Review of 'The Grimrose Girls'

Once Upon a Time meets Pretty Little Liars in this queer, dark academia story about four reimagined fairy tale heroines who must uncover their ancient curses before it's too late.

After the mysterious death of their best friend, Ella, Yuki, and Rory are the talk of their elite school, Grimrose Académie. The police ruled Ariane's death as a suicide, but the trio are determined to find out what really happened.

When Nani Eszes arrives as their newest roommate, it sets into motion a series of events that no one could have predicted. As the girls retrace their friend's final days, they discover a dark secret about Grimrose—Ariane wasn't the first dead girl.

They soon learn that all the past murders are connected to ancient fairytale curses…and that their own fates are tied to the stories, dooming the girls to brutal and gruesome endings unless they can break the cycle for good.

Review

The Grimrose Girls follows four girls at a boarding school who discover that they are connected to a fairy tale curse and are doomed to brutal and gruesome endings.

Storytelling

The Grimrose Girls begins with a funeral. What an excellent way to start a story. Pohl sets up a mysterious and somewhat haunting atmosphere. Our four main characters are struggling to understand why their friend committed suicide. However, as they think about it, they wonder if their friend was murdered.

The way plot builds up the tension and the mystery while also capturing those fairy tale elements. The quick build of tension pulls the reader into the story. As the girls try to unravel one big puzzle, they must solve mysteries tied to their fairy tale stories. And to make matters even better, Pohl uses the original fairy tales that are as dark as they are Grimm, not the Disney ones.

What worked so well was how Pohl connected the characters to their respective fairy tale. The details are sparse but precise and not heavy-handed. Pohl makes it evident to the reader which princess the characters should represent. Still, she doesn’t drag the story down with excessive detail. Instead, the reader sees their story come to life in a modern, contemporary, and unique way, giving the story a solid grasp on the reader.

Characterization

Pohl also gave each character a distinct and unique voice. By splitting the story into four distinct perspectives, the reader can understand who the characters are. In addition, they are given something deprived of them from their original fairy tales: agency.

Each girl has their struggle in the face of their struggles. From chronic pain such as fibromyalgia to mental illnesses such as anxiety and OCD, the reader can easily connect to them. Their voices resonate off the pages and give the reader someone worth reading about.

What is more, is that they are diverse. The characters have different backgrounds, different skin colors, and different shapes. There is also queer representation as well. Some characters are bi, pan, ace, and lesbian. They are real people to the reader. That honest representation reads as genuine and gives the story a well-rounded foundation making it remain grounded throughout the fantasy.

Final Thoughts

The Grimrose Girls is an excellent way to launch a new series. It is thrilling, unique, and incredibly diverse, making it easily relatable to every reader.

• Writing Quality : 9/10
• Character Development : 9/10
• "Couldn't Put It Down"-ness : 10/10
• Intellectual Depth: 8/10
• Originality: 10/10
• Overall Rating: 4 out of 5.

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband, son and daughter and their two cats.