will do anything to make him happy. She is the embodiment of Mother Nature in her elemental sense and her sisterly yet maternal instinct to keep her baby brother happy. Goldie's character is a force to be reckoned with despite often having a quiet demeanour. She is also one of the most troubled characters, having had a dark childhood, only to now be stuck in a job with a sleazy boss. Unfortunately, her boss is left to behave badly as, if she questions him, she will be fired. Goldie is the character reflective of the part of us who are quiet when we should not be, but also is the part of us that is enamoured by the spring flowers and their full summer bloom, the part of us that loves our children and will do anything for them, or have younger sibling who we will fiercely protect, the part of us that is stronger than we realise. Goldie is the narrative we start with and is a character that we will love beyond compare. By the end of the novel Goldie become one of the most powerful characters who no longer stays quiet or docile, and instead is strong and will fight for what she wants.

Goldie does build up a connection with the character of Leo- this is an interesting dynamic we get to see as we are able to watch as structured opinions and beliefs begin to sift and change, particularly with Leo, until it is realised that there is so much more to the story (though I will talk more about Leo after the four Sisters).

(Minor Spoilers Continued) However, we can also connect with the character of Bea (Beauty). Bea's element is air, she can fly and manipulate it. Much like her element Bea is rather unpredictable. She is headstrong, sexually free, and unafraid to use people to get what she wants, societal expectations do not often faze her and she does not care to be seen as cold and stoic. However, she has an internal conflict; her mother nurtured the evil side to Bea, the socially unacceptable and volatile side, and Bea did not like this, she did not want to be evil. Yet, she takes a silent pleasure in being able to do what she wants when she wants. Her mother is the only one that tells her the truth about who she is, yet she passes this off as insanity until she realises the truth and understand why the evil in her was encouraged. Bea is a complex and intriguing character and, despite her vicious ways, is also easy to connect with. She is the part of us that we want to embrace, the careless and independent part that gets tired of playing perfect and kind. She is the character you connect with when you feel the wind on your skin and in your hair, the connection built on the freedom you feel in the air. Bea is intriguing and complex, she is a character that is forever questioned, you cannot predict her ending or what part of her will win. She is strong, and always has been and her ending may be the most poignant and freeing of them all.

Bea builds up connections with a couple of male characters which greatly contrast; Dr Finch and Vali. These relationships are vastly different, for good reason, and are interesting to watch unfold. Bea's personality makes for these relationships to be incredibly unpredictable, and yet fitting for her character.

(Minor Spoilers Continued) The next sister we feel a connection to is Scarlet (Red Riding Hood) who is linked with fire. Scarlet is kind and caring as she looks after her grandmother and runs the family cafe. However, she is also fiery, independent, hardworking and brave. Scarlet is a natural leader but still feels the force of her small cafe being pitted against larger corporate brands. She is unwilling to give in to Mr Wolfe's offers to buy her out and her anger at his suggestions and blatant disrespect for her homely bakery manifests in many amusing and explosive ways. Scarlet is a character with heart and is not afraid to share her views. However, she is consumed with trying to keep her grandmother happy and cannot come to terms with her condition, she ignores the problem in the hope that situation may fix itself despite knowing better. Scarlet knows very little about her mother, who died when she as young, and what we do see from past interactions are not exactly heart-warming. Scarlet remembers her distant and cold behaviour, yet she openly defies this herself and is a stark contrast when interacting with people she know. She is the character you connect with in anger when the fire burns in your chest, but also the one you connect with when you look after sick family members, or when you feel the comforting heat of the fire when you are alone, or when you fight for what you believe in and what is sentimental to you. Scarlet's ending is the most uncertain in some aspects, but in others it is the most warming. She becomes the strongest version of who she is and who we have known her to be.

Scarlet also has a connection with two male characters, which are vastly different. Wolfe and Walt. Walt being more of the friend and confidant, Wolfe being the dangerous and the physical. Both relationships have damning affects on us by the end of the novel.

(Minor Spoilers...) Finally, we can connect with Liyana. Liyana is the character who is not infused with a singular fairy-tale origin, instead she if influenced by both Cinderella and Rapunzel (a fact I had to check as her character is very complex and difficult to pinpoint-but the influences are so clever). Liyana's element is water. She lives with her aunt and is, though did not start off so, wealthy. Liyana is dedicated, creative and ambitious, much like her element suggests. She starts off with her mother, forced to conform to society and having to cope with her mother removing her individuality, changing her hair to be straighter and ensuring she fits in, Liyana. Then Liyana moves in with her aunt, and eventually, as she gets older, they become poor (echo of Cinderella). Because of his her aunt wishes for her to marry for financial security, which she feels trapped and obligated to do due to how her aunt has looked after her, this expectation and feeling of entrapment (echoing Rapunzel) forces Liyana to choose how she will control her life. Liyana is incredibly talented, yet is full of self doubt and finds it difficult to be herself. She is the sister we are connected with when we feel we aren't good enough, or when we feel the familial pressure of their expectations. But, she is also the one we connect with when we are creative, when the rain is falling and it feels peaceful, when we slowly learn to be ourselves. By the end of the novel Liyana has had some of the most personal growth. She is powerful, more self assured and has accepted herself as she is.

Liyana has a relationship with Koko (Kumiko) in the novel, and is the only character to already be in a long term relationship. Their relationship is lovely and to watch it unfold and go through the issue of whether or not Liyana should marry a guy for financial security is heart-breaking as they belong together. The two see each other for who they truly are, but still date in secret at first as Liyana puts of telling her aunt that she is a lesbian and in a relationship.

(""…) Finally, we have the character of Leo, not a sister but is a main narrative in the story, an interesting and clever creative choice. Leo (named after the constellation) is a soldier, born to kill Grimm girls for his father, his commander. A role he takes pride in, a role etched out for him. Until he meets Goldie. Leo is so certain what he is doing is right and yet upon meeting Goldie he cannot help but enter an internal conflict. He wants to protect her but knows he cannot. As his character and relationships grow his views change, the structures he was bound to become questioned and he is forced to choose between protection and murder. Leo's story is interesting and similar to how societal views and structures can change when you see the other side. Leo's ending is perhaps the most emotional as he makes his decision and decides who he will be.

Each of the characters in Menna van Praag's story are completely and utterly unique. They are diverse individuals in personality, ethnicity, sexuality, behaviour and status, each are well developed, in-depth and complex, and easy to connect with. The characters are human, they have flaws, but they are strong and powerful, even without their Grimm powers.

The storyline is original and the fantasy is intriguing, each element is beautifully created and maintains their originality despite the many influences. The story is not one of just women, but is also one of power and unity, one of acceptance and personal growth and it delivered on every aspect it gave.

The magic and the world of Everywhere is well built and explained but leaves enough mystery that anything is possible. The narrative styles, though the jumping POV may take some people some time to get use to, allows for the reader to learn so much and yet still be surprised and mystified at the twists and turns that occur throughout the book. The past and present alterations throughout the book were easy to follow and made the book more intriguing and mysterious.

The ending to the novel was hauntingly beautiful, with the growth of each character and the consequences of war being prevalent. The ending was shocking and unexpected, I have to admit I was heartbroken and completely fooled by some elements. The misdirection in the novel that prevents you accurately predicting the outcome is so subtle that you are shocked, and then slightly surprised you fell for it!

The Sisters Grimm by Menna van Praag is the perfect blend of gothic, Grimm-fairy-tale, magical, and modern elements, and is inspiringly original.

Content warning: There are references to child abuse, attempted /sexual assault, self harm. Plus the inclusion of consensual sex scenes.

*I received a free eARC of #TheSistersGrimm via #Netgalley @Transworldbooks (Random House UK, Transworld Publishers) in exchange for an honest review. *

There were so many good ideas in this novel but overall they just didn't gel. The concept was novel - Sisters Grimm are magical beings with fairytale personae (Beauty, Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, the little Mermaid) sired by a demon Wilhelm Grimm. Until they are eight they meet only in a dreamworld called Everwhere after which they are exiled until they are older. At 18 they make a choice - to join their demon father or choose the light and be killed by him. Added to this are fallen stars who become soldiers hunting them down. There were so many switches in perspectives, characters, timelines and locations that the overall narrative felt too disjointed and difficult to really sink into. The fact that the characters 'real' lives don't really intersect until much later also added to the sense of fragmentation. It is a real shame, This needed more coherence to really flow and draw the reader in.

The Sisters Grimm had a fascinating premise, and the idea translated well on the page. I liked the way each sister connected to a different element, and the shift from past to present in the narrative worked nicely. There was a good gradual reveal of information as the story progressed, moving at just the right pace. I didn't dislike any of the characters; however, I never fell in love with any of them. I would have liked a deeper connection. In the end, this is a four-star read for me. I really enjoyed it, but it didn't capture me 100% so I became completely caught up in the world. I would certainly read more from this author in the future though.

I thought this was really poor..

As a woman I absolutely cringed at the descriptions of these four 'sisters' - there's the wild curled red head who likes fire, the blonde who likes plants, the brown-haired swimmer and another one who likes flying (black hair I think). The main characters all seem to be from similar social class and education levels, and all have minor variations of the same personality. For me, there was no sense of complex characterisation or depth.

I found the writing heavy-handed, quite overdone with flowery prose but lacking in substance. The plot didn't hold my attention.

I would definitely not recommend this.

I stay up late to flow through these pages and read the story of these 4 sisters, Goldie, Liyana, Bea and Scarlett. I must say Cambridge is also beautifully coming through the pages, with old streets and grand buildings, I admired it as well as the story and the characters.
I loved this novel. There are so many books with whiny, helpless female figures and this is a fresh kick in the world of fantasy fiction!
Some scenes were so cinematographic, like when Bea went airborne in library, or Liyana was up in St Mary's church watching Cambridge under the rain...
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loved Laini Taylor, Angela Carter, Erin Morgenstern & Neil Gaiman. Van Praag is an author to watch!

The Sisters Grimm was a special book. It was even more special to read as a woman about the magical story of these 4 sisters. It has a really good idea behind it. The magic of each sister is related to the Earth's elements: water, fire, earth and air. They don't remember each other, growing up separately, but they will come together one day, in a different, magical world to discover their powers.

This book was beautifully written, slowly revealing itself to the reader. It reminded me of The Night Circus for sure. Not that its ideas are similar, but the styles and how stories reveal themselves are similar. So, I think the fans of The Night Circus should try this out.

I read it in a couple of days, feeling myself in another world rooting for these sisters. It's hard to pull off so many perspectives, yet I think it's done beautifully.

The story and the atmosphere is intriguing, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this fantasy world. Highly recommended.