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Grim Brothers: A Grimdark Fairy Tale
I will haunt Baneswood until it spits out those I love. This I swear, if it costs me everything.
Rune is a boy on the edge of manhood when a sorcerer arrives in his small village in the woods. When the sorcerer bewitches his sister, Aurora, forcing her into marriage against her will, Rune and his three brothers vow to do anything it takes to rescue her. But young Rune never could have imagined the price they must pay to get her back. Grim Brothers is a grimdark novella containing swearing and violence. It is an origin story in the Cursed Woods series of dark fairy tales. It can be read as a standalone, but is best read after The Woods, as it contains minor spoilers.
Rune is a boy on the edge of manhood when a sorcerer arrives in his small village in the woods. When the sorcerer bewitches his sister, Aurora, forcing her into marriage against her will, Rune and his three brothers vow to do anything it takes to rescue her. But young Rune never could have imagined the price they must pay to get her back. Grim Brothers is a grimdark novella containing swearing and violence. It is an origin story in the Cursed Woods series of dark fairy tales. It can be read as a standalone, but is best read after The Woods, as it contains minor spoilers.
156 pages, Paperback
Published January 14, 2023
13 people want to read
About the author
Em McDermott
5 books15 followersEm McDermott is the author of fantasies that range from sweet to spicy. A lifelong dreamer, Em’s great loves—the ocean, dragons, and ancient mythology—find their way often into her worlds, which she populates with morally gray heroes and heroines who make their own destinies.
She can be found writing in a cabin in the woods of upstate NY. She shares her home with her two loving partners, a small flock of dragons (cough, cough, pet chickens), and more zucchini plants than is entirely reasonable.
If you have laundry to put off, visit her website to join her newsletter or check out her Dark Dreamers Facebook group, where the dream never ends.
She can be found writing in a cabin in the woods of upstate NY. She shares her home with her two loving partners, a small flock of dragons (cough, cough, pet chickens), and more zucchini plants than is entirely reasonable.
If you have laundry to put off, visit her website to join her newsletter or check out her Dark Dreamers Facebook group, where the dream never ends.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 18, 2023
If you love dark fantasy set in fairy-tale-esque woods, character-driven plots, and beautiful meaningful relationships, then this book is for you.
"Grim Brothers" is a 5/5 ⭐️ read! Set in a small village in the woods, this story opens with fear of outsiders and change, personified by the market visitors and vicious wolves harassing the village. Everyone can feel the presence of a predator, and hate and fear begin to simmer.
Four brothers and their sister thrive in this village, their lives intertwined with the rich resources of the woods, and they take care of each other above all else. So when Aurora is in danger, her brothers will do anything and everything it takes to save her, facing terrible circumstances as fear consumes the village.
Fear and hate go hand in hand, funneling everyone down a path with seemingly few choices and even fewer right choices. Rune, the POV character, knows only that he has to do what he thinks is best for his family, even as that family is ripped apart.
As usual, McDermott does an excellent job of giving every character unique voice and depth. I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Grim Brothers" and hope she continues writing stories in this world of woods and wolves.
"Grim Brothers" is a 5/5 ⭐️ read! Set in a small village in the woods, this story opens with fear of outsiders and change, personified by the market visitors and vicious wolves harassing the village. Everyone can feel the presence of a predator, and hate and fear begin to simmer.
Four brothers and their sister thrive in this village, their lives intertwined with the rich resources of the woods, and they take care of each other above all else. So when Aurora is in danger, her brothers will do anything and everything it takes to save her, facing terrible circumstances as fear consumes the village.
Fear and hate go hand in hand, funneling everyone down a path with seemingly few choices and even fewer right choices. Rune, the POV character, knows only that he has to do what he thinks is best for his family, even as that family is ripped apart.
As usual, McDermott does an excellent job of giving every character unique voice and depth. I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Grim Brothers" and hope she continues writing stories in this world of woods and wolves.
January 19, 2023
I couldn’t put it down! A very fast-paced story with amazing imagery. Despite the series of events that take place in the story, the resolution leaves you feeling satisfied. All of the characters felt like real people with real dialogue. McDermott captured the intense bonds of family (especially mother to child) so well that I was feeling everything with the brothers and their sister. I would recommend if you like a great new story about an old tale.
Could be read as a stand-alone story, but reading it after The Woods is better because it contains some spoilers (since it takes place before The Woods).
Could be read as a stand-alone story, but reading it after The Woods is better because it contains some spoilers (since it takes place before The Woods).
April 30, 2023
This book was sent to me by Voracious Readers Only as a part of my review copy of The Woods
This is the origin story of The Woods. When Aurora and her daughter Greta are taken by the apothecary who wishes of marry her Rune, Ulf, Gus and Dag (Aurora’s brothers) go after her in hopes of bringing her home. But if you’ve read The Woods you know that this does not go to plan. This is the story of how 4 boys who only wanted to rescue their sister and niece were cursed to be what they fear the most and transformed into Wolves and triggered a chain of events that changed everything.
This is the origin story of The Woods. When Aurora and her daughter Greta are taken by the apothecary who wishes of marry her Rune, Ulf, Gus and Dag (Aurora’s brothers) go after her in hopes of bringing her home. But if you’ve read The Woods you know that this does not go to plan. This is the story of how 4 boys who only wanted to rescue their sister and niece were cursed to be what they fear the most and transformed into Wolves and triggered a chain of events that changed everything.
April 3, 2024
This seamless interweaving of fairy tale elements and realism makes the legend told within The Woods come to life. The main character is a man who means well but still falls prey to a patriarchal viewpoint. Both the viewer and those around him are complex characters, and I enjoyed how even the good guys do bad things and the villain has his moments of being so pathetic you almost feel sorry for him. There is also no happy ending, and things don’t fall pat, but life still moves on–which in a way is more satisfying than watching everything fall into place like clockwork.
February 13, 2023
‘Whatever you fear most, you will become.’
It’s not just what’s said, but also how it’s said. The author sure has a way with words:
‘There was his sharp edge, hidden, as if by honey on a knife.’
‘His voice was shivering crystal about to shatter.’
A wee bit of humor goes a long way:
“How is it you came by such unusual ears?”
“Ah. The cost of a spell I cast many years ago. A disturbing surprise at first, I assure you, but they’ve grown on me.”
This sent chills through to my core:
‘A war was being fought in Dag’s eyes. A hunter, calm and capable, weighed the risks and the odds. His skills against erratic behavior. A detached coldness, entirely unlike I’d seen in those warm eyes before this night, battled a shivering child full of terror.’
I’ve read other works by this author and her writing style in this one was simply amazing.
It’s not just what’s said, but also how it’s said. The author sure has a way with words:
‘There was his sharp edge, hidden, as if by honey on a knife.’
‘His voice was shivering crystal about to shatter.’
A wee bit of humor goes a long way:
“How is it you came by such unusual ears?”
“Ah. The cost of a spell I cast many years ago. A disturbing surprise at first, I assure you, but they’ve grown on me.”
This sent chills through to my core:
‘A war was being fought in Dag’s eyes. A hunter, calm and capable, weighed the risks and the odds. His skills against erratic behavior. A detached coldness, entirely unlike I’d seen in those warm eyes before this night, battled a shivering child full of terror.’
I’ve read other works by this author and her writing style in this one was simply amazing.
January 5, 2023
Set in a fairytale setting the people of Baneswood don’t really like change but when a stranger comes to Baneswood things get pretty intense. He not what he seems. Aurora and her daughter Greta were taken by him and Aurora was enchanted by him. Her brothers try to rescue her but a curse was put on them by the stranger. Neighbors and friends turn on each other and don’t know what is the truth. Lives and friends are lost. Intense and adventurous. Really enjoy reading it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews