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The Magic Circle
From the author of Zel, Stones in Water, and The Prince of the Pond.
Deep in the woods lives the old witch called Ugly One. All she wants is to forget—that she was once a loving mother and a healer, blessed and powerful within her magic circle, and not a witch, claimed by the devils. Then one day she hears the footsteps she dreads. Then real voices—children's voices. The Ugly One longs to take care of sturdy, sensible Gretel and her young brother Hansel. They are such good children, such delicious, beautiful children. But demons' voices scream in her head: "Eat them!" How can she? . . . How can she not?
Deep in the woods lives the old witch called Ugly One. All she wants is to forget—that she was once a loving mother and a healer, blessed and powerful within her magic circle, and not a witch, claimed by the devils. Then one day she hears the footsteps she dreads. Then real voices—children's voices. The Ugly One longs to take care of sturdy, sensible Gretel and her young brother Hansel. They are such good children, such delicious, beautiful children. But demons' voices scream in her head: "Eat them!" How can she? . . . How can she not?
128 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1993
9 people are currently reading
1173 people want to read
About the author
Donna Jo Napoli
138 books1,112 followersDonna Jo Napoli is both a linguist and a writer of children's and YA fiction. She loves to garden and bake bread, and even dreams of moving to the woods and becoming a naturalist.
At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to make the neighbors wonder. But dear dear Taxi died in 2009.
She has five children, seven grandchildren, and currently lives outside Philadelphia. She received her BA in mathematics in 1970 and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1973, both from Harvard University, then did a postdoctoral year in Linguistics at MIT. She has since taught linguistics at Smith College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Swarthmore College. It was at UM that she earned tenure (in 1981) and became a full professor (in 1984). She has held visiting positions at the University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Geneva (Switzerland), Capital Normal University of Beijing (China), the University of Newcastle (UK), the University of Venice at Ca' Foscari (Italy), and the Siena School for the Liberal Arts (Italy) as well as lectured at the University of Sydney (Australia), Macquarie University (Australia), the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) and held a fellowship at Trinity College Dublin. In the area of linguistics she has authored, coauthored, edited, or coedited 17 books, ranging from theoretical linguistics to practical matters in language structure and use, including matters of interest to d/Deaf people. She has held grants and fellowships from numerous sources, including the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the Sloan Foundation.
At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to make the neighbors wonder. But dear dear Taxi died in 2009.
She has five children, seven grandchildren, and currently lives outside Philadelphia. She received her BA in mathematics in 1970 and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1973, both from Harvard University, then did a postdoctoral year in Linguistics at MIT. She has since taught linguistics at Smith College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Swarthmore College. It was at UM that she earned tenure (in 1981) and became a full professor (in 1984). She has held visiting positions at the University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Geneva (Switzerland), Capital Normal University of Beijing (China), the University of Newcastle (UK), the University of Venice at Ca' Foscari (Italy), and the Siena School for the Liberal Arts (Italy) as well as lectured at the University of Sydney (Australia), Macquarie University (Australia), the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) and held a fellowship at Trinity College Dublin. In the area of linguistics she has authored, coauthored, edited, or coedited 17 books, ranging from theoretical linguistics to practical matters in language structure and use, including matters of interest to d/Deaf people. She has held grants and fellowships from numerous sources, including the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the Sloan Foundation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
January 10, 2020
OMG. Brilliant. Resembles Grimm's version of the Hansel & Gretel story very little. About 2/3 of the very short novel tells how the witch became a hermit in a cottage made of candy. It's not a story of the children's courage, but a fable of what can happen to single mothers who want the best for their own child but only have talents that make the community uncomfortable. Intense. It looks like a book for 8 year-olds, but I'd not readily recommend it for under 12.
One interesting thing is that 'diamonds on the soles of her shoes' was a motif... but used in a manner that doesn't appear to have anything to do with how Paul Simon used the phrase... or does it? And is Napoli paying homage to Simon, or are they both referencing older folklore? I tried to learn more but couldn't. Do you know? 4.5 stars
One interesting thing is that 'diamonds on the soles of her shoes' was a motif... but used in a manner that doesn't appear to have anything to do with how Paul Simon used the phrase... or does it? And is Napoli paying homage to Simon, or are they both referencing older folklore? I tried to learn more but couldn't. Do you know? 4.5 stars
October 26, 2019
”It isn’t up to me to recognize the demons of this world. That is not a human task. God will tell me. All I have to do is listen.”
Villain retellings are nothing new in literature. I think that we as readers (and writers as authors) find something almost morbidly fascinating in humanizing someone that has been considered evil or misunderstood for so long.
But I think that no matter how many villain reimaginings I can read, nothing will ever top the genius that is Donna Jo Napoli.
Her fairy-tale retellings are some of the best out there. Younger generations probably haven’t heard of her much because her books are older in age (and probably aren’t considered ‘hip’ or ‘cool’), but they’re glorious works. She manages to dig deep within the original, one-dimension fairy tale characters and flesh them out into fully realized beings. The fact that she’s able to do this with both her protagonists and antagonists is nothing short of a literary wonder. And The Magic Circle is no exception.
We all know the story of Hansel and Gretel. Two children get lost in the woods and find a house made of candy. It belongs to an evil witch who wants to fatten the children up so she can bake them into pies. But they outsmart her and end up pushing her in the oven instead. But who is the evil witch, anyways? What made her build a house of candy in the woods? And why did she want to eat them? Who was she?
In this version of the Brother’s Grimm tale, she is simply known as the Ugly One. A midwife living in medieval Germany with her daughter, she is known for her hunchbacked posture and ability to deliver healthy babies even in the most dire of circumstances. Longing to give her daughter more than she has to offer, she makes a bargain with the devil; she’ll call up his demons from within the Magic Circle in exchange for their help. But when she breaks the devil’s bargain, there’s hell to pay. Off to the woods she goes, forever banished from her village. She makes a house out of candy to keep the demons away. It’s a hard and lonely life… until two children become lost in the woods.
Retellings of any tale are some of the hardest things to write. Stories are hard to write themselves, but taking a potentially beloved piece of literature and rewriting it for a new audience? That’s hard to do. It’s a fine balance of keeping enough of the original to make it true, but giving it a new twist to make it more relevant and exciting. And Donna Jo Napoli gets it just right. Her retellings are the perfect mix of old and new, tying up the loose ends seamlessly and intertwining her own story with that of the original so that it makes perfect sense.
Shedding tears for a witch I have only ever come to know as evil is probably a hard thing to fathom. But goddamnit Napoli did such a brilliant and fantastic job with the Evil Witch. The Ugly One truly is a creature to be pitied. Shunned almost all her life and reviled in her later years, all she wants is to be accepted, to be loved, and to be wanted by someone -- her daughter, her neighbors, and even the lost little children who happen upon her house. And her realization that nothing and no one will ever love her is something so heartbreaking to read about.
P.S.: If you’re just getting on the Napoli train, my two favorites of hers are Zel (a retelling of Rapunzel told from the POVs of the Prince, Zel, and her mother), and Beast (a retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in 18th century Persia from the Beast’s POV). They’re brilliant!
Villain retellings are nothing new in literature. I think that we as readers (and writers as authors) find something almost morbidly fascinating in humanizing someone that has been considered evil or misunderstood for so long.
”I am polluted. I am wicked.”Villains are often more popular than the heroes. There’s something so enticing about both their actions presently and the wonder that comes along with it: How did they become evil? What forces drove them madness, rage, and despair? From Marissa Meyer’s Heartless to Gregory Maguire’s Wicked, authors have taken normally evil and frightening characters and added a touch of humanity to them. They weren’t always bad; oftentimes, they were good. But something happened that affected them so deeply and scarred them so horribly that they turned into the monsters we hear about at bedtime, with the lights turned off and the covers over our head.
But I think that no matter how many villain reimaginings I can read, nothing will ever top the genius that is Donna Jo Napoli.
Her fairy-tale retellings are some of the best out there. Younger generations probably haven’t heard of her much because her books are older in age (and probably aren’t considered ‘hip’ or ‘cool’), but they’re glorious works. She manages to dig deep within the original, one-dimension fairy tale characters and flesh them out into fully realized beings. The fact that she’s able to do this with both her protagonists and antagonists is nothing short of a literary wonder. And The Magic Circle is no exception.
We all know the story of Hansel and Gretel. Two children get lost in the woods and find a house made of candy. It belongs to an evil witch who wants to fatten the children up so she can bake them into pies. But they outsmart her and end up pushing her in the oven instead. But who is the evil witch, anyways? What made her build a house of candy in the woods? And why did she want to eat them? Who was she?
In this version of the Brother’s Grimm tale, she is simply known as the Ugly One. A midwife living in medieval Germany with her daughter, she is known for her hunchbacked posture and ability to deliver healthy babies even in the most dire of circumstances. Longing to give her daughter more than she has to offer, she makes a bargain with the devil; she’ll call up his demons from within the Magic Circle in exchange for their help. But when she breaks the devil’s bargain, there’s hell to pay. Off to the woods she goes, forever banished from her village. She makes a house out of candy to keep the demons away. It’s a hard and lonely life… until two children become lost in the woods.
Retellings of any tale are some of the hardest things to write. Stories are hard to write themselves, but taking a potentially beloved piece of literature and rewriting it for a new audience? That’s hard to do. It’s a fine balance of keeping enough of the original to make it true, but giving it a new twist to make it more relevant and exciting. And Donna Jo Napoli gets it just right. Her retellings are the perfect mix of old and new, tying up the loose ends seamlessly and intertwining her own story with that of the original so that it makes perfect sense.
Shedding tears for a witch I have only ever come to know as evil is probably a hard thing to fathom. But goddamnit Napoli did such a brilliant and fantastic job with the Evil Witch. The Ugly One truly is a creature to be pitied. Shunned almost all her life and reviled in her later years, all she wants is to be accepted, to be loved, and to be wanted by someone -- her daughter, her neighbors, and even the lost little children who happen upon her house. And her realization that nothing and no one will ever love her is something so heartbreaking to read about.
”’You thought they loved you, didn’t you? Imagine that, human children loving a witch. You pathetic piece of boar dripping! You thought love could save you. Watch. Watch it all crumble away! No one will ever ever love you again.”The demons in her head from her transgression are constantly whispering in her ears, tempting her with doing maniacal acts of their own bidding. And yet she refuses. Underneath all the Brothers Grimm descriptions of a mad, evil witch is a tormented, sorry soul who is fighting a losing battle with the devil.
”’Eat them,’ scream the voices in my head. ‘Eat them, eat them, eat them.’”If you haven’t gotten the hint, you should check Donna Jo Napoli’s works out. They’ll make you see fairy tale characters in a whole new light, and maybe (just maybe), make you feel pity for the characters you have been taught to revile. Because after all, there are two sides to every story.
P.S.: If you’re just getting on the Napoli train, my two favorites of hers are Zel (a retelling of Rapunzel told from the POVs of the Prince, Zel, and her mother), and Beast (a retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in 18th century Persia from the Beast’s POV). They’re brilliant!
July 18, 2011
Ugly one is what she has been called for a long time. She does not consider herself beautiful; she is hunchbacked and one such as her could not be beautiful. She is a midwife, the best one you can get, and a mother to Asa; her beautiful daughter.
But Bala tells her that she can become a healer. She can save people and children from devils. She believes this is God's calling for her and listens closely to Bala and does what Bala tells her.
For nine years she was a healer, for nine years she commanded demons and they had to obey. But while removing an extra finger from a baby, she thinks she's safe and cannot be harmed by demons. They trick her, showing her a beautiful ring lying on the ground and foolishly, she puts it on and wants to give it to her daughter.
But now they've got her. She has to leave and hide. Hide away from people so she hurts no one. And for nine years she lives alone, learning how to trick the demons and keep them away. When Hansel and Gretel show up, she lets them in and the demons don't come, she believes she can be safe and can raise these two children that she loves so. She soon finds out that cannot be.
I know the story of Hansel and Gretel, of the evil witch who so badly wants to eat them. And I've read many retellings of old and classic stories, but this is definitely one of the best I've read.
It tells the story of the witch, who was a kind and good hearted woman who became a healer so she could help people. But she is tricked by the demons and turned into a witch. She has to abandon everyone and everything she loves just so she can't harm anyone.
In the original story of Hansel Gretel, you don't care about the witch, but only for the children who are going to be ate by the witch. This retelling shows a very different side to the story and the one you feel so horribly for is not the children, but the witch herself.
This was an amazing retelling and I really felt for the witch, even before she became the witch. She thought herself not beautiful because she was a hunchback, but she was caring, kind and loving. I think that was the most important thing and that made her beautiful. The book could also be pretty intense at times.
If you're looking for a retelling of Hansel and Gretel, this is the one you should read.
But Bala tells her that she can become a healer. She can save people and children from devils. She believes this is God's calling for her and listens closely to Bala and does what Bala tells her.
For nine years she was a healer, for nine years she commanded demons and they had to obey. But while removing an extra finger from a baby, she thinks she's safe and cannot be harmed by demons. They trick her, showing her a beautiful ring lying on the ground and foolishly, she puts it on and wants to give it to her daughter.
But now they've got her. She has to leave and hide. Hide away from people so she hurts no one. And for nine years she lives alone, learning how to trick the demons and keep them away. When Hansel and Gretel show up, she lets them in and the demons don't come, she believes she can be safe and can raise these two children that she loves so. She soon finds out that cannot be.
I know the story of Hansel and Gretel, of the evil witch who so badly wants to eat them. And I've read many retellings of old and classic stories, but this is definitely one of the best I've read.
It tells the story of the witch, who was a kind and good hearted woman who became a healer so she could help people. But she is tricked by the demons and turned into a witch. She has to abandon everyone and everything she loves just so she can't harm anyone.
In the original story of Hansel Gretel, you don't care about the witch, but only for the children who are going to be ate by the witch. This retelling shows a very different side to the story and the one you feel so horribly for is not the children, but the witch herself.
This was an amazing retelling and I really felt for the witch, even before she became the witch. She thought herself not beautiful because she was a hunchback, but she was caring, kind and loving. I think that was the most important thing and that made her beautiful. The book could also be pretty intense at times.
If you're looking for a retelling of Hansel and Gretel, this is the one you should read.
December 5, 2022
Rating: 3.75 stars
The Magic Circle is based on the Brothers' Grimm fairy tale Hansel & Gretel, but with a twist. This story is told from the perspective of the child-eating witch, who wasn't always a witch, didn't always eat children, or live a lonely existence in a candy house in the middle of nowhere. This is a story about a single mother trying to do the best for her child, with an appearance and talents that make the rest of the village uncomfortable. Unfortunately, life doesn't always turn out as planned... especially if their are demons involved. Napoli has written a somewhat dark story, but it's beautifully told, if a bit short.
The Magic Circle is based on the Brothers' Grimm fairy tale Hansel & Gretel, but with a twist. This story is told from the perspective of the child-eating witch, who wasn't always a witch, didn't always eat children, or live a lonely existence in a candy house in the middle of nowhere. This is a story about a single mother trying to do the best for her child, with an appearance and talents that make the rest of the village uncomfortable. Unfortunately, life doesn't always turn out as planned... especially if their are demons involved. Napoli has written a somewhat dark story, but it's beautifully told, if a bit short.
May 27, 2009
Zel (also by Napoli) was fantastic; it won me over to fantasy. Since I was a complete fantasy skeptic pre-Zel, I kept thinking, “Was Zel a fluke? Can Napoli really be such a powerful writer that she can win over the most critical, anti-fantasy reader?” To test this hypothesis, I chose The Magic Circle, a reworked fairytale of Grimm’s Hansel & Gretel. The result: Napoli proved to be a two-time marvel!
Circle is solely focused on The Ugly One, the character represented by the wicked witch in the original. The reader gets to read the tale from the antagonist view, making Circle a fresh departure from the original. In fact, the only remnants of the original are found in the closing chapters. However, this time, as opposed to the original tale, it is Gretel that seems the leader, the stronger of the siblings.
The original paints Gretel as a scared little girl looking to her brother, Hansel, to be her knight in shinning armor. In Napoli’s rework, Gretel is the dominate sibling, even poking fun at her brother’s folly (of dropping bread instead of stones on the second trek into the woods). Napoli writes Hansel as almost simple or slow. This frustrated me a bit, for it seemed Gretel was written as confident at the expense of writing Hansel as, well, stupid. The contrast also gave weight to Crew’s argument that both female and male characters need to break out of traditional roles to compliment each other’s growth, not just flip traditional roles for the sake of showing that girls rule and boys drool.
In addition to the compare and contrast of the original to the rework, there are also comparisons and contrasts found when looking at Circle and Zel. As Mother in Zel was written in the first person narrative, so is written the character of The Ugly One. Thank goodness the first person narrative drew me closer to The Ugly One. So much so, I found myself empathizing with her just as I had with Mother. Napoli masterfully crafted The Ugly One as the classic underdog, and therefore, as the reader, I found myself routing for her. The Ugly One also seemed as if she was tricked into her witch-hood, where it seemed that Mother made a conscious choice to become a witch. This also made me more compassionate towards The Ugly One as opposed to Mother.
Both books also presented a classic moral-of-the-story, which caused the reader to self-reflect on his or her own moral compass; Circle addressing pride (through coveting), Zel tackling greed (through possession). Was tricking The Ugly One an excuse for the reader to excuse her from her pride? Napoli leaves the reader to answer this question: is anyone safe from folly when their eyes are focused elsewhere? Yes, Napoli has done it again, with her beautifully written narrative and subtle, infusion of moral questions, Circle is another solid read in her portfolio of reworked fairytales.
Circle is solely focused on The Ugly One, the character represented by the wicked witch in the original. The reader gets to read the tale from the antagonist view, making Circle a fresh departure from the original. In fact, the only remnants of the original are found in the closing chapters. However, this time, as opposed to the original tale, it is Gretel that seems the leader, the stronger of the siblings.
The original paints Gretel as a scared little girl looking to her brother, Hansel, to be her knight in shinning armor. In Napoli’s rework, Gretel is the dominate sibling, even poking fun at her brother’s folly (of dropping bread instead of stones on the second trek into the woods). Napoli writes Hansel as almost simple or slow. This frustrated me a bit, for it seemed Gretel was written as confident at the expense of writing Hansel as, well, stupid. The contrast also gave weight to Crew’s argument that both female and male characters need to break out of traditional roles to compliment each other’s growth, not just flip traditional roles for the sake of showing that girls rule and boys drool.
In addition to the compare and contrast of the original to the rework, there are also comparisons and contrasts found when looking at Circle and Zel. As Mother in Zel was written in the first person narrative, so is written the character of The Ugly One. Thank goodness the first person narrative drew me closer to The Ugly One. So much so, I found myself empathizing with her just as I had with Mother. Napoli masterfully crafted The Ugly One as the classic underdog, and therefore, as the reader, I found myself routing for her. The Ugly One also seemed as if she was tricked into her witch-hood, where it seemed that Mother made a conscious choice to become a witch. This also made me more compassionate towards The Ugly One as opposed to Mother.
Both books also presented a classic moral-of-the-story, which caused the reader to self-reflect on his or her own moral compass; Circle addressing pride (through coveting), Zel tackling greed (through possession). Was tricking The Ugly One an excuse for the reader to excuse her from her pride? Napoli leaves the reader to answer this question: is anyone safe from folly when their eyes are focused elsewhere? Yes, Napoli has done it again, with her beautifully written narrative and subtle, infusion of moral questions, Circle is another solid read in her portfolio of reworked fairytales.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2022
A decent retelling of the Hansel & Gretel story, told from the point of view of the witch. It's a short book (really more of a novella), so the main character's actions happen abruptly at times and with very little explanation, but overall this version of the story and the way it unfolds is unique and interesting.
I think may only be the second or third time I've read this book, unlike Napoli's other stories. It's just never been one of my favorite fairy tales, so naturally the retelling doesn't get me all that jazzed either. However, as part of my goal to reread all of the books-that-I-own-but-haven't-read-since-joining-Goodreads-10+-years-ago, I figured it was time to give this another go.
Ironically, I'm currently fostering a kitten that arrived at the shelter with his sister, where they were named Hansel and Gretel. Didn't even think of that when I plucked this book from the shelf as my next read.
As I mentioned in my review of Beast, I used to be in more of a book-hoarding mind frame, and so I got this as part of my Donna Jo Napoli fairy tale retellings collection. However, after rereading it now, I think my copy can go to a new home. It's still an interesting version of the story, but I don't love it enough to keep a copy on hand.
I think may only be the second or third time I've read this book, unlike Napoli's other stories. It's just never been one of my favorite fairy tales, so naturally the retelling doesn't get me all that jazzed either. However, as part of my goal to reread all of the books-that-I-own-but-haven't-read-since-joining-Goodreads-10+-years-ago, I figured it was time to give this another go.
Ironically, I'm currently fostering a kitten that arrived at the shelter with his sister, where they were named Hansel and Gretel. Didn't even think of that when I plucked this book from the shelf as my next read.
As I mentioned in my review of Beast, I used to be in more of a book-hoarding mind frame, and so I got this as part of my Donna Jo Napoli fairy tale retellings collection. However, after rereading it now, I think my copy can go to a new home. It's still an interesting version of the story, but I don't love it enough to keep a copy on hand.
February 1, 2016
You probably know the tale of Hansel and Gretel. Now it's time to hear the witch's side of the story. Magical, horrifying, heartbreaking and spellbinding!
July 1, 2025
The Magic Circle is a retelling of Hansel and Gretel, from the witch’s point of view. Donna Jo Napoli is a talented writer, and the witch’s sympathetic, tortured first person POV is excellent throughout. However, this is genuinely the darkest, most disturbing fairy tale retelling I’ve ever read, and I can’t say I personally enjoyed my time reading this. I loved reading Grimms’ Fairy Tales growing up, but this particular book would’ve given me terrifying nightmares as a kid. I think The Magic Circle would appeal most to readers who like their fairy tales VERY dark and disturbing (and heavy on the demons and psychological agony).
May 2, 2010
At the heart of any "Hansel and Gretel" story is the idea of the witch, who is always linked to the stepmother. In many ways, the fairy tale is about women. The father is controlled by the stepmother, the witch has a major role, and while Hansel does seem active in the beginning of the story, it is Gretel who saves Hansel at the end. In this story, the women are front and center. It is true that the character of the stepmother is notable in her non-physical presence, but the character of Bala seems to take over that place. Napoli presents the story of the witch. It is not a happy story, but an extremely interesting one.
January 5, 2020
This New Year's Eve, my friend and I decided to just read books from 11-11:58 PM. I hadn't brought anything with me so I borrowed this from her shelf. It was the perfect book to read; read half in 2019 and half the next morning in 2020!
This is a pleasant and fun book to read, with a twist on the Hansel and Gretel tale that we know. Happy New Year!
This is a pleasant and fun book to read, with a twist on the Hansel and Gretel tale that we know. Happy New Year!
February 5, 2017
This unique retelling of the Hansel & Gretel tale, is from the witch's perspective. Set in Medieval Europe, when Christianity and paganism existed uneasily together, a hunchbacked midwife summons demons to do her bidding for help in healing the local townspeople. The story is heartbreaking for the "Ugly One" is a loving mother who is just trying to please her adopted community, but the demons get the best of her and she is banished, never to see her beloved daughter again. We do not meet Hansel & Gretel until the end of the book, and instead of prisoners they are taken care of by the witch until the demons try to harm them. The fairy tale ending is reimagined, with the witch's death being a blessing and done with Gretel's knowing assistance.
May 18, 2016
The book the Magic Circle is about a lady who is called the Ugly one and she works by giving babys and her friend that is really rude told the Ugly one that she could do better then giving babys. Then the Ugly one thought that it was true. So know the Ugly one is dealing with childeren that have devils inside of them.
I strongly recomened this book to people who like mysteries and adventure. This is a really good book.
I strongly recomened this book to people who like mysteries and adventure. This is a really good book.
August 30, 2011
This book was written from the perspective of the witch from the story of hansel and gretel. What would cause a woman to end up living alone in a candy house and wanting to eat children? This story tries to trace that story back to the beginning.
It was interesting, albeit rather dark and slightly demented.
It was interesting, albeit rather dark and slightly demented.
March 11, 2016
A retelling of hansel and grettel, where the witch doesn't wish tone evil and certainly doesn't want to be in the predicament she is in, where she craves the flesh of children. I the end she sacrifices herself to the flames to prevent her evil from taking over. Interesting concept, however the writing didn't really engage me
October 13, 2022
I genuinely love this book. I loved it when I read it in 7th grade and upon re-reading it, it still holds up. In less than 200 pages, Donna spins a story about motherly love, magic, and the darker sides of that all while playing into a well-known fairytale. Parts of this made me cry; I could genuinely feel what the main character was going through.
April 12, 2012
An interesting twist on a classic children's story. The story of Hansel and Gretel from the witches perspective. You can read it in one sitting. I don't know why but I love it and have read it several times since I was a kid.
May 17, 2009
Not sure how this ended up on the Best Fairytale Retellings list. It was okay. Read it in a single sitting. I summarized the story to Tim and he thought it was kind of odd as well.
September 8, 2013
worst book i have ever read in my life
September 9, 2013
horriblr
May 30, 2019
The best retelling of "Hansel and Gretel" you've never heard of.
October 24, 2021
If you want to cry your eyes out for days, read this beautiful story
April 6, 2019
Wow. This book.
I debated giving it five stars, actually, was how insanely good this was. But I don't know, it just didn't feel like a full five star book -- not like Dark Shimmer by the same author so obviously was from the second I turned the final page. Still, it was dang close. Easily the best retelling of Hansel and Gretel I've ever come across, particularly in the literary department. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about a cannibalistic witch being shown as sympathetic, or how that would even WORK. Napoli makes it work wonderfully, though. This is simply because our unnamed lead, known only as Ugly One, isn't a grinning, plotting monster who built a giant gingerbread house with the intent of luring children during a famine. This ISN'T the cannon movie tale's witch either, with her past victims baked into cookies to line her fancy yard (I wonder how that works though, as an adult looking back on a childhood favorite -- if she's eating them, how are they also lawn decorations? But alas I digress, let's make that a topic for another time).
No, Napoli's witch is an unfortunate, lured into a demonic pact thanks to a bossy neighbor and her own gentle pride. She makes her little candy house in the woods because she wants to be AWAY FROM people to protect them -- she DOESN'T want to have to eat a helpless child. Then come Hansel and Gretel, whom she wants to adopt but she fears the demons finding out she's got kiddos with her and forcing her to eat them.
It actually comes up with a good reason why the witch was so obsessed with her clean house (and later, having Gretel clean while Hansel was in that cage); she's trying to keep the demonic familiars that can come in the form even of bugs out. It was heartbreaking seeing her just absolutely love these children, to the point where she has to rationalize why their stepmother would be so cruel to them to keep herself from going after the heartless woman in revenge for them, to having to lock Hansel in a cage and pretend not to know the wishbone he stuck out was not his finger. Then the way she had to hint to Gretel to shove her into the oven by giving her a prized possession she had promised to give her only when she died... Just wow. That just about broke my heart in two.
What really shocked me about this book is how it packed so much emotion into so few pages. Just to put it into prospective, it's shorter than Mermaid, and only very slightly longer than the average Princess Tale from Gail Carson Levine. And yet there is so much that happens, I felt like I'd been a long, novel-length journey while reading it. Usually in these kinds of fairy-tale backstory revamps, when the original characters show up they feel forced and their cameos short (think of Wendy at the end of Never, Never, or to a much lesser extent, Tiger Lily) but Hansel and Gretel really felt perfectly placed and drawn out. I felt I got to know them just as well as the Ugly One, and better than I did her daughter Asa, who appears earlier in the story. I've noticed a couple of reviewers claiming it was kind of a weak attempt at feminism having Hansel be slow-witted, and Gretel the brilliant, religious, sensible one who took charge, but that's really not how I saw it. Hansel was the typical younger, sometimes bratty brother ("the witch says you have to be nice to me, Gretel") and Gretel just happened to be more tuned in to what was happening to them and the overall gravity of their situation. And it bears recalling that this book was published in 1993. Back then the "smart sister, dumb brother" thing wasn't a gimmick or overdone cliché yet. I didn't see Gretel's cleverness being at Hansel's expense so much as just being what the plot and the Ugly One's story needed.
As this is technically a children's book (though it feels mature enough for any adult to enjoy too, I thought), I can imagine some parents getting up in arms about the religious and demonic themes in this book. This is actually a brilliant teaching tool -- a family could discuss with children how the Ugly One was misled and how sneaky Satan can be when wishing to snare someone, or the corruption of the church in the Middle Ages, how it was all right with Exorcists but was ready to blame anyone they disagreed with for being a 'witch'. And it's kind of nice to see pagan rituals portrayed as dark and not 'fun' just because it's a children's fantasy story. I mean, it's entirely up to the parent if they are going to let their kids read this, but I absolutely would, if I had children.
I debated giving it five stars, actually, was how insanely good this was. But I don't know, it just didn't feel like a full five star book -- not like Dark Shimmer by the same author so obviously was from the second I turned the final page. Still, it was dang close. Easily the best retelling of Hansel and Gretel I've ever come across, particularly in the literary department. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about a cannibalistic witch being shown as sympathetic, or how that would even WORK. Napoli makes it work wonderfully, though. This is simply because our unnamed lead, known only as Ugly One, isn't a grinning, plotting monster who built a giant gingerbread house with the intent of luring children during a famine. This ISN'T the cannon movie tale's witch either, with her past victims baked into cookies to line her fancy yard (I wonder how that works though, as an adult looking back on a childhood favorite -- if she's eating them, how are they also lawn decorations? But alas I digress, let's make that a topic for another time).
No, Napoli's witch is an unfortunate, lured into a demonic pact thanks to a bossy neighbor and her own gentle pride. She makes her little candy house in the woods because she wants to be AWAY FROM people to protect them -- she DOESN'T want to have to eat a helpless child. Then come Hansel and Gretel, whom she wants to adopt but she fears the demons finding out she's got kiddos with her and forcing her to eat them.
It actually comes up with a good reason why the witch was so obsessed with her clean house (and later, having Gretel clean while Hansel was in that cage); she's trying to keep the demonic familiars that can come in the form even of bugs out. It was heartbreaking seeing her just absolutely love these children, to the point where she has to rationalize why their stepmother would be so cruel to them to keep herself from going after the heartless woman in revenge for them, to having to lock Hansel in a cage and pretend not to know the wishbone he stuck out was not his finger. Then the way she had to hint to Gretel to shove her into the oven by giving her a prized possession she had promised to give her only when she died... Just wow. That just about broke my heart in two.
What really shocked me about this book is how it packed so much emotion into so few pages. Just to put it into prospective, it's shorter than Mermaid, and only very slightly longer than the average Princess Tale from Gail Carson Levine. And yet there is so much that happens, I felt like I'd been a long, novel-length journey while reading it. Usually in these kinds of fairy-tale backstory revamps, when the original characters show up they feel forced and their cameos short (think of Wendy at the end of Never, Never, or to a much lesser extent, Tiger Lily) but Hansel and Gretel really felt perfectly placed and drawn out. I felt I got to know them just as well as the Ugly One, and better than I did her daughter Asa, who appears earlier in the story. I've noticed a couple of reviewers claiming it was kind of a weak attempt at feminism having Hansel be slow-witted, and Gretel the brilliant, religious, sensible one who took charge, but that's really not how I saw it. Hansel was the typical younger, sometimes bratty brother ("the witch says you have to be nice to me, Gretel") and Gretel just happened to be more tuned in to what was happening to them and the overall gravity of their situation. And it bears recalling that this book was published in 1993. Back then the "smart sister, dumb brother" thing wasn't a gimmick or overdone cliché yet. I didn't see Gretel's cleverness being at Hansel's expense so much as just being what the plot and the Ugly One's story needed.
As this is technically a children's book (though it feels mature enough for any adult to enjoy too, I thought), I can imagine some parents getting up in arms about the religious and demonic themes in this book. This is actually a brilliant teaching tool -- a family could discuss with children how the Ugly One was misled and how sneaky Satan can be when wishing to snare someone, or the corruption of the church in the Middle Ages, how it was all right with Exorcists but was ready to blame anyone they disagreed with for being a 'witch'. And it's kind of nice to see pagan rituals portrayed as dark and not 'fun' just because it's a children's fantasy story. I mean, it's entirely up to the parent if they are going to let their kids read this, but I absolutely would, if I had children.
January 17, 2018
Donna Jo is so mind-blowingly awesome sometimes. The Magic Circle, Zel, and Sirena are some of my favorite books ever, and I really like some of her other books. I love the way she tells stories, and the stories she tells. I read the Magic Circle as a kid,and I remember being super intrigued by it and thinking it was a little scary; I just finished re-reading it as an adult and I loved it even more! I was able to grasp some of the deeper concepts that went over my head as a kid, as it is with most childhood re-reading. The characters/story also had enough depth to be captivating for adults.What a cool and creative way to re-tell Hansel and Gretel. One part that really stuck out to me was how earlier in the book she mentioned that she saw Bala as a starling in her next life, then as the book goes on she says she “ hears a flutter and looks towards it” and sees Bala standing there; like hinting at Bala making the sound of wings rustling, like a bird. I love the way that she subtly alluded to Bala having more starling like characteristics as the story went on, like the spirit of her future self was starting to show through. What an entitled b***h Bala was. The whole book had an eerie tone that I found spooky ( in a good way) even as an adult. The book cover is super cool and interesting. She was so lonely :( and she wanted them to love her so much. I was glad that Gretel put the amethyst in her hand, definitely a touching moment, it reminded me of in the Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck when his daughter puts the family talisman in his pocket because she knows he’s intends to kill him self. I had a lot of sympathy for her throughout the story but I thought she was kindof dumb for having worked as a sorceress successfully for nine years, in addition to studying that whole time, and then had no clue that she could get caught in the way that she did. Like as soon as she saw the ring it was like “whoa, something shiny!” *sorceress knowledge flies out the window*.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2025
“How thoughtlessly we tread, how easily we stumble.”
“Dare I entertain a hope? Me, who has gone so long utterly hopeless? But even a lost soul deserves a hope. Hope is the final refuge.”
AWARDS:
-ALA Best Book for Young Adults
-Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book
-Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
As much as I loved Napoli when I was younger, this is one of her books that I never got around to. It’s quite short, basically a novella. I saw some strong similarities to Zel, which was a little disappointing. I went and checked which was published first, and this one came first.
This is a retelling of Hansel and Gretel, so I think I liked it by default. However, I found a few parts a bit confusing, not clearly explained, or not enough background for my taste. I suppose it’s adequate for a novella. This a weird, mildly disturbing book, which often works for me. There is zero spice (no romance), but it’s a fairly dark story with some brief disturbing scenes with gore. There is also the presence of devils/demons, a sorceress, a witch, and imps. I was a bit put off by the presence of demons. I liked the themes of pride, good vs. evil, and sacrificial love.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
“Dare I entertain a hope? Me, who has gone so long utterly hopeless? But even a lost soul deserves a hope. Hope is the final refuge.”
AWARDS:
-ALA Best Book for Young Adults
-Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book
-Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
As much as I loved Napoli when I was younger, this is one of her books that I never got around to. It’s quite short, basically a novella. I saw some strong similarities to Zel, which was a little disappointing. I went and checked which was published first, and this one came first.
This is a retelling of Hansel and Gretel, so I think I liked it by default. However, I found a few parts a bit confusing, not clearly explained, or not enough background for my taste. I suppose it’s adequate for a novella. This a weird, mildly disturbing book, which often works for me. There is zero spice (no romance), but it’s a fairly dark story with some brief disturbing scenes with gore. There is also the presence of devils/demons, a sorceress, a witch, and imps. I was a bit put off by the presence of demons. I liked the themes of pride, good vs. evil, and sacrificial love.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
April 2, 2019
How did the witch in Hansel and Gretel end up alone in the woods in a candy house with an appetite for children?
Well, let's find out.
As so many witches do, she started out as a midwife who called on demons for information. Totally innocently and with the best intentions at first. And then she slowly lost control over her own desires, got greedy and a little too cocky.
In other words, this books is fantastic and amazing, and I would have loved it as a teen.
Well, let's find out.
As so many witches do, she started out as a midwife who called on demons for information. Totally innocently and with the best intentions at first. And then she slowly lost control over her own desires, got greedy and a little too cocky.
In other words, this books is fantastic and amazing, and I would have loved it as a teen.
September 17, 2017
4.5 stars
"Hansel and Gretel" has got to be one of the creepiest fairy tales I've ever read. Two kids get stranded in the forest by their own parents, then captured by a witch who tries to eat them. Spolier alert, the witch gets shoved into an oven, which is totally okay and not scary at all to small children.
But what about that poor witch? In The Magic Circle, the witch never wanted to hurt anyone. She set out to help people, and she ended up murdered.
This is such a unique and interesting villian retelling, and more people need to read it. I love Donna Jo Napoli's writing style, and her take on the "childeater" was perfect. My only complaint was that it was way too short!
"Hansel and Gretel" has got to be one of the creepiest fairy tales I've ever read. Two kids get stranded in the forest by their own parents, then captured by a witch who tries to eat them. Spolier alert, the witch gets shoved into an oven, which is totally okay and not scary at all to small children.
But what about that poor witch? In The Magic Circle, the witch never wanted to hurt anyone. She set out to help people, and she ended up murdered.
This is such a unique and interesting villian retelling, and more people need to read it. I love Donna Jo Napoli's writing style, and her take on the "childeater" was perfect. My only complaint was that it was way too short!
October 19, 2017
A very short novel, this can easily be read in one sitting, but its brevity only strengthens its impact. This is a retelling of the Hansel and Gretel story from the perspective of the witch. The witch doesn't want to eat or harm children but is tormented demons. Napoli writes a rapid, unflinching narrative that shows the reader the witch's horror and grief. A strong, frightening piece of work that offers no solutions but provides a clarity and insight into torment.
February 12, 2018
This is the story of the witch from Hansel and Gretel and how she became the witch. There is a lot of religion in this story. I read that Napoli immersed herself in the religion, art, and history of medieval Europe while writing this book and that definitely comes through and gives an authenticity to the setting. I enjoyed this book much more than I expected. Also, the witch is a victim in this story rather than evil.
December 12, 2019
I’m a bit disappointed that the witch here doesn’t have a previous history of eating kids - that Hansel and Gretel were her first kids after she had been tricked into becoming the witch we all know about from the original tale. But I’ve never read a story from her perspective before and that was pretty cool. I loved Gretel’s personality!
July 10, 2024
Memorable. I read this book back in my teens and it just stuck with me to this day as a late 20-something year old.
The turmoil that the main character goes through, meaning well yet succumbing to the demonic affliction she is bound to. The pure love she has for her daughter and the ultimate sacrifice.
A beautiful read, well written, and again - extremely memorable.
Highly recommend.
The turmoil that the main character goes through, meaning well yet succumbing to the demonic affliction she is bound to. The pure love she has for her daughter and the ultimate sacrifice.
A beautiful read, well written, and again - extremely memorable.
Highly recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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