So, I wasn’t paying attention when I requested this on NetGalley because I thought it was a graphic novel. It’s illustrated fiction; a book of retold fairy tales. Normally I would decline reviewing fiction (comics and manga are the only things I want to review) but I’m making an exception here because this turned out to be so excellent.

GRIMM features dark fairy tales retold by Kenneth Bøgh Andersen and Benni Bødker, with disturbing and vivid art by John Kenn Mortensen. There are stories familiar (“Rapunzel,” “Hansel and Gretel”) and unfamiliar (“The Singing Bone,” which is my favorite), and all of them are told with dark imagery and beautiful prose.

Check out this introduction to “The Singing Bone:”

Back when animals could speak and humans could understand them, back when the mountains were given their names, the fields had not yet been cultivated and the vast forests were the world’s mightiest towns, back when magic was not simply illusion or sleight of hand but the art of bending the world to one’s will, pulling the stars down to earth and changing the way the wind blew.

That introductory paragraph keeps going but I didn’t want to spoil the whole thing for you. Such beautiful, lyrical writing!

The illustrations are notable, too. They give me Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark vibes with their stark black and white drawings of disturbing and grim things…but they also remind me of centuries-old etchings from ancient books, too. It’s a remarkable style of art.

There wasn’t a single story in this book that I didn’t like, and as I collect fairy tale anthologies, I will be adding this one to my permanent collection. And since this is merely Book One, I’ll be looking forward to future volumes, too. I highly recommend this work to fans of dark, original fairy tales with equally dark, fantastic art. I had an enjoyable experience reading this book.