The Forest Grimm

Kathryn Purdie

Sep 2023 · Macmillan Young Listeners · Narrated by Sarah Ovens

About this audiobook

Narrator Sarah Ovens shines while breathing life into this haunting narrative. Ovens's expressive voice and impeccable pacing create a vivid atmosphere as she guides listeners through Clara's perilous journey in the Forest Grimm." - AudioFile


A spellbinding YA fantasy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kathryn Purdie, where fairy tales come to life with dark, deadly twists.

"Tell me again, Grandmère, the story of how I die."

The Midnight Forest. The Fanged Creature. Two fortune-telling cards that spell an untimely death for 17-year-old Clara. Despite the ever-present warning from her fortune-teller grandmother, Clara embarks on a dangerous journey into the deadly Forest Grimm to procure a magical book—Sortes Fortunae, the Book of Fortunes—with the power to reverse the curse on her village and save her mother.

Years ago, when the villagers whispered their deepest desires to the book, its pages revealed how to obtain them. All was well until someone used the book for an evil purpose—to kill another person. Afterward, the branches of the Forest Grimm snatched the book away, the well water in Grimm’s Hollow turned rancid, and the crops died from disease. The villagers tried to make amends with the forest, but every time someone crossed its border, they never returned.

Now, left with no alternative, Clara and her close friend, Axel—who is fated never to be with her—have set their minds to defying fate and daring to accomplish what no one else has been able to before. But the forest—alive with dark, deadly twists on some of our most well-known fairy tales—has a mind of its own.

A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Ratings and reviews

I loved the way Purdie combines different fairy tales in this fantasy best suited for tweens and young teens. She did a great job creating a spooky atmosphere and a suspenseful plot that held my interest and kept me guessing. The story emphasizes the importance of family and friendship, while also featuring a very sweet, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance. I was disappointed that we are left with so many unanswered questions. The audiobook narration and production was excellent.

This was an interesting twist of the Grimm fairytales. It was full of magic, secrets, wishes and adventures. Clara desperately wants to break the curse, but will her fate allow her to succeed? She will be tested by the Forest, by magic & by fate. Will she succeed, will she survive?

About the author

KATHRYN PURDIE is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Burning Glass series and the Bone Crier's Moon duology. Trained in classical acting, she studied in England and met her husband when they were cast opposite each other in a Shakespeare play. They now live in Utah with their children and a tiny dog. Kathryn also writes songs on her guitar for each of her stories and shares them on her website. The Forest Grimm pays homage to her lifelong obsession with fairy tales and folklore.