The Girl in Red

By: Christina Henry

Narrated by: January LaVoy

From the national bestselling 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....

Critic reviews

Praise for The Girl in Red

"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

"An engrossing page-turner that will delight anyone who loves running through thought experiments about the apocalypse.”—Paste

Praise for Christina Henry's novels

"A riveting rewrite of Peter Pan."--The Wall Street Journal

"Multiple twists keep the reader guessing, and the fluid writing is enthralling....This is a fine addition to the shelves of any fan of children's classics and their modern subversions."--Publishers Weekly

"This wild, unrelenting tale, full to the brim with the freedom and violence of young boys who never want to grow up, will appeal to fans of dark fantasy."--Booklist

"A horrifying fantasy that will have you reexamining your love for this childhood favorite. Smooth, velvety prose blends well with the deliciously complex characters and intricate story line."--RT Book Reviews (top pick)

"It's full of magic and passion and courage, set against a convincing historical backdrop....Henry's spare, muscular prose is a delight. I loved this novel."--Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches

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.

I was interested the whole time

This was a good story loosely based on Little Red Riding Hood. The narration worked for me and did the book justice. I enjoyed the extra twist to the virus that does away with most of the world. There was room for more details for this intriguing story. But I love a longer book in general. The main character, Red, was someone you would want on your side in an end of the world apocalypse situation.