Sisters Red (Fairy Tale Retelling)

I read this book largely because of some controversy last year or the year before -- folks were talking about depictions of violence, sex, etc. in books for young people because this and several other YA novels were banned from some school library somewhere and it all ballooned from there. (My favorite part about the expressions of righteous concern, or sometimes outrage, in these sorts of situations is that they often serve to promote the book, which is rather the opposite of what was intended.)

But all this is simply to tell you that I went into this book expecting to be shocked by sex and violence, or perhaps sexual violence, or whatever the heck people had their panties in a twist about.

And I wasn't.

Now, don't get me wrong, there show more is plenty of violence here, and some of it is symbolically sexual -- this is based on the Red Riding Hood fairy tale, after all -- but the novel does not "push the boundaries" (whoever invented those?) any more (or less) than any other recent YA fantasy-horror-romance. In fact, the thing that I found most disturbing was the casually treated romantic relationship between a 16 year old and a 21 year old. By the end of the book, though, I understood why the ages were set that way -- and there is a reason -- so my concerns were assuaged.

In fact, for a book that is about two girls who fight werewolves while wearing red cloaks, 'Sisters Red' was significantly more subdued than it might have been. Dismemberings happen delicately off-stage, for example.

As for the story and the book itself, I can't say that I recommend it for everyone -- this is not simply related to the violence, but also because the perspective of the book is a little bleak, the messages heavy-handed, and the quality of writing merely sufficient -- but for those who are interested in how fairy tales are being reimagined in/for the modern era, it is worth the time.

What I found most interesting was the way Pearce characterizes the two sisters, who seem to represent two outcomes of the same trauma -- as we begin the novel, one is sheltered and naive, the other is hardened and vengeful. The novel is structured specifically to present these two characters as anti-princesses; no saving is necessary, we are shown (and told) time and again -- these girls carry axes. The not-remotely-subtle message is a direct response to the more ingrained "girls, don't ask for it!" social warning of the original fairy tale; thoroughly feminist, the novel shouts back: "you didn't ask for it, girls, but it may happen anyway, so sharpen your weapons and fight back".

The novel also acknowledges, through the older sister, who is attacked by a werewolf in the first part of the book, that traumatic damage doesn't go away. There are visible and invisible scars here, and they are dealt with in different ways, which provides the emotional context of the story. (Oh, and also there is romance. But you knew that, because when isn't there a romance in this kind of book?)

The actual plot of the novel seems thin, but interesting none the less. Though the sisters have previously hunted them out of town, werewolves seem to be showing up in Small Southern Town (I forget the names) again, and our young huntresses must figure out why they have returned, what they are looking for, and how to get kissed by that handsome young man they grew up with, all without being dismembered and eaten in the meantime.

Reading this, you can tell that Pearce has given a lot of thought to the meaning of the original fairy tale and is clearly trying to update or perhaps even subvert its gender messages; that intent sometimes makes this novel awkwardly self-conscious. Even with such a clear agenda, however, I quite enjoyed reading it. It had a fast pace, some interesting action, and occasionally clever descriptions. You might like it too, if you go into it with modest expectations.

One final note: I can see why some parents, and not just in the panty-twisting crowd, would be concerned about their kids reading this book. Like many that I read, this is solidly YA and not children's -- not only its level of violence, but also its relatively casual attitude toward school drop-outs, its glorification of unsupervised minors (not in a funny way), and its calm presentation of what many would consider a mildly inappropriate relationship are all things that may need context and discussion for less mature readers. show less

Little Red Riding Hood as a scarred, revengeful killer of werewolves was such a delicious idea that it lured me in, but [a:Jackson Pearce|2761947|Jackson Pearce|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1336840299p2/2761947.jpg]'s ability to ferociously write this story so that picking it up makes your heart pound is what kept me turning the pages. The story is dark, filled with bloody moments, heartwrenching anguish and plenty of action. Truer to the original fairy tale than the happy, pretty version we know today this Red Riding Hood, Scarlett, is tortured by the Fenris or werewolf that stole her eye and killed her Oma. It turns her into a finely honed hunter of Fenris - protecting innocent girls, like she protected her sister, from the evil show more they don't know is lurking around them. The story keeps a steady pace, alternating between the two sisters' points of view. Throw in the woodsman as their best friend, and potential love interest and the story just keeps getting better. I am looking forward to another of her stories in the very near future.

read all my reviews at mb.kurspahic.com show less

Scarlett and Rosie March were orphaned as children when a wolf attacked and killed their grandmother. Scarlett was nearly killed in the attack and escaped with only one eye and a great many scars. This wolf was no ordinary wolf, but a soulless creature that takes the form of a man and can turn into a wolf, called a Fenris. Eight years later, the sisters train hard and hone their skills to be able to kill as many of these creatures as possible, with the help of their woodsman neighbor Silas. As a result of their constant training and slaying Fenris, the girls haven’t had a chance to go to school, have friends, or even think about dating like normal girls their age. They live in the same small rural country town they grew up in and show more their world is pretty small. Scarlett is satisfied with this the hunt consuming her life, but Rosie longs for some semblance of normalcy. Rosie also starts to have feelings for Silas, which proves to be more of a problem when they all relocate to a small apartment in a big city in pursuit of a Potential, a male that can be turned into a Fenris with very specific conditions. Can Rosie have a relationship with Silas without alienating her sister? Will they find the Potential and protect him before the Fenris turn him?

I’ll admit it: I’m a sucker for a good retelling of a fairy tale. This is one of the most exceptional that I’ve read in general. Jackson Pearce takes the simple fairy tale, Red Riding Hood, and adds beautiful detail to it. The flat characters become realistic and multidimensional. The story is transported to the present. The setting starts as rural and then becomes urban. The city, not the forest as in so many fairy tales, serves as the setting for transformation and the main action in the story. The single wolf becomes a group of werewolves. The woodsman that acts as the savior in the story becomes an ally and a friend. These changes still reference and use the original story as a starting point, but ends up going against such fairy tale conventions as the cliché happily ever after and the helpless damsel in distress. They ultimately transform a fairly flat tale into a story that speaks to (and is relevant in) the modern world.

Scarlett and Rosie are fierce warriors and very close sisters with an intense relationship. They are about as different as night and day: Scarlett is perfectly happy just hunting and killing Fenris for the rest of her life and Rosie wants something more. The novel is told from both of their points of view, switching between them each chapter. It’s a great way to get a better idea of both of their thought processes and where both of them are coming from. My favorite thing about them is how they destroy what the original fairy tale essentially says about women. The girls dress up in red hoods, heavy makeup, and sexy clothing to lure in the Fenris for the kill. They use their sexuality as a weapon and don’t depend on the woodsman to come and save them. They are self sufficient and fierce. The original tale can be interpreted in many ways. In my opinion, it can be interpreted as rape being the fault of the victim or as a negative view of a young woman’s burgeoning sexuality. Scarlett and Rosie prove to be the complete opposite of these two views. It’s wonderful to see this frankly misogynistic tale made into one of empowerment.

Sisters Red is an excellent story with adventure, werewolves, grisly deaths, and even a little bit of romance. I would recommend it to pretty much anyone that has seen or heard of any rendition of Red Riding Hood. show less

Sisters Red is a beefy morsel to sink your teeth into. A chilling tale of Red Riding Hood only little red isn’t the weak defenseless girl in this one. She- being Scarlett is a brave and fierce character who hunts the wolves and craves their death as much as the wolves crave feasting on pretty girls. The story opens with gruesome violence and sets the tone that is not a quaint little fairy tale; blood and fear coat the world the sister’s share. Instead of bringing cookies to grandmother’s house, grandmother is brutally killed and Scarlet is left without an eye, scars all over her body and a younger sister to look after.

This was my first Jackson Pearce book, and I did enjoy the story as well as the writing. I thought the twisty take show more on a very popular fairy tale made this original and entertaining. I also loved the fact that Pearce made her female characters strong and very independent; including making Scarlett a character severely flawed in looks, but also beautiful at the same time. Some aspects of course were unbelievable, the lack of adults, the premise of sixteen year old kids living in a house and paying all the bills with no money and no jobs and no schooling was down right laughable. Overall though, it was a fun ride of blood and action, with a little kissing on the side. show less

A Fenris, a terrifying werewolf creature, permanently scarred and disfigured young Scarlett March when she fought him to defend her younger sister, Rosie. Now teenagers, Scarlett and Rosie live on their own in their late grandmother’s cottage in the woods, killing Fenris whenever they can. For Scarlett, it’s a way of life: she loves nothing more than the high of hunting Fenris.

Rosie, however, is beginning to think that, despite her loyalty to and love for her sister, she may want something more than hunting, especially as she begins to fall for their childhood friend and Scarlett’s hunting partner, Silas. When a Fenris-hunting expedition into Atlanta draws Rosie and Silas closer even as Fenris close in on them, will Rosie’s show more desire for more destroy the relationship she has with Scarlett, to whom she owes her life?

You thought you knew all there was to know about Little Red Riding Hood and her wolf…well, you were wrong. Told from the alternating viewpoints of sisters Scarlett and Rosie, Jackson Pearce’s second novel, SISTERS RED, is an incredibly entertaining and deliciously dark twist on an old, fairy tale-esque story.

This novel has got many things going for it: strong female characters with great voices, a fully realized and frightening antagonist, and a clever storyline. Scarlett and Rosie are fantastic females who prove that you don’t have to be a tomboy to kick ass. The sister bond is powerful in a realistic way; both of them would do almost anything for each other, and yet there are also the usual tensions one would expect between sisters, of being the same person versus developing one’s own identity.

The Fenris are delectably creepy, a shiver-inducing combination of fantastical monster and your sadly usual male predator. Jackson Pearce develops their mythology well throughout the novel. These are the kind of werewolves that will haunt you long after you put the book down, and I appreciated that the villains of this novel were not cartoonish or overdramatized.

The story I mentioned is clever, albeit occasionally slow and predictable. It builds up to a tremendously satisfying finish, the kind that only the best paranormal authors can pull off without seeming either too expected or out-of-nowhere. A careful reader, however, will be able to pick up the clues as to what will happen way before Scarlett and Rosie do. This by no means detracts from the success of the story and its ending, though I do honestly prefer my books to be able to outsmart me.

Overall, SISTERS RED should not disappoint readers looking for a paranormal action story containing independent females, a sweet and believable romance, and well-developed villains. It’s a unique blend of the old-fashioned (their rural cottage, their cloaks, hatchets as weapons) and the modern (Atlanta, the dialogue, what they wear under their cloaks). I won’t be surprised if Jackson Pearce has a long and successful career writing a variety of YA. SISTERS RED is perfect for a delightful weekend or vacation read! show less

The March sisters are hunters, after the werewolves responsible for the death of their grandmother and unsuspecting girls everywhere. Scarlett is consumed by it, having face down a werewolf when she was 12, determined to kill them all and to protect her sister. Rosie longs for a normal life but knows she owes her current life to her sister and continues on with the hunt. But when Rosie reaches out for a more normal life, will her sister stand in her way?

This is a kick ass book in more ways than one. It was like Buffy/Underworld awesome. I hadn't anticipated the level of violence but it is on par with The Hunger Games or Rampant. That stuff doesn't bother me but just a warning if it bothers you. Sisters Red is, of course, a Red Riding show more Hood fractured fairy tale. It's an interesting Buffy-esque take on the tale, but that really lends itself to kick ass heroines and bad ass wolves. There are some genuine laugh out loud moments combined with all the fighting action. And, as a librarian, I really appreciated how much the March sisters like the library. Very very cool.

*Possibly spoilery*
The characters were both strong and sad. I really felt sorry for both Rosie and Scarlett, having face down a werewolf at a young age and surviving with the burning desire to kill them all. Scarlett was so driven, both obsessed with the hunt and, to a degree, what her life would have been like otherwise. I think she was the most complex of all the characters. Rosie, on the other hand, was the more sympathetic. She longed for something different, but had a hard time reconciling that longing with the idea that she owed her sister her life. There were a few moments I wanted to shake them both, but I know they can kick my butt so I refrained. Seriously.

The Little Bookworm show less

From the second page of this book when a man's smile simultaneously faded and grew more forced, to the 321st page when the sister's entangled their arms around each other and sniffed each other's hair, I hated every single thing about this book.

Clearly, the writing was a problem. It was awkward, contradictory, and stilted. I wasn't expecting the plot to break barriers, but the big "twist" was so badly telegraphed that I saw it 150 pages before it was revealed. Scarlett was one of the most unlikable characters in the history of literature. There's a difference between damaged human and emotionless sociopath. Hoping your best friend dies because he got a girlfriend falls FIRMLY into the second category.

I had heard the book had a show more questionable scene involving Scarlett, Silas, and the "Dragonfly girls" [club goers]. Not only was the scene pretty upsetting, with both main characters expressing some disgusting ideas about women, the entire book was. Since the Fenris, a male-only species of predators, attack beautiful, flirtatious women of a certain age, they, intentionally or not, become an allegory for sexual assault. To then spend the whole book talking about how if Rosie had just tried harder and been more aware and less pretty and firty, is truly disturbing. show less