Giants, Trolls, Witches, Beasts - Ten Tales from the Deep, Dark Woods by Craig Phillips

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Some of our favourite tales are in this amazing graphic novel by internationally acclaimed artist, Craig Phillips.

This book is up for several awards (listed below) and it's easy to see why...

Easy to read and entertaining, this is a fun introduction a fun book to introduce some of the best fairy tales from around the world - diverse myths from Iceland to Poland to Japan, retold in easy-to-read glorious full-colour comic book form by internationally recognised artist, and author Craig Phillips

A cobbler girl tricks the Wawel Dragon, after all the king's knights fail...
The Polar Bear King loses his skin...
Momotaro, born from a peach, defies the ogres everyone else is too scared to face...
Snow White and Rose Red make friends with a bear...

We hope you love the magnificent storytelling in this graphic novel as much as we do.

Shortlisted The Ledger Awards 2018 AU; Shortlisted NZ Book Awards for Children & Young Adults - Russell Clark Award for Illustration 2018 AU; Longlisted CBCA Picture Book of the Year 2018 AU; Shortlisted Aurealis Awards - Best Graphic Novel / Illustrated Work 2017 AU

Wicked, by Gregory Maguire

Loved the idea of this book, but somehow it never delivered on its amazing second promise (not first promise because I thought the first few pages were dreadful) The plot had some interesting twists and turns, but it never really seemed to tie tightly together, the characters were shallow, and they did do stuff, but often for motivationally weak purposes. But most jarring was the changeable style - all the way from fairytale, to political angst, to where can we throw in some totally jarring sexual references, yeah - that'll sell the book.

The sad thing is he was probably right.

Even so I'm glad I read it - which is why it I gave it two stars on goodreads, hell I made it to the end, and there are alot of books where that never happens.  Besides there was something about it - an almost there.  Patches where I just had to know what was going to happen next, and was totally carried away by the story.  For example, I thought, some of the romance between the not quite witch yet, and her lover, was quite well done.

But still, by the end, I was driven totally insane - and am very happy to be moving on to Ian M Banks and the Hydrogen Sonata - and find myself really enjoying his quirky, well written style - (so happy because after this and totally failing to finish the last Wheel of Time book, was beginning to think my love of reading had died.)

Anyway, appologies for the crappy review, perhaps almost as disjointed as the book ;)

Never mind, I've heard the musical is awesome :)

A.J. Ponder