Rapunzel is not your average teenager.
For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world from certain destruction. But then she meets a boy named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk everything familiar to find out who she really is.
Filled with romance, adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won’t want to put down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to the classic fairytale.
Earlier I wasn’t really a big fan of
‘Retellings’. Then I read Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine and Jane by
April Lindner and I changed my mind. When I came across this book on NetGalley
I just had to request it. I mean who doesn’t like Rapunzel and who hasn’t seen
Tangled? To my surprise, my request was granted and I quickly delved into the
book.
Right from the foreword by the author and the
prologue you know that this is going to be a darker version of the fairy tale.
A seventeen year old Rapunzel is restricted
within the boundaries of her suite rooms because of rare disease that makes her
vulnerable to any form of germ/virus/bacteria. Hence she has only ever known
her mother and the world through her books. She had been made to believe that
she was a part of a prophecy and that she was a vital part as her magic hair
would one day help save the world. It’s in human nature to be curious about the
unknown and Rapunzel is no exception. She is curious about the world outside
her window. Thankfully, she has a computer and internet as a necessary part of
her education and that turns into a source to quench her thirst to know more
about the rest of the world. One day she discovers facebook and Fab Fane
through it and her own little world changes forever. Fab Fane introduces her to
Lord of the Rings, Pizza, M&Ms, sneaking out and encourages her curiosity
about not only the world outside but
also about her own life.
It was interesting to see a modern day
Rapunzel who had access to the internet and used it to her advantage. The
characters were really well developed and the modern day Rapunzel retained most
of her original charm – the innocence, the beauty and the certain fragility
about her. But at the end of the day her presence of mind, will power and inner
strength helps her fight through the situations. Fane is really a ‘fab’ boy. He
had every opportunity to take advantage of Rapunzel’s innocence and yet he
becomes a true friend to Rapunzel. He showed patience and wit, two qualities
that I simply adore. His family is also a friendly bunch. Gothel on the other
hand was someone who genuinely freaked me out. Though her behavior was normal most
of the time, right from the first chapter I thought that she was really creepy!
The Author, Cindy C.Bennet, kept the story
flowing through her simple words and even though I knew how the story would
end, I was glued to the book wanting to know more about the different aspects
of Gothel’s motivation and how the ‘happily
ever after’ would be pulled off. Overall, reading this book was quite an enjoyable
experience. If not ‘The Best’, this Retelling is certainly one of the top few.
Buy the Book
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