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Parents and teens alike will enjoy WHAT ONCE WAS MINE, a fun and clever reimagining of Rapunzel’s story.
Official Description of WHAT ONCE WAS MINE
The 12th installment in the New York Times best-selling series asks: What if Rapunzel’s mother drank a potion from the wrong flower?
Desperate to save the life of their queen and her unborn child, the good citizens of the kingdom comb the land for the all-healing Sundrop flower to cure her . . . but someone mistakenly picks the blossom of the Moondrop instead. This shimmering flower heals the queen and she delivers a healthy baby girl―with hair as silver and gray as the moon. But with her mysterious hair comes dangerous magical powers: the power to hurt, not heal. For the safety of the kingdom, Rapunzel is locked away in a tower and put under the care of the powerful goodwife, Mother Gothel.
For eighteen years Rapunzel stays imprisoned in her tower, knowing she must protect everyone from her magical hair. When she finally decides to leave the only home she’s ever known―to see the floating lights that appear on her birthday―she gets caught up in an unexpected adventure with two thieves: a would-be outlaw named Gina, and Flynn Rider, a rogue on the run. Before she can reach her happy ending, Rapunzel learns that there is far more to her story, and her magical hair, and her future than she ever knew.
REVIEW of WHAT ONCE WAS MINE
Rapunzel’s story from TANGLED is reimagined by Liz Braswell in WHAT ONCE WAS MINE, a Twisted Tale.
Imagine that Rapunzel’s mother picked the wrong flower. What could possibly go wrong except that Rapunzel can now KILL people with her hair! Talk about a twist! or a spin!
Staying true to most of the characters from the beloved TANGLED Movie (aside from Flynn), Braswell did a good job entwining new characters into the story and creating a brand new storyline for Rapunzel et al. While the beginning read much like the beginning of the standard fairytale, once i got further into the story and the big twist happened i could not put this book down.
So entertaining, hilarious, amusing, and perfect for a fun Halloween read!
My only disappointment would be the choice to add a real world framing mechanism involving a brother telling his sickly sister (who has cancer) his own version of Tangled. This seemed to take away from the overall story unfortunately.
Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
More A TWISTED TALE Books to Read
A Whole New World [based on ALADDIN] by Liz Braswell
Once Upon a Dream [based on SLEEPING BEAUTY] by Liz Braswell
As Old As Time [based on BEAUTY AND THE BEAST] by Liz Braswell
Reflection [based on MULAN] by Elizabeth Lim
Part of Your World [based on THE LITTLE MERMAID] by Liz Braswell
Mirror, Mirror [based on SNOW WHITE] by Jen Calonita
Conceal, Don’t Feel [based on FROZEN] by Jen Calonita
Straight On Till Morning [based on WENDY DARLING] by Liz Braswell
So This is Love [based on CINDERELLA] by Elizabeth Lim
Unbirthday [based on ALICE IN WONDERLAND] by Liz Braswell
Go the Distance [based on HERCULES] by Jen Calonita
More Books to Read
- 6 Jane Austen Adaptations to Read that are Clean and Charming
- Disney Books Presents “Curse of the Specter Queen” by Jenny Elder Moke (2021)
- Disney Before the Story: Anita’s Puppy Tale (2021) – Book Review
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