Review - My Name Is Rapunzel by KC Hilton

My Name is Rapunzel
By KC Hilton
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pub. Date: November 23, 2013
ISBN: 978-1492863007
Pages: 322
Buy Link: Print, Kindle

Review:

I believe almost everybody has read or has at least heard of the Grimms' fairy tale called Rapunzel, but many people probably don't know that the Grimm's version isn't the original. It is actually remake of Persinette by Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de La Force. The fairy story has become more popular thanks to Disney's recent computer-animated film, Tangled.

Author KC Hilton recently published a modern day version of the classic tale, titled My Name is Rapunzel. I enjoyed reading the author's children novels, The Magic of Finkleton and Return to Finkleton, so I was eagerly agreed to review her take on Rapunzel.

The book's narration is from Rapunzel herself, as she explains how she was cursed with immortality by the witch, Gretta, when she was a child. In 1763, she fell in love with a young man named Henry and they became engaged, but Gretta intervenes and their happily ever after bliss never occurs.

With Henry gone, Rapunzel has to accept that she will never find love, though her parents have tried to help her find another love, she can never fully forget Henry. Years fly by, her parents age, but she never does; she even outlives her mother. She moves with her father to the family's castle, but old age has caught up with him too, but he make sure Rapunzel is always protected by leaving the witch Gretta as her guardian.

Rapunzel has adapted well to the modern age by ordering anything she wants online and having it delivered directly to the castle. She never ventures past the mailbox, mostly in fear of the Gretta's dreadful dragon. Her only real friend is the mail carrier, Pepper, whom she chats with at the mail box. It isn't until she reads an article in the Paradise Valley newspaper by writer John Jenkins that she begins to slip out of her comfort zone. He states that fairy tales aren't real. In outrage, Rapunzel writes a letter to him, setting into events that will forever change her life.

Like I said above, I enjoyed reading the authors previous children books, but Rapunzel is aimed more for teenagers and adults, though it is clean-cut unlike a few other fairy tale retellings. I'm familiar with the Grimms' tale and I've seen Tangled a couple of times, so I was looking forward to reading a modernize version. The basic plot uses the elements from the original story with Gretta putting a curse on Rapunzel, which a snippet of her golden locks can keep the witch alive, but from there the author makes the story her own. No longer is Rapunzel locked away in a tower waiting for her prince to save her. Since Rapunzel has lived for centuries, she can't exactly walk down to the grocery store everyday, as there is a chance she might be recognize and there is no way she can explain how she can't age. To me, Gretta seems is a bit nicer here, but she is still a witch. There are a few twists and turns I didn't see coming towards the ending, which leads to a happily ever after. Overall, My Name Is Rapunzel is a well written new take on the classic story and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.