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A review by aqword
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
3.0
Becca Berlin's grandmother Gemma told her the fairy tale of Briar Rose so many times as a child that at 23 she can still remember every word. Following a deathbed promise to Gemma, Becca sets out to learn the truth behind the stories. Gradually, she discovers that Gemma's fairy tales are true, but that there's nothing fairy-tale-like about the truth behind them.
Yolen gives depth to the story by breathing life into several minor characters and romantic subplots. She blends of historical and contemporary narrative to unite the adult Becca with her childhood self and her teenage grandmother.
Although the story was well written, I found it still to be lacking...something—I'm not sure what. Perhaps what bothers me is that the connection between the fairy tale and the history is fairly clear from the beginning, although I don't see any way it could have been obscured. Other readers who are bothered by the main plot being clear from from the beginning might to well to avoid this book.
Yolen gives depth to the story by breathing life into several minor characters and romantic subplots. She blends of historical and contemporary narrative to unite the adult Becca with her childhood self and her teenage grandmother.
Although the story was well written, I found it still to be lacking...something—I'm not sure what. Perhaps what bothers me is that the connection between the fairy tale and the history is fairly clear from the beginning, although I don't see any way it could have been obscured. Other readers who are bothered by the main plot being clear from from the beginning might to well to avoid this book.