#70 Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale, and Dean Hale. Art by Nathan Hale
As a child, I loved fairy tales, but as I’ve grown older I’ve started to see their flaws. One of the things that have struck me the most is their 
portrayal of women. You can be Rapunzel, the beautiful, goodhearted maiden that must be rescued by the handsome prince, or the evil, ugly witch that locks her in the tower. With all of the modernizations of fairy tales released in the past several years, these stereotypes are often turned on their heads. Rapunzel’s Revenge is a great example of this. It, much like the traditional story of Rapunzel, tells the story of a young girl who is locked in a tower by an evil witch. Only this Rapunzel isn’t waiting for any handsome prince. She watches as her hair grows at an unnatural speed. When it becomes long enough, she lassos a nearby tree and swings herself down. Once she hits the ground, her story doesn’t stop there. She’s out to take revenge on the woman who locked her up in the first place, and rescue her enslaved mother. On her way, Rapunzel makes friends with Jack, a good humored young man who carries around a goose and a magic bean, and experiences many exciting adventures.
Rapunzel’s Revenge is a graphic novel that takes place in a fantasy world inspired by the Wild West, some of the panels even mimicking shots you might find in a western. Although the story is not quite as enchanting as Shannon Hale’s young adult fair, there’s plenty of fun to be found here. Rapunzel is a sassy heroine that happens to be a little naive of the ways of the world. Jack, with his-Xander-like personality and amusing companion (the goose), is the perfect sidekick. I enjoyed the romantic storyline that played out between the two of them. The artwork was a little uneven. At times, the bright colors and uniquely drawn characters really drew me in, but there were a few time where I felt as if it didn’t portray the characters emotions to the fullest. The action sequences are plenty of fun, although there are a couple times when the reader will have to suspend disbelief.
I would recommend this graphic novel to young readers, but also to people who enjoy children’s literature. I plowed this quick read in a few hours, and found it to be cute and fun.
Rating: four stars
Length: 144 pages
Source: Lewiston Public Library
TBR Pile: 144 books
Similar Books: For other YA fairytale retellings, check out the works of Robin McKinley, Donna Jo Napoli, and other works by Shannon Hale (see my review for Book of a Thousand Days)
Other books I've read by this author: The Goose Girl, Enna Burning, River Secrets, Princess Academy, Book of a Thousand Days (my review), Austenland
Way behind on my reviews. Two more coming. Next up is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
xposted to bookish and temporaryworlds
portrayal of women. You can be Rapunzel, the beautiful, goodhearted maiden that must be rescued by the handsome prince, or the evil, ugly witch that locks her in the tower. With all of the modernizations of fairy tales released in the past several years, these stereotypes are often turned on their heads. Rapunzel’s Revenge is a great example of this. It, much like the traditional story of Rapunzel, tells the story of a young girl who is locked in a tower by an evil witch. Only this Rapunzel isn’t waiting for any handsome prince. She watches as her hair grows at an unnatural speed. When it becomes long enough, she lassos a nearby tree and swings herself down. Once she hits the ground, her story doesn’t stop there. She’s out to take revenge on the woman who locked her up in the first place, and rescue her enslaved mother. On her way, Rapunzel makes friends with Jack, a good humored young man who carries around a goose and a magic bean, and experiences many exciting adventures.
Rapunzel’s Revenge is a graphic novel that takes place in a fantasy world inspired by the Wild West, some of the panels even mimicking shots you might find in a western. Although the story is not quite as enchanting as Shannon Hale’s young adult fair, there’s plenty of fun to be found here. Rapunzel is a sassy heroine that happens to be a little naive of the ways of the world. Jack, with his-Xander-like personality and amusing companion (the goose), is the perfect sidekick. I enjoyed the romantic storyline that played out between the two of them. The artwork was a little uneven. At times, the bright colors and uniquely drawn characters really drew me in, but there were a few time where I felt as if it didn’t portray the characters emotions to the fullest. The action sequences are plenty of fun, although there are a couple times when the reader will have to suspend disbelief.
I would recommend this graphic novel to young readers, but also to people who enjoy children’s literature. I plowed this quick read in a few hours, and found it to be cute and fun.
Rating: four stars
Length: 144 pages
Source: Lewiston Public Library
TBR Pile: 144 books
Similar Books: For other YA fairytale retellings, check out the works of Robin McKinley, Donna Jo Napoli, and other works by Shannon Hale (see my review for Book of a Thousand Days)
Other books I've read by this author: The Goose Girl, Enna Burning, River Secrets, Princess Academy, Book of a Thousand Days (my review), Austenland
Way behind on my reviews. Two more coming. Next up is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
xposted to bookish and temporaryworlds