Reviews with content warning for Toxic friendship - The Goose Girl

I loved this book because it gave me such a sense of anxiety that I needed to finish this book to know what happens. The characters are well developed and loveable, the story plays out in a very fairytale way, complete with all the gruesome violence typical of Grimms fairytales. The fantasy world building isn't as sophisticated but cozy instead. Marketed as a YA but very much able to be enjoyed by an adult. Great writing that is complex and maintains the status of the story as a medieval fairytale. I highly recommend this book!

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lynssss's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

Slightly above average YA novel. I do love the og story but had stayed away from this one only cause it was one of my favorites. Finally read it and glad I did. Impressed they didn't shy away from the original ending for the antagonist which is rather gruesome for a kids story, even though they didn't go into full on detail. I did feel that I wanted it to be a slightly different told take on the original story, but all in all it was a good read.

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rwalker101's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

5.0

"She was born Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she did not open her eyes for three days."

I have been trying for over a decade to speak into meaning how the tone of this book changes, and how that change in tone makes it a modern masterpiece. With this opening line, "She was born..." Hale opens up a fairytale. Ani's life is a fairytale, after all; gauzy and shimmery and perfect. She is a princess, surrounded by the gilded trappings of royalty, and she has an aunt to teach her of the wonders of magic. There is language in nature - in the wind, in the fire, on the tongues of creatures - and young Ani dreams of finding it all.

But then her aunt leaves, and Ani quickly comes to terms with the idea that her responsibilities as royalty will forever preclude her from living the peaceful, nature-speaking life she craves. But Hale doesn't change the tone. Not completely. Not yet. See, as Ani grows up and is forced to let go of her desires, Hale keeps the tone light and gauzy, still reminiscent of an old tale, but the camera focuses a little closer on Ani's point of view, making this world feel disconcerting, disconnected, dissociated. Ani is still living in a fairy tale, but it is no longer the fairy tale she wants, and it quickly becomes stifling, to both her and the reader.

But as Ani continues her journey, as she travels and faces hardship and makes new friends, we feel that scope slowly expanding. Ani starts looking beyond her own narrow sphere, seeing others for the first time in her life. She learns who to trust, falls in love, finds fulfilling work, makes friends, grows bolder. As these changes happen to Ani, we watch the tone grow to match it. No longer is this Ani's fairytale, this is Ani's story. She grows from disconnected puppet to woman before our eyes - and it's done so well through the tone alone that I find myself focusing on that over everything else almost every time.

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