The Girl in Red

By: Christina Henry

Narrated by: January LaVoy

Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

From the national best-selling author of Alice comes a postapocalyptic take on the perennial classic "Little Red Riding Hood"...about a woman who isn't as defenseless as she seems.

It's not safe for anyone alone in the woods. There are predators that come out at night: critters and coyotes, snakes and wolves. But the woman in the red jacket has no choice. Not since the Crisis came, decimated the population, and sent those who survived fleeing into quarantine camps that serve as breeding grounds for death, destruction, and disease. She is just a woman trying not to get killed in a world that doesn't look anything like the one she grew up in, the one that was perfectly sane and normal and boring until three months ago.

There are worse threats in the woods than the things that stalk their prey at night. Sometimes, there are men. Men with dark desires, weak wills, and evil intents. Men in uniform with classified information, deadly secrets, and unforgiving orders. And sometimes, just sometimes, there's something worse than all of the horrible people and vicious beasts combined.

Red doesn't like to think of herself as a killer, but she isn't about to let herself get eaten up just because she is a woman alone in the woods....

©2019 Christina Henry (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Satisfyingly upends the familiar tale of a clever girl, a dangerous wolf, and a brave savior, and folklore fans will enjoy this bloody near-future variation on a familiar theme.” (Publishers Weekly)

"The versatile Henry has reimagined another classic fairy tale, this time with a fascinating narrative about surviving the apocalypse." (Booklist)

"With The Girl in Red, Christina Henry once again proves that retellings don’t necessarily lack originality." (Kirkus Reviews)

OK, nice gentle read

Some of this book was totally unbelievable. It also felt a bit rushed in parts. I would have liked it to be longer and have more character development. But it is OK. Good book to listen to whilst doing other things because it doesn't require a great deal of concentration.

Very engaging

I thoroughly enjoyed this story it was very intense that kept me on the edge of my seat. I also enjoyed the excellent narration that made this thriller all the much better.

Not the red riding hood I was expecting.

This book was awesome. Being mid pandemic made me feel really lucky that things haven’t gone this south. Her writing style is compelling, and her characters feel real. I loved that the main character was a strong, intelligent woman. She wrote Red’s character in a way that was so believable, the additional trials Red faces due to having a prosthetic made the book feel more real. Henry was able to seamlessly combine a fairytale with an apocalypse story, and that is a creative marvel.

Can I give this more than 5 stars?

Christina Henry has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I've listened to several of her other books but she outdid herself on this one. The fantasy, the anticipation of what was going to happen next, expecting the unexpected. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! Truly an amazing book and performance from the narrator. Hats off to both these women!

Excellent

I loved it. I wish it continued into another book. I loved the characters and their story. I can't wait to listen to more by this author. The narration was amazing, wonderful voices. Thank you.

Pretty good

I enjoyed this book. The narrator was did a variety of voices, and they all sounded realistic for the character portrayed. I would try this author and narrator again.

Good story, good pacing

4.5 rounded up to 5. Wonderful story I only wanted to learn more about the origins of the contagion and the creatures. I can appreciate an author who knows how to keep a story tidy however, which Christina Henry certainly does.

great revamp

I loved the revamp of the old little red riding hood story and the characters. The narrator did an awesome job!! I didn't want it to end and was sad when it did. So far I have enjoyed all of the books by this author!!

red hood

This book kept you on your toes and made you wonder what was going to happen next

Apocalypse meets fairy tale

Apocalypse meets fairy tale with more plot twists and turns than a Grand Theft Auto getaway.

My favorite type of story.

That being stated, not all of what turns your stomach is gore.
STOP HERE TO AVOID POSSIBLE SPOILER.

There are some strong traditional wholesome redeeming values reflected in the main character's outspokenness, beliefs, tendencies toward feminist attitudes, and about the extremely capable abilities of a person with a physical condition. REALLY. STOP HERE TO AVOID POSSIBLE SPOILER. YOU HAVE BEEN INFORMED AND FURTHER READING MAY CONTAIN A SPOILER ALTHOUGH IT IS DISGUISED.

However, the author chooses to throw in a brief modern day reference that will delight some, but will be seen by others as sensationalism when an attitude about a lifestyle choice is revealed.

Sadly, an ugly stereotype may reduce the heroine's up until this point, strong credibility and quicker then the wave of a magic wand reduce her into someone's one dimensional agenda.

Happy ending? Maybe. Definitely, more to be revealed. Hoping for a sequel with more action and less modern day drama.