| Title | : | Once Upon a Crime (The Sisters Grimm, #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 081091610X |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780810916104 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 272 |
| Publication | : | First published May 1, 2007 |
Once Upon a Crime (The Sisters Grimm, #4) Reviews
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The Sisters Grimm never fails to amuse because of the way it takes famous fairy-related literature and puts a modern twist on them. Far more than the overall plot or even the themes, it is the little moments in these books that make them worthy reads.
Once Upon a Crime is the fourth adventure of Sabrina and Daphne Grimm, two children who late discovered their family heritage as the jailer and protector of fairy tale creatures known as Everafters. After spending months in an orphanage and one lousy foster home after another, they were told they had a grandmother—a woman they thought was dead. They go to live with her in Ferry Port Landing, which they soon learn is home to most of the fairy tale creatures they've read about. However, all of these Everafters are trapped in Ferry Port Landing for as long as one of the Grimms are alive. This makes them a less than popular twosome.
After several adventures where they solve mysteries and help save Ferry Port Landing, they make their first trip out. In the previous adventure The Problem Child, their Grandmother's ward, Puck, was injured and is in a coma. The only thing likely to save him is to get him back to the Fairy land where his parents reign. Much to Sabrina's disgust, this is in New York City, a place she associates with home and a complete lack of Everafters.
While Daphne has been thrilled to take on the job of fairy tale detective, Sabrina still resists. She hates their calling and wants nothing to do with it. She decides the trip to New York will be her final case. She can then concentrate on saving her parents—who are in a magical sleep that no one can wake them from—and return to her normal life.
What she discovers instead is that her seemingly normal mother was highly active in the fairy community in New York City and unlike the attitude that Ferry Port Everafters have toward the Grimms, the New York City Everafters honor and adore them.
In Once Upon a Crime, you learn a little more about Puck’s family. His story, obviously, comes from William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and it is in this book that you get to meet the rest of the fairy creatures from the famous play. It's one of the things that will delight any lover of classical literature. It's also what gave the book its greatest appeal to my 10-year-old son who has seen the play numerous times since he was five. Puck is also a great favorite of his as it is his final two speeches that were the first he ever memorized. His view of Puck isn't far off from the Puck that is met in The Sisters Grimm—an 11-year-old boy who sees himself as a villain despite his golden heart.
While Shakespeare doesn't claim it, author Michael Buckley tells us that Puck is the offspring of Oberon and Titania, a fairy prince who was promised to one of the other fairies. Titania's fairy attendants get much greater play in this novel, with fleshed out personalities and goals.
At its heart Once Upon a Crime is a classic mystery story despite being populated with fantastical creatures. It also continues to expose the growing pains that Sabrina is having as she must make a choice between selfishness and service and discover what it really means to be a family.
Sabrina is frequently a frustrating character despite being the protagonist because she is so distrustful and resists the route that others—and the readers—want her to go. Nothing ever comes easy for her, but mostly because she insists upon making it difficult. Is this really any surprise when we realize we're talking about a pre-teen girl on the cusp of puberty?
Michael Buckley continues to entertain with The Sisters Grimm series. Each offering in the series changes the characters in subtle and not-so-subtle ways. The books are quick reads and I look forward to each new book. -
3.5 STARS
Not my favorite in the series since there were a lot of characters just thrown in but this was probably the most action packed and took me a little by surprise at the end. This series is just so fun! -
The Sisters Grimm series are my audiobook standbys. The narrator is fantastic and these are perfect for long drives in the car. The series is about two young girls, Daphne and Sabrina, who, after the disappearance of their parents and a year spent jumping from one wretched foster home to another, go to live with the grandmother they never knew they had in Fairyport Landing. The Grimm sisters find out that they are the descendants of the famed Brothers Grimm, who brought the fairy tale creatures over to live in Fairyport landing. The fun part is, it's not just Grimm's fairy tales that show up in the book. Puck from Midsummer Night's Dream, the Wizard of Oz, and Mother Goose all appear. The sisters, their grandmother, Mr. Canis (the big bad wolf), and Puck join together to solve mysteries and keep the town in order. "Once Upon a Crime" picks up where book 3 left off. The family takes a very injured Puck to NYC to find his family and has to solve a murder and uncovere more clues about the girls' parents. Many series end up being repetitive after a while (re: the Redwall books), but these have a fresh story for each book.
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While not really dropping in quality, I felt like the Sisters Grimm series lost a little steam in the fourth book. The mystery was a little more obvious, and the rhythms of the series are becoming a bit more repetitive. Sabrina is going to have an angsty personal problem (learning that her mother was all for fairy tale detecting, which isn't Sabrina's bag) that will be resolved, a mystery must be solved (a murder mystery this time, but the culprit is given away by the cover art), Mr. Canis will battle with his true self, and Daphne will have a new catchphrase ("Jerkazoid!"). I felt like the author, Buckley, tried to inject a little excitement into this volume with a change of scenery, but leaving Ferryport Landing for New York City actually cut all the tension that's been building in the little town.
But when a good series loses a little steam it's not alway the end of the world, and there are still plenty of great moments. I appreciated the respect that existed between Mr. Canis (the Big Bad Wolf) and Sheriff Hamstead (one of the Three Little Pigs), and I liked Mother Goose as a bartender in a bar run by the fairy mafia (fairy godfathers, get it?). And Scrooge as a psychic who can communicate with ghosts was a great idea. Oh, and Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins are now Wall Street pirates who battle Sinbad who captains a New York City ferry. Puck was out of commission for most of the book, and when he shows back up he's slightly more mature.
The dark tone is a bit lighter than in the last book, except for a couple of crazy moments. Remember that time when the primary suspect (SPOILER: who didn't actually do it) is straight up executed by being held in front of a freakin' cannon?
In summation, it's not the best of the series, but it is still a decent addition. -
I’m still a little angry because the cover of this book kind of gives away the end of the book – or, if not the end, then the climax. Based on that, it was super easy to figure out who did what to whom. [shrug] As I’ve said about these books before, they’re definitely for kids but still fun for adults. My 13y/o is totally done with the series and is kind of annoyed with me for not having finished, so that’s something I’ll have to work on catching up with soon.
Daphne, Sabrina, Granny, Mr Canis and the former sheriff of Ferryport Landing head to NYC to visit the faeries and see if they can help heal [REDACTED]. While there, [REDACTED] is murdered and the Grimm family is tasked with finding the murderer.
Like I mentioned, the cover gave much away but even if it hadn’t, I still turned to 13y/o and said “So it was [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] that did it, right?” But he was not really paying attention since I was talking about this instead of Doctor Who and just gave me that “I know, but I’m not telling” look that he excels at.
This was cute, but I liked the previous book a lot more. It was very weird to have something not set in Ferryport Landing at ALL, and I kind of missed it. NYC was nice to visit, but I’m glad we’re not staying there for long. -
My friend Jenne once said that all books are better with a giant robot. This book has a giant Wicked Witch robot that climbs the Empire State Building, a la King Kong. Four stars right there.
Oh, and the rest of the book is good too. -
I love how Puck saves Sabrina from near death
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Felt so weird to read a book that takes place at Christmas during spooky season but c’est la vie.
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This has been my least favorite of the series so far, and it was still really good! That’s a testament to how fantastic these books are.
I felt like the action was overly drawn out. And so many random fairytale people were introduced and then left so soon it was just sort of pointless. I also prefer the setting of Ferryport Landing over New York City. It’s just more fun, in my opinion.
It was fun to be introduced to Puck’s family/world.
The last 40 pages were my favorite. Rereading this series has been SO MUCH FUN! -
These are starting to meld together because I'm reading them back to back without a break! That's how absorbing they are. I wasn't quite as enthralled by this one for some reason. Maybe it's partly because I wasn't very into the fairy-mobster characters. But I still read ravenously.
Something I'm noticing as I progress through the series is repeated expressions like "in agony" or "a painful groan." Some of the descriptions need some variation. -
"What are you looking at?" the gingerbread man said to her. "Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to stare?"
For once, Sabrina fumbled for words.
"She's sorry," Daphne offered. "It's not every day you get to talk to a cookie, you know."
The gingerbread man's brown body suddenly turned red and his icing face crinkled in anger. "Hey! Cookies are round, buster. Do I look like I'm round?"
"Sorry," Daphne said, "I didn't mean---"
"That kind of ignorance is why gingerbread people are treated so badly all over the world," he said bitterly. "Just 'cause we came out of the same oven, doesn't mean we're made from the same dough!"
Daphne ducked behind Sabrina.
"Relax! She didn't mean to offend you," Sabrina said, finally pulling herself together. As she turned to calm her sister, she felt something hard bounce off her head. She whipped around and found the gingerbread man pulling a gumdrop off his chest. There was one already missing--one she was sure was now lodged in her hair.
"Take that, you bakist!" the little man said.
"Did you just throw something at me?" Sabrina cried, quickly regaining her wits.
"Yeah! What are you going to do about it, meat person?" the little baked man taunted.
"Throw another gumdrop at me and you'll see what I'll do, dough boy," Sabrina hissed.
Granny was trying to pull her away when the second gumdrop bounced off of Sabrina's nose
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"That's it!" she cried as she turned to the bartender. "Give me the biggest glass of milk you've got!"
The gingerbread man kicked Sabrina in the ankle. Despite his size, it hurt, and Sabrina reached down to grab him. The little man darted away and ran through the bar.
"Catch me if you can, stupid meat person!" he cried.
Everafters are immigrants, Fairies are gangsters, and Wall Street is run by Pirates. It's another hilarious, insightful installation of the Sisters Grimm series, this time set in the Big Apple, with a whole new cast of characters. Sabrina learns about her mother's secret life and what it really means to be a Grimm. -
In some ways, this book definitely feels like somewhat of a departure for the series. The story focuses on a different location, there is an incredible focus on an unexpected character, and the book is about revelations that I didn't see coming.
Without going into an incredible amount of detail as to avoid spoilers, Michael Buckley continues to weave a fantastic story using characters in a very clever ways. There were some bits I didn't LOVE such as all the pirate business, but then there was such insight and character building in other parts of the book that it more than made up for it.
I am proud of myself for realizing who the killer was long before it was revealed, however there was another plot point I didn't see coming until moments before it happened.
In some ways, this was a book that established a holding pattern and got a bit deeper. I am hoping that Sabrina had a major break through with her character so that she stops being the voice of descent all the time.
Also, Michael Buckley seems to be employing the ol' Alias opening that J.J. used so much which makes for an engaging and exciting start to each book. -
The fourth in a most entertaining fractured-fairy-tale detective series, Once Upon a Crime was a great read. In it, Sabrina and Daphne Grimm & company drive from Ferryport Landing, where most of the Everafters, or fairy-tale characters, live, to New York City, to take the ailing Puck to Faerie so he can be healed by his family (Oberon & Titania and offspring). Turns out Faerie isn't quite what it used to be. The fairy-tale detectives find thuggish fairy godfathers, characters from Oz (the Wizard, the Wicked Witch of the West, and we even get a glimpse of the Woggle-Bug), dwarfs in the subway, pirates from Wall Street (one with a parrot who shrieks, "Dump the stock, now! Sell, sell sell!"), and Scrooge (a financial and spiritual adviser) and Tim Cratchit. It was all great fun, and I'm glad there are more of these books to enjoy.
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New review in 2023: 4.25/5.
Original rating and review in 2017: Actual rating: 4.25/5. Thank you, Michael Buckley, for creating this world. This is competing with Percy Jackson & The Olympians for my favorite middle-grade series, and that's saying something. And these books keep getting better and better with each one, and this one is my favorite so far - and I'm only halfway through the series. On to the next one. -
While seeking help from the Everafter community in NYC, the Sisters Grimm stumble into the middle of a murder investigation. Knock-knock jokes and Mother Goose. Shakespeare and Dickens. Wolves and Pigs. Fairy godfathers and fiancees.
Solid storytelling with a side of character development. Buckley continues to impress. More! -
I just have so much love for this series. So much love. They are just as good this time as when I first read them 5 years ago. <3
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The only crime I see is how Charming pulled all those women looking like a Republican Senator
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The Sisters Grimm books are great palate cleansers between books that are more heavy. I love the new characters from fiction that pop up with each new book in the series. It was really fun to have the Grimm family running around in New York City and the introduction of the fairy folk, with A Midsummer Night's Dream as their "true story" was a kick!
"You and Daphne should probably read this," Granny said. "It's going to tell you everything you need to know about the fairy folk."
Sabrina glanced down at the book. It was a play by William Shakespeare, entitled A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Daphne snatched it from Sabrina and flipped through the pages. "What language is this?" she asked.
"It's English," Granny said. "Early Modern English. If you have any questions about the words, just let me know." -
This is the fourth book in the series of The Grimm Sisters. Sabrina and Daphne have been bounced around from one foster home to another to orphanage until Grandma Grimm showed up after the disappearance of their parents. The children, Grandma and Puck have recently realized that the parents have been kidnapped, and are under a sleeping spell. Now they are attempting to locate the parents and solve mysteries as they happen…well everyone except Sabrina. She doesn’t believe that this is what’s best for her…
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Aight. So I do somewhat remember this book because my god was I out there just SWOONING over freaking Puck.
13 year old me's dream guys consisted of:
1. Dally from The Outsiders
2. Puck from this series
I remember that I loved that they broke up the increasing darkness of the previous novels by a brief interlude in New York City. -
I really wish we could see more of Faerie! There were so many other characters. I think the cover sort of gave away the ending with Oz though I really wanted to like him. So sweet that Puck wanted to stay with Sabrina and trusted her to take care of his cocoon while he was getting better. And I am glad he is returning with them but I am so gonna miss Ernie. Really hope he comes to visit.
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Another enjoyable book in this series
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Laugh out loud funny book! I just adore this series!
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these are all immaculate im obsessed
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I enjoy listening to the audiobook of these books while i color or loom because the chapters are so long that I always get interrupted in the middle if I read it.
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I always enjoy going on adventures with the Grimm sisters. As always this book was so good! I really loved that they saw the everafters in New York City. This is definitely one of my faves. I think Daphne is the cutest!
