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Anne Anderson #1
The Fairytale Code
A dead girl on a cross...
A global cult of women...
An ancient code in everyone's bedtime story...
Anne Anderson, a brilliant folklorist on the verge of a shocking discovery about the origins of fairytales, is haunted by her memories of what happened to her sister as a child: a brutal crime that is drowning her in guilt. Anne's redemption is a lifetime quest to decipher the hidden codes her sister discovered in a certain folklore story that leads to atrocious crimes to this very day.
Detective David Tale is not that different from Anne. Witnessing his mother's murder as a child left him with an unholy lust for catching killers, especially the rich and powerful who think they're above the law. However, his mental state isn't up to par, and his superiors only cover for him because of his relentless quest for truth.
When David is assigned to solve the case of a dead, teenage girl hung on a cross inside the Westminster Abbey, he is exposed to a web of clues by a killer who claims that only folklorist Anne Anderson can match his brilliance. A killer raised by a cult of women who have been keeping history's darkest secrets for centuries.
A secret that will shatter the world and its history... one that has been cleverly encoded in the Brothers Grimm original version centuries ago... disguised as fairy tales.
Anne's sister was right. It's her duty to uncover the shocking secret that would pull the rug from under politicians, the Vatican, the Royal Family and mankind's history that has suspiciously been written by men — and never allowed women
to tell their side of the story...
* The Fairytale Code is NOT a fantasy. It's a real-life, factual, and fast-paced page-turner that takes place in Europe's most neglected historical 600-miles long strip called the Fairy Tale Road, where the true-life stories of fairy tale originated.
The codes and revelations in the novel are based on facts that have never been exposed before. Author Cameron Jace spent two years traveling Europe to put the puzzle together. And though the book's priority is entertainment, it presents a conclusion that will leave you speechless about history, women's rights, and your very own childhood.
A global cult of women...
An ancient code in everyone's bedtime story...
Anne Anderson, a brilliant folklorist on the verge of a shocking discovery about the origins of fairytales, is haunted by her memories of what happened to her sister as a child: a brutal crime that is drowning her in guilt. Anne's redemption is a lifetime quest to decipher the hidden codes her sister discovered in a certain folklore story that leads to atrocious crimes to this very day.
Detective David Tale is not that different from Anne. Witnessing his mother's murder as a child left him with an unholy lust for catching killers, especially the rich and powerful who think they're above the law. However, his mental state isn't up to par, and his superiors only cover for him because of his relentless quest for truth.
When David is assigned to solve the case of a dead, teenage girl hung on a cross inside the Westminster Abbey, he is exposed to a web of clues by a killer who claims that only folklorist Anne Anderson can match his brilliance. A killer raised by a cult of women who have been keeping history's darkest secrets for centuries.
A secret that will shatter the world and its history... one that has been cleverly encoded in the Brothers Grimm original version centuries ago... disguised as fairy tales.
Anne's sister was right. It's her duty to uncover the shocking secret that would pull the rug from under politicians, the Vatican, the Royal Family and mankind's history that has suspiciously been written by men — and never allowed women
to tell their side of the story...
* The Fairytale Code is NOT a fantasy. It's a real-life, factual, and fast-paced page-turner that takes place in Europe's most neglected historical 600-miles long strip called the Fairy Tale Road, where the true-life stories of fairy tale originated.
The codes and revelations in the novel are based on facts that have never been exposed before. Author Cameron Jace spent two years traveling Europe to put the puzzle together. And though the book's priority is entertainment, it presents a conclusion that will leave you speechless about history, women's rights, and your very own childhood.
581 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2022
1245 people are currently reading
859 people want to read
About the author
Cameron Jace
96 books2,045 followersBestselling author of the Grimm Diaries and Insanity series. A traveller and collector of out-of-print books from all over the world, obsessed with the origins of folk tales and the mysterious storytellers who spread them. Many of his books made Amazon's Top 100 Customer Favorites in Kindle 2015 & Amazon's Top 100 kindle list. Cameron lives in Yerba Buena San Francisco California. When he isn't writing or collecting books, he is playing music or enjoys the silence.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
July 23, 2022
This was my first Cameron Jace book.
While I cannot fault the story or the research that went into it -- they were both fascinating -- I'm sorry to say, it was almost unreadable. Cameron needs a good copyeditor at the very least. So many typos, misused words, poor syntax and incomprehensible sentence structure, missing nouns or pronouns without antecedents, as well as redundancies in information or mistakes such as it's snowing hard so you can't see anything in a scene and then instantly it isn't because you can clearly see someone hundreds of yards away. I spent a lot of time reporting content errors via Kindle. Admittedly, as someone who teaches aspiring writers, I am probably more attuned to this kind of thing than the average reader. But I'm very familiar with fairytales and folklore, as well as European history, so the book's concept was perfect for me. I made my way through it, but I was very disappointed that it wasn't a better read because I so wanted it to be a fun ride. Also, I wasn't the least surprised by the ending, although that was probably me.
Cameron, please find yourself someone to edit your work. Your story ideas are riveting but, like so many storytellers, your writing would really benefit from the objective eye of a first-class editor.
While I cannot fault the story or the research that went into it -- they were both fascinating -- I'm sorry to say, it was almost unreadable. Cameron needs a good copyeditor at the very least. So many typos, misused words, poor syntax and incomprehensible sentence structure, missing nouns or pronouns without antecedents, as well as redundancies in information or mistakes such as it's snowing hard so you can't see anything in a scene and then instantly it isn't because you can clearly see someone hundreds of yards away. I spent a lot of time reporting content errors via Kindle. Admittedly, as someone who teaches aspiring writers, I am probably more attuned to this kind of thing than the average reader. But I'm very familiar with fairytales and folklore, as well as European history, so the book's concept was perfect for me. I made my way through it, but I was very disappointed that it wasn't a better read because I so wanted it to be a fun ride. Also, I wasn't the least surprised by the ending, although that was probably me.
Cameron, please find yourself someone to edit your work. Your story ideas are riveting but, like so many storytellers, your writing would really benefit from the objective eye of a first-class editor.
July 20, 2022
Thoroughly researched? Check.
Powerful characters? Check.
Twists and turns? Check.
Unexpected connections? Check.
Cameron Jace is an amazing storyteller who weaves fact and fiction so intricately that it truly would take a magnifying glass, tweezers, and a whole lot of patience to extricate the one from the other. As a fan of his other series, I was excited to read this new kind of story, especially one so rich in detail and research.
I don’t generally leave reviews, but was asked to offer one in exchange for reading. Therefore I read with an editor’s eye. I am truly stumped by the dreadful editing, thus only 3 stars. As meticulous a storyteller as CJ is, I am disappointed by clear editing issues where a simple reading the sentence aloud would clarify that incorrect word choice or repeated phrase from an incomplete edit. The story felt rushed through instead of carefully checked for incomplete thoughts or disconnected ideas or even awkward verb tenses.
Outside of that minor distraction, I thoroughly enjoyed this dark and twisted journey into history and the roots of the stories we think we all know. I look forward to the next romp with Anne Anderson.
Powerful characters? Check.
Twists and turns? Check.
Unexpected connections? Check.
Cameron Jace is an amazing storyteller who weaves fact and fiction so intricately that it truly would take a magnifying glass, tweezers, and a whole lot of patience to extricate the one from the other. As a fan of his other series, I was excited to read this new kind of story, especially one so rich in detail and research.
I don’t generally leave reviews, but was asked to offer one in exchange for reading. Therefore I read with an editor’s eye. I am truly stumped by the dreadful editing, thus only 3 stars. As meticulous a storyteller as CJ is, I am disappointed by clear editing issues where a simple reading the sentence aloud would clarify that incorrect word choice or repeated phrase from an incomplete edit. The story felt rushed through instead of carefully checked for incomplete thoughts or disconnected ideas or even awkward verb tenses.
Outside of that minor distraction, I thoroughly enjoyed this dark and twisted journey into history and the roots of the stories we think we all know. I look forward to the next romp with Anne Anderson.
July 19, 2022
Interesting concept, but the 'big reveal' felt a little anticlimactic to me personally. There was a lot of build up to the idea that fairy tales are this huge conspiracy to hide something, but it didn't really feel like some secret which made the reasoning behind it seem a little thin.
I did enjoy the references to fairy tales and their origins, and the whole fairy tale road was actually pretty fascinating to learn about. I think if the reader isn't too big on fairy tales though (not sure why they'd be reading this then) it probably won't catch their interest.
I did enjoy the references to fairy tales and their origins, and the whole fairy tale road was actually pretty fascinating to learn about. I think if the reader isn't too big on fairy tales though (not sure why they'd be reading this then) it probably won't catch their interest.
January 15, 2023
Wow - I thought I reviewed this last year. I absolutely LOVED this book. It's about the true origin of our fairytales with a bit of, hmmm, magic I guess, thrown in as well. The history is fascinating and I cannot wait to read the next in the series which just came - the whole reason I noticed I marked this as "read." I highly, VERY highly, recommend this one.
April 24, 2023
I debated between 2 and 3 stars for this. I rarely give less than 3 to a book I actually finish, but, in the end, I just couldn't say it was worth 3. Maybe 2½.
Mainly, I found the whole thing extremely complicated and convoluted. Most of the characters were caricatures, very thinly drawn and stereotypical. And in the end all completely unbelievable. Sure, one has to sometimes suspend their disbelief, but I just found each new scene sillier than the last. Except for all the extreme violence. Honestly, at the end, I'm not even sure what they proved.
Also, it was rather poorly edited. Lots of misplaced punctuation like a period instead of a comma, which meant the following phrase wasn't a full sentence although it was punctuated that way. And occasionally it was the start of another paragraph! There were words misplaced -- like he'd written a sentence and decided to re-write it, but didn't fully proof it and words that were part of the previous version got left in or left out. Also, there were misplaced articles -- "a" vs "an" etc. -- and several cases where singular and plural words were not in agreement.
But the FUNNIEST thing was that the author couldn't seem to decide whether the monarch of England was male or female. There were various references to "His Majesty" but then the following pronouns were all 'she' and 'her'. I think it was originally written before the Queen died -- though no name was ever given -- and then he tried to switch it afterward. Major fail. I'd not have noticed if it had been consistent; instead it felt lazy and that there was in fact a LACK of attention to detail. And being completely immaterial to the plot it was just a poor decision to even try to change it.
So, in the end, it was, for me, just not very good. I finished it, but then I ended up wondering why I'd bothered.
Mainly, I found the whole thing extremely complicated and convoluted. Most of the characters were caricatures, very thinly drawn and stereotypical. And in the end all completely unbelievable. Sure, one has to sometimes suspend their disbelief, but I just found each new scene sillier than the last. Except for all the extreme violence. Honestly, at the end, I'm not even sure what they proved.
Also, it was rather poorly edited. Lots of misplaced punctuation like a period instead of a comma, which meant the following phrase wasn't a full sentence although it was punctuated that way. And occasionally it was the start of another paragraph! There were words misplaced -- like he'd written a sentence and decided to re-write it, but didn't fully proof it and words that were part of the previous version got left in or left out. Also, there were misplaced articles -- "a" vs "an" etc. -- and several cases where singular and plural words were not in agreement.
But the FUNNIEST thing was that the author couldn't seem to decide whether the monarch of England was male or female. There were various references to "His Majesty" but then the following pronouns were all 'she' and 'her'. I think it was originally written before the Queen died -- though no name was ever given -- and then he tried to switch it afterward. Major fail. I'd not have noticed if it had been consistent; instead it felt lazy and that there was in fact a LACK of attention to detail. And being completely immaterial to the plot it was just a poor decision to even try to change it.
So, in the end, it was, for me, just not very good. I finished it, but then I ended up wondering why I'd bothered.
February 16, 2023
Found this book hard to read with odd sentence structure, incorrect words, and other confusing words/sentences; thought it was due to awkward translation but apparently not! Almost didn't finish after getting to the halfway point, but just really hate to give up on a book, so I did finish it. The information about fairytale origins was quite interesting, and I did enjoy the Fairytale Road itself. I will not be reading the remaining 2 books, though, and deleted them from my wish list.
May 1, 2024
Was not able to finish. The premise of the story was really interesting BUT the near non-existent editing and the formatting made it basically unreadable for me. Really disappointed because wanted to enjoy this one.
July 22, 2022
I was very excited to read this and signed up for a free copy to review by a specific date. I have a lot of background knowledge of fairy tales (and Disney) so it was hard for me not to let that influence my feelings of this book...So I’m going to leave my informed thoughts toward the end. I’m trying to keep this as spoiler-free as possible.
This book felt quite cinematic in its pacing and plot points. It was certainly entertaining and vivid in its descriptions of the landscape and characters’ body language. It was fun to dive into some of the histories of these well-known fairy tales. I appreciate how much research the author put into them and the ideas he wrote about (whether fact or fiction).
I think the general public tend to view fairy tales as more of generic ideas and lessons and the characters as relatable archetypes. This book did the opposite with that perception–He gave identities and specific circumstances to these stories which I think makes people more sensitive to what was done rather than brush them off as some morality lesson about right and wrong. Perhaps it’s because the fairy tales often have happy endings when the real stories usually did not.
That was evident in how the story tellers of this book were basically trained as sleeper agents to recite these tales precisely as they happened upon certain triggers…and basically ended up with PTSD from it. Sounds like just another day in a woman’s life of having to bear the harsh truth of things so others can keep on living the lies they created instead of dealing with the consequences of their actions…
That was something else I appreciated about this book. I think the author did a good job of acknowledging the way women have been treated across the globe, throughout history and even to this day. It makes you pause to think about why there’s such an emphasis on women and girls in fairytales.
As far as characters go, I liked the twist toward the end of what the female lead did to her sister, in spite of myself. I think that tapped into women resisting the universal conditioning to “play nice” and be accommodating to everyone except themselves…But I also think what she did to her seemed more like something a man would do to save his own skin.
Speaking of masculine traits, I found the other female characters to show some as well. I liked the eldest sister the most but I think she had a very masculine approach of covering up her physical scars while allowing her emotional scars to re-define her. It's interesting that she chose to tattoo herself to conceal what happened to her, but the real tattoo that actually meant something was the new name she gave herself. Seems a bit conflicting that she would want to hide yet simultaneously embrace what she suffered through in the manner that she did…I just feel as though if a woman had written this, her instinct for the character would be to do the opposite–Keep the scars because it’s part of her story, but keep her given name so that she doesn’t lose her sense of self and be defined by her victimhood. However, I suppose the point of her character was to show an alternate (dare I say less healthy) way of processing trauma.
The big reveal for “Snow White’s” evil queen was quite a shock but made perfect sense! I wouldn’t be surprised if that is actually who killed the young woman who seemingly inspired the fairy tale. Although, why so many apple references, if they weren't "what really happened"?
Another grievance I have is the level of hidden meanings in these clues. I get that Dan Brown and National Treasure really put these ancient-secret-societies-that-leave-cryptic-clues-everywhere kind of stories on the map so it’s become its own genre…but I think some of the clues are just not plausible, even for the all-knowing folklorists, to make such connections. You’d have to REALLY be overthinking and pull some mental gymnastics to hint at them in the vague, trivial ways that some of them were. Call me a jerk, but I don’t think most people are A) THAT smart/cunning or B) that un-poetic or subtle when creating “mapestries” and clues and such. I find the clues with more artistic flair are more fun and believable.
I also don't believe how many random strangers just knew the main character's background and/or correctly guessed the exact circumstances that the two characters found themselves in…And was unquestioningly ready and willing to help them. It felt like reading a POV of the main character's dreams where her guilt and fear is vocalized by people she's never met before.
Another thing I did not appreciate was when the male lead thought the female lead was different from other women, because she wasn’t afraid of rats…and she “didn’t look like someone who needed a psychologist”...If the author was trying to convey the male lead as sexist and not a very deep-thinker, he succeeded with those 2 passages…But I fear they might also come from the same place as writing more masculine qualities for the main female characters (the violent revenge, the fake fake-identity, the folklorists' egos, the eldest sister's whole new persona).
I am somewhat in the dark about what the advocate’s role was supposed to signify in this story. I know he’s going to be a more prominent figure in the next book (great set-up for that, by the way!) but I would have preferred a more back story for him. Particularly, why he was so easily swayed by the main character’s diversion toward her sister. He strikes me as the type who is not so easily influenced. Although, I guess the author has to give us something to keep us on the hook for the next book!
Now for my “informed” review:
First of all……………Cinderella’s Castle is in Disney WORLD (at least in the United States), not DisneyLAND! That is Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Disneyland, CA. And yes, there is a significant difference of Disney World from the rest of the Disney parks.
Second, no, Disney was not responsible for changing Snow White's hair. It was, in fact, the Brothers Grimm who did that. At BEST it may have been translators of the Grimm's books who misinterpreted it. But that was before Disney was ever involved.
One last looming issue (or really question) I have is that was the author not aware of the Richilde story? I admit, I only very recently came across it, myself, but it seems to be a rather thorough precursor to the Snow White we’re all familiar with. I was already aware of the Waldeck girl as the real Snow White theory, as the author acknowledged…But I think it would be remiss to not include “Richilde”, as well. If the author was aware of Richile, maybe he left it out for consistency of the story…
I kind of understand if he did that. I know the Fairy Tale Route is not his own invention and it’s the locals that claim all of these landmarks are what inspired the Grimm’s fairy tales, but I've found conflicting information about that, too. I found 3 other castles in Europe that lay claim as the real-life Rapunzel’s castle where she let down her long hair. And they are not even in Germany.
It makes me wonder what the 20% fiction is, though, as the author implied in the beginning of the book.
Regarding what I liked about this story, having the insight that I do, I'm just happy the fairy tales inspired him to even write this book! Origins of fairy tales is one of my favorite subjects and after first learning of the Fairy Tale Route, I've been dreaming of the day I can visit it.
This book gave me a chance to live vicariously through the folklore experts being in those significant places. You can tell the author put a lot into this story and I'll bet these tales mean as much to him as to the characters in and the book and fans OF this book.
He gave purpose and meaning to these beloved tales to help us understand why they've been part of so many childhoods and influenced so many people. I'm looking forward to the next installment of this series, despite my discrepancies with this one. I hope the imagery is just as vivid!
This book felt quite cinematic in its pacing and plot points. It was certainly entertaining and vivid in its descriptions of the landscape and characters’ body language. It was fun to dive into some of the histories of these well-known fairy tales. I appreciate how much research the author put into them and the ideas he wrote about (whether fact or fiction).
I think the general public tend to view fairy tales as more of generic ideas and lessons and the characters as relatable archetypes. This book did the opposite with that perception–He gave identities and specific circumstances to these stories which I think makes people more sensitive to what was done rather than brush them off as some morality lesson about right and wrong. Perhaps it’s because the fairy tales often have happy endings when the real stories usually did not.
That was evident in how the story tellers of this book were basically trained as sleeper agents to recite these tales precisely as they happened upon certain triggers…and basically ended up with PTSD from it. Sounds like just another day in a woman’s life of having to bear the harsh truth of things so others can keep on living the lies they created instead of dealing with the consequences of their actions…
That was something else I appreciated about this book. I think the author did a good job of acknowledging the way women have been treated across the globe, throughout history and even to this day. It makes you pause to think about why there’s such an emphasis on women and girls in fairytales.
As far as characters go, I liked the twist toward the end of what the female lead did to her sister, in spite of myself. I think that tapped into women resisting the universal conditioning to “play nice” and be accommodating to everyone except themselves…But I also think what she did to her seemed more like something a man would do to save his own skin.
Speaking of masculine traits, I found the other female characters to show some as well. I liked the eldest sister the most but I think she had a very masculine approach of covering up her physical scars while allowing her emotional scars to re-define her. It's interesting that she chose to tattoo herself to conceal what happened to her, but the real tattoo that actually meant something was the new name she gave herself. Seems a bit conflicting that she would want to hide yet simultaneously embrace what she suffered through in the manner that she did…I just feel as though if a woman had written this, her instinct for the character would be to do the opposite–Keep the scars because it’s part of her story, but keep her given name so that she doesn’t lose her sense of self and be defined by her victimhood. However, I suppose the point of her character was to show an alternate (dare I say less healthy) way of processing trauma.
The big reveal for “Snow White’s” evil queen was quite a shock but made perfect sense! I wouldn’t be surprised if that is actually who killed the young woman who seemingly inspired the fairy tale. Although, why so many apple references, if they weren't "what really happened"?
Another grievance I have is the level of hidden meanings in these clues. I get that Dan Brown and National Treasure really put these ancient-secret-societies-that-leave-cryptic-clues-everywhere kind of stories on the map so it’s become its own genre…but I think some of the clues are just not plausible, even for the all-knowing folklorists, to make such connections. You’d have to REALLY be overthinking and pull some mental gymnastics to hint at them in the vague, trivial ways that some of them were. Call me a jerk, but I don’t think most people are A) THAT smart/cunning or B) that un-poetic or subtle when creating “mapestries” and clues and such. I find the clues with more artistic flair are more fun and believable.
I also don't believe how many random strangers just knew the main character's background and/or correctly guessed the exact circumstances that the two characters found themselves in…And was unquestioningly ready and willing to help them. It felt like reading a POV of the main character's dreams where her guilt and fear is vocalized by people she's never met before.
Another thing I did not appreciate was when the male lead thought the female lead was different from other women, because she wasn’t afraid of rats…and she “didn’t look like someone who needed a psychologist”...If the author was trying to convey the male lead as sexist and not a very deep-thinker, he succeeded with those 2 passages…But I fear they might also come from the same place as writing more masculine qualities for the main female characters (the violent revenge, the fake fake-identity, the folklorists' egos, the eldest sister's whole new persona).
I am somewhat in the dark about what the advocate’s role was supposed to signify in this story. I know he’s going to be a more prominent figure in the next book (great set-up for that, by the way!) but I would have preferred a more back story for him. Particularly, why he was so easily swayed by the main character’s diversion toward her sister. He strikes me as the type who is not so easily influenced. Although, I guess the author has to give us something to keep us on the hook for the next book!
Now for my “informed” review:
First of all……………Cinderella’s Castle is in Disney WORLD (at least in the United States), not DisneyLAND! That is Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Disneyland, CA. And yes, there is a significant difference of Disney World from the rest of the Disney parks.
Second, no, Disney was not responsible for changing Snow White's hair. It was, in fact, the Brothers Grimm who did that. At BEST it may have been translators of the Grimm's books who misinterpreted it. But that was before Disney was ever involved.
One last looming issue (or really question) I have is that was the author not aware of the Richilde story? I admit, I only very recently came across it, myself, but it seems to be a rather thorough precursor to the Snow White we’re all familiar with. I was already aware of the Waldeck girl as the real Snow White theory, as the author acknowledged…But I think it would be remiss to not include “Richilde”, as well. If the author was aware of Richile, maybe he left it out for consistency of the story…
I kind of understand if he did that. I know the Fairy Tale Route is not his own invention and it’s the locals that claim all of these landmarks are what inspired the Grimm’s fairy tales, but I've found conflicting information about that, too. I found 3 other castles in Europe that lay claim as the real-life Rapunzel’s castle where she let down her long hair. And they are not even in Germany.
It makes me wonder what the 20% fiction is, though, as the author implied in the beginning of the book.
Regarding what I liked about this story, having the insight that I do, I'm just happy the fairy tales inspired him to even write this book! Origins of fairy tales is one of my favorite subjects and after first learning of the Fairy Tale Route, I've been dreaming of the day I can visit it.
This book gave me a chance to live vicariously through the folklore experts being in those significant places. You can tell the author put a lot into this story and I'll bet these tales mean as much to him as to the characters in and the book and fans OF this book.
He gave purpose and meaning to these beloved tales to help us understand why they've been part of so many childhoods and influenced so many people. I'm looking forward to the next installment of this series, despite my discrepancies with this one. I hope the imagery is just as vivid!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
dnf-abandoned
April 10, 2024Unrated/DNF
This is a very involved, complex novel which require a high level of concentration, not just on the plot, but also on an intellectual level as well.
This is my year to not force myself to finish a book just for the sake of saying I read it, or to count it toward my annual goal. If I wasn’t enjoying it, or felt I wasn’t giving it the proper attention it deserved it was best served by shelving it as a DNF, or to try again at a later date.
I started this particular novel 28 days ago, and even put a status update 10 days ago stating I was only on page 104, and it was going to take a lot of time to get through. I have since read one additional page, putting me at 105 out of 514, 20% read so far.
I think it’s time to retire this one, at least for now, and possibly revisit it at another time. DNF
Unfortunately, Amazon will not post a review without at least one star on it. I would’ve preferred to leave it as unrated.
This is a very involved, complex novel which require a high level of concentration, not just on the plot, but also on an intellectual level as well.
This is my year to not force myself to finish a book just for the sake of saying I read it, or to count it toward my annual goal. If I wasn’t enjoying it, or felt I wasn’t giving it the proper attention it deserved it was best served by shelving it as a DNF, or to try again at a later date.
I started this particular novel 28 days ago, and even put a status update 10 days ago stating I was only on page 104, and it was going to take a lot of time to get through. I have since read one additional page, putting me at 105 out of 514, 20% read so far.
I think it’s time to retire this one, at least for now, and possibly revisit it at another time. DNF
Unfortunately, Amazon will not post a review without at least one star on it. I would’ve preferred to leave it as unrated.
July 25, 2022
This is such an incredible read! You think by the title that it’s a fairytale read but it’s not! It’s a real to life story of non stop action that takes our mc’s to fairy tale road after the murder of a young girl. The author has done an incredible job of drawing you in and holding you tight as you follow Anne & David face their pasts and their own deep and dark secrets. It’s a unique blend of modern day mixed with the past and where the Brother Grimm and other folklore stories come from. It’s gripping, it’s enthralling and you will be hooked and a little stunned by the twists and turns.
January 15, 2023
Well written and suspenseful story. The characters are nicely developed and interesting. Keeps you on your toes until the end.
September 28, 2022
Couldn't make myself finish it.
August 14, 2024
Very reminiscent of the DaVinci Code, and not in a good way. Hard to follow dialog in some places, ie who exactly is speaking? Syntax errors, poor grammar, misused, misspelled words were all very distracting. Much of this could have been handled with better editing and proof reading.
September 28, 2022
A dead girl on a cross leads to a global cult of women and exposes an ancient code hidden in everyone's favorite bedtime stories. Anne Anderson is a brilliant folklorist on the verge of a major discovery about the origins of fairytales. She's haunted by her memories of a brutal crime against her older sister that still has her drowning in guilt. Anne's lifelong quest to decipher the hidden codes her sister discovered in certain fairytales leads to the discovery of atrocious crimes. Detective David Tale isn't that different from Anne. He witnessed his mother's murder as a child, leaving him with an unholy lust for catching killers, especially the ones who think that they are above the law because they're rich and powerful. When he is assigned to investigate the case of a dead, teenage girl hung on a cross in Westminster Abbey, he finds himself exposed to a web of clues left by a killer who claims that only Anne Anderson can match his brilliance. Now it's up to him and Anne to find a killer who was raised by a cult of women tasked with keeping history's darkest secrets for centuries.
Cameron Jace has once again written an emotional roller coaster of suspense mixed with historical facts. I've always know that the original fairy tales were incredibly dark and Cameron definitely highlights their origins. He has obviously done his homework as he, once again, incorporates little known historical details seamlessly into his story. Every time I started to think I knew where the story was going to go, he added in another twist and went into a completely new direction. I love the way Cameron's work really makes me think and the historical details he uses often send me "down the rabbit hole" as I learn more and more about his subject. His characters are all incredible and dynamic, even the ones I hated. He managed to make me feel empathy for his villains and has definitely added to my bucket list because I need to see the Fairytale Road now! And, November is far too long to wait to read more!
Cameron Jace has once again written an emotional roller coaster of suspense mixed with historical facts. I've always know that the original fairy tales were incredibly dark and Cameron definitely highlights their origins. He has obviously done his homework as he, once again, incorporates little known historical details seamlessly into his story. Every time I started to think I knew where the story was going to go, he added in another twist and went into a completely new direction. I love the way Cameron's work really makes me think and the historical details he uses often send me "down the rabbit hole" as I learn more and more about his subject. His characters are all incredible and dynamic, even the ones I hated. He managed to make me feel empathy for his villains and has definitely added to my bucket list because I need to see the Fairytale Road now! And, November is far too long to wait to read more!
August 21, 2022
Spoilers: I have a soft spot for books and movies that involve treasure hunts that provide answers towards history and legends' greatest mysteries. Stuff like The Da Vinci Code, National Treasure, The Indiana Jones movies, Avanti Centrae's Van Ops Series. Plus, I love History Channel documentary series like The Unxplained, History's Greatest Mysteries, and the various series hosted by Don Wildman.
Whether you believe the claims in them, the quests are suspenseful and intricate especially with how the clues and codes are joined together. Questions are asked, theories imposed, and fascinating things even some potential answers are discovered. They make you look at things differently and see that often times there is more behind what we learn and read. At the very least, the claims are fun to speculate upon.
Adding to this subgenre is Cameron Jace's The Fairy Tale Code, the first in his Anne Anderson series. This one takes that type of high adventure and mystery into the world of fairy tales, particularly those gathered by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
Folklorist Anne Anderson is called to appraise a copy of the presumed first edition of Grimm's Fairy Tales. Realizing that the book is a fake (and threatened not to reveal it), Anne is then called to solve a bigger mystery. DCI David Tate and his team investigate a woman's body hung on a cross in Lady Chapel Westminster Abbey. There are a few clues pointing to a potential connection to fairy tales as well as a coded message to locate Anne.
No, Anne doesn't know why there is a message singling her out nor does she know who the woman is. However, the clues lead to a trail in Germany known as the Fairy Tale Road, the real life location of the inspirations to many famous fairy tales. This clue sends David and Anne on the run to solve the clues and find out the mystery.
In the meantime, they are being stalked by various strange characters: Tom Jon Gray, who operates on behalf of the British Royal Family, Jacqueline de Rais and Franz Xaver who are trying to preserve their family's names and legacies, Lt. Wolfe, an intense and violent cop from Germany, Bloody Mary Harper, David's sadistic former colleague who has a vicious streak, The Advocate, a mysterious creepy character who pulls everyone's strings, and (my personal favorite characters) The Ortizes, a family of seven sisters, most of them little people, who either are trying to harm or help Anne and certainly have their own strange secrets and rituals.
I love how intricate the creation and execution of the quest is where each clue leads to a specific location and gives a little more about the history of the participants and their involvement in fairy tales. For example, a picture on a laptop of the WWII-era Ortiz Sisters, aka The Seven Dwarves, reveal that the Ortiz involvement in the fairy tale world goes very deep. Also, the location of the shot is Polle, the site of the real story behind Cinderella. It must have been quite an impressive feat for Jace to create the clues and codes that lead to each solution and each place along the Fairy Tale Road.
The book also gives some interesting perspectives about the origins of fairy tales that make sense, the more one thinks about it. The majority of these stories featured women as protagonists and antagonists, so it would make sense for the stories to be told and gathered by women. This book proposes that a group called The Sisterhood (of which the Ortizes are members) had and still have a close connection to the Grimm Brothers and the original tales.
It is also no secret that the original stories are much darker and (pun not intended) grimmer than we are used to. They contained rape, incest, cannibalism, destructive black magic, and homicide in its various forms. They were horror stories that slowly evolved into moralistic stories with potentially dark elements but ultimately happy ever afters. The Fairy Tale Code provides interesting theories about the real meanings behind the stories, why they were so dark and what compelled the gatherers like the Brothers Grimm and France's Charles Perrault to change them so much.
Again, whether it is necessarily true in the real world or not, the theories posed in this book are impressive and make sense if one thinks about them long enough.
Any good mystery adventure makes the main mystery a personal struggle for the characters and The Fairy Tale Code is no exception. Both Anne and David bear personal angst that they hope this mystery will bring solutions towards. Anne was very close to her older sister, Rachel, who introduced her to the world of fairy tales. (They even called each other "Snow White"-Rachel and "Rose Red-"Anne after one of theirs, and mine, favorite stories.) Unfortunately, something happened that led to an estrangement and Rachel is hard to get in touch with. Plus Anne describes her sister in vague terms implying that she might have a serious mental disorder.
David meanwhile still grieves for his mother who died in a gruesome way when he was still a child. He also speaks about a sister who is missing. A common thread in fairy tales is a sibling looking for another one. Anne and David hope that maybe the solution to this mystery will lead to the answers to their own quests.
My favorite characters, The Ortiz Sisters, also have their own struggles with family and its meaning, even as they are involved in this mystery. They are part of The Sisterhood and operate under the behest of a figure called The Queen who doesn't mind that her subordinates use violence. Many of the sisters follow The Queen's orders without question. Another sister Lily, questions the orders and whether she is fit to be a sister in every sense of the word, both theirs and in The Sisterhood. She debates what sisterhood means if it conflicts with the personal individual thought.
With its adventurous suspenseful plot, fascinating characters, and strong themes of femininity, family, and the history behind the legend, The Fairy Tale Code isn't just a great book. It's one of my favorite books of 2022.
Whether you believe the claims in them, the quests are suspenseful and intricate especially with how the clues and codes are joined together. Questions are asked, theories imposed, and fascinating things even some potential answers are discovered. They make you look at things differently and see that often times there is more behind what we learn and read. At the very least, the claims are fun to speculate upon.
Adding to this subgenre is Cameron Jace's The Fairy Tale Code, the first in his Anne Anderson series. This one takes that type of high adventure and mystery into the world of fairy tales, particularly those gathered by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
Folklorist Anne Anderson is called to appraise a copy of the presumed first edition of Grimm's Fairy Tales. Realizing that the book is a fake (and threatened not to reveal it), Anne is then called to solve a bigger mystery. DCI David Tate and his team investigate a woman's body hung on a cross in Lady Chapel Westminster Abbey. There are a few clues pointing to a potential connection to fairy tales as well as a coded message to locate Anne.
No, Anne doesn't know why there is a message singling her out nor does she know who the woman is. However, the clues lead to a trail in Germany known as the Fairy Tale Road, the real life location of the inspirations to many famous fairy tales. This clue sends David and Anne on the run to solve the clues and find out the mystery.
In the meantime, they are being stalked by various strange characters: Tom Jon Gray, who operates on behalf of the British Royal Family, Jacqueline de Rais and Franz Xaver who are trying to preserve their family's names and legacies, Lt. Wolfe, an intense and violent cop from Germany, Bloody Mary Harper, David's sadistic former colleague who has a vicious streak, The Advocate, a mysterious creepy character who pulls everyone's strings, and (my personal favorite characters) The Ortizes, a family of seven sisters, most of them little people, who either are trying to harm or help Anne and certainly have their own strange secrets and rituals.
I love how intricate the creation and execution of the quest is where each clue leads to a specific location and gives a little more about the history of the participants and their involvement in fairy tales. For example, a picture on a laptop of the WWII-era Ortiz Sisters, aka The Seven Dwarves, reveal that the Ortiz involvement in the fairy tale world goes very deep. Also, the location of the shot is Polle, the site of the real story behind Cinderella. It must have been quite an impressive feat for Jace to create the clues and codes that lead to each solution and each place along the Fairy Tale Road.
The book also gives some interesting perspectives about the origins of fairy tales that make sense, the more one thinks about it. The majority of these stories featured women as protagonists and antagonists, so it would make sense for the stories to be told and gathered by women. This book proposes that a group called The Sisterhood (of which the Ortizes are members) had and still have a close connection to the Grimm Brothers and the original tales.
It is also no secret that the original stories are much darker and (pun not intended) grimmer than we are used to. They contained rape, incest, cannibalism, destructive black magic, and homicide in its various forms. They were horror stories that slowly evolved into moralistic stories with potentially dark elements but ultimately happy ever afters. The Fairy Tale Code provides interesting theories about the real meanings behind the stories, why they were so dark and what compelled the gatherers like the Brothers Grimm and France's Charles Perrault to change them so much.
Again, whether it is necessarily true in the real world or not, the theories posed in this book are impressive and make sense if one thinks about them long enough.
Any good mystery adventure makes the main mystery a personal struggle for the characters and The Fairy Tale Code is no exception. Both Anne and David bear personal angst that they hope this mystery will bring solutions towards. Anne was very close to her older sister, Rachel, who introduced her to the world of fairy tales. (They even called each other "Snow White"-Rachel and "Rose Red-"Anne after one of theirs, and mine, favorite stories.) Unfortunately, something happened that led to an estrangement and Rachel is hard to get in touch with. Plus Anne describes her sister in vague terms implying that she might have a serious mental disorder.
David meanwhile still grieves for his mother who died in a gruesome way when he was still a child. He also speaks about a sister who is missing. A common thread in fairy tales is a sibling looking for another one. Anne and David hope that maybe the solution to this mystery will lead to the answers to their own quests.
My favorite characters, The Ortiz Sisters, also have their own struggles with family and its meaning, even as they are involved in this mystery. They are part of The Sisterhood and operate under the behest of a figure called The Queen who doesn't mind that her subordinates use violence. Many of the sisters follow The Queen's orders without question. Another sister Lily, questions the orders and whether she is fit to be a sister in every sense of the word, both theirs and in The Sisterhood. She debates what sisterhood means if it conflicts with the personal individual thought.
With its adventurous suspenseful plot, fascinating characters, and strong themes of femininity, family, and the history behind the legend, The Fairy Tale Code isn't just a great book. It's one of my favorite books of 2022.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2023
Amazing premise. Wanted to love this. Poor execution.
Even though there were obscure but interesting folklore facts to learn, layers of mystery to unravel, and even surprising plot twists, the book just didn't hold up.
Aside from many editing mistakes (redundancies and simple word omissions), I just didn't think the overarching mystery - the fairy tale code itself - was all that shocking or worth any dangerous secret society. Of course powerful men and institutions have been abusing innocent young people! Of course history is written by the victors and is not to be completely trusted! This is not a shocking revelation that will change the world as ths novel implies.
Finally, the narrative structure was achingly simplistic. Where there wasn't action sequences (which were ok), there was dialogue. The dialogue ran the book and explained all the mysteries. This book was very much "tell, don't show."
Even though there were obscure but interesting folklore facts to learn, layers of mystery to unravel, and even surprising plot twists, the book just didn't hold up.
Aside from many editing mistakes (redundancies and simple word omissions), I just didn't think the overarching mystery - the fairy tale code itself - was all that shocking or worth any dangerous secret society. Of course powerful men and institutions have been abusing innocent young people! Of course history is written by the victors and is not to be completely trusted! This is not a shocking revelation that will change the world as ths novel implies.
Finally, the narrative structure was achingly simplistic. Where there wasn't action sequences (which were ok), there was dialogue. The dialogue ran the book and explained all the mysteries. This book was very much "tell, don't show."
September 28, 2022
Waste of time
For a book that stressed how much research was done for it, there are ludicrous mistakes! The main character talks about Hans Christian Anderson and how a lot of people think his stories are by the Brothers Grimm and then later the author attributes The Little Mermaid to the Brothers Grimm!!!!! The Little Mermaid is by Hans Christian Anderson!!!! AGH! Also it's Sleeping Beauty's castle in Disneyland!! Cinderella's castle is DisneyWORLD!! The author clearly needs to learn how to properly do research! The writing was so atrocious that I couldn't even finish the book! I got over halfway because I'm stubborn but I just couldn't stand it anymore. Life is too short to read poorly written and poorly researched dribble.
For a book that stressed how much research was done for it, there are ludicrous mistakes! The main character talks about Hans Christian Anderson and how a lot of people think his stories are by the Brothers Grimm and then later the author attributes The Little Mermaid to the Brothers Grimm!!!!! The Little Mermaid is by Hans Christian Anderson!!!! AGH! Also it's Sleeping Beauty's castle in Disneyland!! Cinderella's castle is DisneyWORLD!! The author clearly needs to learn how to properly do research! The writing was so atrocious that I couldn't even finish the book! I got over halfway because I'm stubborn but I just couldn't stand it anymore. Life is too short to read poorly written and poorly researched dribble.
July 29, 2022
I adore Cameron Jace and I have several of his books on kindle, so i was expecting a lot from this new book.
I do think the book lacks his usual standard of refinement. There is several grammatical errors, and repeat sentences that i feel could be corrected. With that being said however as it didn't hook me in as easily as his other series initially, I did find myself enjoying the journey that was created for me.
I do have some questions that i feel the book didn't answer however as this will be an ongoing series knowing Cameron Jace's style these will be answered in his other books.
I will no doubt purchase at least the next book in the series to see how he plays things out
I do think the book lacks his usual standard of refinement. There is several grammatical errors, and repeat sentences that i feel could be corrected. With that being said however as it didn't hook me in as easily as his other series initially, I did find myself enjoying the journey that was created for me.
I do have some questions that i feel the book didn't answer however as this will be an ongoing series knowing Cameron Jace's style these will be answered in his other books.
I will no doubt purchase at least the next book in the series to see how he plays things out
July 19, 2022
Every time Cameron Jace releases a new book I have to read it. He is one of those authors who researches his subject matter so he gets events and facts covered in a book correct. This book is no exception.
The protagonists, Anne and David, are very believable characters as the author gives you enough backstory woven through the chapters to make them this way. As Anne and David go about solving a murder mystery the reader will think they know what’s about to happen but they won’t there are many twists and turns throughout the pages. I found myself saying more than once no way. I was not expecting that to happen.
This book has very short chapters but don’t expect to want to put the book down. It will grip you from the start and hold your attention. I began listening to this book in a serialized version and was having a hard time waiting for the next chapters to be released. Now that the book is finally out I can read on without waiting.
If you are a lover of mysteries then this book is for you. The books style is like that of a Dan Brown novel. If you are into fairytales you also might enjoy this book; however, be aware that there are no fairytales within the pages. Instead the protagonists spend their time looking for the origins of the Grimm Fairytales.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
The protagonists, Anne and David, are very believable characters as the author gives you enough backstory woven through the chapters to make them this way. As Anne and David go about solving a murder mystery the reader will think they know what’s about to happen but they won’t there are many twists and turns throughout the pages. I found myself saying more than once no way. I was not expecting that to happen.
This book has very short chapters but don’t expect to want to put the book down. It will grip you from the start and hold your attention. I began listening to this book in a serialized version and was having a hard time waiting for the next chapters to be released. Now that the book is finally out I can read on without waiting.
If you are a lover of mysteries then this book is for you. The books style is like that of a Dan Brown novel. If you are into fairytales you also might enjoy this book; however, be aware that there are no fairytales within the pages. Instead the protagonists spend their time looking for the origins of the Grimm Fairytales.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
September 1, 2022
As children, we learn the stories of fairytales and, forever after, they are embedded deeply in our lives. But what if these fairytales contained codes that point to real people and events in history? Drawing from the two years he spent in Europe researching this area, Cameron Jace takes us into the world of folklore and dares us to separate myth from reality.
This exciting first installment to Jace’s new 3-part series already has me hooked! Fast paced from the early pages, a girl is found murdered and bound to a cross in the Lady’s Chapel of Westminster Abbey. Through solving puzzles and deciphering codes, Folklorist Anne Anderson and Detective David Tale go on a wild journey together down Germany’s 600-mile long Fairytale Road, not only to solve this murder, but to discover more about Fairytales then you ever thought possible.
To say that I couldn’t put this book down would be quite the understatement! Not only was I reading well into the evenings, but I was so enthralled that I also spent hours searching online for many of the locations and people talked about in this book. With the myriad details Jace includes in the Fairytale Code, you can feel his deep love for this area of study, and can’t help but experience that love too. This series already has me in its grip and I can’t wait to read the second book in the series when it comes out in November!
This exciting first installment to Jace’s new 3-part series already has me hooked! Fast paced from the early pages, a girl is found murdered and bound to a cross in the Lady’s Chapel of Westminster Abbey. Through solving puzzles and deciphering codes, Folklorist Anne Anderson and Detective David Tale go on a wild journey together down Germany’s 600-mile long Fairytale Road, not only to solve this murder, but to discover more about Fairytales then you ever thought possible.
To say that I couldn’t put this book down would be quite the understatement! Not only was I reading well into the evenings, but I was so enthralled that I also spent hours searching online for many of the locations and people talked about in this book. With the myriad details Jace includes in the Fairytale Code, you can feel his deep love for this area of study, and can’t help but experience that love too. This series already has me in its grip and I can’t wait to read the second book in the series when it comes out in November!
July 16, 2022
I am a huge fan of fairytales and my favorite types of books are fairytale re-tellings. This book delves into the REAL stories and people behind our beloved fairytales (and let me tell you- Disney got it so wrong lol)
As always, the plot, characters and writing style draws you in right from the beginning and keeps you captive until the end
You can tell that Cameron meticulously researched the facts in this book (and there are a lot- I checked and went down some weird rabbit holes in the process lol). He is planning on writing and releasing a thesis on his research for this book and I cannot wait
I have read both The Grimm Diaries and Prequels as well as his Insanity series and absolutely loved them both- this book beats them both for me. I will be counting down the days until the next books are released. Well done Cameron!
*please note that I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review*
As always, the plot, characters and writing style draws you in right from the beginning and keeps you captive until the end
You can tell that Cameron meticulously researched the facts in this book (and there are a lot- I checked and went down some weird rabbit holes in the process lol). He is planning on writing and releasing a thesis on his research for this book and I cannot wait
I have read both The Grimm Diaries and Prequels as well as his Insanity series and absolutely loved them both- this book beats them both for me. I will be counting down the days until the next books are released. Well done Cameron!
*please note that I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review*
August 1, 2022
I've always liked fairytales
The author has an obvious deep interest in fairytales and referenced a number of works and names that I found interesting and that, in fact, led me to other books which I look forward to reading.
However, despite the promising starting point the story and writing themselves fall far short. The characterizations and motivations of the players in the book are clumsy and not believable. I could easily believe that the author has English as a second or third language and wrote with a thesaurus by their side. The book would have benefited greatly from better editing to catch the many continuity errors and to improve the English usage. The pace of the storytelling was good at the beginning but flagged badly by the end which was chaotic and absurd.
The author has an obvious deep interest in fairytales and referenced a number of works and names that I found interesting and that, in fact, led me to other books which I look forward to reading.
However, despite the promising starting point the story and writing themselves fall far short. The characterizations and motivations of the players in the book are clumsy and not believable. I could easily believe that the author has English as a second or third language and wrote with a thesaurus by their side. The book would have benefited greatly from better editing to catch the many continuity errors and to improve the English usage. The pace of the storytelling was good at the beginning but flagged badly by the end which was chaotic and absurd.
July 14, 2022
First let me say that I devoured the Insanity and the Grimm Diaries books, so my expectations were sky high for this one. It's a clever murder mystery, intrigue based story wrapped around the origins of fairytales and features the Fairytale Road of Germany. I had the privilege of touring Neuschwanstein Castle many years ago. There were just a few unanswered questions/incongruities/character actions in my mind that kept me from giving this book a five star rating. I wish Cameron gave a post story refresher on what was historical fact from his research. Entertaining and there's another book coming to this series. Not going into detail because don't want to give spoilers; I might just be nit-picking since I devour fairytale retellings that are thought provoking.
October 3, 2023
Fairytales, Folk tales or Truth?
What's the difference between a fairytale and a folk tale? What if their roots were based in historical events? Cleverly designed to hide the history's true criminals. That's the book. It a wonderful ride involving puzzles, car chases, murder and mayhem. No one is who they appear to be. Bonus if you enjoy reading/studying history. The only part I truly had to suspend disbelief occurs in the finale with the Catholic Church. Having been raised Catholic and studying church history, well that's not going to happen! (Deliberately avoiding spoilers.)
I read this book in one sitting. Glad I came to the party late, as the next in the series is available.
What's the difference between a fairytale and a folk tale? What if their roots were based in historical events? Cleverly designed to hide the history's true criminals. That's the book. It a wonderful ride involving puzzles, car chases, murder and mayhem. No one is who they appear to be. Bonus if you enjoy reading/studying history. The only part I truly had to suspend disbelief occurs in the finale with the Catholic Church. Having been raised Catholic and studying church history, well that's not going to happen! (Deliberately avoiding spoilers.)
I read this book in one sitting. Glad I came to the party late, as the next in the series is available.
January 30, 2024
I don’t write a lot of reviews, but wanted to chime in on this one. I was barely able to put this book down, more so than anything I’ve read in the last two or three months. Then I glanced through some of the other reviews. Did I notice some of the writing issues that other reviewers pointed out? Yes, particularly the “Her Majesty” vs. “His Majesty” inconsistency. But what amazed me even more was that I was so caught up in the story itself that I didn’t give more than a passing thought to the writing style or grammar, and I consider that a pretty significant accomplishment—I cannot think of any other time that’s happened for me. If I’m reading a novel for my own enjoyment, I want to be captured by the plot, and this book managed to do exactly that.
May 17, 2024
Good book but sloppy edit
Really liked this book the first time I read it. Good premise, quick action, fun puzzles. At the time of my first read, I'd give it 4 stars. Now that the second book is out, I wanted to reread the first book. It's very plain that every instance of "her Majesty" in the original has been replaced with "his Majesty." How can I be so certain? Because of the numerous feminine pronouns obviously referring to the Queen (Elizabeth 2) that remain. I assume someone trying to update the book typed a search & replace for "her Majesty" but forgot about the pronouns that are not attached to the word majesty. Very sloppy and distracting. This was written during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Why change anything?
Really liked this book the first time I read it. Good premise, quick action, fun puzzles. At the time of my first read, I'd give it 4 stars. Now that the second book is out, I wanted to reread the first book. It's very plain that every instance of "her Majesty" in the original has been replaced with "his Majesty." How can I be so certain? Because of the numerous feminine pronouns obviously referring to the Queen (Elizabeth 2) that remain. I assume someone trying to update the book typed a search & replace for "her Majesty" but forgot about the pronouns that are not attached to the word majesty. Very sloppy and distracting. This was written during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Why change anything?
August 16, 2022
Fascinating Twists and Turns, Complicated.
I enjoyed discovering and following the complicated twists and turns of this story and plot.
The subject was a bit gruesome for my taste but not so detailed that I had nightmares. I read huge numbers of books. This book kept my interest, I like that! Interesting play on the subject of the Fairytale and why they continue to capture our collective conscious. The author wove his characters skillfully to interest with the tale he was weaving. I had to research whether the author was male or female before i finished this book and was pleasantly surprised. A perplexing and complicated twist on one of our best known tales.
I enjoyed discovering and following the complicated twists and turns of this story and plot.
The subject was a bit gruesome for my taste but not so detailed that I had nightmares. I read huge numbers of books. This book kept my interest, I like that! Interesting play on the subject of the Fairytale and why they continue to capture our collective conscious. The author wove his characters skillfully to interest with the tale he was weaving. I had to research whether the author was male or female before i finished this book and was pleasantly surprised. A perplexing and complicated twist on one of our best known tales.
September 27, 2022
Wow! Just wow!
While I found the motives of the players to be light weight and suspect I did thoroughly enjoy the journey. I have long suspected, like Mother Gooses nursery rhymes, fairytales were more than moralistic pedantry to lead children along path to righteousness. That they were used as portrayed in the story gives one pause. What else has been deliberately covered up and reintroduced as something far less sinister by the winners, the men who write the history?
I am looking forward to Anne's next adventure and the delicate data drops of research that made this first book so enjoyable.
While I found the motives of the players to be light weight and suspect I did thoroughly enjoy the journey. I have long suspected, like Mother Gooses nursery rhymes, fairytales were more than moralistic pedantry to lead children along path to righteousness. That they were used as portrayed in the story gives one pause. What else has been deliberately covered up and reintroduced as something far less sinister by the winners, the men who write the history?
I am looking forward to Anne's next adventure and the delicate data drops of research that made this first book so enjoyable.
November 8, 2022
An intriguing and unique storyline which had me hooked from start to finish. The storyline is fast paced and the plot line kept me gripped. The descriptive narrative brought both the setting and the characters to life, making me feel immersed in the story. There are a few historical details which are inaccurate and some spelling mistakes which are wrong for the country stated. However, none of that stopped me from enjoying this entertaining and engaging story. The author has obviously done his research regarding fairytales and folklore, which comes across in the writing. I look forward to the next book in the series.
May 6, 2023
Very Original Plot
The author cleverly and skillfully mixes fact and fiction, historical people and events into a well-balanced mystery. Imagine my amazement to find there really was a family of performing Jewish dwarves named the Ovitzes, an actual Fairy Tale Road in Germany, and that the women credited with being Snow White or Sleeping Beauty in the book were actual women and historical figures.
I have always believed that inside of every myth, every fairy tale, and even every religion is a tiny kernel pf foundational truth. This book carries that belief into a very intriguing story.
The author cleverly and skillfully mixes fact and fiction, historical people and events into a well-balanced mystery. Imagine my amazement to find there really was a family of performing Jewish dwarves named the Ovitzes, an actual Fairy Tale Road in Germany, and that the women credited with being Snow White or Sleeping Beauty in the book were actual women and historical figures.
I have always believed that inside of every myth, every fairy tale, and even every religion is a tiny kernel pf foundational truth. This book carries that belief into a very intriguing story.
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