Review of Ashes to Ashes and Cinder to Cinder (The Grimm Diaries Prequels #2) by Cameron Jace

Ashes to Ashes and Cinder to Cinder by Cameron Jace

My rating: 1.5 of 5 stars
Received: bought
Publication date: May 29th, 2012
Genres & Themes: YA, Fairy tale retellings, Paranormal, Shory story, Witches.

BLURB:

Seventeen-year-old Alice Grimm lives a dangerously enchanted life. Other than being distracted by a Dreamhunter called Loki Blackstar who has a heart of gold but acts like a jerk, she has a job to do. Being a descendant of the Brothers Grimm, she is one of few in the world who can locate the fairy tale characters and remind them of who they are. This time, Alice flies to Venice where an 800 hundred year old witch’s skeleton surrounded with seventeen glass slippers was found by archeologists in the city that invented the art of glassblowing. When Alice and Loki follow the lead, they find one of the fairy tale characters she had been searching for. It’s a famous girl character that you know by name, but never really knew what actually happened to her.

REVIEW:

 Guys, you have to read this:

”Are you sexist or something?” He raises a single eyebrow. ”Besides, I’ve always wanted to be a girl.”

”Wow.” I take a step back and fold my arms in front of me. I can’t believe we’re having this conversation while a building is on fire in front of me. ”I didn’t expect that.”

”What? I always wanted to be a girl so I could find myself some awesome guy like me.”

*Shakes head* No no no no no.

I didn’t dig that guy’s humor.

Basically, what happens in this short prequel is Alice meeting a boy named Loki who is actually a Dreamhunter (the name says it all.) After that, she is using him in order to save Cinderella’s mom from being killed so she can give birth (of what I understood.)

The plot is not BAD but there were some things, again, that were confusing and happening too fast.

Also, there are some sentences I had to read three or four times before understanding a bit.

For example:

Ironically, I was flying to Venice to find the real Cinderella. The one everybody accidentally killed when they believed that she was a fairy tale character and didn’t exist.

Okay, so she went to find the real Cinderella. Who died. Who died because EVERYBODY ACCIDENTALY killed her. They killed her because they thought she was a fairy tale character. Okay, but what about the ‘and didn’t exist’ part? Does the author mean that people killed her BY NOT BELIEVING IN HER? I hope that is it, because I don’t have anything else.

Also:

”Believe me, she is dreaming. Immortal dreams are infinite and never stop as long as they are not awake in real life.”

It was said in the book that the witch died in her dreams. When you DIE, however you die, don’t you…die? Why is she still dreaming?

I absolutely don’t like Loki, especially the way he is talking. Another example since I have plenty of them:

”Yeah, I know. All girls don’t snort on the first night then it’s a Bambi the elephant sleeping next to me.”

No commentary.

Alice is not a likeable character but I do like her A BIT more than Loki. Although, she is kind of frustrating. There is this love/hate relationship between Alice and Loki but it’s all happening too fast since I’m pretty much sure the whole thing—finding Cinderella, entering the dream and saving the woman—took one hour.

The writing is okay-good. Really conflicted on that point but the book was fine to read. I mostly had problems with the characters then the writing that is for sure.

Why do I give this short story 1.5 stars then and not only 1?

Simply because the plot had its originality. It was too short, so I didn’t get much of it, but what I got felt promising enough.

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