Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Retro Tuesday: Diamond Secret by Suzanne Weyn, reviewed by Miss Ami



Have I mentioned how much I like fractured fairy tales? I especially like the ones that make the fairy tale plausibly realistic, as is done in this series from Simon and Schuster. The "Once Upon a Time" series began in 2004, I believe, but there are still new ones coming out - this one is actually from June of last year, so not quite retro. I have found several voracious readers who didn't know the series exists, however, so it's worth plugging here.

"The Diamond Secret" is a retelling of the story of Anastasia - not so much a fairy tale per se, but still an intriguing mystery after all these years. If parts of the explanation for Anastasia's disappearance and rediscovery seem a bit implausible - the convenient case of amnesia being the biggest pill to swallow - their very implausibility is addressed within the story, as the characters discuss whether her grandmother or anyone else will believe it. The ending comes as a surprise only to the main characters, but it is still a fun read. I enjoyed Weyn's "Water Song" (a retelling of The Frog Prince) from the same series more. Other authors in the series include Cameron Dokey and Nancy Holder. A good series to add to your YA collection.

No comments:

Post a Comment