Spirited (Once Upon a Time) Summary and Reviews

Spirited (Once Upon a Time)
by Nancy Holder

Spirited (Once Upon a Time)
List Price: $13.95
Our Price: $8.30
You Save: $5.65 (41%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $1.29 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


or

Book Summary Information

Author: Nancy Holder
Designer: Mahlon F. Craft
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2004-11-09
ISBN: 0689870639
Number of pages: 272
Reading Level: Young Adult
Publisher: Simon Pulse

Book Reviews of Spirited (Once Upon a Time)

Book Review: A fairy tale retold in a "Last of the Mohicans" world
Summary: 4 Stars

I picked up "Spirited" because I recognized Nancy Holder as the author (and co-author) of some of the better "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" novel, and I thought it would be interesting to see what she would do with something else. I noticed that the books in the "Once Upon a Time" series were retold fairy tales, and while I remembered that when I started reading "Spirited" as soon as Holder's dedication talked about the 1992 film version of "The Last of the Mohicans," which is also a personal favorite of mine, I was trying to tell the relationship between the novel and the film (which, it should be pointed out, has little to do with James Fenimore Cooper's novel, one of the few great literary works that I gave up on because it was pure torture to read). Consequently, when I got to the end of the story and read the Author's Note that talks about what classic fairy tale Holder was retelling, I was sort of surprised because I had not noticed it.

The question is whether that is a good thing or a bad thing. It might be the latter, because if you are retelling a classic story it would be nice if your readers noticed. Certainly there are broad enough clues when the heroine finally understands what the word "Mahwah" means and makes her arrangement with the medicine man who has taken her hostage, but I was paying attention to the story line and wondering if some of Cooper's characters (versus those historical figures he included in his novel) were going to show up. They do not, but Holder takes advantage of one of the more intriguing locations of the film for some pivotal scenes, which I appreciated. After the fact I understand completely how "Spirited" is a retelling of this specific fairy tale, so I am inclined to argue the former position, and say that Holder was rather elegant in working the key elements into her own narrative.

The story is set in May of 1756 during the early part of the French & Indian War. Isabella Stevens is raveling with her father, a physician, to the British stronghold of Fort William Henry in what is now upstate New York. The presence of British soldiers in the forest becomes known to Wusamequin, a medicine man of his tribe who has been looking to avenge the death of his wife and infant child at the hands of British soldiers. During the attack Wusamequin notices Isabella, who is fighting back against her attackers even though she is terrified. At that moment he recognizes a bond between them, and the young English woman and her father are taken captive. The others in the Mohican tribe want to burn her at the stake, but Wusamequin insists the woman become a slave of the People.

I agree that Isabella, now called in the manner of Mahwah, screams and cries a bit too much. Granted, you do not want to have a heroine in a story set in the American wilderness of the 18th century be too brave, but I think it becomes problematic for Wusamequin to look past her behavior Isabella's charms (and, no, these are not physical), which might explain why a little magic becomes involved. Her ability to see him in a new light and realize that the man who is her captor is not a savage makes more sense. One of the strengths of this novel is how Holder incorporates the culture of the Mohicans and other Algonquin tribes into the narrative, although I understand that most younger readers are not going to be able to tell where fact ends and her fictional elements begin.

As for the ending, I have to admit that I thought it was appropriate for the simple fact that when you are talking about what happened to the Algonquin tribes after the arrival of the European settlers, let along any Native American people, history prevents you from having a happy ending. Even Michael Mann's movie ends with the idea that the death of Uncas makes Chingachgook the novel's title character (the novel ends with the parallel funerals for Uncas and Cora Munro). The subtext for Holder's story is that no matter what Wusamequin and his people do, their fate is sealed (if you know the history of the real fall of Fort William Henry, then the references to pestilence in the novel are moments of deep foreboding). However, given the European origins of the fairy tale being retold here, given it a peculiarly American happy ending seems appropriate.

Children's Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Once Upon a Time Series, Published by Simon Pulse
Snow: A Retelling of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (Once Upon a Time) ImageSnow: A Retelling of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (Once Upon a Time)
by Tracy Lynn
Simon Pulse; Published: 2006-10-24; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.45
Price in other shops: $5.99
The Rose Bride: A Retelling of "The White Bride and the Black Bride" (Once Upon a Time) ImageThe Rose Bride: A Retelling of "The White Bride and the Black Bride" (Once Upon a Time)
by Nancy Holder
Simon Pulse; Published: 2007-06-26; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.15
Price in other shops: $5.99
Belle: A Retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" (Once Upon a Time) ImageBelle: A Retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" (Once Upon a Time)
by Cameron Dokey
Simon Pulse; Published: 2008-11-25; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.99
The Crimson Thread: A Retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin" (Once Upon a Time) ImageThe Crimson Thread: A Retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin" (Once Upon a Time)
by Suzanne Weyn
Simon Pulse; Published: 2008-06-17; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.66
Price in other shops: $6.99
Before Midnight: A Retelling of "Cinderella" (Once Upon a Time) ImageBefore Midnight: A Retelling of "Cinderella" (Once Upon a Time)
by Cameron Dokey
Simon Pulse; Published: 2007-03-06; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.30
Price in other shops: $5.99
Water Song: A Retelling of "The Frog Prince" (Once Upon a Time) ImageWater Song: A Retelling of "The Frog Prince" (Once Upon a Time)
by Suzanne Weyn
Simon Pulse; Published: 2006-10-24; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.30
Price in other shops: $5.99
Golden: A Retelling of "Rapunzel" (Once Upon a Time) ImageGolden: A Retelling of "Rapunzel" (Once Upon a Time)
by Cameron Dokey
Simon Pulse; Published: 2007-06-26; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.30
Price in other shops: $5.99
The Night Dance (Once Upon a Time) ImageThe Night Dance (Once Upon a Time)
by Suzanne Weyn
Simon Pulse; Published: 2005-11-22; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.30
Price in other shops: $5.99
Spirited (Once Upon a Time) ImageSpirited (Once Upon a Time)
by Nancy Holder
Simon Pulse; Published: 2004-11-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.30
Price in other shops: $13.95
Sunlight and Shadow (Once Upon a Time) ImageSunlight and Shadow (Once Upon a Time)
by Cameron Dokey
Simon Pulse; Published: 2004-07-06; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.58
Price in other shops: $5.99
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Golden: A Retelling of "Rapunzel" (Once Upon a Time) ImageGolden: A Retelling of "Rapunzel" (Once Upon a Time)
by Cameron Dokey
Simon Pulse; Published: 2007-06-26; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.58
Price in other shops: $5.99
Beauty Sleep: A Retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" (Once Upon a Time) ImageBeauty Sleep: A Retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" (Once Upon a Time)
by Cameron Dokey
Simon Pulse; Published: 2006-10-24; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.58
Price in other shops: $5.99
The Crimson Thread: A Retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin" (Once Upon a Time) ImageThe Crimson Thread: A Retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin" (Once Upon a Time)
by Suzanne Weyn
Simon Pulse; Published: 2008-06-17; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.26
Price in other shops: $6.99
Sunlight and Shadow (Once Upon a Time) ImageSunlight and Shadow (Once Upon a Time)
by Cameron Dokey
Simon Pulse; Published: 2004-07-06; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.58
Price in other shops: $5.99
Midnight Pearls: A Retelling of "The Little Mermaid" (Once Upon a Time) ImageMidnight Pearls: A Retelling of "The Little Mermaid" (Once Upon a Time)
by Debbie Vigui?
Simon Pulse; Published: 2006-10-24; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.83
Price in other shops: $5.99
Water Song: A Retelling of "The Frog Prince" (Once Upon a Time) ImageWater Song: A Retelling of "The Frog Prince" (Once Upon a Time)
by Suzanne Weyn
Simon Pulse; Published: 2006-10-24; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.58
Price in other shops: $5.99
Before Midnight: A Retelling of "Cinderella" (Once Upon a Time) ImageBefore Midnight: A Retelling of "Cinderella" (Once Upon a Time)
by Cameron Dokey
Simon Pulse; Published: 2007-03-06; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.58
Price in other shops: $5.99
The Rose Bride: A Retelling of "The White Bride and the Black Bride" (Once Upon a Time) ImageThe Rose Bride: A Retelling of "The White Bride and the Black Bride" (Once Upon a Time)
by Nancy Holder
Simon Pulse; Published: 2007-06-26; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.15
Price in other shops: $5.99
The Night Dance (Once Upon a Time) ImageThe Night Dance (Once Upon a Time)
by Suzanne Weyn
Simon Pulse; Published: 2005-11-22; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.58
Price in other shops: $5.99
Scarlet Moon ImageScarlet Moon
by Debbie Vigui?
Simon Pulse; Published: 2004-04-06; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.58
Price in other shops: $5.99