Module 13 - Rapunzel's Revenge

Bibliography

Hale, S. and D. Hale.  (2008). Rapunzel’s Revenge.  (Illus., N. Hale). New York: Bloomsbury

Summary

Rapunzel believes she is the daughter of Gothel and that she has always lived in Gothel’s castle, until the day that she sneaks over the wall to see what is on the other side.  Rapunzel comes face to face with her real mother, who works in Gothel’s mines, and learns (or remembers) the truth of her kidnapping.  Gothel’s guards force Rapunzel back across the wall.  To keep Rapunzel quiet, Gothel has Rapunzel locked up in a tower in Carrion Glade, where there is some powerful growth magic.  After four years, Rapunzel’s hair has grown long enough that she uses her two long braids as a lasso to help her escape the tower.  Set on freeing her mother from the mine and destroying Gothel’s magic, Rapunzel inadvertently finds herself accompanied by a cowboy named Jack.  The pair soon become wanted criminals, but they are able to elude capture as they make their way back to Gothel’s villa, making many friends along the way.  In the end, Rapunzel and Gothel have a showdown, resulting in the destruction of Gothel and her magic.

My Thoughts

Two major differences between this telling of Rapunzel and others stand out in my mind.  First is that this story is told as a graphic novel.  Second is that it is more of a western.  These two facts make me think that this book would appeal to boys a lot more than in any other version of Rapunzel.  I liked that it was so different and that Rapunzel was more like a western cowgirl with braids as her lasso.  I liked that the book was full of adventure and heroic acts such as killing the giant water serpent and ridding one town of all the vicious coyotes.  I like that, unlike other versions of the story, Rapunzel does not wait for her prince to come and save her – she takes matters into her own hands.

Reviews

“Rapunzel lives in a grand villa with good food, loyal servants, and her “mother,” or so she thought, Gothel.  Outside the walls the people work hard for very little.  One day Rapunzel sneaks out of the villa and finds her real mother working in the mines as a slave.  When Rapunzel lets Gothel feel her wrath, she is taken far, far away to a magical garden where she is imprisoned in a tree.  Although the main element of the fairytale remains the same – Rapunzel’s hair grows long enough to aid in her escape – the similarities end there.  This Rapunzel takes us on a rollicking, adventure-filled journey through the countryside where she meets up with Jack (owner of a magic bean and “Goldy” the goose) who follows her and helps to reunite her with her true mother.  This wonderfully illustrated graphic novel adds spark and excitement to the tale.  The bright colors and duller tones distinguish between the haves and the have nots.  Rapunzel and Jack are unique characters, and the dialogue allows that uniqueness to shine through. This is a fun read for all ages.”

Scott, K. (Nov/Dec 2008). [Review of the book Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale]. Library Media Connection, 27(3), p. 80

Ideas for Use

I think this would be a fun read as a book club book for kids/teens, or as a class book for struggling readers.