Review: The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin

SUMMARY FROM NETGALLEY.COM:

A deliciously spooky middle-grade debut that's Coraline meets Hansel and Gretel
Lorelei is bowled over by Splendid Academy--Principal Trapp encourages the students to run in the hallways, the classrooms are stocked with candy dishes, and the cafeteria serves lavish meals featuring all Lorelei's favorite foods. But the more time she spends at school, the more suspicious she becomes. Why are her classmates growing so chubby? And why do the teachers seem so sinister?
It's up to Lorelei and her new friend Andrew to figure out what secret this supposedly splendid school is hiding. What they discover chills their bones--and might even pick them clean!
Mix one part magic, one part mystery, and just a dash of Grimm, and you've got the recipe for a cozy-creepy read that kids will gobble up like candy.

MY TAKE:

Fairytale adaptations, when done right, can be very interesting. This book is definitely done right.

As the summary suggests, this book is sort of a retelling of Hansel and Gretel. Lorelei and her schoolmates are enamored with Splendid Academy. All their favorite foods are served to them at breakfast and lunch and they gorge themselves on candy in between. Something doesn't feel right to Lorelei, however, and she's determined to find out.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. From the get-go, since I knew this was a Hansel and Gretel book, I kinda knew how the story was going to go. However, there were enough new elements in this book to make it less   derivative.

Lorelei is usually a pleasant character, although there are moments wherein she was extremely dense. The other characters were alright, though, I didn't really feel a connection with them.

Thanks to NetGalley and Razorbill for the e-ARC. Publication date of The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy is on August 21, 2012.

THE GOOD:

1. It's a nice take on an old story.
2. It's whimsical.
3. It's well-written.

THE BAD:

1. You might not find some of the characters easy to like.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Pasta with rich tomato sauce, fried chicken that smelled the same as my grandma's, mashed potatoes, carrot coins swimming in honey sauce, and white rolls so fluffy they reminded me of clouds.

READ IT IF:

1. You like fairy tales.
2. You like food.
3. You like retellings of classic stories.

RATING:



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