Red Riding Hood

If there’s one story everyone knows from childhood, it’s Little Red Riding Hood. A simple tale with deep symbolism that has been told and retold in countless ways. But… is it really as innocent as it seems? Let’s break it down.

🔹 The Story in a Nutshell
Little Red Riding Hood, a girl wearing a red cape (obviously 😆), is given the task of bringing food to her grandmother. On the way, she meets a cunning wolf who tricks her, gets to the grandmother’s house first, and devours her. Depending on the version, the story ends with a heroic woodsman saving the day or a darker conclusion.

🔹 Themes & Symbolism

🚨 Don’t trust strangers → The classic lesson we were all taught as kids.
🩸 The red cape → Often interpreted as a show more symbol of maturity and the transition from childhood to adulthood.
🎭 Deception and cunning → The wolf represents hidden danger disguised as kindness.
🔹 Strengths
✅ Easy to remember with a clear moral lesson.
✅ Has inspired movies, books, and modern adaptations.
✅ Short and straightforward, making it ideal for children (though some versions are quite creepy 😅).

🔹 Weaknesses
❌ Some versions may be too scary for young children.
❌ The gender roles can feel outdated (innocent girl, male savior, etc.).

🔹 Conclusion
A must-read story that has survived for centuries thanks to its universal message. While modern versions reinterpret it with a fresh perspective, it remains a tale full of meaning. Which version do you prefer? The classic one or a more modern twist? 🤔💬 show less

Under the light of a rare blood moon, Valerie finds herself torn between two men: the handsome, gentleman suitor who she’s been betrothed to, and the dark, mysterious childhood friend who wants to run away with her. However, when all of a sudden the werewolf that has stalked her village for generations kills Valerie’s sister, her life unravels. Panic and paranoia rises among the villagers as they realize the Wolf could be anyone -- even one of their own. No one is safe, Valerie least of all…

Based on the 2011 feature film, this retelling of the classic fairy tale blends a mix of gothic horror and paranormal fantasy with young, wistful teen romance. It’s a story that questions the way society treats those who are different, and show more shows that courage sometimes means going up against what you used to know, no matter the consequences. This would be entertaining read for high school readers. show less

Due to copy and paste, formatting has been lost.

Valerie was not who she had been. She felt parts of herself softly crumbling off, like a cliff falling into the sea.

Looking back at this book, I didn't find it to be very memorable at all. I couldn't connect with any of the characters, Valerie included, and to be downright honest with you? I actually think that I liked the movie more. And that never happens. It was a pretty big disappointment, storywise. I was expecting some big twist, with a terrifying take on an old fairytale - which unfortunately didn't happen. It was kind of blegh.

Valerie's character was like cardboard. I feel like she didn't think through any of her decisions, and really she just had no pizzazz. Even her feelings of show more "love" were flat and underdeveloped. Not to mention the fact that the poor girl is an idiot. I'm not even being mean. But really, she is. It seemed like every five minutes, her opinion on who the wolf was changed... and she stabbed her boyfriend. Real smart, sweetie. (Don't worry, he still "loves" her.)

You know what? Now is the perfect time to talk about the feelings of instalove! Blegh! Let us all fall madly in love with each other over nothing! Grrr. Not only did Red Riding Hood have a terrible case of instalove, it also had a love triangle. A badly done love triangle, that basically made me want to eat my ball cap or something. No romance! No feelings! But don't forget, we're madly in love! (Also, I don't remember if this happens in the book - if it did, I rolled my eyes - but in the movie, he tells her that he'll "eat her up". SERIOUSLY.)

The point of view switched several times without warning, and while it wasn't very confusing, it was pretty annoying. It killed me. And let's not even mention how open the ending was - like really bad open. AND THE LAST CHAPTER IS ON THE INTERNET. *RAGE FACE* I'm not even going to pretend that it was a good ending. It was predictable, dumb, and everything I don't want in an ending.

All in all, Red Riding Hood was okay... but I have many rants on it. So it wasn't great - only read it if you like the movie, I guess. Because everything that happened in the book was in the movie - and the book was written to "give more life" to the screenplay. Fail. show less

When I picked up this book I was skeptical. I figured it to be your run of the mill werewolf tale. Little did I know, there was so much more to it. Surprisingly, I absolutely loved this book....that is, until the ending. The main body of this book is phenomenal. With her precise and enchanting details, Blakley-Cartwright pulls you in to the story automatically. Her flowing and captivating story line holds your attention throughout the entire book. I didn't want to set it down. I was ready to declare this one of my all time favorites....but then the ending was horrible. There was no resolution. It just abruptly ends. Nobody found out who the wolf was or what happens to the characters in the story. So although the story was good, the show more ending makes me question how I feel about the book as a whole.

Later on:
Alright, well I went to the website for the book and apparently there's a bonus chapter where you find out who the wolf is and what happens but even the extra chapter was disappointing because of the way it ends again. They find out who the wolf is and kill them but only succeed in making another wolf come into being. It seems like backtracking to me. show less

When I picked up this book I was skeptical. I figured it to be your run of the mill werewolf tale. Little did I know, there was so much more to it. Surprisingly, I absolutely loved this book....that is, until the ending. The main body of this book is phenomenal. With her precise and enchanting details, Blakley-Cartwright pulls you in to the story automatically. Her flowing and captivating story line holds your attention throughout the entire book. I didn't want to set it down. I was ready to declare this one of my all time favorites....but then the ending was horrible. There was no resolution. It just abruptly ends. Nobody found out who the wolf was or what happens to the characters in the story. So although the story was good, the show more ending makes me question how I feel about the book as a whole.

Alright, well I went to the website for the book and apparently there's a bonus chapter where you find out who the wolf is and what happens but even the extra chapter was disappointing because of the way it ends again. They find out who the wolf is and kill them but only succeed in making another wolf come into being. It seems like backtracking to me show less

Firstly, I am extremely put off by the fact that you must read the last chapter, the chapter where the whole point of the book was actually brought to light, ONLINE. That is so ridiculous that it's tainting my opinion of the book. Horrible marketing ploy. YUCK.

Other than that, this was a decent book. The storyline was interesting and I enjoyed the characters. The main problem I had was that the writing is a tad wishy-washy. It's frustrating when a writer allows their characters to wobble so much. Example: Valerie, the main character, repeatedly makes decisions and judgments only to recant them almost immediately. It happens so often that it made her much less likable and believable as a character.

Naturally, this book is being compared show more to Twilight a lot because of the subject matter and because Catherine Hardwicke, who directed the Twilight movie and the Red Riding Hood movie, had a large role in this book. I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that this is a MUCH better story than Twilight. Even with the wobbly character bits, this just works so much better. Where Bella Swan is almost catatonic with her subservience to Edward (not to mention whiny, dramatic, and obsessive), Valeria is much more independent and strong-willed. She's no Wonderwoman, but she certainly isn't a klutzy damsel-in-distress. show less

Torn between two and three stars on this one, but I'll be a kinder, gentler reader and give it three. The story was ok - I did like some of the characters, in particular Valerie, Peter, Grandmother and Claude - but the story has no sense of closure.

The townspeople are at one moment scared and the next fearless, at one moment cruel and heartless, and the next united against the obvious evil in their midst. Sounds interesting, right, and full of drama and mystery? The problem is, I just didn't buy it. Where were their motivations? They never really became clear other than at the most basic, surface-level.

And what of the over-hyped "love triangle?" Basically, it is non-existant. Valerie is constant in her affections for one man only, and I show more never felt any real tension in her character on that score.

The thing that bugged so many other reviewers - the complete lack of an ending or of any catharsis at all - also bothered me. I get it, you don't want us to know who the wolf is. But let me tell you something, I better find out when I go see the movie next month! If there is one thing I hate more than books with no endings, it is movies with no endings!

Ugh! I'm resisting the urge to scroll up and give this book 2 stars instead of 3 now. I'm just not sure it was worth my time. Hopefully it will pay off in a big way once I've seen the movie. Stay tuned... show less