The setting is dark and atmospheric. The characters are okay, the writing is good and the plot is nice.

A solid 3.5 / 5 ⭐️

Love retelling books so much, but I think this was not my cup of tea. I'm not so keen on Hansel & Gretel so maybe that's the problem. Love the cover tho, it's the thing that drawn me to the book.

Retellings have really been my thing this year and I am so glad I got the chance thanks to NetGalley to read this.
The story was one that pulled me in instantly and had me wondering more, I am actually quite excited for what is to come next
Okay in to the likes of this book
The Characters all, at times seem grey if you will and I love nothing more than that ( well not all the Characters not Greta, which was bummish but the girl has a lot to work through) .
The Fact that some twisted up history/backstory was thrown into this.
An Adult Retelling that had plot and actually story and bit just sex (I'm not a prude but I think we all know what I mean about retellings including some of these themes quickly fall to)
Okay Okay Dislikes
Hans.
The Father, because he felt pointless other than to piss me off
This next one is hard but a certain "last minute" character, who I love but felt rushed in if you will I feel like too much was given away in this book too.
Also some other things I want to keep quiet on because maybe the next book will reveal those answers

thank you netgalley for the chance to read this early.

A dark and haunting retelling.

Hans and Greta have been orphaned and turned away from their village forcing them into the deadly woods known for a witch, called the Shrike, who preys on young men. The Shrike seems to have her sights set on Hans and Greta will do anything to keep her brother safe from the witch. As Greta and Hans travel through the woods they are faced with one terrifying thing after another. It seems their path is endless and it’s not clear whether they’ll survive.

I found this to be an interesting retelling and quite imaginative. However, there were a lot of dream sequences and portions of the story that felt a bit slow for me. Greta is a character who is timid and relies on her brother a lot in the beginning so there was some great character growth throughout the story which I enjoyed. Hans wasn’t my favorite so that may have led to my feeling some portions of the book were too slow. Overall, I liked this book since it was so unique compared to the original story.

The Shrike & The Shadows is a dark retelling of Hansel and Gretel. Hans is a real jerk and the story is slow. The other parts of the story are interesting.

I don't know where to start as that book took me by surprise!

First thank you for sending me the eARC of this book because now I keep recommending it.

Second, if you love unpredictable dark retellings with twists there and there, you will love that one. I've never read any Hansel and Gretel retelling, I don't know why, I've just never had the occasion I guess.

This is NOT the story you've heard, or a story you would tell children. This is NOT a fairytale, it's way better.
I read that book in one sitting (maybe two?) because I just couldn't stop reading it. It was atmospheric and so addictive. i cared about the characters after only a few pages. Which is, let me tell you, never the case.

It was simply written. No vocabulary no one uses before, because the story itself, the retelling was so well done! The other didn't need to add "beauty" to the text as the story was all I needed. I simply pictures everything, almost every leaf the forest had, every eye the forest was hiding, every sound you could hear in the middle of nowhere and everwhere at the same time.

The witch here is way more scary with the Tree of Death than with candies.

I was glued to the pages and it kept me on the edge as I had no idea what was going to happen. I loved every single bit of it.
The only thing that "bothered" me was that ending. Because tell me there is a sequel please!!??

Dark and grim retelling of the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel.. Witches, wolves and a renegade priest included. A top notch read for any horror fan.

The description for this book was so interesting but not great in reality. I struggled to like the characters and I felt it was kinda slow. I thought about putting this book down a few times.

The Shrike and The Shadows was not for me. There was nothing particularly wrong with it but I was not really binding with the story and I never endeared myself to the characters.

I'm sure plenty of other people will love this but it wasn't for me. The plot is interesting and the characters are complex and well rounded. There are discussions of grief, depression, how manipulatove religious leaders can be, mob mentality etc. I found the magic and the Shrike very interesting, the world building was excellent but it just wasn't for me unfortunately.

Received an arc in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley

***I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***


3.5 to 3.75 stars.

This was... hm I don't really know what to think of it.

I did really like the beginning. The setting is dark and athmospheric which I always like. And it was a much more haunting take on the original fairy tale and Hänsel and Gretel (and as the fairy tale is already quite dark and shocking this was well done!). I also liked Hand and Greta as the main characters.

Toward the middle though I had some problems with the book. The pacing felt odd, somehow the story progressed super slow and it seemed like the same things were happening over and over again. [Like, Hans would have dreams or visions of the Shrike then almost fall into her hands and Greta would be there in the last second to save him. Or Hans would run off again and Greta would be dumb enough to follow him again. I mean sure he is her brother, her twin and everything she has left, but the way Hans treated her so badly, would never listen to her and kind of gave her the feeling that she is just a useless woman how needs to be told what to do? This didn't sit well with me. Barin was just so much more thoughtful and caring and he really respected Greta while her own twin brother apparently couldn't do this. This just didn't sit well with me. (hide spoiler)]

In the beginning I really liked Hans and Greta and the trusting and respecting relationship they seemed to have, but after this change I grew more and more annoyed at Greta and more and more angry and frustrated at Hans.

[And in the end it didn't even matter, right? Like, Greta couldn't save Hans. She had to leave him behind anyway. And then there was a pacing issue again. While the middle part was so slow that I wished something more and something different would happen, the final part felt too quick. It could have been a bit prolongued in that part. While they wandered around and escaped and wandered around and escaped some more in the middle, in the end the Shrike just took Hans and then there was a short fight and then they ran away and Hans was lost and apparently there wasn't even any hope, because Hans was lost from the start. From the first moment he saw the Shrike. It was just so confusing. And then the Epilogue in which apperently Greta and Barin lived together for a while already and she had returning nightmares and Hans was calling for her? (hide spoiler)]

Like, right now I am just super confused... but I did really like the setting and atmosphere and the turn this retelling had. Also the plot twist concerning the Shrike was good! And I liked Barin. He was probably my favourite character and I loved the chapters that were written from his perspective!! Though I wish there was a bit more slow burning between him and Greta!

To start off, a quick content warning: Although I have seen this shelved with YA, the content is very mature. A parent with a precocious tween would probably want to steer their child towards a more appropriate book. This is an intense piece of dark fantasy fiction, probably more at home in the horror genre than any other.

I recently attended a spec fic convention where a group of authors discussed the differences between urban fantasy, dark fantasy, and horror. One panelist summed it up nicely: in horror, the protagonists are trying to survive something. In other forms of fantasy, the protagonists are trying to defeat something, often to save someone. The Shrike and the Shadows is much more the former.

This is a dark retelling of the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel. Only in this version, they're young adults named Hans and Greta. It's a point that I had to remind myself of a few times, because Greta often struck me as a thirteen or fourteen-year-old. The dynamic between her and Hans reminded me of a teenager stuck at home with a good-for-nothing parent; she can't set out on her own yet, but at the same time, she often has to remind Hans about the basic principles of being responsible. Hans wants to sleep around; Greta tells him this is going to end badly. She doesn't seem able to break away from him, and she's unwilling or unable to leave him to his own devices and consequences.

Their shaky relationship is further disrupted when a monster who has an eye for all the men in the town sets her sights on Hans next. A series of disastrous events leaves Hans and Greta exiled from their home and wandering the woods where the monster (the Shrike) dwells. Trying to make it through to safety with the heart-stealing creature always at their heels is a task neither of them are prepared for. Although Greta talks about saving Hans from the Shrike's spell, at the end of the day, she's mostly trying to survive right along with him. There's not as much character development with Greta as I was hoping for. Her character judgment is impeccable from the start; if she thinks someone's bad, they definitely are, even if everyone else thinks otherwise. Conversely, if she thinks someone's good, they definitely are, even if no one else thinks so. Same goes for whether or not any given course of action is a wise idea. Basically, Greta is the character who tells everyone else not to open the door to the creepy basement. There's few flaws in her, except perhaps for some cowardice that never really gets resolved in a satisfying way, at least not in this book. I reserve judgment on that for future installments.

As for the dark fantasy element of this novel, it's got that in spades. There are scenes that will leave readers squirming in their seats. The narration never pulls any punches, and if that's the type of mood you're in, this book will deliver. It really does become an older version of Hansel and Gretel, with escape from the woods being the only goal, and Greta pulling along an often unwilling companion in hopes that they will just survive one more night.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I went into this story expecting just another retold version of the classic fairy tale. Boy was I suprised! I'm a horror reader by heart and this made my dark heart very happy. Very creepy indeed and will definitely recommend.

This is a dark, more grown up version of Hansel and Gretel. Not that the original fairy tale was light, but this retelling has it's own set of dark themes. That being said, I really enjoyed this read and can't wait for the sequel. I'm hoping this eventually has a happy ending.

3.5 Stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Mixed feelings on this one. I liked that it was creepy with supernatural/paranormal twists. I liked the idea of updating the Hansel and Gretel story. I liked the all of the plot twists and surprises.

On the other hand, I did not like how it dragged the majority of the time. Too much descriptive content that wasn’t necessary, unneeded conversations and nightmares (they were creepy and made me think I would have nightmares, but were they needed?). Also, totally unrealistic romantic relationship. Greta fall for the first male she finds outside of her village. And he’s probably way too old for her? Immortal, sure, that really doesn’t make it better for me though. It’s still creepy and unrealistic. Lastly, the epilogue basically says there will be another book. After all that, I’m not really up for a sequel. What else can be gleaned from this story line? Just put it all in one book and let’s be done with it.

Creepy, creepy, creepy. I was very unsettled by this book, and I mean that in a good way. I feel like I’ve become desensitized to spooky things and horror stories don’t get my heart racing like I wish they did. Color me pleasantly surprised when I walked away from this book feeling very ill at ease. The descriptions of the Shrike and the horror brought on by it were great. Although I wasn’t particularly fond of any of the characters (aside from Brugg - RIP), the atmosphere the author created left me hooked, and I was ultimately really happy with this book! I would definitely recommend to others, especially my horror-loving friends.

A dark and adult themed version of a childhood classic fairy tale.

If you are anything like me, you might have fallen in love with these stories and fairy tales in your younger years.. There is a ton of nostalgia looking back on the stories that helped shape my imagination and love of reading. I am a sucker for a new version and I couldn't wait to jump into this one when I was honored with an advanced copy.

It is definitely an adult version of the story and probably not a great fit for all ages.

The author did a wonderful job with the setting but just like Hans and Greta getting lost in the woods, I began to get lost with the story. After the twins were cast out of the village, the story isn't as substantive and there seemed to be several scenes thrown in that were not purposefully building the story.

It was difficult to tell if the impact of the Shrike and the woods, on Hans was intensifying or if it stayed the same. Was he delving deeper into the darkness or was he being pulled back to health by Greta. It felt as though we were missing more of Hans perspective.

I loved the story of how the Shrike came to be. In my opinion, that story told through the eyes of the woodsman was the most powerful section of the book. It seems as though this is part 1 and I am interested in continuing the journey to see if the author is able to develop the story through the perspective of the Shrike for depth.

The potential for a memorable tale is there but I feel like this book, on its own, missed the mark. Maybe in book 2 the of the real depth of the story will unfold

I loved this book .
A beautiful retelling of Hansel and gretel .
The shriek is a ancient witch stealing the young men and boys hearts of the village . Come Morning the hearts are found on doorsteps .
This story is full of mystery and suspense but also full of everyday relatable struggles.
Beautiful cover and writing style

This was an interesting retelling, but it unfortunately felt flat for me. Hans was I character I just COULD NOT STAND! He was very much an asshole with very few redeeming qualities. All he did was make me feel disturbed and question as to why Greta goes so far over her limits for him. While Great was a great character, her relationship with Hans only makes me constantly question her thought process and goals. The story itself was fine, but it did feel to drag many times.

I'm a sucker for a fairytale retelling. When I saw this one I was excited, Because anything involving witches prowling dark forests calls to my twisted soul.
The story was interesting and the shrike was a clever alternative for the witch we're familiar with from Hansel and Gretel. But don't expect to find a gingerbread house here. The allure used in this novel is not sweets but sex and seduction. And like a serial killer leaving their calling card, the shrike will graciously gift grieving families, their loved ones hearts. A neat concept that was mostly well excuted. Well worth the read.

An interesting premise and good mood setting, but I did have some issues with it.
Firstly when I read it I got confused about how old the siblings are. They're described as children, but they're actually young adults already.
I really hated Hans' guts and couldn't for the life of me understand why Greta loved her brother so much and why she did everything for him.
The Shrike itself was an interesting idea, but altogether I can't give it more than 2.5 stars.