As a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables, I was excited to read The Grace of Wild Things. It’s billed as a magically inspired version of Anne of Green Gables for middle grade readers, and definitely lived up to that expectation. While there were many similarities to the beloved classic, there were enough differences to make it uniquely it’s own. One thing I really appreciated was that the author really captured Anne Shirley’s whimsical, enchanting personality in Grace.
As an unwanted orphan whose only talent is magic, Grace runs away from the orphanage to visit the legendary wicked witch in the forest. The witch is every bit as wicked as you would imagine, easily comparable to Hansel and Gretel’s witch. After nearly getting eaten by the witch, Grace strikes a bargain with her to become her apprentice if she can learn all 100 1/2 spells in the witch’s grimoire before the cherry tree blooms.
As Grace works to learn the spells, her sunny disposition begins to affect the cold hearted witch. Little by little, the witch begins to grudgingly care for Grace, allowing her to go to school and providing her with the home she’s always dreamed of. However, learning all the spells is more difficult than Grace thought. With a little help from newfound friends and her familiar crow named Windweaver, Grace might just be able to meet the witch’s bargain.
While I absolutely adored all the nods and familiar scenes from Anne and the exceptional world building, I wasn’t sure how I felt about certain things. Reading Anne as an adult, I’ve come to really appreciate Marilla. While the witch in many ways embodies that gruff, tough yet lovable persona, it’s hard to reconcile the fact that she nearly ate Grace and did lots of other really wicked things. I ultimately liked the way things turned out between Grace and the witch, but their relationship is more complicated than Anne’s and Marilla’s.
At almost 370 pages, it’s quite a hefty read for a middle grader. There were some parts that lagged a bit and it took me awhile to get into the story. However, once Grace goes to school and meets new friends, it became really enjoyable for me. I enjoyed identifying characters in the story who matched those in Anne of Green Gables. There are quite a few familiar scenes like the slate scene, elderberry wine, nursing a sick child, and the antagonism with Marilla’s friend Rachel. The villain introduced in the last portion of the story kind of came out of nowhere, but it made for an interesting twist. I also liked the positive messages of friendship and loyalty.
Parents should be aware that there might be some potentially scary things for young readers. If nightmares, witches eating children, ghosts, and scary forests are upsetting, you may want to read it first before giving it to your child. There are also witchcraft elements like spells, and making potions. While there are a lot of similarities to Anne of Green Gables, you don’t necessarily have to be familiar with that story to enjoy this book. Fans of magical fantasy and Anne of Green Gables might enjoy this. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and voluntarily given. 3 1/2 stars