The True Story of Hansel and Gretel

A Novel of War and Survival

By: Louise Murphy

Narrated by: Michael Page

In the last months of the Nazi occupation of Poland, two children are left by their father and stepmother to find safety in a dense forest. Because their real names will reveal their Jewishness, they are renamed "Hansel" and "Gretel". They wander in the woods until they are taken in by Magda, an eccentric and stubborn old woman called "witch" by the nearby villagers. Magda is determined to save them, even as a German officer arrives in the village with his own plans for the children.

Combining classic themes of fairy tales and war literature, Louise Murphy's haunting novel of journey and survival, of redemption and memory, powerfully depicts how war is experienced by families and especially by children. The True Story of Hansel and Gretel tells a resonant, riveting story.

©2003 Louise Murphy (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Lyrical, haunting, unforgettable." ( Kirkus, Starred Review)

The struggle of 2 siblings

I thoroughly enjoyed this story Of a brother and sister overcoming obstacles to reach home again .

Dark twist on a classic tale

This was better than I expected but also much darker than I anticipated. This twist on the classic told the stories of things often glossed over during that time in Poland, often in gory detail. Good book but think I need a lighter read after this one!

Unique twist to the fairytale

I appreciated the unique twist to the classic fairytale. It brought two separate stories together and combined them in an unexpected way.

Of course anything written about the horrible and tragic events of holocaust always cuts deep with emotions and are usually rough to hear, but I think the author told those parts as respectfully as possible and showed the true courage of the people who endured the worst of mankind.

The narrator sometimes did throw me off with the way he did the voices and it was sometimes distracting, but also have to give him some wiggle room on that since he was not only changing through different ages and gender, but accents as well. I feel they needed to be a little exaggerated for you to know the difference in who was speaking.

This is the best experience.

Couldn’t get enough of story. Kept me wanting more. The narration melded me with each character. Highly recommend.

Don't miss out!

Wow! I LOVED IT! So cleverly written and engrossing. It kept me on the edge. A MUST READ/LISTEN!

Audio book helped.

It was very difficult to read the book alone. Listening to the narrator helped me finish the book. Narrator was awesome.

Poor language/distasteful details.

Poor language and distasteful details, doesn't match era in time. Could leave out vulgarity.
No more to say ok ok

A creative retake on a classic fairy tale

The classic tale of Hansel & Gretel, the witch in the forest and the trail of bread crumbs reimagined as a harrowing struggle for survival in Poland during the Nazi occupation. Vivid dialogue and characters.

Relentlessly downbeat

Yes, this is a very downbeat story. There is not a bit of levity or happiness. The author was quite creative in weaving elements from the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel into this story of WWII atrocities. If that sounds appealing, give it a listen. Narration is ok, the voice actor is good with accents but rather monotone with narrative.

Great narration; content disturbing

I almost didn't finish listening to this book; the content and details were extremely graphic and upsetting. The story was engaging. Another example of the horrors of war and, sadly, pertinent in our world today.