'Night is an unforgiving time; it makes the horror of dreams last longer until you can't tell where dreaming ends or waking begins and both seem as unreal as the other.'

I dived into this dark retelling without knowing too much about it, as I've never read the original fairy tale of Hans Christian Anderson. This story is not for everyone, as it is dark and cruel. What I liked the most was the plot and the detailed illustrations that made the story even more captivating. The descriptions were a bit dragged in places, but overall was a very good read!

the pictures were so good, and the story was good too, i did not see that ending coming at all and the story generally kept me intrigued

This was a very well done re-telling of one of my favourite fairy-tales "The Tinderbox" by Hans-Christian Andersen. I would say that it is very dark and gory for a YA-novel, so I would probably recommend at for the older teens and young adults. But anyway, I enjoyed the reading process very much. The storyline enfolded in such a magical, dramatical and entertaining way and I specifically liked the links to the original fairy tale. The illustrations are beautifully done and link into the storyline perfectly. My favourite parts of this novel were the setting within the Thirty Years War and the fact that Sally Gardner based her story on experiences of real-life soldiers coming home from war (Iraq & Afghanistan) As a historian and history enthusiasts, I though this was a very well done intertwining of fairy-tale, historical background and fiction.

Spooky, unsettling and filled with amazing illustrations.

My name is Otto Hundebiss. I was born in war, raised in war; in war I lost my family.

4.8 stars

A much darker fairytale than I expected, and not a happy tale by any means, this story was threaded through with elements of horror and filled with monsters from the world of men. Set during Europe's Thirty Years War (1618-1648), the all-too real atrocities of conflict, violence and mankind frame this creepy retelling and lend it emotional weight, and successfully delivered on the "modern resonance" that the author wanted to keep within this fairytale.

This book both mirrors and subverts the original story and fairytales in general, especially with its ending twist. The writing style, general narrative structure and (ostensibly) stock characters of Tinder largely recall traditional folklore, however, once you get deeper and deeper into this novel, it becomes clear who Gardner sees to be the central figure of the story, and the one who eventually reaps the rewards of using the Tinderbox. (Though I'd stop short of calling that reward a 'happy ending'.) This subversion was cleverly done, unexpected yet also completely logical, especially after considering how the Tinderbox came to be and who it affects the most. I had the growing impression that the Tinderbox itself possesses some way of judging the worthy, rather than merely binding itself to the first person who strikes the flint, and I wonder how much of this sentience is related to The Gentleman of the Ragged Order and his own judgement of his fellow characters. In the same vein, I suspect said Gentleman may somehow be connected to Death - who eventually comes for all, regardless of who tells the story.

Death will be waiting for you. Perhaps you can cheat him, perhaps not. I cannot tell you which direction the road will take you. All I know is that your boots belong on my pole.

Otto was an complicated character, who I both deeply sympathised with and yet could never fully support. Otto encapsulates very well the reaction of a regular person to the situation he finds himself in, as aside from the powers he harnesses through the wolves of the Tinderbox, he is perfectly ordinary. I was disappointed by some of his choices but not surprised, and he is certainly much kinder than what could reasonably be expected of him after the life he's had. One of my favourite facets of Otto's characterisation and arc is his close bond with his sister. Heartbreaking flashbacks crop up throughout this book, and give one of the plot revelations - and Otto's actions in light of this - a greater degree of significance. (It's so hard to explain further without spoiling!)

'You had a sister?' he asked me at last.
... 'Yes, I did.'
'You loved her dearly?'
'Yes, I did.'
'Then you know well what a treasured gift a sister is to a brother?'
'I do indeed.'

Otto's flashbacks to the violence he has witnessed are often uncomfortable to read, and through him Gardner vividly illustrates the dogs of war and how they hound survivors. Many of Otto's memories reminded me of the post-war accounts I've read for my university assignments concerning violence, memory and international criminal law; Gardner has clearly done her background research well.

I think it was then that I became old before my tomorrows. All that was pure in me lost, all belief washed from me.

Normally I dislike insta-love (though fairytales almost always feature this trope), but here Gardner has skilfully used it to lead up to a key character decision and plot point.

When you fall in love, that is when you will come into your kingdom. Not a day before.

Just another example of how carefully Gardner chooses her words - I love twists of meaning. Speaking of words, I loveloveloved the way Gardner writes. It's so beautiful, and I took just as much enjoyment in simply reading her writing as I did in the plot and characters. Her prose is suitably accompanied by David Robert's striking illustrations, with a similarly effective colour scheme akin to that used in And The Ocean Was Our Sky.

Moon madness was this meeting. It had to it a dream-like quality and I felt myself drawn into some enchantment, as if we had met in between the lines of our lives and were free because of it.

In some ways it reminded me of the stunning prose in Laini Taylor's Strange the Dreamer, and this is glowing praise from me because that book is one of my all-time favourites.

Tinder was a gritty and hauntingly written retelling of a fairytale that has been relatively underrepresented in the pool of reimagined folklore. I have a feeling that fans of Neil Gaiman and the Winternight trilogy would enjoy this too!

Es gibt nichts, was mir nicht gefällt an diesem Buch. Die Zeichnungen sind gekonnt gruselig und ergänzen den stimmungsvollen Schreibstil perfekt. Die Geschichte erzählt Andersens Das Feuerzeug neu. Ich hatte das Märchen nicht mehr in Erinnerung, vielleicht lag es also daran, dass ich die ganze Zeit über nicht wusste, was passieren würde. Ich war gespannt und orientierungslos verloren in diesem düsteren Märchenwald. Neben den typischen mystischen Elementen bringt das Buch auch die Grausamkeit des Krieges näher und hat mir mit seinem Ende ein wenig den Boden unter den Füßen weggerissen.

Tinder is a retelling of the Hans Christian Anderson tale, The Tinderbox, told through the eyes of a soldier who walked away from the horrors of war. The original tale had a soldier too, but in true fairy tale fashion, I don’t think it lingered on his mental state too long and the dogs, now wolves, are turned into more complicated characters. It is also beautifully illustrated by David Roberts.

I wasn’t very familiar with the original tale, but even if you are I suspect you will still be surprised. Sally Gardner’s an excellent storyteller and it keeps the feeling of a folk tale, but with dark turns. It’s probably not for younger children (the first page has a pretty scary illustration for starters) but it will charm older children and adults alike.

The red cloak is a powerful symbol. With the wolf aspect, it may remind you of Little Red Riding Hood, but in my mind, it’s also the girl from Schindler’s List and the creepiness from Don’t Look Now. It really helps to have this illustrated in this case, as the colour is such a visual thing, especially against the greys. There's one page which is just dripping with blood. And the illustrations are wonderful and creepy and make the book worthwhile even if you’re not that fussed about the story. Honestly, I wish more books were like this.

This book was absolutely stunning! When I first started this one I was expecting a creepy story with amazing illustrations, but nothing that would shock and amaze me that much! First of all, this is actually a fairytale retelling of "The Tinderbox", which happens to be one of my favorite childhood stories! Gardner wonderfully turns this old tale into a new story being way more creepy, yet thrilling and excited. Secondly, set in the Thirty Years War this books also has a dark atmosphere and does not keep silent on the cruelties of war, which was gruesome at times but important and added so much to the story! The story in general really is successful in turning this tale into a dark, creepy story that just forces you to read it all as fast as you can. The atmosphere is amazing, especially the brilliant illustrations add a lot to the book and make it even better. And the ending guys! It was not what I expected AT ALL and left me stunned and shocked. I was so invested in the story and loved the parallels to the original tale as well as the many new aspects Gardner added to the book. Highly recommend this one if you are up for a dark, creepy fairytale retelling with a shocking end and great illustrations!

A good read with Halloween approaching.
A triste and woeful tale but not at all depressing.
It is beautifully retold and magnificently illustrated which is what caught my eye from the moment I saw it.
It sadness is simply a reflection of our lack of humanity.
War, death, torture, suffering, living in fear, poverty.
Somewhat of a bittersweet ending which was inevitable and befitting considering that fairy tales were in their true form
More tales of terror than happy endings.