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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
"Once we have accepted the story we cannot escape the story's fate." P.L. Travers
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Yolen's YA historical fiction fairy tale retelling is engaging and inventive. The novel is well-paced, overlapping Gemma's fairy story with Becca's search for the truth in it. The location of the tale of Sleeping Beauty in the holocaust is also fascinating. Yolen knows her stuff when it comes to fairy tales. She pulls from the oral storytelling tradition, allowing Gemma to twist and turn the story as she pleased--as is often the case. Yolen, moreover, bases her adaptations on original Sleeping Beauty variations rather than the Disneyfied plot that has all but erased earlier versions from our cultural memory.
I would ordinarily dock the text two stars. One for the bland characterization of Becca and quick, halfhearted construction of Stan (as well as some initial confusion about Becca's age in correspondence with her mannerisms). And another for the sometimes iffy manipulation of the Holocaust to fit the Sleeping Beauty storyline. But I find that, after rereading Yolen's dismissive, downcast Author's Note and considering her ingenious readaptation of Sleeping Beauty as less romantic (for original variations don't read romantically to most modern people), I have to return another star to my review.
Shortly put, I am giving this novel four stars for its ingenuity and acknowlegement of fairy tale studies. I am docking it one star for its mediocre characterization and fictionalization of the Holocaust--though the latter is somewhat redeemed in the Author's Note.
I would ordinarily dock the text two stars. One for the bland characterization of Becca and quick, halfhearted construction of Stan (as well as some initial confusion about Becca's age in correspondence with her mannerisms). And another for the sometimes iffy manipulation of the Holocaust to fit the Sleeping Beauty storyline. But I find that, after rereading Yolen's dismissive, downcast Author's Note and considering her ingenious readaptation of Sleeping Beauty as less romantic (for original variations don't read romantically to most modern people), I have to return another star to my review.
Shortly put, I am giving this novel four stars for its ingenuity and acknowlegement of fairy tale studies. I am docking it one star for its mediocre characterization and fictionalization of the Holocaust--though the latter is somewhat redeemed in the Author's Note.
Stan felt insufferable and I didn't sense a connection, so the ending felt really abrupt. Josef's story was incredible.
3.5/5
I disliked the first half of the novel but was deeply moved by the ending.
I disliked the first half of the novel but was deeply moved by the ending.
Briar Rose is not really what I would call young adult but I’m going to make an exception and review it because it’s such an amazing book. This retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale is unlike any retelling I have read and it’s one that will stick with you.
Becca’s grandmother has always told her and her sisters the fairy tale of Briar Rose. It’s the story they grew up with and none of them took it seriously until their grandmother passed away. Right before she died she told Becca that she was Briar Rose and that Becca needed to uncover her true history. Everyone in Becca’s family just assumed that these were the ramblings of a crazy old lady but Becca promised her grandmother that she would find out the truth and she is unwilling to break that promise. Her promise leads her across the globe and into a very dark past. Not every fairy tale has a happy ending, apparently.
I knew this was a retelling of Sleeping Beauty but I had no idea how the story was going to be told or how it would tie in with Becca’s family. I was amazed at how deeply woven the story was and how it truly did correlate with the original Sleeping Beauty tale. The whole time I was reading I kept trying to piece things together and no matter how hard I tried, I never quite got the story put together exactly until the very end. Briar Rose was full of surprises and I truly never saw any of them coming. It’s not a book you would originally think of as suspenseful but it definitely is.
Becca is in her twenties and she is the only one in her family who still believes in her grandmother’s stories. When her grandmother dies she is the only one left to piece together her true history and she takes her promise to heart. No matter what her family tells her she sticks with her promise and what she uncovers is truly fascinating. Becca is sent on a modern day quest that takes her all over the world and while the story’s ending isn’t necessarily a happy one, it’s a satisfying one. Becca really isn’t your typical young adult character but she did have some of the qualities. She was smart, funny, a little awkward, and quite stubborn. She was very easy to like. The secondary characters were a little harder to like, at least when it came to Becca’s family. However they didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book.
The historical aspect of the book was by far my favorite part. I knew going in that Briar Rose had something to do with the Holocaust but I had no idea how it would all tie together. I was fascinated from the very start and I learned so much about the Holocaust that I didn’t know before. While Briar Rose is a fictional story there is quite a bit of truth to it and I was both horrified and completely hooked. This is one story that will stick with you long after you finish reading.
Overall, Briar Rose is part fairy tale, part historical fiction, but completely awesome. I have to recommend this one to everyone! It does touch on some more mature subjects so be warned but definitely read this one. You won’t regret it!
Becca’s grandmother has always told her and her sisters the fairy tale of Briar Rose. It’s the story they grew up with and none of them took it seriously until their grandmother passed away. Right before she died she told Becca that she was Briar Rose and that Becca needed to uncover her true history. Everyone in Becca’s family just assumed that these were the ramblings of a crazy old lady but Becca promised her grandmother that she would find out the truth and she is unwilling to break that promise. Her promise leads her across the globe and into a very dark past. Not every fairy tale has a happy ending, apparently.
I knew this was a retelling of Sleeping Beauty but I had no idea how the story was going to be told or how it would tie in with Becca’s family. I was amazed at how deeply woven the story was and how it truly did correlate with the original Sleeping Beauty tale. The whole time I was reading I kept trying to piece things together and no matter how hard I tried, I never quite got the story put together exactly until the very end. Briar Rose was full of surprises and I truly never saw any of them coming. It’s not a book you would originally think of as suspenseful but it definitely is.
Becca is in her twenties and she is the only one in her family who still believes in her grandmother’s stories. When her grandmother dies she is the only one left to piece together her true history and she takes her promise to heart. No matter what her family tells her she sticks with her promise and what she uncovers is truly fascinating. Becca is sent on a modern day quest that takes her all over the world and while the story’s ending isn’t necessarily a happy one, it’s a satisfying one. Becca really isn’t your typical young adult character but she did have some of the qualities. She was smart, funny, a little awkward, and quite stubborn. She was very easy to like. The secondary characters were a little harder to like, at least when it came to Becca’s family. However they didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book.
The historical aspect of the book was by far my favorite part. I knew going in that Briar Rose had something to do with the Holocaust but I had no idea how it would all tie together. I was fascinated from the very start and I learned so much about the Holocaust that I didn’t know before. While Briar Rose is a fictional story there is quite a bit of truth to it and I was both horrified and completely hooked. This is one story that will stick with you long after you finish reading.
Overall, Briar Rose is part fairy tale, part historical fiction, but completely awesome. I have to recommend this one to everyone! It does touch on some more mature subjects so be warned but definitely read this one. You won’t regret it!
challenging
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
slow-paced