The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis

Anna and Abel couldn’t be more different. They are both seventeen and in their last year of school, but while Anna lives in a nice old town house and comes from a well-to-do family, Abel, the school drug dealer, lives in a big, prisonlike tower block at the edge of town. Anna is afraid of him until she realizes that he is caring for his six-year-old sister on his own. Fascinated, Anna follows the two and listens as Abel tells little Micha the story of a tiny queen assailed by dark forces. It’s a beautiful fairy tale that Anna comes to see has a basis in reality. Abel is in real danger of losing Micha to their abusive father and to his own inability to make ends meet. Anna gradually falls in love with Abel, but when his “enemies” begin to turn up dead, she fears she has fallen for a murderer. Has she?

Award-winning author Antonia Michaelis moves in a bold new direction with her latest novel: a dark, haunting, contemporary story that is part mystery, part romance, and part melodrama.

Amazon Link- http://amzn.to/1ROjjXh

MY THOUGHTS:

4.5/5 Stars

This book reminded me of a beautifully crafted mandala. It had intricate details, sharp edges, and was painted in many different colors. I wasn't sure about the fairy tale mixing with reality theme, but in the end I saw with clarity why the Author chose that path. It was inspirational and foretelling. It proved that even the darkest shadow can find light and even the ugliest things can have beauty. It showed that death doesn't have to be the end and that sometimes in order to start over you have to let go. 

Abel is the school mystery from the wrong side of the tracks. Anna is the straight laced girl from the right side of the tracks. Micha is a free spirit with a troubled past. When their lives overlap, a fairy tale begins. A very dark and very twisted fairy tale with many ups and downs. Abel, Anna, & Micha's story ripped my heart out and I'm now suffering from a hardcore book hangover. Did I expect a wild ending? Absolutely, but when I was reading... I had no idea in what way the story would go. I was a tad bored and then all of sudden I felt reality slipping through my fingertips. I was grasping sand and falling into the book heart first. I won't lie and say the experience felt good, but the hurt I felt just made my reading experience that much better. Every gut wrenching word led up to those final moments and so many feels were felt. I've never had such an intense love/hate relationship with a character before. One minute I was swooning over the romance and the next I was sick to my stomach with possibilities. Each character and every piece of evidence played an important role in a sick tragic tale and I loved to hate every minute of it. 

I highly recommend this book to all readers with an open mind. There are some sensitive scenes so be prepared for the worse.