The fate of the Grimm brothers was, in fact, rather grim, which is reflected in their fairy tales. Unlike the Disney adaptations and retellings of their stories that often soften the plot, their characters had to encounter some disturbing twists and turns, often gruesome and harshly punishing.
In this article published by The New Yorker, Jennifer Willson explores the history of the two most famous fairy tale writers, from their childhood in the wooded German state of Hessen in the late 1700s to their youth, adulthood, and the phenomenal impact their stories have had on Germany and the world ever since.