The Magic Circle [Hardcover]

Donna Jo Napoli (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1993

In the tradition of the finest horror novels, this chilling and truly spellbinding novel probes another side of the well-known story of Hansel and Gretel who happen upon a witch's candy house in the woods. Deftly mixing folklore, theology, and history, Napoli reveals the character of the witch to be a rich, complex and intensely sympathetic one.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A midwife-cum-sorceress known simply as the Ugly One narrates this riveting tale of how, tricked by the devil's minions, she lost her gifts for healing and was forced to become a witch. Escaping from the stake, where she is about to be burned, she ekes out a solitary existence in an enchanted forest--until she takes in two wandering children named Hansel and Gretel. As she did in The Prince of the Pond , Napoli gives a classic fairy tale an entirely new twist, at the same time incorporating absorbing details about medieval religious beliefs. The witch's "true" history as a devoted mother and pious servant of God renders her a compelling and entirely sympathetic figure, a heroine courageously fighting the evil spirits that have invaded her once-pure life. The Hansel and Gretel motif, carefully woven into the story, emerges as a surprise for the reader, albeit a surprise that has been fully prepared. The author's extraordinary craftsmanship and originality never flag, and even the archetypically fiery ending for the witch acquires a new dimension. A YA novel of genuine magic and suspense, this will captivate adults as well. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

The author of The Prince in the Pond (1992) leaps from that comic take on ``The Frog Prince'' to a dark, deeply thoughtful novel whose gifted, driven, and wholly sympathetic protagonist is Hansel and Gretel's witch. The hunchback known as ``Ugly One'' is a midwife who becomes a healer when she learns to draw, with a blessed object, a magic circle that cannot be invaded by the devil's minions; from safely within it, she can command them to leave their victims. But the demons eventually trick her with a ring she hopes to give her beloved daughter, now of an age to marry. Now the sorceress who has commanded devils becomes a witch subject to their demands; still, with great care, she avoids the potent temptation to devour a child, which would complete her damnation. Hansel and Gretel's arrival, in the novel's last pages, is a cruel test; with extraordinary artistry, Napoli shapes a conclusion in which the witch finds redemption by collaborating with a clever Gretel, who senses the meaning of her fiery death. Writing in a beautifully honed first-person present and summoning splendid imagery well grounded in folklore, psychology, and the natural world, Napoli delves into the mind and heart of a fascinating figure embodying Faust and Marguerite in one--a nurturer and lover of true beauty whose inner being is never truly corrupted by the dangerous knowledge she dares to exert on others' behalf. Richly poetic yet accessible and immediate; pungent and wise; mesmerizing. Splendid jacket by the Dillons. (Fiction. 11+) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (June 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525451277
• ISBN-13: 978-0525451273
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,945,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

For all information about Donna Jo Napoli (books, events, biography, awards, contact information), please go to http://www.donnajonapoli.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No children eaten here!, March 17, 2000

By 

Stephen Richmond "Librarian/Teacher/Reader an... (Newton, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Magic Circle (Paperback)

Donna Jo Napoli writes tasty little morsels derived from myths, legends and fairy tales. Here the Grimm's HANSEL AND GRETEL provides her a magical springboard for a short, but pithy essay on the extraordinary strife the human spirit will endure for the sake of doing what's right. The witch here is not inherently evil, but is herself a victim of simple ignorance and substantial bad advice. As mentioned elsewhere, this reviewer always enjoys new and imaginative explanations for all those fairy tale elements which are as familiar as gingerbread houses and wicked stepmothers, but never are quite entirely elucidated in the classic tales. Napoli's take on the candy house, while entirely logical and appropriate for the story, is nevertheless a bit bizarre and unsettling, descriptors most apt for this short novel. As another reader said, you'll never again see this tale in quite the same manner. Napoli is generally considered a young adult author; this reviewer is not so certain that this would be much help for those average "troubled teen readers." Still, Napoli's style is like a thread-dense Egyptian cotton bedsheet for smoothness and comfort, even if, again like those bedclothes, it feels a bit chilly to the touch.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A dark, psychological take on a classic tale, June 20, 2000

By 

Backroads "Scatter-brained book fan" (Cache Valley, Utah) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Magic Circle (Paperback)

I'm a devoted fan of fairy tales, and this one does not disappoint me. It has a deep, intriguing story line, undeparted from the original plot, polished with simple, yet powerful, prose. I am quite certain that everyone is familiar with the story of Hansel, Gretal, and their visit to the candy cottage. In this amazing retelling, we are priviledged to see the tale from the *witch*'s side, and the torment she suffered through. It is extremely phsycological, yet is not overbearing. The Ugly One, otherwise known as the Witch, is a kind, God-fearing midwife in a small village in medieval Europe. Through her innocence and good heart, she is slowly, unwillingly, lead down a dark path, where she is finally under the power of demons. Yet through it all, her good heart manages to keep her out of trouble. She hides from human contact, fearing the demon presence would become too powerful. That is, until two children become lost in her woods. This is a finely crafted novel about a poor soul who is tortured, and I shall never be able to look at "Hansel and Gretal" the same way ever again. It is beautiful, delightfully creepy, and sprinkled with symbolism. Napoli, as stated at the beginning of the book, researched medieval European culture, spirituality, and superstition before writing this book. While I really wouldn't recommend this for children, it is deeply satisfying for anyone else.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A short but poignant tale., November 24, 1999

By 

Margaret Fiore - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Magic Circle (Paperback)

This is a haunting little story of courage, pride, and redemption. Although the story sits loosely on the framework of the tale of Hansel and Gretel, it is a different story altogether.

This is the story of an ugly, hunchbacked woman, with a deep appreciation of the beauty which she will never have. Through love for her beautiful daughter, and the wish to give her beautiful things, the Ugly One (as her neighbors call her) is tempted into the dangerous healing arts, and dealings with devils. And devils are always tricky...

The story is told in lyrical, lovely prose which adds to the sense of magic and antiquity. It is a gripping, short book, that is difficult to put down until its wrenching end. The story examines the concept of personal pride closely, with some religious overtones.