Hale, Shannon, Dean Hale, and Nathan Hale. Rapunzel's Revenge. New York, New York: Bloomsbury, 2008.
Rapunzel’s Revenge, a graphic novel by Shannon and Dean Hale, along with the artwork of Nathan Hale, puts a new spin on the fairy tale of Rapunzel. Rapunzel, one of the fairy tales collected and retold by the Brothers Grimm, tells the story of a young girl taken away from her parents and imprisoned in a tower by Mother Gothel. Rapunzel’s Revenge takes the background story from the original fairy tale and adds several new twists, including a setting that resembles those found in Western stories.
As the story begins, Rapunzel lives under the watchful eye of her mother, Mother Gothel. The illustrations paint the beautiful villa and gardens. However, Rapunzel grows lonely and wants to know what is on the other side of the large wall that surrounds the villa. When finally looking over the wall, Rapunzel discovers a desolate land that craves plants and water and life, and after speaking with a lady in line for water, Rapunzel begins to realize that she is not the daughter of Mother Gothel. In fact, she believes she was stolen from her parents when she was a baby and forced to live with Mother Gothel. From this point, Rapunzel's adventures take off.
Personal Thoughts: I loved this graphic novel. Rapunzel is a strong character, and I really identified with her sarcasm. Although she finds herself in a horrible situation, she makes the most of her skills, talent, and intellect. I can't wait to read Calamity Jack!
Source Information: "Cover image for Rapunzel's revenge." TITLEWAVE Follett Library Resources. http://www.titlewave.com/cover?FLR=05894Y1&SID=3000e3694149d144133ec5a913a25369&type=cover (accessed November 13, 2010).
