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bashsbooks's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
What Once Was Mine is a very fun book. As an avid reader of fanfiction, I love the transformative possibilities that come with the question "what if x was different?" and I felt like this book answered that question for Tangled pretty well. And this whole series gives a pretty positive spin to this kind of fanfiction-adjacent transformative property, so that's cool. I don't know that I fully understand the inclusion of the frame story (although it was really sweet! It just felt kind of unnecessary as well). I also don't know why there was repeated Bathory slander (on one hand, I think it's weird as someone who assumes that most of the vampiric tales about her were lies, but on the other, it's very fanfic core). Will probably read a few other Twisted Tales.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Murder, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Violence, Blood, Cancer, Medical content, Confinement, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Fatphobia
honuzbubbles's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Trafficking, Toxic friendship, Blood, War, Child abuse, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Sexism
shelbyhatley's review
challenging
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Animal death, Death, and Murder
Minor: Confinement
luxintenebris's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
a lot more detailed, darker but enjoyable, especially for those who enjoyed the film.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Kidnapping
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Murder and Blood
themoonphoenix's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Once upon a time, a princess with magic hair lived in a desolate tower and she was ready to get out and find adventure.
What Once Was Mine is a retelling inspired by the movie Tangled, Tangled is one of my favorites Disney movies ever, I was very excited to read this new story, this version tackles more issues than the original movie and takes a different path. Honestly, I think the story can be a hit or miss for Tangled lovers, but I think that if you love the movie and want an alternative version this is a good and fun option.
What is different and I like:
• Friendship
• Witchcraft
• Strong women
• New characters
Rapunzel has spent her entire life secluded in a tower, her dream is to see the floating lights but her mother does not want to take her, Rapunzel possesses magic, but is very dangerous and can hurt people. Now, Rapunzel is 19th and wants to prove the opposite, she can control her magic. She ventures outside and adopts a small lizard that her magic does not hurt, it is when she sets out on a mission: Find Flynn Rider so that he can take her to see the floating lights.
But finding the thief is not so easy, instead, She will meet Gina, a young petty thief.
What I like about this version is that Rapunzel does not wait for Flynn to arrive, she goes to look for him, she makes friends and finds a way to learn about her powers and how to control them, here, her hair is a little more problematic and is a little more complex than in the movie, moon magic is so interesting and finds it original too.
Also, I like the development of her character, she is a strong woman and soon gains confidence in herself and her powers. The romance was a very cute and slow burn. Flynn will always be one of my favorites.
And Mother Gothel is not the only villain, Rapunzel is in danger.
I found this retelling with an interesting approach, is a good balance between realistic and fantasy, there are villains taken from real life and not cute animals that behave like humans, but still magic exists.
What Once Was Mine is a retelling inspired by the movie Tangled, Tangled is one of my favorites Disney movies ever, I was very excited to read this new story, this version tackles more issues than the original movie and takes a different path. Honestly, I think the story can be a hit or miss for Tangled lovers, but I think that if you love the movie and want an alternative version this is a good and fun option.
What is different and I like:
• Friendship
• Witchcraft
• Strong women
• New characters
Rapunzel has spent her entire life secluded in a tower, her dream is to see the floating lights but her mother does not want to take her, Rapunzel possesses magic, but is very dangerous and can hurt people. Now, Rapunzel is 19th and wants to prove the opposite, she can control her magic. She ventures outside and adopts a small lizard that her magic does not hurt, it is when she sets out on a mission: Find Flynn Rider so that he can take her to see the floating lights.
But finding the thief is not so easy, instead, She will meet Gina, a young petty thief.
What I like about this version is that Rapunzel does not wait for Flynn to arrive, she goes to look for him, she makes friends and finds a way to learn about her powers and how to control them, here, her hair is a little more problematic and is a little more complex than in the movie, moon magic is so interesting and finds it original too.
Also, I like the development of her character, she is a strong woman and soon gains confidence in herself and her powers. The romance was a very cute and slow burn. Flynn will always be one of my favorites.
And Mother Gothel is not the only villain, Rapunzel is in danger.
I found this retelling with an interesting approach, is a good balance between realistic and fantasy, there are villains taken from real life and not cute animals that behave like humans, but still magic exists.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Murder, and Kidnapping
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