“They taught me that every creature is an individual and we can’t punish an entire race for mistakes made by individuals. As easy as it is to label large groups with the reputations of their ancestors, it isn’t right.” Damn, this book hit a little too close to home. I’m so glad this is a children’s series filled with valuable lessons. Kids could learn a lot from this.
Connor and Alex are adapting to their new lives without each other. While Alex is becoming an excellent fairy-in-training, amateur writer Connor is sent to Berlin to hear three newly discovered stories of the brothers Grimm. Trouble is arising, and a warning for the Land of Stories is clear in those new releases. Together with recently made friends, Connor has to travel around the world to solve the mystery and warn Alex. The twins will have to face their most dangerous enemy yet, combined with the most difficult thing to do: uniting everyone to defend their land. Meanwhile, the heroes will have to deal with heartbreak, loss and some hidden secrets coming out. Get ready to sit on the edge of your chair.
My first point is, there were dragons! This is no spoiler, because it’s visible on the cover. DRAGONS! There even was a moment that had Daenarys vibes to it, and it left me squealing. Furthermore, this book dealt with serious issues, like death, racism, and infertility of women. These are all topics children should know more about. And about dragons, of course.
There was a cliffhanger ending that made you crave the next book. I’m still here thinking about theories. The ending and other temporary ‘plot holes’ resulted in a logical build-up , making a sequel necessary. This is something the previous books didn’t,;they couldn’t have easily been standalones. Best part is, Colfer’s writing is also getting better. Or maybe it just didn’t bother me that much, since the plot was that exciting.
We get more clues about the history of the Land of Stories, before the Queens lived. This showed Colfer is thinking more about world-building. Additionally, the past of our world was crucial to the story. Big names, like Napoleon and King Ludwig II of Bavaria (who was obsessed with castles) were mentioned. Does anyone want to go visit castle Neuschwanstein with me, because Colfer described it magically?
Where the set-up in the former books was always based on an object hunt, The Grimm Warning incorporated a puzzle to solve during a travel trip. It felt as if we were actually traveling along with Connor. There were so many plot twists that I didn’t see coming, and I just want to have the answers right now. The mysterious touch felt very refreshing, ex. villain’s identity, secret children, …
Unfortunately, what irritated me in the first books happens many more times in The Grimm Warning. Everything happens because of coincidences. There were coincidences helping getting problems solved, but also making problems happen. This made things unrealistic, as if they never really had any obstacles to master.
Secondly, Connor’s friends, Bree and Emmerich, became a bit useless after 200 pages into the book. Although they were involved in a plot twist, I do would have loved to see them more involved into everything. The same goes for the princesses, who again got little identity. Also, I only realized now there’s a serious lack of diversity? You would think that a queer author, who was an actor in Glee, would think about some POC or queer characters.
Nevertheless, The Grimm Warning is currently my favorite book in the series. 4 stars. There was actual tension, and some powerful lessons. Alex and Connor teach us that forgiveness and an open mind is necessary to have in our world. Colfer also knows what he’s talking about; it is clear he has delved into the subjects of folklore. He uses multiple minor unknown fairytales in comparison to Once Upon A Time, which simply started introducing Disney characters after a few seasons. If you’re into fairytales, prophecies and fantasy, feel free to check out these series. And maybe if your kids are looking for something to read, you could recommend this to them.