A Grimm Legacy (Grimm Tales Book 1)

I wanted this book to be about the wonder and magic of fairytales, but the fairytale aspect was just a sidenote here - it was almost exclusively about the materialistilism for magical objects. There were a few cool ideas and interesting images here, but they didn't connect together enough to add real depth. View all 8 comments. Mar 14, Cara rated it really liked it Recommended to Cara by: Shulman totally gets fairy tale readers. When I finised this book I thought; Now why didn't I think of that? Elizabeth at the moment is friendless.

Her best friend has moved to California and she is still trying to get accustomed to her new home situation, new stepmother and two step-sisters who thankfully are at a college now. Things start to shift when Elizabeth decides to do her paper in history over the Grimm fairy tales. Elizabeth's history teacher gives her a recommendation to work at Ms. Elizabeth's history teacher gives her a recommendation to work at a library. But she will find out this is not like any library she has ever been to, in this library you can check out magical objects which of course opens up a whole can of trouble.

While working at the library she gets to meet the other pages: Anjali-beautiful and nice , Marc- star athlete and super good looking, and Andrew- serious, caring and funny. The pages, with the help of some younger siblings, will have to solve the mystery of the missing objects in the library. They find out soon enough that to find lost magic, you have to use magic. Suffice to say it's beyond interesting to see how they pull this off.

I had to turn it in the next day and I read up till the last minute, so I could feed the need to know what happened. I am so glad I did. There were a few fairy tales mentioned in the story that I never heard of, and it's always a plus to find out something you didn't know about. The one thing I enjoyed the most other than the idea of the library was the dynamic between the characters. It's uncertain but still heart-warming.

If you are looking for an original idea this is it. The only reason why I docked off a star was because I would have liked to have seen how Elizabeth's homelife developed. I will definitely read more of this author's writing. Ok so can anybody give me any idea how to get this job? Aug 10, Valerie rated it really liked it Shelves: I can't resist books like this.

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman - review

The thought of a library that has magical objects you can actually borrow is amazing. I've always liked Fairytales though probably not as much as Elizabeth so the title is what really caught my attention. We find Elizabeth in a rut. She has no friends at her new school, and all she does at home is chores and homework. So when she is given the opportunity for a job after school at an unusual library she takes it with optimism.

And this new job of hers leads Eliza I can't resist books like this. And this new job of hers leads Elizabeth through a mystery that requires her and her friends to borrow a lot of magical objects in order to save the day. The Grimm Legacy was imaginative, exciting, and funny. The beginning is a bit slow because Elizabeth is just starting her job so she is confused about what she has to do and acutely curious about the all mysterious Grimm collection. Consequently, she keeps asking question after question and some of them didn't seem all that necessary.

I was very impatient to get to the part where she sees the Grimm collection. The romance is kind of woven in a roundabout way. It slightly annoyed me that Elizabeth kept mentioning how great her new friend Anjali looked and how the two guys where fawning over her. Sounded a tiny bit jealous but I'm glad that Elizabeth holds no malice. She is a very kind hearted character; she has to be or else she probably wouldn't have gotten the job in the first place. One thing is I couldn't get enough of was all the magical objects that the characters got to use, I was kind of jealous myself.

Oct 28, Mike the Paladin rated it liked it Shelves: I was pretty sure I'd go 4 stars on this one, but finally had to go 3. I mean I know it's a YA book, I know that the protagonists are young but there's something that when it shows up in a read that simply drives me crazy Have you ever seen that TV commercial where the voice over says: The people are arguing about "what to do". Should they "hide in the attic, hide in the cellar??? Then one if them says, "why can't we get in the run I was pretty sure I'd go 4 stars on this one, but finally had to go 3.

The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman - review | Books | The Guardian

Then one if them says, "why can't we get in the running car? Let's hide behind the chainsaws! The book begins very slowly but some of you may love it because what we're doing is learning in great detail about the New York Circulating Material Repository. It takes a great deal of time to get into the actual fantasy of the book I was a bit tired but the story finally kicked in only to have Elizabeth and her friends frustrate me no end by making choices somewhat like deciding to "run across the quicksand instead of taking a path.

There's lots of whimsey in the ideas and the book will work well for a wide range of youths View all 12 comments. Jan 13, Jessica rated it really liked it Shelves: Such a cool idea! There's a repository, half-museum, half-library, where you can check out everything from Marie Antoinette's wig to the shoes belonging to the Twelve Dancing Princesses. Special students are referred by their teachers to be pages at the repository, and there the fun begins.

I had a hard time getting into this book because, even though it was in first person, I didn't really connect with Elizabeth the main character. We aren't privy to a lot of her thoughts and feeling Such a cool idea! We aren't privy to a lot of her thoughts and feelings, and she is easily baffled by the motives of others. I honestly couldn't tell if the other pages liked her or were being mean to her for most of the book. The story was interesting, the action rolled along, everything was great, but I just didn't feel for the characters as deeply as I should have.

View all 3 comments. Jan 17, Laura rated it it was amazing Shelves: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It exceeded my expectations: Elizabeth is a semi-Cinderella wicked stepsisters are in college, and they're really more annoying than wicked , doing chores and trying to fit in at her new school. When the opportunity arises for her to work as a page at the New-York Circulating Material Repository, she takes it and that's when the adventures begin.

Forget the magical aura of some of the objects: And then there are the special collections The adventure Elizabeth goes on, her relationships with Anjali, Marc, Aaron, Jaya and Doc Rust, and the overall feel of this book make me think this has potential for next year's awards. ARC provided by publisher. Aug 09, Ash rated it really liked it Recommended to Ash by: This is a very original and magical story. I have always loved fairy tales of all kinds and I don't think I'll ever grow out of it.

Maybe it's a girl thing.

1. El dilema de los próceres: Sherlock Holmes y el caso de las cartas ocultas de Rosas y San Martín (Spanish Edition).
2. Big Girls One Night with a Bodyguard: Short Erotic Romance?
3. (God) After Auschwitz: Tradition and Change in Post-Holocaust Jewish Thought.
4. Parents say.

Either way I don't care because I had so much fun reading this book. Yes, I felt that I literally had fun. Elizabeth Rew hasn't been doing too hot lately. Her best friend has moved away, and she hasn't made any friends at her new school. Things seem to be finally going in the right direction though.

After a referral from her This is a very original and magical story. After a referral from her social studies teacher, Elizabeth gets a job working as a page for the New York Circulating Material Repository. The repository is a sort of library, but not really. But there's no knowing who to trust.

First off let me just say that I really want that job! Can they please hire me? I'll make the commute. Which is like 6 states away, but who's counting. Why does everything have to be in New York? This is a genuine peeve of mine, but completely beside the point. I found that I really liked Elizabeth despite the fact she stole my dream job.

She is a normal everyday girl. She isn't destined to save the repository, she just does what she thinks is right. I also really appreciated the fact that Elizabeth isn't dumbed down for the sake of practicality. When she finds out about the magical things in the Grimm Collection she doesn't take a moronically long time to resist and then come to the realization that magic actually exists.

Major points right there. All that said though, I did take off a star for a reason. The beginning was a little slow. Like the theft of the Grimm objects doesn't really become a focus until almost halfway through the book. It was also hard to know just how old the characters were. I'm guessing they were in high school, but you aren't told, which was mostly confusing because they sound younger or more mature at times.

I still had fun reading the story and I'm pretty sure that my younger self would've totally fallen in love with this book. For now though, I'll just have to settle with falling in genuine like with this story Although I really like the cover. It got me seriously thinking about what I would use as a deposit if I ever got to check anything out of the Grimm Collection.

Would definitely recommend to anyone that has a thing for fairy tales. View all 4 comments. Jul 26, Stacy rated it did not like it Shelves: There is something rather grand about finding a new, good book to read. And it is always disappointing to discover that the new, good book isn't all that good. The dialogue was weak in a few areas, and the plot was too slow in some spots and too fast in others, but these issues were easily forgotten as I continued reading.

But, as is inevitable in "modern" teen lit, the author decided that her charming story couldn' There is something rather grand about finding a new, good book to read. But, as is inevitable in "modern" teen lit, the author decided that her charming story couldn't go on without at least one reference to sex.

Common Sense says

Are teenagers really that low? Can we truly not read anything without needing a titillating reference to "birds and bees"? Are we as brainless as that? Why can we not enjoy a beautifully crafted, innocent, exciting story without some sort of "adult" theme dragged in unnecessarily? We deserve more credit. I would have sincerely enjoyed this book if the author had not decided randomly shock her audience with risque images. The charm of her modern fairy tale quickly spun into yet another steamy teen romance.

I must admit, I am quite frustrated with the whole Young Adult genre in general; having condescending adults shove tripe down my throat does not appeal to me in the least. Would I write this book off as a failure? The author truly has talent, and her story, in general, was enjoyable. Unfortunately, she saw fit to include two or three scenes which completely drew attention away from the plot and toward a relationship that was more infatuation than true romance. It would have merited a four or five-star rating from me if not for this tiresome, cliche plot device being yet again dredged up by Shulman.

Dec 07, Wanda rated it liked it Shelves: Maybe I'm a grinch. Dec 11, A Canadian Girl rated it it was amazing Shelves: Right from the start, it was extremely easy to get lost in the pages of The Grimm Legacy. I especially love the fact that Shulman began each chapter of the book with a Repository object that would b Right from the start, it was extremely easy to get lost in the pages of The Grimm Legacy.

I especially love the fact that Shulman began each chapter of the book with a Repository object that would be used in the chapter and a call number. This neat detail to the book just makes you feel as if the Repository does exist! The other thing that I really enjoyed about The Grimm Legacy is the cast of characters. Meanwhile, Jaya is that annoying younger sibling, and her interactions with Anjali bring back memories of growing up with my own younger sister. For example, she does an amazing job describing the Repository without spending a huge amount of time on minute details about how the Repository would work — the basic details are covered — or slowing down the story.

Then when answering back in a rhyme, although the mirror had to speak the truth, it would make the truth as ambiguous as possible and call Elizabeth by variations of her name simply to annoy her! Despite the hints of threat though, the novel remains a fun and light read that will appeal to tweens, teens and adults alike.

Dec 03, Lindi rated it really liked it Shelves: I adored Enthusiasm and have been waiting for Polly Shulman's second book ever since. Once again we have a charming high school girl learning about love and friendship in the context of classic stories, but this time the stories are folk tales.

Elizabeth Rew is having a rough year. Her widowed father has remarried and, with two stepdaughters in college, he can no longer afford the tuition for her old school or for her ballet classes. Her best friend has moved to California and Eliza So much fun! Her best friend has moved to California and Elizabeth hasn't yet made any friends at her new school. After a particularly dismal day, her history teacher recommends her for a page job at a specialized library, the New York Circulating Material Repository, which checks things out instead of books.

For example, storage-strapped Manhattanites who want to have a fondue party, but don't have the right pot, or costume designers researching Elizabethan clothing for a play know that this is the place to come. Suddenly, Elizabeth has not only friends, but a mystery -- or several. Just what is going on with the special collections?

Why is everyone so mysterious about them? Could a large bird be stealing artifacts. This is apparently not due to be published until summer of , and I'm not clear on the title -- the cover says The Grimm Legacy. Up until a minute ago this was marked as Never finished, but I decided to give it another try. Lets see how that goes. Jun 23, Morgan Oats rated it liked it. This book was in no way a "bad" book, but it wasn't altogether great either. At times I really thought I liked it, and then there were others when it fell to "okay.

If I had to give this book a one word description I would say cheesy. I could think of others as well, but right now "cheesy" comes to mind. The book is about a girl named Elizabeth who writes a paper over the Brothers Grimm and is recommended a job at a rath This book was in no way a "bad" book, but it wasn't altogether great either. The book is about a girl named Elizabeth who writes a paper over the Brothers Grimm and is recommended a job at a rather special repository, which if you don't know what that is like me is just a "library" for objects where people can check things out.

Only this repository is special for it has magical objects that can be borrowed.

Now when I first saw the pretty amazing cover and read the title "The Grimm Legacy" I was hooked immediately. I know it's going to be about magic and it just looks like a great book. The only problem is I don't think the book lived up to its potential in the slightest. With an idea where you can have magical items being introduced into the real world, fairy tales coming alive, or any number of strange occurences, the plot of this book is simply that some of the objects are going missing And the number one suspect is a giant bird I expected this to be a magical story full of things you expect in fantasy, but instead I was given a book about completely ordinary things with a "tiny" amount of magic being a part of it.

I just don't feel that the magical aspect of this book was utilized as it could have been. There are far too few instances where the magical items are even used. The plot of the book? But really used, shown, and described? At one point a magical table is used to make food. And I think that was the height of the magical uses. Besides my overall disappointment over the lack of magic this was still a good book, albeit, a little cheesy.

The book has kids in "love" with each other, jealousy, betrayal and such that are in many books. I don't want to say the book was bad, but I can't completely say it was great. It was just under-utilized. If that makes any sense. I think this book had amazing potential, and instead it went down a more conventional path that really could have been told without magic completely, with only a few minor changes.

But there still wasnt a moment where I wanted to completely stop reading because it wasn't good enough. I never got to the "I can't put this down" moment we all, as readers, look for in a book, but it was a good book that simply made me feel that it could have been so much more. If you are considering reading this book or not, definitely read it.

A Grimm Legacy

You won't hate it and it is a good read. Just don't expect more from the book than it is: A book about an average girl who is working for a repository with magical items that has recently had thefts, and she teams up with some friends to try and save the day. Nov 24, Inge rated it really liked it Shelves: What to say about The Grimm Legacy? It was strange, but in a very good way. Elizabeth gets a job in a sort of rotating library for objects instead of books. People borrow things and bring them back later. It can be something as trivial as a lamp, but then there are the special collections.

There are people out there who have less honorable intentions. And when a co-worker is abducted by a giant bird, it all comes down to Elizabeth and her friends to save the day. We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate.

The star rating reflects overall quality and learning potential. Learn how we rate. For Your Family Log in Sign me up. Is it OK for kids to read books outside their reading levels? Column 4 Our impact report: How Tech Is Changing Childhood. Want personalized picks that fit your family?

Set preferences to see our top age-appropriate picks for your kids. Book review by Joanna H. Kraus , Common Sense Media. Girl tangles with magical objects in suspenseful fantasy.

Get A Copy

Polly Shulman Fantasy Sign in or join to save for later. Parents say No reviews yet Add your rating. Based on 2 reviews. Get it now Searching for streaming and purchasing options Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. Get it now on Searching for streaming and purchasing options A lot or a little? The parents' guide to what's in this book.

Ther are some romantic kisses. What parents need to know Parents need to know that The Grimm Legacy focuses on magic, both good and bad, as schoolgirl Elizabeth and her fellow young pages at the Circulating Material Repository -- an unusual lending library of objects -- must restore lost items and rescue nearly lost lives. Continue reading Show less. Stay up to date on new reviews. Get full reviews, ratings, and advice delivered weekly to your inbox. User Reviews Parents say Kids say.

There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title. Kid, 11 years old July 31, Teen, 13 years old Written by super-nerd22 May 13, Is it any good? Talk to your kids about Penguin Group Publication date: July 8, Publisher's recommended age s: Paperback, Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle. Great Girl Role Models. For kids who love fantasy.

Fantasy Books for Kids.