Hiddensee, by Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked, is a retelling of the life of Drosselmeier, the beloved Godfather of the Nutcracker’s Klara. It is the story of young Drosselmeier’s upbringing, how he died, met fantastical forest creatures, came back to life and eventually became the toy maker who carved the famous Nutcracker.

A wonderful and engaging story set in the enchanted Black Forest of Bavaria and reminiscent of Grimm’s Fairy Tales; an enjoyable read.