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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
I really loved this one! Strong, female lead, great character development, and good re-telling of Rapunzel.
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
relaxing
fast-paced
Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to be a crazy lady who keeps your daughter locked away from life, whether figuratively or literally. (Yep. Totally went for the Tangled reference right off the bat. Don’t judge.)
Like Audrey Hepburn, “I still read fairy tales & I like them best of all.” As such, I have been so looking forward to this book – when you take a classic fairy tale, give it a twist of realism, put it into a series of beloved characters, and install Melanie Dickerson at the helm you are guaranteed a beautifully moving read. The Golden Braid did not disappoint!
One of my favorite things about The Golden Braid is the fact that it’s set during the same timeline as The Princess Spy. At first, I thought, “Haven’t we dealt with this guy already? Why is he back?” But when I realized that it was, in fact, a different perspective on those events, I did a little happy dance inside. And I LOVED how Rapunzel was involved! I want to go back and re-read The Princess Spy now that I know this side of things too.
I adored the romance element as well (as always). Gerek and Rapunzel play off each other so nicely – their bickering which progressed to fond teasing which progressed to warm friendship which progressed to … well, if I kept going here I’d have to institute a spoiler alert and I try to avoid those at all costs. You’ll have to use your imagination :)
But possibly my favorite aspect of The Golden Braid (well, besides a major spoiler that will make longtime fans of the series gasp with delight) is Rapunzel’s greatest dream. She wants to learn to read. And y’all. When she learns to read? She finds her Father. The Heavenly One. The One whose hope will not disappoint her, though everyone else and everything else may. The One who sings over her, even as she sings to Him. She knew Him before she could read, certainly, but now that she could read His words for herself, instead of relying on someone else to tell her what He said… Now, she SEES Him.
Bottom Line: The Golden Braid has it all – adventure, romance, dashing knights, damsels who can save their own lives, faith, nostalgia-nods to series fans, even a mention or two of Thornbeck to tie in her other series. Most of all though, it has the warmth and heart with which Melanie Dickerson writes all of her books. C.S. Lewis famously said, “Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” If you haven’t read one since childhood, may I suggest you start again now – and start with Melanie Dickerson’s Fairy Tales/Hagenheim series?
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
Like Audrey Hepburn, “I still read fairy tales & I like them best of all.” As such, I have been so looking forward to this book – when you take a classic fairy tale, give it a twist of realism, put it into a series of beloved characters, and install Melanie Dickerson at the helm you are guaranteed a beautifully moving read. The Golden Braid did not disappoint!
One of my favorite things about The Golden Braid is the fact that it’s set during the same timeline as The Princess Spy. At first, I thought, “Haven’t we dealt with this guy already? Why is he back?” But when I realized that it was, in fact, a different perspective on those events, I did a little happy dance inside. And I LOVED how Rapunzel was involved! I want to go back and re-read The Princess Spy now that I know this side of things too.
I adored the romance element as well (as always). Gerek and Rapunzel play off each other so nicely – their bickering which progressed to fond teasing which progressed to warm friendship which progressed to … well, if I kept going here I’d have to institute a spoiler alert and I try to avoid those at all costs. You’ll have to use your imagination :)
But possibly my favorite aspect of The Golden Braid (well, besides a major spoiler that will make longtime fans of the series gasp with delight) is Rapunzel’s greatest dream. She wants to learn to read. And y’all. When she learns to read? She finds her Father. The Heavenly One. The One whose hope will not disappoint her, though everyone else and everything else may. The One who sings over her, even as she sings to Him. She knew Him before she could read, certainly, but now that she could read His words for herself, instead of relying on someone else to tell her what He said… Now, she SEES Him.
Bottom Line: The Golden Braid has it all – adventure, romance, dashing knights, damsels who can save their own lives, faith, nostalgia-nods to series fans, even a mention or two of Thornbeck to tie in her other series. Most of all though, it has the warmth and heart with which Melanie Dickerson writes all of her books. C.S. Lewis famously said, “Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” If you haven’t read one since childhood, may I suggest you start again now – and start with Melanie Dickerson’s Fairy Tales/Hagenheim series?
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
adventurous
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An expert at inventive fairytale reimaginings, Melanie Dickerson has done it again with this beautiful book! From the very first chapter to the last page, I couldn’t pull myself away. It was sweetly romantic, breathtakingly beautiful, and a nail-biter! Everything and more than I could ask for in a story.
Rapunzel and Gerek… *swoon* What a perfect book couple! I immediately fell in love with both characters – Rapunzel’s sweet disposition along with her kick-butt knife skills made her the perfect heroine to root for. And Sir Gerek’s dark past with his family had me eagerly awaiting his happy ending. The author interwove ageless themes in the story – I could relate and sympathize with Rapunzel’s journey to find where she belongs and sympathize with her fears and struggles. The message that even though we might not see the big picture, God is in control and always has our best interests at heart was beautifully insightful and well done. And of course, it was so fun to “see” old characters again like Lady Rose and Lord Wilhelm!
Ever since the first Hagenheim story I read years ago, I fell in love with the beautiful way Melanie Dickerson can transport her readers in a way that feels real and hopeful and downright magical. If you are a fan of her work or just enjoy fairytale retellings, The Golden Braid is not to be missed!
*I received this book free from BookLook in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Read this review and more on my blog: http://www.willbakeforbooks.com/2016/02/review-the-golden-braid-by-melanie-dickerson/
Rapunzel and Gerek… *swoon* What a perfect book couple! I immediately fell in love with both characters – Rapunzel’s sweet disposition along with her kick-butt knife skills made her the perfect heroine to root for. And Sir Gerek’s dark past with his family had me eagerly awaiting his happy ending. The author interwove ageless themes in the story – I could relate and sympathize with Rapunzel’s journey to find where she belongs and sympathize with her fears and struggles. The message that even though we might not see the big picture, God is in control and always has our best interests at heart was beautifully insightful and well done. And of course, it was so fun to “see” old characters again like Lady Rose and Lord Wilhelm!
Ever since the first Hagenheim story I read years ago, I fell in love with the beautiful way Melanie Dickerson can transport her readers in a way that feels real and hopeful and downright magical. If you are a fan of her work or just enjoy fairytale retellings, The Golden Braid is not to be missed!
*I received this book free from BookLook in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Read this review and more on my blog: http://www.willbakeforbooks.com/2016/02/review-the-golden-braid-by-melanie-dickerson/
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Rapunzel's story is no longer just a fairy tale, set in that distant and unspecific "Once upon a time". Now it's set in 15th century Germany, and she's been upgraded from a beautiful but passive girl who does nothing but sit in a tower to an assertive young woman, one with a desire for knowledge and who fights back. The prince is transformed into a landless knight, and there's no pregnancy-bargain with a witch, making it seem more grounded in reality.
It's supposedly Christian fiction, and that does come through very plainly through the plot - but if you're thinking it'll be a nice safe read, think again. There's plenty of violence, misguided love and betrayal to go along with the heavy-handed insertions of Christian text and concepts, and the setting was both appropriate and detailed enough to bring the fairy tale to life.
Unfortunately the book didn't hold up to its promise. I couldn't believe this was from an established author, and it earned the two stars solely for the setting. I can live with this many plot holes for a light romance, which isn't meant to be taken seriously at all, but wasn't expecting them here.
Rapunzel herself was too violent for me - or maybe that was just the step-by-step description of each action, and her easy acceptance of poisoning. All the relationships felt artificial, with the possible exception of Rapunzel and her mother Gothel, and the constant sidebar commentary under the guise of personal musing or revelation was irritating. In addition, the writing wasn't up to par. (If I have to page back through the book wondering how I managed to miss something only to discover there was a throwaway one-liner, that's not a good sign. ) It felt more like a draft than a finished work, needing edges smoothed out and a few plot points redefined, and left me very disappointed.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It's supposedly Christian fiction, and that does come through very plainly through the plot - but if you're thinking it'll be a nice safe read, think again. There's plenty of violence, misguided love and betrayal to go along with the heavy-handed insertions of Christian text and concepts, and the setting was both appropriate and detailed enough to bring the fairy tale to life.
Unfortunately the book didn't hold up to its promise. I couldn't believe this was from an established author, and it earned the two stars solely for the setting. I can live with this many plot holes for a light romance, which isn't meant to be taken seriously at all, but wasn't expecting them here.
Rapunzel herself was too violent for me - or maybe that was just the step-by-step description of each action, and her easy acceptance of poisoning. All the relationships felt artificial, with the possible exception of Rapunzel and her mother Gothel, and the constant sidebar commentary under the guise of personal musing or revelation was irritating. In addition, the writing wasn't up to par. (If I have to page back through the book wondering how I managed to miss something
Spoiler
like an escape and meetup with another character, who just appears out of nowhere to help save the daySpoiler
Three rape attempts, all ending with Gerek rescuing her, just made it worse. What is this, a bad bodice-ripper? And how does Sir Gerek manage to set off for months right after they've foiled a takeover? Surely he'd be needed at the castle, especially as she's just a maidservant to them. And he lends her either two or three books, which she then tears up to leave a trail, but still has plenty of each left to read...Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Clean. No warnings. Christian fiction.
I always enjoy her novels. This one is no exception. What an imaginative retelling!
I always enjoy her novels. This one is no exception. What an imaginative retelling!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Beautiful romance