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Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest ·Oct 1, 2026 ·25 min

Adam's Sneak Peeks | The Snake Sister

Evaluation and Summary

6.5/10

Adam Gidwitz presents an early draft of a dark, Grimm-inspired fairy tale titled 'The Snake Sister.' The story follows Annie, a young girl whose mother dies and is subsequently placed under the care of her friend's mother—who is revealed to be a cruel witch. The witch manipulates Annie's father into marriage, then makes him disappear, leaving Annie trapped in servitude. Meanwhile, Annie's brother Hans attempts to uncover what happened to their father. As Annie matures, the narrative takes increasingly dark turns involving strange magic, betrayal, and supernatural transformation that reshape her destiny in unexpected and sinister ways. The episode is positioned as a 'Sneak Peek' where Gidwitz invites listener feedback to help refine the story before its full release. The content is rated 'Grimmest,' indicating it contains darker thematic elements appropriate for mature audiences. The episode runs 25 minutes and serves as promotional material for the podcast's Season 6, which is exclusive to the Pinna subscription platform.

Why this score: A compelling dark fairy tale preview with strong narrative bones, though the limited runtime and early-draft nature prevent full evaluation of execution and originality.

Worth it if you enjoy dark retellings of classic fairy tales, appreciate Adam Gidwitz's storytelling style, or want to participate in shaping a story's development.

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  • Sponsored Episode explicitly promotes Pinna subscription service with discount code and notes that Season 6 is exclusive to the platform

Based on the episode description. AI-generated; it can be wrong.

Show notes

Adam Gidwitz shares an early version of a brand-new, Grimm-inspired tale and invites listeners to help shape it. A young girl named Annie is left in the care of her friend’s mother after her own mother dies, only to discover the woman is a cruel witch. After manipulating Annie’s father into marriage and making him disappear, the witch forces Annie into a miserable life of servitude while her brother Hans searches for answers. But as Annie grows older, strange magic, betrayal, and transformation begin to twist her fate into something far darker and more dangerous than she could have imagined. This episode is rated Grimmest. 👉 Want more? New Season 6 episodes are dropping weekly—exclusively on Pinna. Start your subscription at ⁠pinna.fm⁠ and use code GRIMMS6 for 30% off.

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