Oracle Gretel

by Julia Rios, Erik Amundsen (Illustrator)

What happens after the fairly tale ends?

Gretel's To-Do List:
*Buy new dress for work party!
*Get food for Hansel (AVOID SHRIMP)
*Reload MP3 player w/ HAPPY music (Delete Joy Division!!!)

Gretel has lived for a very long time, and for most of that time, her life has sucked. This year is no exception. She's responsible for taking care of her brother (who happens to be an annoying cat now), she's hopelessly in love with her indifferent boss (the terrifyingly efficient and ruthless Ms. L. Thorne), and then there's that tendency to see the future, whether she wants to or not...

This short story with beautiful illustrations by Erik Amundsen is perfect for fans of Once Upon a Time, Neil Gaiman, and Kelly Link.

"A charming re-imagination of Hansel and Gretel with the succinct wisdom of true fairy tales and a modernly satisfying happy ending." --GoodReads

31 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Julia Rios writes all sorts of things, and edits primarily YA short fiction. Her fiction, articles, interviews, and poetry have appeared in Daily Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, Stone Telling, Jabberwocky, and several other places. Books she's edited include Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories, and the Year's Best YA Speculative Fiction series. She's half-Mexican, but her (fairly dreadful) French is better than her Spanish.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming re-imagination of Hansel and Gretel with the succinct wisdom of true fairy tales and a modernly satisfying happy ending. Lovely illustrations embellish the tale in unexpected fashion. A delightful read-in-one-sitting story.

[Minerva]

This short story is a sequel to an alternate version of Hansel and Gretel, following Gretel through many years. Clever story-weaving and strong metaphors combine with original added story elements and unique illustrations in this little treasure of a handmade chapbook. Thank you for this gift, Julia. It is very much appreciated!