Greymist Fair
Death lives in the forest.
Two roads lead into a dark forest. They meet at Greymist Fair, the cobbled village hidden in the trees, a place kept alive by the families that never leave. The people of Greymist Fair know the woods are a dangerous and magical place, and to set foot off the road is to invite trouble.
When Heike, the village’s young tailor, discovers a murder on the road, she goes looking for the culprit. Her findings lead to more strange happenings around Greymist Fair, all based on the original, bloody, lesser-known fairytales of the Brothers Grimm. Each story, told from a different character’s point of view, builds on Heike’s overarching narrative, and together they examine the themes of childhood fears, growing into adult responsibilities, and finding a place to call home amidst the trials of life and death.
Content Warnings: violence, implied child abuse, death
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
BookPage (starred review)
“In the seven intersecting stories that compose Greymist Fair, author Francesca Zappia nods at fairy-tale conventions before subverting and exceeding them.”
School Library Journal
“Zappia’s writing is sharp and accessible, populating a town with a large, unique cast and braiding together different fairy tales to create a world that prioritizes acceptance and love.”
Kirkus Reviews
“In the spirit of the Brothers Grimm, there’s rather a lot of death and suffering, but there’s also an extremely wholesome climax at Yule that could be taken from a classic Christmas story.”
Publisher’s Weekly
“Incorporating elements from several Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales, Zappia (Katzenjammer) delivers a darkly enchanting collection of interconnected stories centering the insular village of Greymist Fair and the treacherous forest that surrounds it. (…) This skillfully written and thoroughly cohesive narrative gratifies as a mystery while illustrating the revolutionary power of love, kindness, and community.”