Far Far Away

This book about Jeremy Johnson Johnson was a fun little read. It definitely had a sweet story about Jeremy and his ghost Jacob Grimm. I think the tale has enough sweet fantasy fairy tale but definitely plays on how in fairy tales the bad are punished and the heroes/heroines live happily ever after. However they acknowledge that rarely happens in real life. Loved the characters even the villian. Overall a fun sweet story to get lost in.

I liked the slow, foreshadowed build to the inevitable reveal of the horrors in the last bit of the book. McNeal took his time reveling in the creepiness and building the mood. I didn't understand the choice to set the plot in small town, current USA. Whenever the narrator mentioned something about this being present day America, I was thrown.

I first read Far Far Away last year as an ARC, but at the time I wasn't able to figure out how I felt about it. When I stumbled across an audio book of it last week, I decided to give it another shot. See, I love fairy tales. Specifically the older ones that weren't afraid of a little darkness. There's something beautiful about those tales and their ability to show the true nature of things. That's what Tom McNeal has captured in Far Far Away. He's taken the Brothers Grimm and channeled their energy into a new story. It's dark, twisted, and yet gorgeous in its own way. Best of all? I was much better able to appreciate it this time around.

First off, let me say that I absolutely recommend the audio version of this. W. Morgan Sheppard is a stellar narrator, and I could listen to him read to me for hours. Well, in fact, I did listen to him read to me for hours. I could have listened for hours more though. He is the perfect addition to this story. His voice enchants you into feeling like you're a part of Jeremy Johnson Johnson's life. It's as if you're walking the streets of the town of Never Better. As if you're right there with the ever incorporeal Jacob. I adored listening to this!

As for the story, well, let me tell you that it's definitely not what you're expecting. Like all good fairy tales we start with a character who isn't quite what he seems. When I first met Jeremy I honestly believed I knew where his life would take him. I thought that, as most fairy tales do, things would wind their way to getting better for him. I believed that his best self was hiding inside that shy outer shell, and that he would be rewarded for being such a good person. Oh yes, Jeremy is as good as they come. Which is why I also loved Ginger, the female MC of this story. Her fire, and her mischievousness, really brought the book to life.

So yes, I truly believed that I knew exactly what would transpire. The truth is though, as I should have expected, things took a very drastic turn. We all know that fairy tales need a villain of some sort. Someone who we can loathe and who makes our hero bloom. Tom McNeal threw me a curve with the villain in this story. No spoilers, oh no you won't get them from me. Suffice it say that you won't see it coming. When it does? And things get darker, and darker still? You'll likely find yourself wondering where it all stemmed from, but feeling to consumed with what happens next to really worry about it.

When I read this the first time, I settled on a three star rating because my thoughts were too conflicted to really do more. This time, I'm happy to report that I had a much more enjoyable time in Never Better. I wouldn't doubt that it has something to do with our lovely narrator, but the fact remains that this is now a four star read for me. If you love fairy tales, give this a shot! You might be pleasantly surprised.

An excellent dark fairy tale. May be a bit too slow for some teen readers and those not familiar with the tone and pacing of older fairy tales. But if you can be patient enough to get into the rhythm of the tale, I think you will be rewarded with an enchanting read.

Some reviewers have noted that the tale seemed to lack good character development for the secondary and tertiary characters. While this is true, I think it fits in with the fact that the narrator is a 19th-century German ghost. He doesn't know the other characters and their motivations the way he knows the protagonist, Jeremy. Nor is he familiar with modern American life. He even states himself a few times that he didn't understand why a character did something. The reader can easily guess at the motivation behind some of these actions, but these would be completely foreign to someone from the ghost's time and place.