I chose to read this book because of the interesting title and synopsis. It was difficult to read it at times because of the subject matter, but I absolutely loved it. Louise Murphy did a good job of intertwining the fairytale in the backdrop of WWII. It was really interesting how she broke stereo-types of traditional fairytale roles of the "witch" and "step-mother." I'm having my bookclub read it now!

How could anyone imaginatively add more grotesque and unspeakable horrors to an already tragic event in world history? Perhaps the deranged mind of Louise Murphy. And then deceptively entitle the book, "The True Story of Hansel and Gretel" when in fact there is nothing TRUE about it, save perhaps the setting of the book.

It's one thing to read true life accounts of this most tragic event in the 20th century but to add fictional and morbid events to this for the pure enjoyment of entertainment is a bit peculiar to me.

I read through about half of the book before deciding that I could no longer stomach the morbid and violent gibberish contrived by the author.

Save your money. DON'T buy this book. Unless of course you are entertained by things like the raping of a young girl, purposeful and violent disfiguring of young innocent children and babies, and twisted accounts of erotic blood transfusions.

It was just plain excellent. The author wove in the actual fairy tale very well. It was a page turner, the ending almost made me cry, even though I knew what was going to happen!!

This story was amazing. The author was ingenious, taking this fable and using it to tell the story of two children who have to fend for themselves during the Holocaust in Poland. I was intrigued with the setting of this novel since I am part Polish. The author chose The Bialowieza Forest for the setting of this story after seeing a television program about it. Reading about this makes me want to research it myself. Ms. Murphy also wrote a very detailed and disturbing description of the horrors of WWII and the murder of the Jews in gas chambers. This made the story almost like it really happened. This was an unforgettable story. One I highly recommend!!

I'm not sure what I expected from this book when I purchased it, but was intrigued with the author's idea to take a well-known fairy tale and turn it into a fascinating drama. I was not disappointed.

Needless to say, this book is not for the faint of heart. Sections of this book are incredibly brutal and difficult to read. Not that the writing is bad, for it certainly isn't, just that the story brings to life the horrors of war, which in this case centers around treatment of Polish Jews during WWII by the Nazis. Some of the scene's depicted in this book had my literally squirming while I read them.

I found it laughable that another reviewer's chief complaint was about "crude language." They must be joking. The so-called "crude language" is nothing compared to most books I've read. I guess I find it funny that of all the things that someone could be offended by - the brutality, horror, annihilation of people by evil, war itself - they are offended by language.

I would love to read more from this author in the future.

This book I wanted to like and could not wait for it to arrive. It was very graphic and the language was horrible. This is not a great story or one that needed to be written. Don't waste your time or money.

As they are chased by the Nazis through the Polish countryside in November 1943, a father and stepmother decide the best way for the family to survive is to send the two children into the forest. Hopefully, they will find a friendly farmer to take them in, and with their own lightened load, the father and stepmother can move faster and outrun the Nazis and their dogs. Knowing the children's Jewish names can mean death, the stepmother tells them their names are now Hansel and Gretel and to never utter their real names again. Through starvation, terror, betrayal and the horrors of life in hiding, the children never do utter their names again--and then they can no longer remember them. Their loss of identity is symbolic of all the Jews in Poland who died en mass, buried in unmarked graves or burned to ashes in the crematoriums as the Nazis tried to obliterate them from existence. In the end, the children have lost their names, seemingly forever, until someone finds them and knows their story. Their story is that of all the Jews who were not lost to us forever, whose names and stories live on in our memories, our museums and in our texts.

A couple who are close friends of ours recommended this book. The man is a Polish American who was born in a Jewish slave camp during WWII. If the parallel to the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel doesn't bother them, then it doesn't bother me. This tale is well-written, well-researched, and deeply troubling. The characters are complex and well-developed; the entire novel is a beautifully orchestrated morality play. One part of the story is so horrific that I skipped five pages or so.

The subject of this novel is all too real, and spinning it into a version of a fairy tale is totally inappropriate. The novel is cleverly written, and the author has contrived the facts of the Holocaust to fit into a fairy tale story. This trivializes the actual events, which destroyed millions of lives. The Holocaust was not a story to be cleverly twisted and "spun" into something else. It really happened, and a novelistic treatment of it still needs to respect the tragedy of it, and not use it for a clever exercise. I don't know what drew the author to write about this subject. Judging by her name, she isn't Jewish, Polish, or German. She apparently has no first-hand knowledge of the Holocaust, has never been to Poland, and has no other apparent connection to the events of this novel. So creating this novel was just an outlet for her creative talent, without true emotional content. This subject should not have been used that way.

I was so disappointed with the crude language in this book. We have been doing a WWII unit study for school and have read MANY holocaust books. THis is the worst one we have tried to read because of it's terribly gross language and description. It is not for children.

More hopeful yet darker than the tale it is based on, this book had me in its grip from the first sentence. In short, this is a modern version of Hansel and Gretel set in Poland during World War II. The author managed to weave elements of the original tale into the story without being forced or obvious. This is a beautiful tale of the darkness and the light that humans hold and act upon and a prime example of a modern day fairy tale.

This was a selection for my book club, so I didn't really know what to expect. It is a compelling read and a unique approach to the subject matter. Dispite the often graphic horrors depicted the overarching feeling is one of hopefulness. The characters (the good characters) rekindle a belief in the goodness of man and the power and selflessness of love.

i read alot of books but its not often that i become so immersed into a book that i feel as though im right there with the characters.i felt that way with this amazing book.
a fantastic portrayal of the holocaust and how it affected families and children.i would recommend this book for ages 16+,i dont think it is suitable for younger readers because it deals with a very emotional issue and has some sexual references.
this book moved me to tears.the fate of one character in particular wasnt fair and even now i am in shock.i thought about this book for days after finishing it,i didnt want it to end.

Usually Books like this aren't the sort I enjoy getting involved with, but not only was the authors rendition of this story, horrifying, and at the same time so amazingly alluring it was difficult for me to put the book down. True this story is not for the faint of heart, giving graphic details of life in Poland during World War II but the idea behind this book leaves an impact on you and offers a new perspective far from the mundane of history books into a horrifying tale of survival. Well written and a great read!

Following the outline of a children's fairy tale, the author places the characters in World War II Poland. The Jewish Hansel and Gretal are hidden from Nazi occupiers by unlikely and unpleasant collection of outcasts, making the story a complex examination of ethics.

The ending is a little too pat, but the power of the tension throughout more than makes up for it.

This was a wonderfult read and a true page turner.