Rapunzel, Un-Disneyfied

The Golden Braid

By Melanie Dickerson

Series: Medieval Fairy Tale Romance

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 17, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0718026268

ISBN-13: 978-0718026264

Approximate Lexile: 940

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.

Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides to move them once again—this time, to the large city of Hagenheim.

The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight—Sir Gerek—Rapunzel in turn rescues him farther down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to this knight than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?

As Rapunzel acclimates to life in a new city, she uncovers a mystery that will forever change her life. In this Rapunzel story unlike any other, a world of secrets and treachery is about to be revealed after seventeen years of lies. How will Rapunzel finally take control of her own destiny? And who will prove faithful to a lowly peasant girl with no one to turn to?

 

My Thoughts:

As I’ve pretty well established by now, I love retold fairytales. This one adds a lot to the Rapunzel story. Sorry, Disney fans, there is no magical healing power, nor is there a smoldering Flynn Rider (sorry, Eugene). Nonetheless, Dickerson’s Rapunzel has drive and determination, just as the Disney version does, even if she does lack a frying pan.

Those familiar with either the source material or the Disney version know that “Mother” Gothel isn’t Rapunzel’s true mother, and it’s Rapunzel’s discovery of this and return to her rightful home that are a large part of the story.

Escaping her oppressive “mother”, Rapunzel takes the initiative to learn to read and become a worker in the castle kitchens, in part thanks to Sir Gerek, with whom she has a somewhat uneasy relationship that, of course, turns into something more. Naturally, there are obstacles to the happy ending, but they are realistic in the context of the both the story and the genre.

Dickerson also examines ideas of faith and forgiveness in the telling of the story.

Description is good, and Dickerson makes a point of doing her research and being true to her chosen period. Characters are strong and complex, which I like. Gothel seems to really want to protect Rapunzel, despite her (Gothel’s) craziness; she’s not just a baddie.

 

Possible Objectionable Material:

If you don’t like discussions about God and faith, this may not be the book for you. Dangerous situations. Discussions of murders that took place in the past. Abduction and imprisonment. Violence. Babies born out of wedlock. Mild romance, but doesn’t go past kissing. Rapunzel basically runs away from home.

 

Who Would Like This Book:

Fans of fairy tales, romance, and medieval times. It’s probably of more interest to girls than boys, though I hate to over-generalize. Probably ages 10 and up.

 

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.