Rapunzel's Revenge

This rocked. The Hales (and Hale) have taken traditional fairy tales and set them into a gritty historical world that resembles the United States 1800s, you know if there were monsters and giants and magic.

This is the first book in the series, and while I read the 2nd first, I was fine reading them out of order. This one takes place in the Old West, one run by Mother Gothel who has a mafia-like hold on the land because of her ability to make things grow... or not. Rapunzel is her daughter, only she discovers she was kidnapped from her real parents, and she decides to rescue her mother from Gothel's slave mines and free the land from Gothel's rule. Enter Jack, of the beanstalk, and his goose Goldy. The two join Rapunzel on her show more quest.

Hale's version of Rapunzel is fantastic. She's smart, independent, loyal, has a strong moral streak, and uses her long hair like lassos. I think I liked this story better than Calamity Jack. I liked the setting better, and Rapunzel better than Jack.

I hope the Hales write more in this series soon. I want more! show less

You may think you know the story of Rapunzel, but you've never heard or seen it this way before. Rapunzel spends her early childhood as a pampered, but lonely princess with her only friends being the guards of Mother Gothel's luxurious, high-walled compound. It's Rapunzel's curiosity about the world outside that lands her in a tree in a swamp with abundant growth magic that transfers itself to her hair as well. As the years pass, Rapunzel grows evermore frustrated and bored - you would be too if hair-inspired activities like jumping rope and lasso practice were your only entertainment possibilities. When Rapunzel finally escapes (forget the prince - she gets herself out), she's determined to wrest control of the land from Mother Gothel show more and to rescue her true mother from back-breaking work in the mines. As Rapunzel explores the outside world she gains an ally in Jack (yes, that Jack) and discovers that all her hair works mighty fine as both lasso and whip! It's a long, obstacle-filled road back to Mother Gothel's compound and Rapunzel's going to need all her courage and wits just to make it there. The Old West twist to the cartoon-like illustrations and story adds to the fun, and don't forget to keep an eye out for the many other fairy tale characters Rapunzel encounters on her journey of justice! Fantasy, adventure, humor, even a hint of romance - Rapunzel's Revenge has something for everyone and since it's a graphic novel, it's a quick read too!

I love Shannon Hale's work and this is great too. A butt-kicking female heroine mixed with fantasy and adventure into a fairy-tale retelling is just my cup of tea. This will be perfect for those who love Buffy the Vampire Slayer for its undermining of the female victim trope. Marvel's short-lived Arana series would also be a great read-alike. show less

Rapunzel’s Revenge is a fun riff on the Rapunzel fairytale with a few other fairytale references thrown in. The setting however is more typical of an American western than a fairytale. From Deserts to Badlands, with coyotes and jack-a-lopes, this is a western like I’ve never read about before, and Rapunzel with her twenty foot long braids that she is able to whip around like a lasso is a very different heroine for a fairytale.

This Rapunzel does things for herself in this swashbuckling and humorous story that is presented with clear and brightly colored artwork by Nathan Hale (no relation to the author) . She saves herself, along with her fellow countrymen and, most importantly, her mother, from years of enslavement to the evil show more Mother Gothel.
A fun story and a great female empowerment tale that is geared toward a younger audience. show less

Summary: Rapunzel's mother, the feared Mother Gothel, controls powerful growth magic, but has turned the countryside surrounding their fortress into a barren waste of mines and ramshackle towns. When Rapunzel angers Mother Gothel, she's imprisoned in a giant tree, and left there to grow up. When she finally escapes the tree (with no help from any handsome princes, but with some fine lassoing skills and a magical braid of hair), she falls in with a young troublemaker named Jack and his pet goose. They plan to travel back to Mother Gothel's land, and save Rapunzel's real mother from the mine camps, but there are plenty of adventures waiting along the way.

Review: We all know I love fairy tales of all flavors, and while I wouldn't classify show more myself as a fan of Westerns per se, I definitely do enjoy the occasional story with a Western-like feeling to it. I'm also partial to stories where the princess rescues herself, and books with a good sense of humor. On all of those counts, Rapunzel's Revenge was a lot of fun to read. It's not a fairy tale that I've seen retold all that often, and it fits into a Old West setting surprisingly well. It's fast paced, with plenty of action (despite a somewhat slow beginning), and a strong female lead. It had some sweet moments and some funny ones, and although I usually like my humor a little snarkier, I can see how the milder, sillier laughs were aiming at the younger set. The artwork matched the tone of the book well, colorful and active. Ultimately, while I don't think this book is going to leave a lasting impression on me, it was definitely a fun and lighthearted way to spend an hour or so. 4 out of 5 stars.

Recommendation: Fairy-tale fans of all ages should find something to enjoy here. show less

I pre-ordered Rapunzel's Revenge on the basis that I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Shannon Hale's previous books, but didn't pay attention to anything other than the title and release date. I was pleasantly surprised when it arrived and turned out to be a graphic novel, rather than the thick novel as usual.

The story, despite the change of format, maintains the typical elements of Hale's style: it's a twist on a fairy tale, where the heroine takes charge instead of letting everyone else run her life for her. I particularly liked the scene where a handsome blond prince shows up to save the en-towered Rapunzel, only to be tricked and totally blown off by her.

The story is funny, too, and a little snarky, with added visual humor from show more Nathan Hale's (no relation!) illustrations. The style is, perhaps, not very sophisticated (I'm not very well versed in graphic novels or comics!), but the simplicity makes it perfect for the story style and the intended audience.

My only problem with the book, which I mostly loved and found myself laughing out loud at, is the inevitable coupling of Rapunzel and her friend Jack. Rapunzel meets Jack after escaping her tower and they join forces to meet their individual goals (you may recognize Jack from another fairy tale before long), but hints are laid through the illustrations that they find each other attractive, and finally they kiss at the conclusion of the book. It's a fairy tale trope of sorts, I suppose, but the book could have stood perfectly well without the romance. show less

A surprising retelling of the fairy tale of Rapunzel, with the title heroine as a feisty wrangler who uses her long hair as a lasso in a magical version of the Old West. The students at my school libraries can't get enough of this book, so much so that it's rarely available. I started looking through it while I was shelving one day to see what all the fuss was about, and was immediately hooked. The graphic novel makes a story that might not otherwise be approachable for younger readers (my schools are K-4) easy enough to follow that I'd argue to lower Amazon's recommended age range. I can see why the story appeals to 4th grade girls especially. It would definitely resonate with Disney princess fans, featuring a strong, capable heroine, show more humor, and hints of romance. show less

An inventive twist on the classic Rapunzel (and Jack the Beanstalk) tale. Rapunzel lives in Mother Gothel's villa, but once she sees the misery outside the walls, and learns that her real mother labors in the mines, she tries to escape - but Mother Gothel brings her to a forest and places her in the top of a tree. Four years later, Rapunzel escapes and plans a rescue mission. Along the way, she meets Jack, and the two team up, facing various dangers (including Mother Gothel's Brute, a pack of wolves, outlaws with guns, a sea serpent, and rough terrain). They arrive at Mother Gothel's together the night of her annual shindig and bring her tumbling down; fittingly, she's enveloped in a giant tree. Jack kisses Rapunzel, and Goldy the goose show more finally lays a golden egg. show less