Monday, November 2, 2009

November Must Read: The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

If you haven't read any of Shannon Hale's books, you are missing out. She has several young adult fairytale books as well as two books for adults.


My favorite of her fairytale books is probably The Goose Girl, although Princess Academy is right there as a favorite. The Goose Girl follows, Ani, a crown princess, who learns at an early age that her special gifts are not those valued by her queen mother and her future subjects. She is eventually sent to marry a prince in a different kingdom, but along the way is overthrown by her lady-in-waiting. Ani becomes a servant, tending geese, while she searches for a way to return to the marriage and throne that is rightfully her own.

Some other Shannon Hales books that you should check out.

Miri would love to join her father and older sister as a miner in Mount Eskel's quarry. However, she finds herself rounded with many of the other local girls in town to go to the Princess Academy where she competes for a chance to marry the prince.

Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years for Saren’s refusal to marry a man she despises. When supplies run low, Dashti finds away to escape which takes them on an adventure that changes their lives.

This is a creative twist of the fairytale of Rapunzel. It reads comic book style and has the cheesy comic book humor. Great artwork. Fun story.

This is one of Shannon Hale's novels for adults. This book was extremely cheesy most of the time, yet I still really enjoyed it. Jane is a 32 year single woman ready to give up on love since no one can live up to Mr. Darcy from Pride in Prejudice, whom she is obsessed with. Her great aunt picks up on this obsession and sends her on a three week vacation to England where she lives in "Austenland," as she calls it. She lives and interacts with characters as if she were living in the time of Pride and Prejudice. I loves the twists in plot and loved the cheesy lines. Along the way, Jane also discovers herself. Fun, fluffy read.

1 comment:

  1. Debut author Shannon Hale succeeds wonderfully with her first novel, "The Goose Girl." A retelling of the moderately well-known tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, she reinvents the story for a modern audience.

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