Authors: Sherri Browning Erwin and Charles Dickens
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN-13: 9781451617245
From the author of Jayne Slayre and in the bestselling tradition of such “monster classics” as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies comes a clever retelling of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations featuring Pip as a werewolf and Estella as a vampire slayer. GRAVE EXPECTATIONS is a re-imagining of Charles Dickens' tale with some supernatural surprises!
Bristly, sensitive, and meat-hungry Pip is a robust young whelp, an orphan born under a full moon. Between hunting escaped convicts alongside zombified soldiers, trying not to become one of the hunted himself, and hiding his hairy hands from the supernaturally beautiful and haughty Estella—whose devilish moods keep him chomping at the bit—Pip is sure he will die penniless or a convict like the rest of his commonly uncommon kind.
But then a mysterious benefactor sends him to London for the finest werewolf education money can buy. In the company of other furry young gentlemen, Pip tempers his violent transformations and devours the secrets of his dark world. When he discovers that his beloved Estella is a slayer of supernatural creatures, trained by the corpse-like vampire Miss Havisham, Pip’s desire for her grows stronger than his midnight hunger for rare fresh beef. But can he risk his hide for a truth that will make Estella his forever – or will she drive one last silver stake through his heart?
My Thoughts:
Sherri Browning Erwin has done it again! She took a great classic and turned it into a well written and practically flawless parody. Dickens' "Great Expectations" now contains vampires, werewolves, Scapegraces and slayers, yet it still holds the integrity of the original story. Unlike some of the other parodies I have read, this one is well written with a seamless transition between Erwin and Dickens.
I found this an enjoyable read and maybe (dare I say it?) even better than the original Dickens' classic. I enjoyed the humor and the struggle of Pip's desire for Estella. Pip was definitely one that I sympathized with and understood. His struggles felt quite "real" as did his thoughts and feelings. There was one place in the book that really stood out for me - Pip was with Biddy and Joe and feeling more and more blue while Biddy and Joe were becoming more happy: "Dissatisfied with my fortune, of course I could no be; but it is possible that I may have been without quite knowing it, dissatisfied with myself."
I really loved both of Erwin's parodies. She is a master at crafting a new story out of an old favorite, and is definitely winning a place on my favorite authors list. One great benefit of reading "Grave Expectations" is, I must now re-read "Great Expectations". Who would have ever thought I'd consider reading it again?!
About the Author:
A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, Sherri lives in Western Massachusetts with her nearly-perfect husband, and their charming actor son, amazing violinist daughter, a crafty corgi (Pembroke Welsh), and a very special pug.
To learn more about Sherri and the the books she's authored, you can visit her online at www.sherribrowningerwin.com.
This book was provided by Gallery Books for me to honestly review
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