Rebecca Knight

First, this book is only two short stories and three ads. Second, the stories just aren't very well written. It seemed like there could be a good idea, although not overly original, in a detective agency/task force devoted to cleaning up fairy tale villains. Unfortunately, neither the world, nor Veronica, are given any depth, background, character... Are these villains modeling themselves after classic fairy tales? Is this a world where the Grimm brothers never released their collection of stories, instead passing them down to their some odd-great granddaughter? I'm thinking harder than the author bothered to. Spoilers below.

The first story is too short. Even for a short story, it was an excerpt. The fight was poorly written and hard to follow and we never uncover the villain's motivation. In the classic Bluebeard, the characters signature facial hair represented the fact that he was otherworldly. In most versions, this is the only outward warning of his hideous nature. He's usually charismatic, kind, and loving until his wife betrays his trust. In this version, he's a skeezy guitar player who is lewd and has a shitty tattoo.

The second is longer and better written, but fraught with logical inaccuracies. First, Whitney Snow has run away from home. She's been incredibly difficult to find. Except for the fact that she's a porn star specializing in midgets, a pretty uncommon progression, and HAS NOT BOTHERED TO CHANGE HER NAME. Yeah, no one with a modem and a basic knowledge of Google is ever going to find her. And then the step-mother's need for a heart. Modern medicine wept.

I wouldn't pay more for it than I did: free.… (mehr)