Review by Booklist Review
The plot of Albert's brilliant debut novel (The Hazel Wood, 2018) revolved around Tales from the Hinterland, a collection of original fairy tales by the protagonist's grandmother, Althea Proserpine. Albert has now "collected" these 12 tales in a volume with striking, unsettling illustrations by Tierney. The writing is as spare and precise as poetry, connected to the darker, edgier elements of fairy-tale conventions. There are princes, princesses, fishermen, midwives, enchanters, and merchants, and Death frequently makes an appearance. The protagonists are not the sweet, thoughtful, and kind heroines of traditional folk and fairy tales; all are brave or daring to some degree, but what they do with that bravery varies. Some give themselves up to whatever cause presents itself, while others act solely for their own interests, taking risks that benefit them alone. One heroine suffers at the hands of a selfish prince, who removes her skin and hides it away so she won't leave him; her patience pays off in the end when she takes revenge on the prince and everyone connected to him. The eponymous protagonist of "Twice-Killed Katherine" dies from a wasting sickness, but an enchanter gives her the ability to take on another's life force. It is a gift she has cause to use again and again. Albert's rich and tightly focused collection forms the core of the mythology created in her novels, and her fans will be thrilled at this further glimpse into that world.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Albert brings The Hazel Wood's fictional fairy tale volume to life in 12 finely wrought but gruesome stories of captive wives, abused women, and their bloody revenge. Framed by Tierney's intricately inked woodcut-style illustrations, the fictional Hinterlands and their fairy tale logic shine when illuminating aspects of troubled family dynamics: "Hansa the Traveler" sets its cloistered protagonist questing to save her star mother and confronts the cost of being a rescuer, while "The House Under the Stairwell" offers a somber, heartfelt reflection on the work of repair. Weaker entries, however, collapse into repetitive revenges or horror genre despair, and Albert's allegories lose power as the dynamics and relationships they stand for fail to grow, broaden, or change. Fans of Emily Carroll, Catherynne M. Valente, and Albert's own work will thrill to this volume's fairy tale cadences and inventive, deep-shadowed imagery, but the parade of voiceless, mutilated, broken women may leave readers wanting range and depth. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 12--up. Agent: Faye Bender, the Book Group. (Jan.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--Albert presents Althea Prosperine's Tales from the Hinterland--the notorious collection of dark and twisted short stories that form the backbone of the world-building in The Hazel Wood and its sequel The Night Country. For the first time, the stories that protagonists Alice and Ellery encounter in Albert's previous novels are presented in their entirety. Readers familiar with the series will recognize many of the tales and characters here, notably Alice, Ilsa, and Hansa. Albert aptly channels classic fairy tale sensibilities into eerie and brutal tales that would have the Brothers Grimm reaching for an extra candle at night. Centering female characters in each story, Albert explores the facets of girl- and womanhood in a world dominated and usually shaped by men. Standouts in the collection include "The House Under the Stairwell," where sisterhood wins the day as Isobel seeks help from the Wicked Wife before she is trapped in a deadly betrothal; "The Clockwork Bride," a richly told story where a girl hungry for enchantment carelessly promises her first daughter to a sinister toymaker who, when he tries to claim his prize, instead finds a girl who wishes only to belong to herself; and "Death and the Woodwife," where a princess uses her wits and her mother's unusual gifts to outwit Death and his heir. Characters have various skin tones. VERDICT Stories fueled by feminist rage, the frustration of being underestimated, and the insatiable longing to experience more mark this collection as timely and universal.--Emma Carbone, Brooklyn P.L.
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Twelve pitch-black original fairy tales form the backbone to an acclaimed fantasy series. Fans of the Hazel Wood series know of Althea Proserpine's cult anthology, the original stories whose characters escaped into our world. Featuring, among others, Hansa the Traveler, Twice-Killed Katherine, and, of course, Alice-Three-Times (whose tale's much-speculated-about ending falls oddly flat), the stories feel both familiar--the first was already included in its entirety in the series opener and several others, in abbreviated and altered form--and revelatory, unfolding in all their rich, lush, macabre, and grisly glory. Despite their vaguely preindustrial Western European setting, these are anything but traditional folktales. While every protagonist is female, the themes are not explicitly feminist; rather, the overwhelming tone is savage, angry, bitter, and cruel. Most of the leads do achieve a vicious and vengeful sort of triumph, but only one even approaches a conventional happy ending. Relationships (exclusively heterosexual) are only an excuse for male lust, domination, and manipulation. Parents (especially mothers) are mostly neglectful, smothering, abusive…or dead. Death, often horrific death, is a constant presence, even as a literal character in several stories. Although this collection could well be read on its own, the unrelenting grimness can be wearying; it may be best appreciated for the context and commentary it offers for the preceding volumes. Tierney's bold illustrations, many featuring stark, contrasting tones of red, black, and white, accentuate the mood. There is some diversity in skin tone. Dark, demanding, and delicious. (Fairy tales. 16-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
