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Review: The Golden Braid

by Melanie Dickerson

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publish Date: 17th November 2015

Title: The Golden Braid
Author: Melanie Dickerson
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Fiction
Book: #6 fairytales
Genre: fairytale retelling
Found: Netgalley
Rating: 3 Voodoos

The one who needs rescuing isn’t always the one in the tower.

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.

Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides to move them once again—this time, to the large city of Hagenheim.

The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight—Sir Gerek—Rapunzel, in turn, rescues him farther down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to him than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?

As Rapunzel acclimates to life in a new city, she uncovers a mystery that will forever change her life. In this Rapunzel story unlike any other, a world of secrets and treachery are about to be revealed after seventeen years. How will Rapunzel finally take control of her own destiny? And who will prove faithful to a lowly peasant girl with no one to turn to?

-Netgalley

I have to say I’m glad I decided to not read up to this book in the series, I’m not sure if it’s this book or Melanie’s writing style but, while I was interested in the story, I didn’t obsess over it. This can be good because you can get other things done which is always a bonus. However I did stay up far too late to finish it…

It was an interesting idea to remove the magic from the fairytale and add in the religion. I’m interested to see what happens in the other books in the series. There a few others that I might read, I wonder how their worlds work without the magic – I assume that is the theme. This book seems to be a semi standalone at least, I found nothing that confused me for not having read the 5 prior books either which was excellent. I had assumed I might so this was a nice discovery. It is 100% acceptable to just read this one.

The story was a little predictable and formal and ploddy. Some of the conflicts and moments that are often dragged out had a slow build but where over so fast it was pretty much a case of blink and you miss it. I didn’t really feel that the characters had much chemistry, but it was that sort of book, you were far more removed from the action. This is problematic however, for choosing a favourite character. I have none in mind at all! Though I think Gerek’s character developed the most throughout the book, so he might just be a candidate.

A nice laid back fairytale retelling perfect for easy reading.

pamspaein

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