The True Story of Hansel and Gretel

Louise Murphy

Jul 2003 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

A poignant and suspenseful retelling of a classic fairy tale set in a war-torn world, for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, We Were the Lucky Ones, and Lilac Girls

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 a “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. 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.

Ratings and reviews

This book was fascinating; told from the perspective of the Poles and Jews during WWII; amazing how the story of Hansel and Gretel was strewn through the book. Captivating!

Beautifully written. Must read. Could not put it down. This books captures you and won't let you go.

Beautifully written. Should be part of a history lesson. Could not put it down!

About the author

Louise Murphy, winner of a Writers Digest Award for formal poetry, is the author of the novel The Sea Within and a book for children, My Garden. She is a regular contributor to numerous literary and poetry journals.