Rapunzel's Revenge

Who knew Rapunzel had it in her? All those years spent locked away in that tower, waiting for some handsome young prince to come along and rescue her --- wait, she didn't need a man to get out of that predicament?

It turns out Rapunzel was actually a kick-butt heroine who had a feisty temperament and tenacity --- or at least that's how a trio of Hales have envisioned her. Shannon Hale, a Newbery Award-winning children's book author, has teamed up with her husband, Dean, to write RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE, which turns the original Brothers Grimm tale on its ear. They brought in the help of talented illustrator Nathan Hale (no relation) for help fleshing out the story.

RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE offers a thrilling reimagining of the fairy tale --- just look at the cover to see Rapunzel looking like she's straight out of the wild west. Inside, she's thrown into even more outrageous settings, all of which work somehow --- and it succeeds because of its unabashed spirit. The Hales seem like they're having a ball with this story, and they like to mix in generous helpings of other myths and legends to flesh out the action. (Also, a couple of other fairy tales find their way into the telling of RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE, but it would take an evil stepmother to give them away here.)

RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE sticks fairly close to the original at the beginning. Rapunzel is a young girl living with Mother Gothel, who rules over the land with an iron fist (and a little bit of witchcraft). They live in luxury (or boredom, to hear Rapunzel tell it), with Rapunzel having no idea what lies over the giant wall surrounding their castle. When she dares to spy over it one day, and finally meets her real mother living in poverty on the other side, she incurs the wrath of Mother Gothel and gets locked away in a small room at the top of a very tall tree.

When her hair begins to grow excessively long, Rapunzel formulates a plan. With a clever guile, she learns how to use her hair like a rope, rappelling out of the tree and into the wild forest around her. And here's where the adventure truly begins (as Rapunzel herself puts it in her narration, "This is where the `once upon a time' part ends."). And what an adventure it is. When Rapunzel meets up with a young scallywag named Jack, things really pick up. Both are on the run: Jack is a horse thief, and Gothel has put a price on Rapunzel's head. To make things worse, Gothel has locked up Rapunzel's birth mother, and Rapunzel is bound and determined to get back to the castle to rescue her mother and overthrow Gothel for good.

Luckily for readers, RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE is as clever as it is good-humored. The plot never rests for too long, keeping our two intrepid heroes constantly moving and always in some spot of trouble that takes all their wits to escape. Mining the depths of fairy tales provides a wealth of material, and giving this one a modern-day twist adds layers of personality to the mix. Believe it or not, this Rapunzel is so much more interesting to read about than what the Brothers Grimm offered.

--- Reviewed by John Hogan

This would be a great book if you knew that it's a comic book when you order it and you like that kind of thing. I don't think that my daughter would like it. Just so you know - it is like a comic book.

I'm a fan of Shannon Hale's novels, and I too was surprised that this is in a "comic book" format. Wow! The story is well-told, but my kudos go to the illustrator Nathan Hale. I had to read this twice in succession -- first to enjoy the plot, but the second time to look closely at every picture. The pictures make the text even more ironic and witty, and there are little themes in the pictures alone (watch the goose, for example). I feel silly sometimes for reading "kid's books", but this was so classy I plan to share with friends.

Reimaging is in the air: Batman is moved into a post-9/11 world, and Robert Downey Jr. is playing Sherlock Holmes without the deerstalker and pipe. Even the witches in Oz have gotten a makeover.

Now it's happened to Rapunzel, the princess locked in the tower left with nothing to do but condition her hair and wait for her prince. At the hands of Shannon and Dean Hale in this 144-page full-color graphic novel, she's a spunky Wild West heroine who climbs down from her tower and, armed only with her braids -- which she uses as bullwhips -- sets off to rescue her mother and avenge herself on the witch who rules the land.

Along the way, she hooks up with Jack, a thief with a goose, and bounces from trouble to trouble: posses, the rocky desert landscape, evil magic, dwarves, and a hulk sent by the witch to recapture her.

"Rapunzel's Revenge" is part Western tall tale, part parody on the traditional fairy tale, and a delightful mix of adventure and humor that's perfect for girls. But before you give it to the daughter in your life, read it first.

Once upon a time, in a land very far away, there lived a girl with her mother. Every day as the girl grew and played, she also became more and more curious about the world outside. One day she finally climbed up her wall and discovered that she really knew nothing at all.

And that was when she decided to do something about it.

Think you know Rapunzel? You've never heard it like this!

With a feisty heroine who uses her ridiculously long hair as a weapon and a sidekick who travels with a goose that just might lay a golden egg, RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE takes the traditional tale of Rapunzel and turns it on its head.

Shannon and Dean Hale create a thoroughly entertaining world in which Rapunzel takes claims her life as her own. Follow along as she embarks on a swashbuckling quest to save the world from the evil witch who has held her captive in a move that sets the bar for adventurous heroines everywhere.

Be forewarned: RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE is not for everyone. It is a graphic novel, and while the illustrations are gorgeous and highly amusing, some readers may not be drawn in by the format. However, for those who love graphic novels, fairy tales, and awesome heroines, this story may be just the thing.

Happy reading.

Reviewed by: Rebecca Wells