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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
The Golden Braid was another wonderful and faith-filled fairy tale retelling by the master at retellings, Melanie Dickerson. I was amazed by how true to the original Rapunzel story The Golden Braid was yet at the same time how wholly unique and fun it was to read!
The Golden Braid is right up there with The Merchant's Daughter as my favorite Dickerson novel. I cannot express how much I loved this book, the characters, the setting...everything! I highly recommend The Golden Braid and can't wait to read what Melanie Dickerson writes next!
The Golden Braid is right up there with The Merchant's Daughter as my favorite Dickerson novel. I cannot express how much I loved this book, the characters, the setting...everything! I highly recommend The Golden Braid and can't wait to read what Melanie Dickerson writes next!
My word. I got so confused trying to keep track of who was related and who was already married and how old everyone was. Great book, except for the part where someone tore up a book.
Originally reviewed for YA Books Central: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/19616-the-golden-braid
A sweet YA/NA crossover romance appealing to all ages, with strong themes of courage and fortitude in the face of emotional and psychological abuse.
The fifth book in Dickerson’s fairytale retelling series, this Germanic-inspired historical adapts the treasured story of Rapunzel. It is told in 3rd-person limited and alternates between the heroine and hero’s POV. While the book stands perfectly well alone, it does tie in nicely with previous books and characters from the Hagenheim series, which ought to up the satisfaction level for long-invested readers. The same taste of 14th century Europe persists in the author’s gentle-yet-lively prose.
This version of the classic tale presents an interesting blend of personal identity crisis, universally relevant coming-of-age issues, and medieval Stockholm Syndrome. Rather than presenting as the traditional smiling sociopath with zero hope for redemption, Mother Gothel is depicted as a very nearly sympathetic (if not mentally ill) character, who chooses her own path and corruption one dysfunctional step at a time. Rather than holding Rapunzel captive in a tower from the get-go, she instead keeps her imprisoned by emotional manipulation in the form of bizarre expectations, a transient lifestyle of intentional isolation, and a corrosive bitterness toward men.
The romance is a refreshingly slow burn, as Rapunzel is initially thrown together with an arrogant Knight with a damaged background, who is somewhat fixated on the fact that she is below his station. Extended injury renders him a non-threat, both physically and romantically, for a significant portion of the telling—leaving much of the power and decision-making in the hands of the heroine.
The way Rapunzel gradually and determinedly extracts herself from the only mother she’s ever known, coming to grips with the woman’s madness and rejecting it as something she has no desire to emulate, is both believable and significant. It is this reviewer’s sincerest hope that the book might inspire brave, self-preserving action from young readers who may be on the cusp of breaking free from a similarly unhealthy domestic situation.
"We all have a choice, after all, to be our own person, to be the person we wish to be."
I would have liked to see a little more justification for why her hair was so long, as it seemed to be one of the elements that most called male attentions to Rapunzel—the thing that Mother Gothel most openly abhorred. Also, it seemed as though there was a bit of a characterization discrepancy in that Rapunzel first considers running away and leaving her mother in the middle of the night, but then decides not to--afraid of just disappearing and worrying the woman. Yet, the very next day she DOES leave in the middle of what seems like an important errand and leaves her mother no word that she is okay...
On the whole this was an accessible historical read, and different enough from other versions of Rapunzel to be well worth the read. I would definitely hand it to one of my goddaughters.
A sweet YA/NA crossover romance appealing to all ages, with strong themes of courage and fortitude in the face of emotional and psychological abuse.
The fifth book in Dickerson’s fairytale retelling series, this Germanic-inspired historical adapts the treasured story of Rapunzel. It is told in 3rd-person limited and alternates between the heroine and hero’s POV. While the book stands perfectly well alone, it does tie in nicely with previous books and characters from the Hagenheim series, which ought to up the satisfaction level for long-invested readers. The same taste of 14th century Europe persists in the author’s gentle-yet-lively prose.
This version of the classic tale presents an interesting blend of personal identity crisis, universally relevant coming-of-age issues, and medieval Stockholm Syndrome. Rather than presenting as the traditional smiling sociopath with zero hope for redemption, Mother Gothel is depicted as a very nearly sympathetic (if not mentally ill) character, who chooses her own path and corruption one dysfunctional step at a time. Rather than holding Rapunzel captive in a tower from the get-go, she instead keeps her imprisoned by emotional manipulation in the form of bizarre expectations, a transient lifestyle of intentional isolation, and a corrosive bitterness toward men.
The romance is a refreshingly slow burn, as Rapunzel is initially thrown together with an arrogant Knight with a damaged background, who is somewhat fixated on the fact that she is below his station. Extended injury renders him a non-threat, both physically and romantically, for a significant portion of the telling—leaving much of the power and decision-making in the hands of the heroine.
The way Rapunzel gradually and determinedly extracts herself from the only mother she’s ever known, coming to grips with the woman’s madness and rejecting it as something she has no desire to emulate, is both believable and significant. It is this reviewer’s sincerest hope that the book might inspire brave, self-preserving action from young readers who may be on the cusp of breaking free from a similarly unhealthy domestic situation.
"We all have a choice, after all, to be our own person, to be the person we wish to be."
I would have liked to see a little more justification for why her hair was so long, as it seemed to be one of the elements that most called male attentions to Rapunzel—the thing that Mother Gothel most openly abhorred. Also, it seemed as though there was a bit of a characterization discrepancy in that
On the whole this was an accessible historical read, and different enough from other versions of Rapunzel to be well worth the read. I would definitely hand it to one of my goddaughters.
a compelling read and an inventive retelling of the rapunzel story c: nice to see a fairy tale go back to its german roots rather than british-ing everything up
So, this wasn't my favorite ever, or my favorite in the Hagenheim series, but it was still really good. It was interesting to read about some of the events from The Princess Spy from a different perspective. At the same time, it did feel just a little repetitive.
I liked Rapunzel, and I appreciated how stubborn (in a good way) she was, and how she didn't let her circumstances define her or hold her back. Gerek wasn't my favorite love interest, but I still liked him. I feel like he could have been a bit more developed as a character, especially considering what he had been through in the past. But it was nice to see the change he went through, regardless.
I think, most of all, I was happy to see that situation resolved. I always had a feeling that there was more to that story, and now we know.
I liked Rapunzel, and I appreciated how stubborn (in a good way) she was, and how she didn't let her circumstances define her or hold her back. Gerek wasn't my favorite love interest, but I still liked him. I feel like he could have been a bit more developed as a character, especially considering what he had been through in the past. But it was nice to see the change he went through, regardless.
I think, most of all, I was happy to see that situation resolved
Spoiler
(Elsebeth)
Lovely retelling of Rapunzel. The first line of the back blurb is what got me, that Rapunzel can throw knives better than any man, I did think I would get more action because of that line but I wasn't disappointed when there wasn't much. Gothel was an easy to dislike but also pity "bad guy" and Sir Gerek's grumpy to sunshine was great.
I LOVE Dickerson's books. Every. Single. One. They are perfect packages of romance and heroes and strong women, with all the elements that make a perfect story.
Plus, at the heart of this version of Rapunzel is the story of worth. Rapunzel is loved for who she is. I don't want to give things away of course, but that part of the story spoke to me and was a beautiful reminder. In addition, the characters' reliance on God's Word to bring them comfort and guidance was pretty powerful as well.
Reading it reminded me of the Disney "Tangled" movie in some ways, but gave the story the extra power of faith and trust to make it an especially beautiful story.
Plus, at the heart of this version of Rapunzel is the story of worth. Rapunzel is loved for who she is. I don't want to give things away of course, but that part of the story spoke to me and was a beautiful reminder. In addition, the characters' reliance on God's Word to bring them comfort and guidance was pretty powerful as well.
Reading it reminded me of the Disney "Tangled" movie in some ways, but gave the story the extra power of faith and trust to make it an especially beautiful story.
