Hansel and Gretel is delightfully re-imagined by Neil Gaiman and beautifully illustrated by Loreno Mattotti in this gorgeous take on the classic fairytale. With the story broken up with dark yet gorgeous double page illustrations, this edition is a wonderful gift for book lovers everywhere. 
 With subtle differences from the Grimm tale, this story is cleverly retold by Gaiman. The tale is hauntingly delivered with the ideas of cannibalism and child abandonment at the forefront, however this version is beautifully presented. Mattotti's black and white illustrations are incredibly vivid despite only using the two colours. 
 This book may be brief at only 56 pages and half of those pages being pictures. However it is long enough to deliver a great story. Hansel and Gretel is presented in a dark and hauntingly beautiful kind of way . The drawings, the floral embellishments to the pages with text and the gorgeous green on the dust jacket - this book is absolutely lovely to read. 
 What I loved most about this book was the afterword which gave some background on Hansel and Gretel. It compares Gaiman's to the original Grimm tale and mentions international stories with similar themes throughout history. I did not know the illustrations by Mattotti were in fact the inspiration for Gaiman's take on the story! 
 Gaiman's Hansel and Gretel is a great combination of classic fairytale and eerie yet memorizing illustrations. A must for fan of dark fairytale, appropriate for young and older readers alike. 
 Thanks to Bloomsbury Australia for the review copy.