The Goose Girl (Books of Bayern) by Shannon Hale Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Goose Girl (Books of Bayern)
Book Review: An excellent retelling of Grimm's Goose Girl
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow! That all I can say, wow. (Of course I can say more and I will.) It was an excellent book. The descriptions transported you into the land of Bayern and Kildenree and Ani's world felt so real and flawless. Ms. Hale really proved that she was a great writer. I liked all the characters (Enna being one of my favorites) because the author described them so well. They really seemed to come to life.
Also I have to add that the magic in the story seemed as if it could actually happen and any author that makes me feel that way is worth my attention.
The only flaw was that the begining was slow at first and all the action occured at the end, but other than that, it is a must for book lovers everywhere. Treason, suspense, fantasy- there's something in this book for everyone! Definitely worth reading!
~Ms. Hale, I am your fan.
I decided
Book Review: And Another Book Read Reviews
Summary: 5 Stars
Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, also known as Ani, is the Crown Princess of Kildenree. She was born with a word on her tongue. She always knew that she had the gift to converse with birds, but always wondered if she possessed another gift. Maybe she even had the fabled gift of wind or fire speaking. Before she can find the answer to this question her father dies after falling off a horse. She thinks she will secede her father, but is shocked to hear that her mother has pushed her aside and made her brother the new king. If that is not bad enough, Ani finds that her mother has arranged her marriage to the Prince of Bayern (the neighboring kingdom). Ani has no choice but to go, so she packs her bags and sets off with a group of soldiers for protection and her lady-in-waiting Selia. With only weeks left to their journey one of the soldiers Ungolad, along with Selia stage a mutiny. The reason being that Selia feels that she is much better suited to be a princess than Ani. With all the fighting and mayhem occurring, Ani is able to escape. She heads to Bayern on her own, always in constant fear of being found. She goes to the king of Bayern, originally in hopes of telling him her true identity, but finds out Selia has taken her identity. Ani thinks better of it and asks for a job. She is assigned the job of tending to the king's geese, hence the name the Goose Girl. She loves her job, and is quickly able to figure out the geese's language and comes to understand the geese. Ani also befriends many of the other workers who maintain the king's animals. The whole time she works, Ani plots a way to regain her identity as a princess. Meanwhile, she befriends a castle guard, develops amazing friendships, and discovers the answer to a life-long question.
Wow! This book was absolutely amazing. It is now one of my favorite books. It has just the right amount of adventure, and romance in it for me. I would recommend this to any type of reader, whether they are an avid reader, or someone who cringes at the sight of books! It has a delightful plot line, and was a stunning first novel of Shannon Hale's. Now I know I am a tad late on reading this, and obviously Shannon Hale now has many other books out, but I think this one is my favorite. At first I didn't realize what all the hype was about Shannon Hale, but then I read Princess Academy and I loved it. After reading the Goose Girl, I think I have a new favorite author. I cannot wait to read more of her books, and anxiously await new books to be written!
Book Review: Another cheesy fairy-tale-turned-novel? I think not!
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first saw The Goose Girl, and saw it was an adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, I was immediately turned off. That's because I'd read other books like this, such as Ella Enchanted, and they had disappointed me greatly. Then, I read the first page, and my entire frame of mind changed for the better.
Hale's descriptive, vivid prose makes her intriguing plot and lively characters literally come to life. She's taken a classic Brothers Grimm tale and turned it into something more, adding details that explain the magic and justify the Princess's actions. Ani, the heroine, is far from perfect, and Hale doesn't try to cover this up. Instead, she bases the entire story on Ani's fear and unsureness, and shows her growth over the course of the novel. Fairy tales are timeless, especcially when retoldd in such a luscious, vivid way.
Book Review: Audio version
Summary: 4 Stars
As the oldest child of the King and Queen, Crown Princess Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee (Ani) is being groomed for the throne of Kildenree. Much to her mother's disappointment, though, Ani doesn't seem to be leadership material. She doesn't have the ability to persuade and motivate people like her mother does and, oddly, she seems to communicate better with animals than people.
Nonetheless, Ani is shocked when her mother declares her little brother to be heir and sends Ani off as a bride to the prince of Bayern, an aggressive neighboring kingdom. She feels betrayed by her family and things only get worse when she encounters more deceit and betrayal on the way to Bayern. Because she has a difficult time standing up for herself, Princess Ani is soon usurped and tending geese instead of taking her rightful place beside the Prince of Bayern. But this goose girl is determined to get her name back.
Based on the Grimm fairytale "The Goose Girl," this book is the first in a series of companion novels by Shannon Hale (The Bayern Books). Whether you're familiar with the fairytale or not, you'll be pretty sure how the story ends -- it's unlikely to surprise you. But perhaps what will surprise you is how exciting the story is anyway. It's fast-paced, beautifully written, emotional, and satisfying. Even though I was often frustrated with Ani's forbearance and lack of confidence, I was enchanted by her story anyway.
According to Amazon, The Goose Girl is marketed to children ages 9-12, but there is enough violence and murder (and even scary things that happen to animals) that I think it's better suited for the YA crowd. I listened to, and enjoyed, the Full Cast Audio production and recommend this version. The Goose Girl is a sweet and irresistible story for teens, adults, and the bravest little girls and boys.
Book Review: Awesome
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of my favorite fairy tales. It is a good book about a girl who is ambushed by her lady-in-waiting and her guards. Then the
girl becomes a goose girl at the palace and meets the prince, and
she has to stop a war, and let people know of her true identity. This was quite a good book, and I enjoyed it from start to finish.
For fans of fairy tales, this is denfinately your book. *****