Far Far Away

Jeremy Johnson Johnson has lived in Never Better all his life and he has an interesting ability, he can hear ghosts. Ginger is just a girl from the same town who has taken an interest in Jeremy and they begin to hang out over summer break. Far Far Away is a modern adaptation of Grimm's Fairy Tales, and who best to tell the story than Jacob Grimm himself? Jacob is Jeremy's ghost, they have been together for many years Jacob working with Jeremy to help him study to leave the town of Never Better for university some day, and Jeremy listens to Jacob and they are friends. The some strange events occur and Jeremy, Jacob, and Ginger are thrown into one of Grimm's tales and not all have happily ever after endings.

I listened to this book as an audiobook I received from the publisher and I was so excited to have gotten it in the mail. I have been hearing wonderful things about this book AND the audiobook reader, W. Morgan Sheppard... and it all lived up to the expectations I had for it. The plot is hauntingly twisted and macabre and the characters are interesting and have a depth that is rare in young adult novels. Tom McNeal brings out the best in these teens and the fact that the story is told from the point of view of the ghost adds a sort of mysteriousness to the characters. I really enjoyed that aspect.

The plot was entertaining and kept me on the edge of my seat. The first few discs are a bit of a struggle there is a good amount of build up and climax to the plot, but the last four discs flew by as the reader learns about maniacal plots and goings-on from the eyes of the ghost.

I really recommend this as an audiobook, granted I did not read the book, so I cannot say for sure that it is a better option; however the production is great and the reader is perfect for the story. And that can make or break an audiobook.

I recommend this for those interested in the Brother Grimm, Grimm's Fairy Tales, and also young readers and adults who enjoy a good teenage based suspense story. This book has it, it kept me interested, questioning, and shocked the whole way through...

Tom McNeal is also known for his work with his co-author and wife Laura McNeal. They have written multiple young adult novels and you can visit them at [...]

Fantastic audio book! W. Morgan Sheppard's narration takes this story to a whole different level. Even though it's a great story, it just wouldn't be the same to read it.

”What follows is the strange and fateful tale of a boy, a girl, and a ghost. The boy possessed uncommon qualities; the girl was winsome and daring. And the ancient ghost? Well, let it only be said that his intentions were good. I am the ancient ghost mentioned at the outset of this tale.”

What better way to open a fairy tale, or any type of story really? The boy is Jeremy Johnson Johnson, the girl is Ginger Boultinghouse, and the ghost is none other than Jacob Grimm, elder of the famous Brothers Grimm. And the town they live in? Never Better, a fairy-tale setting if ever there was one.

Jeremy Johnson Johnson is 14 years old and yes, he hears the voices of the deceased. One time when he was very young he confessed this to someone and has always been thought of as weird ever since. Some years later his mother ran off and his father soon became a recluse, never leaving the bookstore in which they lived at all and rarely even getting dressed. Now things are becoming desperate for Jeremy. The bank is about to foreclose on his home and there’s no way he’ll be able to come up with the money needed to save it. On the other hand, Jeremy has also made a friend for the first time in his life, in the form of Ginger Boultinghouse. And there is the ever-present ghost of Jacob Grimm, who has made it his sworn duty to watch over Jeremy and do his best to protect him. Far Far Away is the most unique book I’ve read in quite some time; a modern day fairy tale to be sure. And if you know anything about fairy tales, especially those collected by the Grimm Brothers, you’ll know that they do not always have happy endings.

I loved the setting of the town of Never Better. On the surface Never Better looks like a typical small town that could be found just about anywhere in the world. McNeal doesn’t actually say so, but he drops a few hints to let us know that Never Better is probably somewhere in the Midwest. It’s quiet and neat and its residents are a cheerful lot. But lurking just beneath the surface are secrets and mysteries. The town has a long history of missing children, for instance, but no one seems to talk much about it. The townsfolk are all about keeping up appearances, and anything that doesn’t appear as it should is shunned, as Jeremy Johnson Johnson learned the hard way. And why the name Never Better? When you meet someone on the street and they ask how you are, what do you say? “Never Better!” It doesn’t matter what kinds of problems you may be dealing with on the inside -- depression, addiction, death in the family – we always say “Never Better!” A completely appropriate name for a town that is all about public appearance.

If it wasn’t for modern conveniences like television and gameshows and Pop Rocks candy I would have sworn this story was taking place in the 19th century, enhancing the fairy-tale feel even further. I don’t recall McNeal going into much detail about the physical appearance of the town, it’s architecture and such, but the pictures I was getting in my head all looked like gingerbread houses and cobblestone streets lined with wrought-iron gas streetlamps. All surrounded, of course, by deep, dark woods. Far Far Away just has that old-time feel to it and then whenever something modern is mentioned it almost leaves you feeling like “huh?” McNeal is a masterful writer; he put those pictures in my head without even describing anything. It was more like a mood or a feeling that he created within me. He kind of takes “show don’t tell” to a whole new level.

W Morgan Sheppard is a wonderful narrator. His voice sounds so rich and rotund that it is truly a pleasure to listen to. As a matter of fact his style reminds me a lot of George Guidall and I can think of no higher praise than that. Sheppard has made numerous appearances in television and film and has also lent his voice talents to many video games.

Gosh, I could just go on and on about Far Far Away. I want to use all sorts of corny words like “enchanting” and “magical” and “charming” to describe it, but I’ll spare you that. But how about words like “beguiling”, or “alluring”? Better, but still corny I suppose. Let’s just say that I liked this book a lot. In fact, I liked it so much I had to listen to it twice, something I very rarely do simply because there are always so many more books I want to read. You need to read or listen to this book. I promise you won’t regret it.