Ratings

Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content

Guide to Rating System

LANGUAGE

VIOLENCE

SEXUAL CONTENT

ADULT THEMES

Ratings Explanation

Language: There were a few words used such as crap, moronettes, ditz, stinkhead, and suck.

Violence: A magical wooden club was to be used to beat a man, but it didn’t work. A bird chases after Elizabeth. Elizabeth got a little blood on her hand from a key. There is mention of a fictional character named Bluebeard (from Grimm’s Fairy Tales) whose wives were murdered. A woman uses a magic wand to hurt others. A magical bird and dog attack one another while blood spatters the wall.

Sexual Content: There are kisses between some of the characters.

Adult Themes: Elizabeth feels lonely in her family. Her mother died from an illness a few years back. She doesn’t feel cared about by her step mother and step sisters, and even her father is somewhat distant. An old table has some beer spilled on it. Thefts occur at the repository. Elizabeth purposely begins to explain a girl’s monthly cycle in order to convince a boy to leave, but very little is described. A few adults sip some wine. A girl is missing and held captive. Elizabeth goes into Aaron’s room without a parent present.

Synopsis

High school student Elizabeth Rew is a kind and giving girl who feels a little lonely. One day her social studies teacher suggests she might enjoy working as a page at the New York Circulating Material Repository – a lending library of objects. While working there Elizabeth discovers that someone has been stealing items from the magical Grimm Collection. Soon after, one of Elizabeth’s coworkers goes missing. She must try and discover who is responsible for the thefts and kidnapping of her friend, Anjali. Elizabeth and her new friends discover that the magic found in fairy tales can help them in their quest to get to the bottom of things.

I did learn something interesting about the Grimm Brothers; they did not write the fairy tales – they collected them. Several fairy tales are mentioned throughout the story. The main character (Elizabeth) is kind-hearted and giving but seems to have low self-esteem. She tends to feel sorry for herself and is even envious of others. Given these characteristics, she still manages to be selfless and courageous. The recommended age for this book is ages 10 and up. It may be most appealing to the middle grades.