"Harry Potter fans will love this book"
Peer Ulfsson stands at the funeral of his father,
wondering what will happen to him when a big brutish man
arrives claiming to be his Uncle Baldur Grimsson, the
miller of Trollsvik. The twelve year old had no idea he
had a relative, but Baldur with only a nasty word about
his dead sibling grabs the lad to yank him back with him.
The odious Baldur also takes any money Ulf left behind
claiming a debt and even absconds with Peer's ring. Peer
leaves with his uncle even while the funeral pyre still
burns. When they reach Baldur's home, Peer meets his
other uncle Grim, who lives up to his name. Peer makes friends with the housekeeper Nis the gremlin
and with Hilde, whose father is going on a sea voyage.
Peer learns that his guardians intend to sell him and
Hilde to the troll king who will use them as a wedding
present as the trio knows that the finest gift in the land
is young human slaves. The Harry Potter crowd will enjoy this feature length
fairy tale mindful of the relationship between the
stepmother and Cinderella. The well-written story line
hooks the audience who will wonder if the two children can
find a way to trump the sneaky trolls and the nasty human
adults. The trolls slyly use shadows to cause trouble
while the uncles are an unpleasant pragmatic pair rivaling
the cruelty of de Cruella. Still the tale belongs to two
courageous children and a frightened goblin as they seek a
happily ever after ending. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted May 10, 2004
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