A review by luann
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen, Terri Windling

4.0

Powerful and horrible, yet beautiful as well. This had some details of the Holocaust that I had never heard before. I was anxious for the mystery of Gemma's past to be solved, and it seemed like I had to wait a long time in the book for it to happen. When it did, it was worth the wait and much more than I had imagined. Yolen's use of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale to tell a story of the Holocaust was masterfully done. I thought this quote from the book was particularly appropriate and can be applied to many fairy tales: "It ends happily, even though it's awfully sad along the way."

Note: Some adult themes are dealt with in this story, including some of the horrible violence done in concentration camps and extermination camps during the Holocaust.