What can I say? When I was a preeteen I was a simple girl with simple tastes. I loved this book dearly and even now, a whole decade later, I still find myself rereading it every once in a while. It was never a perfectly well-written book with stunning prose, but it was fun, and it was sweet, and I love it just the same. It's also the reason I'll be taking blacksmithing classes this summer!

I have such a soft spot for this book in my heart. If you're like me and adore retellings of fairy tales, you have to give it a try. ( )

This is a wonderfully written Retelling of Little Red Riding Hood filled with love and Romance as well as a touch of mystery and some unexpected twists and surprises that will keep you entertained and interested throughout the story. All the characters are very well written as well as all the different relationships that are present throughout the story. I particularly enjoyed reading about the relationship between Ruth and William and seeing how it developed. ( )

Little red riding hood is one of my favorite fairy tales so when I stumbled across this retelling of it I had to read it. I wasn’t disappointed with the story either, I finished it in one sitting. The best part of the story for me was probably Viguie’s descriptions of the forest and the atmosphere she created there. It was also great having the heroine not a dependent. Ruth is a blacksmith and, for the most part, knows how to take care of herself. I was surprised by how well developed of a character she was for how short the book was. The hero, William, could’ve used a bit more fleshing out, but he still wasn’t all that bad.

The beginning of the book was great and had pretty good pacing but then everything started to feel rushed towards the end. Also everything was solved a little too easily, so the big climax kind of fizzled out for me.

This is a good quick read if you’re looking for something light. ( )

A retelling of Little Red Riding Hood that features the Big Bad Wolf as a charming prince, and Red as a solid and self reliant girl who is good at the skill of blacksmithy. Ruth (little red) was attacked by a wolf as a child, and the scars on her legs attest to her close escape from death. Her brother has long since left for the Crusades, along with her cousin Peter, and Ruth filled in for her father as the son he needed to carry on his trade. As a result, she has become a strong and independent woman, who can easily handle herself against any physical attacks, but is vulnerable to the harsh words of others and her own loneliness.

Enter Prince William, the young man she finds naked in the woods. The two are attracted to each other, but young William is hiding a dark secret and Ruth has her own family demons to contend with. They confront their feelings early in the story, and the tension becomes whether or not their bond to each other is strong enough to withstand their particular trials, and to help them solve the murders haunting Ruth's village, which are scarily similar to the attacks William himself has inflicted in his wolfy moments.

I have mixed feelings about this novel. On the positive side, it is an inventive approach to the original, and I like the mystery aspect. Ruth is a great female protagonist, loved for her character and spirit more than looks, and a good strong role model for girls to read about. The plot is compelling and it's a fast paced read. My only objections, really, are more about my personal expectations than the quality of the book itself. I think the the Little Red Riding Hood story has so much potential in it, and that the Big Bad Wolf is a representation of temptation and danger and desire, and I want to see more done with that story. I want the wolf to be edgier and darker. Also, I like more romantic drama. The two leads fall in love so quickly, which is fine, it just means that this wasn't a romance but another sort of story, but I was looking forward to the romance. Again, these were just my own expectations that were set at odds; the novel itself is a good story, with fine writing and a new twist to an old favorite. Now I just have to wait for someone to write another Red Riding Hood retelling that captures my particular fancy, or if all else fails, write one myself. ( )

I really enjoyed this retelling of "Little Red Riding Hood."
It was the first of the "Once Upon A Time..." series that I really enjoyed. I thought all of the characters were strongly developed, and it almost reminded me of Phantom of the Opera. ( )