Author: Shannon HaleYear: 2003
Genre: Fairy tale/Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Series: #1 in the Books of Bayern series (followed by Enna Burning)
Literary Awards:
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Nominee for Children's Literature (2010), Utah State Book Award, Utah Speculative Fiction Award Winner, Bank Street College of Education Josette Frank Award, ALA Teens' Top Ten (2004)
Plot Summary: Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee may be the Crown Princess of Kildenree, but she's never fulfilled her mother's expectations of what a princess should be. She's eventually sent to marry a neighboring kingdom's prince, but on the journey there she's betrayed and presumed dead. To survive she hides as a simple goose girl, but it will take more than a goose girl to prevent a war and save her people.
Red Flags: Some violence
My Rating: A-
I had a lot of expectations for this after hearing so many positive things about it for several years. It took me a little while to get into it, but it grew on me more as it went on. I liked the writing in general, though I think sometimes Shannon Hale was trying a little too hard to be creative (and went a little heavy on the similes). It had genuine emotion and tragedy, plus it made me want to sit in a field.
I think it's a good retelling of the original fairy tale. It was a little slow to start and I think the ending was too drawn out, but I liked it overall. And...I can't remember any of my other thoughts. Hmm.
(Also I just have to say that when it comes to goose books, I still prefer Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl--though they aren't really similar enough to compare.)
(Caveat: it's been a number of years since I read Goose Chase.)
See and for me it's been a long time since I read this one :) I think I liked Book of a Thousand Days better! I still liked this one a lot though. I'll have to check out Goose Chase.
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