Customer Reviews

The Sisters Grimm: Book Eight: The Inside Story (Sisters Grimm, The)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't even begin to describe how phenomenal this book was. Puck and Sabrina are freaking adorable AND still hilarious. The book's 'romance' side was a lot stronger than in the previous ones (where it was building up tortuously slowly) though not overdone, and still very child-appropriate. Sabrina and Puck are definitely on my all-time favorite book couples list.

Anyway.
On to my very long-winded gushing of the book's awesomeness.

The book starts with the girls having been transported to the Book of Everafter, and basically they run around from story to story, chasing Pinocchio. I wouldn't say they were chasing Mirror, because they don't really catch up to him for a long time. Pinocchio, on the other hand, is around a lot.
Trixie Grimm, another Grimm ancestor, is mentioned for the first time. I would say more, but I don't want to spoil the story line.

In Michael Buckley's typical style, he blends a lot of humor into it (I appreciated Daphne coming up with a new name for the baby every time you turn around--I was a fan of 'Oohg' and 'Carmine' especially). As I said, Puck and Sabrina are hilarious (He's started teasing her endlessly about the wedding plans, and her reactions are pretty epic at moments) and of course the rest of the family is as Grimm-tastic as usual. (See how I incorporated some Daphne-ish into my review? Mad skills!)
The adventure was naturally fairy-tale infused, and while the excitement was lower than some other books (arguing with the Editor and avoiding revisers does not achieve the same level of sinister-ish-ness as battling the Scarlet Hand. Sorry, but it just doesn't) it was still pretty good. I read the book yesterday, and if it weren't for my immense homework load I would have already read it at least twice more.

Also, I really like that Sabrina was less of a, well, b**** in this book than in the others. It's really the only word I can use to describe it. She's careful to ask people's opinions more, and she doesn't always insist on making the decisions herself, which meant the book did not have the same depressing lows of the others (in which Sabrina always screwed someone over and regretted it, but turned around and did the same thing in the next book again...) Also, it was nice that she FINALLY learned from her mistakes. Her character had to grow up a little eventually. I mean, come on.
And I was very glad that, despite being more considerate, she did not lose her sarcasm and general obnoxiousness. She was a better person, but still highly entertaining.

I hope this review was somewhat informative, even if I dwelled mostly on the subjects that appealed most to my book-loving, 14-year-old mind. I totally say buy this book (though the rest of the series should be read first, obv.) and while the reading level isn't very high, I think even adults could enjoy these. It's not the level that makes them fantastic, but the awesome storyline and the very real characters that makes The Sisters Grimm stand out as one of my favorite book series of all time. Who says 8th graders can't read children's books?
Pshhh.
:D

BUYITBUYITBUYITBUYITBUYITBUYITBUYITBUYITBUYIT!!!!!!

-annika

I couldn't put it down the first time I was reading it! "The Inside Story" is a perfect fantasy novel for me: it has an intriguing plot with battles and mysteries and magic. Nevertheless it doesn't seem too scary: the humorous episodes make it bright and colorful.
I am very glad Sabrina finally impoves her character and learns how to deal with other people and respect them. In this book, the Sisters Grimm can be called a really good and friendly team.
"The Inside Story" is one of the most thrilling books ever!
(This is written by my 13-year-old daughter)

This is an excellent fantasy/adventure series for the young and the young at heart. Book eight has started to answer some of the questions that surfaces over the course to the story line. We are all waiting for the conclusion which should be in the next book. Two thumbs up!

My daughter and I have read this series together since book one. She is thirteen now, and we're still having fun with the adventures of the Grimm girls. We loved the travels through the different stories. Can't wait until the next one!

Sabrina and Daphne Grimm will do anything to get their baby brother back from the Master who stole him - including following the Master into the Book of Everafter. The book contains all of the world's fairytales and Sabrina and Daphne travel through several fairytales in search of their brother. But they have more than the Master to worry about - as they travel, they inadvertently change the story lines of several stories, much to the dismay of the Editor. The Editor is determined to keep the fairytales as they were originally written and sends his revisers to correct the stories - and the revisers won't stop for anyone in their way - even Sabrina and Daphne.

Michael Buckley continues to weave a magical story line in "The Inside Story", the eighth book in his delightful "The Sisters Grimm" series aimed at ages 9 to 12. He pulls out all the stops here by having Sabrina and Daphne enter the Book of Everafter. Part of the fun is revisiting several stories/fairytales such as "The Wizard of Oz", "Alice in Wonderland", "Pinocchio" and "The Jungle Book" (to name a few) and seeing how various characters act when the plot deviates from the book. There is also a sense of surrealism as some of the characters in the Book of Everafter live in Ferryport Landing and are completely different there than they are in the Book of Everafter. Daphne and Sabrina continue to grow as characters. Sabrina in particular is maturing (preteen girls will no doubt sigh over the "romance" in the book). Buckley has a delightful sense of humor that shows throughout the book (I'd love to know the back story of the editor character) and a wonderful way with words which shows in sentences like "(the Tin Man's) steely expression turned to fear". My one disappointment in the book is that it sometimes feels like filler, as it focuses mostly on Sabrina, Daphne, and Puck while other major characters in the series, like their parents, grandmother, and uncle as well as the residents of Ferryport Landing are barely in it at all. However, judging by the cliffhanger ending they all play a prominent part in the next book in the series.

"The Inside Story" is a delightful fantasy for readers of all ages.

I was really looking forward to reading the next book after the cliff hanger in book 7.
I was ready to read about Puck and Sabrina's blooming relationship, finding the baby brother and stopping the Scarlet hand. The journey through the storybook is not as exciting as i wanted to be, it was kinda of tedious going through the stories i already knew waiting to get mirror. The editor and his revisers were not a great threat to Puck and the Grimm Sisters, so it just seemed like another ingredient in a soup. The secret marriage between Puckabrina is now known, which makes it a little less thrilling, there is not much teasing and not enough one-on-one time between Puck and Sabrina as i expected.

SPOILERS AHEAD:
Sabrina, Puck and Daphne chase Mirror (head of the Scarlet Hand) and their baby brother into the storybook of everafters, where Pinocchio and Mirror try to change their story to get out of Ferryyport Landing and grow up to be a real man. As the Grimms and Puck travel through and change each Everafter story they are threatened by annoying characters that persist to sticking with the storyline, even if they are fated to death, so they won't be revised by the Editors and his man-eating revisers. Unfortunately, some characters of stories don't want to go back living the same way over, and over again, and offer help to capture Pinocchio and his puppets. Puck, the Grimms and Everafter characters catch mirror and rescue the baby; only minutes later revisers come to fix the changes made to the story where Sabrina must give Mirror back the baby in order to save their lifes. Sabrina becomes more sensitive knowing the danger she is putting everyone in and regrets most of her decisions which cause her to be unlike herself. Puck becomes very sensitive and protective over Sabrina, knowing they are married in the future, throughout the book he is suggesting wedding plans. Granny Relda, Henry and Veronica Grimm find their kids and persuade the Editor entry into the forbidden story, Snow White and the 7 dwarfs. Mirror then travels to his story, and finds the Wicked Queen; where she transports Mirror's body into the baby's, and then Granny Relda sacrifices her body as a vessel for Mirror's spirit. Mirror brings a "dangerous character" our from the margins, Atticus Charmine (brother to William or Billy). Puck eats the poisoned apple and can only be awaken by a kiss from one who truly loves him (Sabrina). The story has changed too much and the story is torn apart, probably affecting the future, and the Grimms have to escape the story before their history is demolished. Henry and Veronica Grimm return with their son.

By Michael Buckley
Illustrated by Peter Furguson
Amulet Books/918-0-8109-8430-1/$15.95
The hilarious hijinx of the Grimm family continue as Sabrina and Daphne, the two lovable Grimm sisters, embark on yet another daring mission. This time, they're in the mysterious Book of Everafter, chasing Mirror, leader of The Scarlet Hand. And they're about to discover that, even in a storybook, there's danger (and great pranking opportunities) around every corner... but they're the Sisters Grimm- what could happen? Humerous, fast-paced and sure to keep young readers on the edge of their seats.

This series is excellent fantasy intertainment for 3-5th graders. It combines well known fairy tales, fables and nursery rhymes into a fast moving easy read mystery.

i was introduced to this series by my sister-in-law, who is a junior high school librarian. from the first pages i was hooked. the story is imaginative and provides a great twist to those characters we know and love from our childhood. great for all ages!

I've read all of the Sisters Grimm books so far, and I have loved every single one of them! This one was brilliant-as per usual. It was hard to wait a year for this book to come out, but when I finally got my copy-I was really brought back to life. Even though Briar Rose wasn't, my love of reading and fairy-tales has! Puck was so funny in this book. His jokes about Sabrina and his wedding made me laugh out loud. Daphne was so darn cute as usual, and Sabrina very leader-ish. Ooh! Now I'm making up words like Daphne, ha. Overall-awesome book!
~Lara