Shannon Hale (Author), Dean Hale (Author), Nathan Hale (Illustrator)
Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Release date: August 1, 2008
List price: $18.99 (144p)
ISBN: 978-1599900704
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Review - "Rapunzel's Revenge"
Reviewer: Charise Payne
Rating:
I am a huge Shannon Hale fan, so when I got the Newbery Honor-winning Rapunzel's Revenge in the mail, I was a little taken back. It has the same sense of fun as her other novels, and it uses the same idea of rewriting a fairytale from a new perspective, but this new novel is different; it is a graphic novel.
Graphic novels are not everyone's cup of tea. Some will find this format too young, while others will love its comic book style. But either way, it's a well-written, charming story that empowers girls of all ages.
Rapunzel's Revenge is Shannon and her husband Dean Hale's first novel together, and their first collaboration with illustrator Nathan Hale (no relation). The story revolves around Rapunzel, but this is not your Brothers Grimm version. This Rapunzel is locked in a tower by her mother figure Mother Gothel, but instead of Prince Charming coming to rescue her, she lets her hair grow long enough that it becomes a rope she can use to climb out of the tower herself. Let's hear it for girl power!
And that's not the only thing this girl can do with her hair. Rapunzel is lethal, and seems to be able to use it as if she grew up in a gun saloon. Seriously, you don't want to piss off this Rapunzel, or she'll hurt you bad.
While trying to get back to Mother Gothel's castle (Rapunzel wants some serious pay back), she meets a petty thief named Jack. He's a good enough guy who has some secrets of his own. But Rapunzel and he get along well enough, and their partnership begins more out of necessity than friendship. They have some interesting adventures, meet some not-so-nice fellas along the way, and the reader discovers they each have an agenda for why they have partnered.
I liked this book a lot. It was fun, entertaining and is a nice twist on an old story. My issue with the novel is its target audience. I don't see who they wrote this story for. It seems too young for young adult, to young for tweens, but too old for children. I feel it doesn't really have a spot, but maybe that could be a good thing. You never know what will happen in the marketplace when it hits the shelves. The cover is striking enough that that readers of all ages will be tempted to pick it up.
Nathan Hale is an excellent illustrator, and his work in this book continues to shine. I did have trouble getting into this book to begin with because of the cartoon text. Sometimes I couldn't tell who was supposed to be talking first, but once I got used to the format, the story took off for me.
So is this is a new creative direction for Shannon Hale a brilliant move or a disaster? Only the sales will determine that, but for me, Rapunzel's Revengewas a smart move. It gives Hale room to expand her wings and not get stuck in one format.
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