Jan 26, 2012

Book Review: 8:The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown8th Dwarf by Michael Mullin

8 by Michael Mullin
Release Date: November 11th, 2010
Publisher: Michael Mullin; 22 pages

Written in verse, this is the previously untold story of the previously unknown 8th dwarf, named Creepy. He is banished to the basement for being different and, well, weird. Yet he plays a vital - and of course previously unknown - role in the popular tale of Snow White (whose title character is an intruder Creepy refers to as "the Maid").









First I'd like to give a warm "Thank you" to Michael Mullin, the author, for sharing this book with us to read! Thanks for the opportunity!

When I saw the summary on goodreads my first thoughts were "Really? COOL!" I've never heard of anything like this before. A short story written entirely in verse? So. Cool. And it's hard to do. I'd know, I had to attempt it once in a Creative Writing class. Not. Easy. I would like to hand Mr. Mullin a whole bag of kudos right now.

The story is of the 8th dwarf "Creepy" who is too much of an oddball for the rest of the dwarfs, so they lock him up in the basement. Well, wouldn't you know, one day as it's "Hi Ho Hi Ho off to work they go" someone barges in?! We're introduced to "the Maiden" and Creepy is convinced that she's a burglar, so when he realizes she's cleaning he tries to peek through the floorboards to have a look. This is where the "adult themes" start rolling in, which makes this all the better. It's nice to have fairy tales that are for young children but I think that it's unique for real adult themes to be present, for the older readers.

I think that it gives a new perspective to people in general actually. We're all familiar with the famous fairy tale kisses, but what really happens? We get an idea through this short story. Creepy ends up falling for the Maiden and helps her out in ways that she doesn't understand at first (I won't call Snow White, erm, the Maiden and airhead, it'd made me look bad,) but she completely takes him for granted.

By the end of the short story I was craving more, what happens after that? It kind of drops off suddenly, which is the only thing that I disliked, and that dislike is minimal to non-existent. I recommend this for older readers, although younger readers probably wouldn't pick up on the innuendos, but just to be safe, especially for those of you who like to keep track of what you're kids are reading. There's nothing explicit at all, just some minor "elbow nudges." You know, someone says something then nudges you with said elbow and famously says "Eh, eh?" This is usually accompanied with an eyebrow waggle and a wide smirk.

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