| Title | : | The Fairest of Them All |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1451683782 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781451683783 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 288 |
| Publication | : | First published August 6, 2013 |
Living in an enchanted forest, Rapunzel spends her days tending a mystical garden with her adoptive mother, Mathena. A witch, Mathena was banished from court because of her magic powers, though the women from the kingdom still seek her advice and herbal remedies. She waits, biding her time to exact revenge against those who betrayed her.
One day Rapunzel’s beautiful voice and long golden locks captivate a young prince hunting in the forest nearby. Overcome, he climbs her hair up to her chamber and they fall into each other’s arms. But their afternoon of passion is fleeting, and the prince must return to his kingdom, as he is betrothed to another.
Now king, he marries his intended to bring peace to his kingdom. They have a stunning daughter named Snow White. Yet the king is haunted by his memories of Rapunzel, and after the mysterious death of his wife, realizes he is free to marry the woman he never stopped longing for. In hopes of also replacing the mother of his beloved daughter, the king makes Rapunzel his queen.
But when Mathena’s wedding gift of an ancient mirror begins speaking to her, Rapunzel falls under its evil spell, and the king begins to realize that Rapunzel is not the beautiful, kind woman he dreamed of.
The Fairest of Them All Reviews
-
"Mirror, mirror, on the wall,” I whispered, in the faint light of the fire, after I’d calmed down and let my rage melt into sorrow. “Who is the fairest of them all?”
This is an alternative fairy tale, using the story of Rapunzel and Snow White, where Rapunzel is the evil queen. I was worried that it would be too literal of a combination of the two tales, but it was indeed a very well done interpretation of both stories, with just enough of a twist on both to make this book original without feeling like too many liberties were taken to completely screw up the original stories. I'm quite nitpicky when it comes to the latter, and this book satisfied all of my expectations.
I wiped tears from my face, and peered in to see. I blinked and saw my own tear-stained face, my eyes huge and full of pain, fury.
“Rapunzel is the fairest,” the voice said.
I focused all my desire, my pain and rage, my humiliation, down into a point of light, but now there was nowhere to go. What else was there, beyond this?
The book shines in its characterization of Rapunzel and in the beautiful writing. I absolutely loved how Rapunzel was portrayed, and how her character grew from an innocent, naive teenager with the simple mindset of a sheltered child, to someone who could be utterly believable as a complex, seemingly evil Queen.
I have to admit, I had some really, really bad misgivings about this book when I first started reading it. I think it's understandable, because Rapunzel, in all of her naiveté does some unbelievably stupid things within the first 10% of the book that just made me want to throw the book down for good. For example:
- We find out that she remembers nothing about her life before living in the forest with her adopted mother, Mathena. Why? Mathena says her parents are bad people, and so has given her an amnesia-inducing herb to make her forget all the bad things that happened to Rapunzel when she was with them. Rapunzel completely buys it.
- Rapunzel meets and insta-loves the handsome Prince Josef. She then proceeds to go against Mathena's advice to stay away from him, and instantly hates her for denying Rapunzel the chance to meet him again, despite having trusted Mathena completely for the previous 10 years of her life.
- She casts a spell to seduce Prince Josef and make him fall even more in love with her...which turned out to be an unbelievably stupid decision.
Luckily, Rapunzel's character grows so much more after that. She is a stunningly beautiful wild child; growing up in the forest with her "witch" of a mother, she is so cloistered that her initial innocence can be forgiven. Through her heartbreak after her disastrous encounter with Prince Josef, she grows, over the next few years, into a wiser woman, but that in no way prepares her for her eventual destiny: that of becoming a queen.
Rapunzel is completely overwhelmed at court. She has only ever had Mathena for company, and her encounters with people were limited to the women who come to Mathena's cottage seeking herbal or magical assistance. She is scared, she is terrified, she is bewildered: talk about a fish out of water. For the past seven years, all Rapunzel has ever longed for is to be with her beloved prince---now king, but she is utterly unprepared for the ostentatiousness, the loudness, the sheer number of people surrounding her in her new life.
It is not an easy life, despite its opulence: the old ways mix with the new. Rapunzel's pagan upbringing with her knowledge of magic and herbs, is completely at odds with the new Christian ways of the court, where the previous queen's devoutness is legendary, and where an insidious, charming new priest, Father Martin, has enraptured the people. She has such a difficult time at first: the court is full of the malicious rumors of the new queen---a supposed witch---whom the king has married entirely too soon after the death of the beloved Queen Teresa.
Rapunzel endures their whispers, their gossip, their stares. She adapts, she learns, she matures, and she eventually becomes someone she hardly recognizes in the mirror.I focused on my beauty, which was easier to control. I rarely ate, so that my waist would be more narrow. I used every spell I knew to make my skin smoother and my hair more lustrous, my eyes brighter. I had Clareta brush oils through my hair to make it shine.
Her evolution is a heartbreaking one; Rapunzel has ample reasons for her pain, and I empathized with her through every moment of it. Rapunzel's narration and character development is the highlight of the story. I was pleasantly surprised at the depiction of the relationship between Rapunzel and Snow White, it was certainly nothing I had anticipated at all. Their relationship is real, Rapunzel's love for her is endearing, the progression of her jealousy, the insidious seeds that grew therein were brilliantly portrayed.
I was not unaware of the irony, that I was starving myself and surrounded by riches when people were going hungry because they had no other choice, outside the castle walls.
But I was a queen.
I loved the gradual resolution of the questions and mysteries throughout the book; the plot lines were resolved very well, and there were no blatant plot holes. The world is a vague idea of Europe, beautifully described, from the wildness of the forest to the ostentatious king's court; we are never given a definite time and place, but certain names and artworks are referred to (like Dante's Inferno and the Unicorn tapestry) to give us a feel of medieval Europe. There are well-built themes of old vs. new, good and evil, paganism vs. Christianity.
The characters are mostly well done, all the different relationships within the book were so well-built in their development and in their eventual failure. One flaw I found in the book is the characterization of Snow White. I didn't feel like Snow White was a good character. She is beautiful, certainly, but I felt that her character was a little...flat, compared to the rest. Outside of Rapunzel's complex relationship with her, as a character, Snow White is largely one-dimensional on her own.
The first part of the book was slow, but it eventually became such a wonderful story. This is how a fairy tale retelling should be done. -
Rapunzel as the Evil Witch from Snow White?
So many yes words just came from my mouth.
Rapunzel lives in the woods with her 'foster' mother. They gather herbs and help the villages women with their men troubles and grow vegetables. Mathena has told Rapunzel stories from her birth..about how her parents were horrible to her and that she saved her and took her to raise.
Then one day Rapunzel stumbles upon the handsome prince. You would think after hearing all the villages stories about how stupid men were that she would leave him alone...but no. Her heart goes pitter patter.
She must see him again!
Mathena locks her in the tower so that she can't run off with him.
You know that crap doesn't work with a teenage girl so Rapunzel drops down her magic hair and there is the prince!
Spoiler alert~ She doesn't use the frying pan. They do the bangity bang.
Then Rapunzel finds out that the prince is going to marry another chick because that's what princes do to save their kingdoms. Princes are sorta stupid. (This one is extra stupid)
Then Rapunzel is super depressed and some bad stuff happens.
But alas! Now the queen is dead and guess who shows up wanting to marry Rapunzel?!
Now you have to read the story to see if Rapunzel beats the snot out of Prince or just eats Snow White's heart.
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review. -
* * * 4.5 Stars * * *
Don't be fooled by the gorgeous book cover with its beautiful colors and magical, romantic appeal. Although this novel does feature a stunning woman with luxurious golden hair, it's not a story of heartwarming romance. It's a wicked, twisted tale that brings together two beloved fairy tale characters, Rapunzel and Snow White.
The Fairest of Them All comfortably fits into the category of dark fantasy, the subgenre that I can't get enough of, especially the stories that touch on subject matters that would make some readers uncomfortable..or even scare them away. I admire an author who isn't afraid to push the envelope and that's one of the many reasons why I love Turgeon's newest novel.
Many of the elements of this story you'll find familiar, but only in the beginning. Rapunzel lives in a tower and was raised by a witch. She enchants a young prince who climbs the tower using her long, golden locks so that they may be together. And, as in most versions of this story, she becomes pregnant with his child. But that's where many of the similarities end.
There are plenty of twists and a lot of heartache, deep betrayals and complicated emotions. Rapunzel believes that her dreams have come true when she finally marries her king, but she ultimately learns that being the fairest woman in the kingdom, possessing beautiful, magical hair and having spells and potions at her disposal doesn't ensure her happily ever after. She also learns that you can't outrun your lies, magic comes with a price, and that a person who is beautiful on the outside, can be very damaged and ugly on the inside.
This was my first time reading a novel by Carolyn Turgeon, but it certainly won't be my last. In fact, after writing this review I'm heading over to Amazon to purchase Mermaid ... or maybe Godmother. They both sound so good, I can't decide.
http://www.addicted2heroines.com/2013... -
Fairest of Them All - Carolyn Turgeon
I’m in the final stages of a doctorate on Rapunzel, which means I simply must read every book ever inspired by the old fairy tale.
Fairest of Them All is an interesting take on the well-known story, imagining: What if Rapunzel was Snow White’s evil stepmother?
The story begins with a young Rapunzel living in a forest with her foster mother, Mathena, a witch who had been banished from court because of her magical powers. They live an idyllic life, tending the herb garden and helping the women of the village.
One day Rapunzel’s singing attracts a young prince who was out hunting in the forest. He climbs up her hair into her tower bedroom and they have a brief afternoon of passion before the prince must return to his kingdom and his betrothed.
Rapunzel loses the baby she carries, and is grieved to discover the king and his wife have a living daughter soon after hers has died. The girl is so beautiful she is named Snow White.
The tale then follows the familiar sequence of events known to us from the original Grimm tale – the mother dies, the king remarries, his queen has a magical mirror that tells her she is the fairest of all …
Written simply yet lyrically, this is a dark and powerful reimagining of two well-known fairy-tales and should appeal to the millions of fans of writers such as Donna Jo Napoli, Shannon Hale, Jessica Day George and Gail Carson Levine. -
OH, HELLS TO THE NO. I was about to give this book a 4 star rating until we got to the gratuitous gang rape. Because of that, automatic 1-star rating. How. Dare. You. Completely and 110% unnecessary, I assure you. It does absolutely nothing to advance the plot, the character development, the feels, the repercussions, nada. The rape is just thrown in for literally no reason. I just can't.
THE GOOD
1) Intriguing idea. It's both a Rapunzel and Snow White origin story with a twist.
2) The writing and Rapunzel narrative felt deliberately vague, but it worked. Remember those hard cover Disney story books you read as a 90s kid? That's what this reads like except much more adult...because, you know, given the heart munchies and the sex and the RAPE. (I'm still seriously so peeved at that...)
3) We don't particularly like Rapunzel sometimes but we also can absolutely see where her decisions stem from. Doesn't absolve her from her actions but at least she's not just a mindless, twisted individual. Unlike the folks in the gang rape.
THE BAD
1) Which brings me to the rape again. I can't stress how little it had to do with the plot. It was treated as vaguely and disconnectedly as everything else.
2) Snow White. Didn't like her.
THE VERDICT
I absolutely was not expecting this book to be so dark. The cover is the thing to blame here since it seems like such an Elle Woods fluffy story. -
A different take on Rapunzel and Snow White that turned out really good :). If it hadn't been for work and sleep, I would've read this in one sitting :).
I recognized some elements from the original tales along the way with Miss Turgeon's own twist on them... I loved how she took some things and made them her own :).
You get a sense of doom/foreboding from the prologue, It's not a light story it does have some darker moments... there's a couple sex scenes but nothing explicit.
There's plenty of secrets in this story, one near the end surprised me and realize how good Mathena was at keeping her secrets.
Mathena: She keeps her past a close secret from Rapunzel, telling her she took her away from her real mother to keep her safe. Rapunzel and her have a nice cozy life in the forest, helping out women in need until Prince Josef comes along.
The twist of Rapunzel having magic and being a witch, LOVED it :).
It's a short-ish book but there's plenty of atmosphere and twists to the story that keeps you turning the pages. I loved how she fleshed out everyone and that none of the characters are one-dimensional, everyone has depth to them and jumps off the page.
One or two twists/secrets I expected and kinda predicted but there were a couple I didn't see coming.
One character's death is mentioned only in a short period, no more than a passage on one page so I didn't really "feel" for his death, I was sad for another MC but I wasn't invested myself really.
Would recommend, it's sort of a re-telling/mish mash of of fairytales but everything fits and flows together nicely into a new tale :).
There is implied rape and another instance where its mentioned, just to warn ya.
Would recommend, happy reading! -
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Ageless Pages Reviews!
The Fairest of Them All is a fairytale retelling that combines two well-known and often-told stories - that of Rapunzel and that of Snow White - and asks, "what if Rapunzel was Snow White's Evil Stepmother?" It's an intriguing idea and one that lends originality to such famous stories, but one that sadly lacks subtlety and pathos. Carolyn Turgeon does an able job of melding the two separate stories into one cohesive plot, but her characters lack agency and can come off as rather bland.
The premise is obviously one of the strongest aspects to the story of The Fairest of Them All. We've all seen the Disney and/or Pixar movies, we've read the Grimm versions, so a new idea on both Rapunzel and Snow White (don't even mention that Kristen Stewart failure) feels like a breath of fresh air for retellings. The way that Turgeon introduces both stories, both apart and together, feels organic. It's not hard to believe that these two women came to be directly involved with each other's lives. The story is told in pretty straightforward and nondescript prose, but the author isn't afraid to whip out some pretty big gamechangers before it's all said and done.
My main problem lies with characterization. Rapunzel was the best character -- she's desperately flawed, but she's more interesting and compelling for it. Both Josef, her King, and Snow White, his daughter by his first Queen, come off as blandly beautiful. The King is shown to be somewhat imperfect - his philandering, lack of attention for Rapunzel once he has her - but he has such little presence it makes almost no difference. Snow White is where I really struggled. She's too perfect here, as she is in almost every representation you find of her tale. I had hoped that The Fairest of Them All would do for her what it did to her counterpart - Rapunzel is unlike any other version before. But this Snow White is ripped right from Disney: she's beautiful and perfect and thus inspires jealousy easily. I was disappointed with her one-note personality, and never really grew to care about her the way I did for her "evil" Stepmother. (Yes, Rapunzel does horrible things. But she grows and learns and evolves before/after.)
Despite Snow White's perfection, Turgeon isn't afraid to go to dark places with her story. It's more along the lines of the Brothers Grimm than old Walt. Murder, enviousness, jealousy, betrayal, revenge, rape and more are all part and parcel to the plot. The author deviates from the norm several times - the apple appears but functions in a new way, the seven dwarfs are a group of bandits, Rapunzel's hair has powers besides being able to bear weight - and it works for the story. The infusions of originality keep these old stories feeling fresh and unique, rather than a retread of what has been done before.
The Fairest of Them All is an involving, interesting read. It has a few faults with characters, but overall, makes for an entertaining new take on some of the world's most popular fairytales. It's dark, it's full of surprise that will keep readers guessing. All in all, this was a promising introduction to this author and I would definitely read more from her. -
_The Fairest of Them All_ by Carolyn Turgeon is my choice so far this year for best book of the year. I have a soft spot in my heart for books that incorporate fairy tales. I have an even softer spot for fairy tale retellings that successfully elaborate on and explain details found in the original tales while still remaining true to the basic plotline. Turgeon's book succeeds at the latter, more so than any book I can recall recently reading. The concept of the book is that Rapunzel ends up being Snow White's stepmother. Although this may seem like a random combination of two classic characters, as the book progresses, you can absolutely see the clues in the two stories that could lead to them melding together well.
However, in addition to being a creative elaboration on the two original fairy tales, Turgeon's book is also just plain beautifully written. You find yourself caught up in the story of the single protagonist (unlike Turgeon's book _Mermaid_, where both the mermaid and princess alternate, this story is told from the point of view of Rapunzel only) and she is an unlikely hero and antihero both in her own tale. Like the best of stories, there is nothing black and white in this story. There are no clear-cut heroes or villains. All of the characters can be seen with a varying degree of compassion and understanding.
My favorite part of the whole book were the sections where Rapunzel finds herself acting like a feral woman of the forest...seeing herself in the mirror covered in dirt with bits of the forest caught up in her hair. There are several sections of the book that are so beautifully and wildly written I simply delighted in the bibliophile pleasure of reading the words. The book is itself a bit wild, not shirking from the dark, taboo, or sexual tones of the original pre-sanitized fairy tales, although they are dealt with in a tasteful and non-graphic manner. In this regard, it reminds me a bit of another favorite book of mine, _Tender Morsels_ by Margo Lanagan.
Marvelous! -
3.5 stars
This was a good retelling full of twists to make it its own story. The writing was beautiful and full of expectant hope as we waited for Rapunzel to take her rightful place. That was the only thing marring this book - that there was too much time waiting. Carolyn Turgeon does a good job of making us like Rapunzel, and the transformation from good to evil was well done. -
Beautiful retelling, with hints of the familiar tale yet completely new. RTC
-
It was an alrighr read, not an amazing one and i`ve read some retellings that blew my mind.
This one fell a little flat for me, and i wasn`t invested in the characters tbh. -
The Fairest of Them All was such a fun fairy-tale twist. Rapunzel being the Evil Queen to Snow White felt like a dream come true. Sort of. I honestly really liked how dark this story went. Especially since it reunites two fairytales together so beautifully. Or maybe I'm just a little bias because I love retellings.
Throughout the book, I definitely got Tangled meets Snow White vibes. Which I absolutely loved from start to finish. The reason why is she's all mirror mirror on the wall while living in a tower locked away from the world. Then one day, she escapes and marries a prince. All to find out that little Snow exists and she's the fairest of them all.
Each twist, turn, and darkly turn made me devour each chapter that much quicker. It was so much fun to see what was going to happen next to everyone within this kingdom/world. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for it all to begin with?
In the end, I can't wait for the next twisted fairytale to come my way. I definitely need more in my life. -
Last year when
THE NEXT FULL MOON debuted, I was lucky enough to meet Carolyn Turgeon. She whispered secrets about how she was working on a book about Rapunzel that had an unexpected twist: Rapunzel grows up to become Snow White's Stepmother. What a stunner! I immediately wanted to know more, and I'm so excited to share an early review of the book, FAIREST OF THEM ALL, with you now. One thing I love about all of Turgeon's books is the way she mixes fairy tales in new, innovative ways. There's heart, there's motivation, there's...humanity. Fairy tale characters are more than just sweet, kind souls who live Happily Ever After. There's betrayal and heartache, too, just like in real life, and this infusion makes Turgeon's books more realistic to me. I talk a little bit more about this element when discussing GODMOTHER and MERMAID in a
guest post I wrote during the inaugural Fairy Tale Fortnight. Turgeon's books, as with the vast majority of fairy tale retellings, are period pieces, yet hers have a more historical feel than many others I've read.
It amazes me to see how different Turgeon's books are from one another, yet how easy it is to point her tone out from everyone else's. I could do it blindfolded. GODMOTHER features magical realism and leaves you questioning so much, MERMAID features a dual POV from not only The Little Mermaid's very own mermaid, but the human princess destined to marry the prince. Even THE NEXT FULL MOON is unique, revolving around the Swan Maiden's daughter as she begins following in her mother's footsteps. Now, with FAIREST OF THEM ALL, readers are treated to a tale of love and heartache as the story of Rapunzel is turned on its head and twisted together with Snow White in a way you wouldn't expect. There's also a twist that brings in an additional fairy tale toward the very end of the book, but it's very blink-and-you-miss-it, and since it's at the end and a secret, I obviously can't say anymore on the topic.
It's very easy to sympathize with Rapunzel, who falls instantly for the traveling prince she can never have. She's grown up sheltered by Mathena Gothel her entire life, safe in the knowledge that Mathena saved her from a mother who didn't want her, carrying only for her rapunzel-addiction. She mixes herbs and plants alonside Mathena for women wishing to forget heartache, looking to terminate a pregnancy, increase fertility, etc. She never realizes that Mathena is more than she says, harboring deep secrets of her own. When Prince Josef visits and meets Rapunzel, the attraction is instant. Mathena forbids them from seeing one another again and locks Rapunzel away in the tower, but the prince comes back and climbs her hair. When he leaves again, he gives Rapunzel both a child and the knowledge that he's destined to marry another woman. There is no happiness for her. When she later loses the baby, Rapunzel falls into a deep depression. Over time, she learns to live again, and then the day comes when Josef returns. His Queen has died and, having never forgotten Rapunzel, he returns to ask her hand in marriage. But court life isn't what Rapunzel envisioned it would be, especially when every time she looks at her lovely stepdaughter Snow White, she sees the face of her dead rival, a woman she had a hand in killing...
As with all of Turgeon's books, there are twists and turns and unexpected surprises that no reader will see coming, try as one might. There were realizations that left me reeling in ways both familiar and unexpected, having previously seen the way Turgeon likes to be twisty in both GODMOTHER and MERMAID. Fans of either books will be pleased with FAIREST OF THEM ALL. There's even more to savor this time around, because there's so much motivation. I love the backstory of a villain as much as the next person, but I never envisioned a villain who was formerly a heroine, craving nothing more than her own Happily Ever After. And the way destiny is ultimately shaped works in a fashion similar to MERMAID in the fact that it's a mesh of both the original fairy tale and a deviation of the author's own imagination. We understand so much about the woman destined to become Snow White's Stepmother, see what makes her tick, why she thinks and feels the way she does. Most of all, we emphasize with her, root for her, sympathize as we watch her heart break.
And that's really all I can say about FAIREST OF THEM ALL without giving too much away! -
MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT
Rapunzel lives in her forest tower with her adoptive mother, Mathena, where women come for cures of broken hearts, female issues, and other needs. Mathena has rescued her from an abusive home and taught her the ways of nature and magic. Once it was accepted that witches and magic were possible but times change and now the craft is unspoken. With her stunning looks and beautiful voice, travelers stop and wonder, write songs about Rapunzel. She dreams of a man to love her and when that man becomes taken with her, she revels in the wonder of it all.
The man turns out to be a prince, promised to another and even though they are in love, it cannot be. Over time, the local women tell of the wedding and then a birth and Rapunzel wonders what might have been. Of course, this wouldn't be a fairy tale without the main character getting her prince, but it turns out that being a witch has its benefits. A small twist is that she turns out to be pregnant, but soon looses the child. The Queen dies, helped along by Mathena, and Rapunzel becomes the new queen and stepmother to Snow White.
The story weaves together both tales seamlessly and naturally. The interplay of both good and evil in Rapunzel makes it even more believable. I adored Godmother and this story was a bit more direct in that you aren't guessing the true identity of each character. There is a lot of female empowerment laced through out about how women must take charge of their own lives. It also delves into the fact that a lot of decisions are gray areas and can lead to unwanted consequences in that one small choice can lead to horrible consequences. -
Wow! This book exceeded my expectations! (And, after following Turgeon’s ‘Mermaid’ blog, I had reasonably high expectations.)
Ignore the teenage-oriented cover art. This story would fit in perfectly with Terri Windling’s ‘Fairy Tale Series,’ legendary for its dark and complex renditions of classic tales by the likes of Kara Dalkey, Charles de Lint, Patricia Wrede, and Tanith Lee, among others.
The tale meshes ‘Rapunzel’ with ‘Snow White,’ adding in other classic elements such as the enchanted stag, &c. But the familiar elements here twist into a more complex tale of bitterness, manipulation, jealousy and revenge – while maintaining the readers’ sympathy and understanding, even though the characters may be driven to horrible things.
Turgeon perfectly grasps the kernels of the stories she’s working with, and remains true to them, even while building up a lovely filigree of literary embellishments around that original gem. Her other novels are going straight to my must-read list.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. Thanks to both NetGalley and Touchstone. -
Warning: this book contains mentions and vague descriptions of rape!
I have very mixed feelings towards this book. I like the idea, the writing is good and the ending was positive; but I didn't give a damn about any of the characters and a lot of stuff in this novel made me feel so uncomfortable. So overall, very confusing and kind of disgusting sometimes but interesting. -
When you hear, "Mirror, Mirror on the wall... who's the fairest of them all?" - what is the first thing that comes to your mind? For a lot of people, including myself, it's Snow White. But what if I tell you that this book, despite of its title, is about Rapunzel. Yup.
If you can't tell by the cover, a girl with long blonde hair, it is a fairytale retelling of Snow White in the point of view of Rapunzel. Wait, what? It sounds complicated but this is one of the most creative books that I've read in a long time. I haven't had much luck with retellings mainly because the author makes it so out of character and out of place in the already established world. Most of the time, I don't buy the route that an author took; these are fairytales of more than a hundred years old and not some Hollywood movie from ten years ago to be remade. Chances are, everyone and their mother's mothers (literally) have some recollection of these childhood bedtime stories. I'm not saying that authors can't make it their own... it's a personal taste kind of thing.
Also, I'm attached to the original versions somewhat. I had a Children's Literature course in college and it remains as my favorite class of all time. Since that class, however, fairytales have stopped being a "children" thing for me. If you only knew how the original Cinderella went. Have you ever thought about why Prince Charming would want to take home Snow White's lifeless body? And AR Roquelaure expounded on some idea when she wrote The Sleeping Beauty Quartet. And how about Rapunzel? Honestly, it's one of my favorites, if not my #1 choice. The original is so not for kids. This books follows that more closely than the Disney-fied version. Therefore, this book is not classified under Children or Young Adult fiction, regardless of how sparkly the cover looks.
So... what if Rapunzel is Snow White's "evil" stepmother? Yes, the one with the apple and everything. You're interested now, huh?
We start out with Rapunzel's secluded life in the forest as a "healer". She's living with her foster mother, Mathena. and from her, Rapunzel pieces together her past as a child in the palace, her parents giving her away, and how she ended up in the forest. As with the original, she lives in a tower and grows out her hair. One day, a prince finds his way to her upon hearing her singing voice. Mathena refused to let Rapunzel go with the Prince but he finds a way to come closer to her.
As mentioned above, this follows the original plot and I don't want to spoil you for either book so I encourage you to read at least this book. So Rapunzel, now betrayed and suffered a huge loss, continued to live her life in the forest until one day, news spread of the Queen's sudden death. Not long after, the now King comes back for Rapunzel and this time, she goes with him. Mathena gifts her a magic mirror which Rapunzel treats as her most prized possession.
Life in the palace was difficult for Rapunzel. The people loved their previous queen and they felt that she was "replaced" too soon. Rapunzel had to win their favors and become closer to Snow White. And it did not help that she seemed to be unable to produce an heir to the kingdom. Like before, the King started to look for other beds to warm. Inevitably, Rapunzel catches him. The Mirror becomes Rapunzel's only refuge... until it gives her an answer she didn't expect.
By now, the general Snow White plot comes into the fore. But it still mostly remains a Rapunzel-centric story. And let me tell you, it is one twisted story. Just when you thought that you're in for a seemingly harmless fairytale retelling, you're in for a shock. I like Rapunzel's voice. Her desperation and confusion was believable and even though she's labeled the "evil" stepmother, I can't help but feel sorry for her the most. The twist at the end will make you realize why this cannot be young adult, much less a children's novel. It's refreshing to read these stories all grown up... as a grown up.
Carolyn Turgeon did a great job taking the damsel in distress to a whole different level. I'm pleasantly surprised to see that even if I kind of saw where the story is going, she still managed to shock me. I loved every page and hopefully, I can come across other books like this.
Rating: 5/5. It is a quick read. And because it is so engaging, time will definitely fly by faster. -
The first time I read this, way back in 2015, I honestly didn't care for it at all. I'm actually surprised at, looking back, the level of hatred and disappointment I felt towards this book. I kind of get what four years ago me was thinking, as this book isn't as good or faithful fairytale adaptation (in spirit) as this author's Mermaid was. It doesn't follow the actual plot of Rapunzel (the prince is never blind, she never has twins and in fact loses the one baby she nearly has and is unable to bear more, nor is the prince Rapunzel's true love) or Snow White (no dwarfs, no glass coffin, no prince, nada).
Upon this recent second read, however, I'm really, really glad I gave this another chance. With lowered expectations, I found a whole lot more to like, many clever phrases in the writing I'd previously missed due to being too busy complaining about how repetitive I found it at the time, hints of other fairy tales dropped, etc.
I still don't love it as much as Mermaid, but I enjoyed it enough to bump it up to three stars and I'm looking forward to reading it for a 3rd and 4th time in the future. -
Welcome to a new take on those fairytales we all read when we were kids! Rapunzel, with that long, flowing hair is Snow Whites' wicked stepmother? Who even knew Rapunzel had a mean, narcissistic bone in her body? Who knew she had a magic mirror? For that matter, who knew Snow White could be so nasty to anyone? And Rapunzel's Prince? Not even going there, his all-consuming love for Rapunzel obviously ended when he closed his bedroom door, I mean, can you handle a menage-a-trois in a fiary tale? The Fairest of them All by Carolyn Turgeon is a gutsy take on the revered Fairy Tale genre-very gutsy and there are a few very dark twists that would shock Mother Goose and even the Brothers Grimm!
Carolyn Turgeon weaves these two tales together with very dark thread, and more than a few shocking details! This is NOT your simple Happily Ever After Fairy Tale, trust me! It is a an imaginative and well-told twisted tale of love, lust, insecurity, dark secrets and shocking revelations, not too hot, not too cold-it was just right for my afternoon escape from reality! But be warned! You may never look at these characters the same again!
An ARC edition was provided by NetGalley and Touchstone in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: August 6, 2013
Publisher: Touchstone
ISBN: 9781451683783
Number of Pages: 288
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Age Recommendation: Adults
My Rating: 4 Stars
Available at:
Amazon /
Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out
Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on
Facebook.
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This is a retelling of Snow White and Rapunzel in a most original and entertaining way! Rapunzel lives with Mathena, a reputed witch, in the forest and when a dashing prince comes along she allows him to climb her hair into the tower. Their night of passion sets in motion a long laid plan of revenge and leaves everyone involved scared.
I thought this would be just another retelling of a fairytale but Turgeon has added so much depth and emotion to this story. I grew to love and hate Rapunzel and her adopted mother Mathena. Snow White is both beloved and reviled, the woodsman good and wicked, everything is so well rounded that you want and hate everything that begins to happen. I was caught up in this from the moment I started reading and didn't want to put it down. This is really a 4.5 for me - nearly perfect. -
2017 reading challenge: a fantasy novel.
Well, this was not what I expected. Judging from the cover and the blurb, I knew it was a Rapunzel/Snow White retelling, but I assumed it was going to be some fluffy happily ever after romance. NOPE. This turned out to be quite dark and intricate, with characters who refused to be labeled as merely good or bad. I'll be adding this one to my collection and looking for more by this author. -
Combining the tales of Rapunzel and Snow White into one novel? Flawless, brilliant, and magical. I couldn't put it down and would have finished it in one sitting if I hadn't been called away for a few hours.
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I will also do a video review here at my channel:
http://www.youtube.com/magicofbooks
"The Fairest of Them All" by Carolyn Turgeon follows Rapunzel who captivates a young prince hunting in the forest. He climbs her long hair to her tower and Rapunzel is infatuated. He tells her he must return to his kingdom and marry a woman he is forced to marry to save his kingdom from war. Rapunzel hears news of his marriage and the birth of his daughter Snow White, upset and angry that the prince abandoned her. Years later, the prince, now king, returns to Rapunzel to make her his new queen after the mysterious death of his wife. Rapunzel now has the man she loves and the luxury of being queen, but year after year she grows more and more obsessed with her beauty as her body refuses to give the king an heir. Her enchanted mirror always told her she was the fairest in all the land, but the day it tells her that Snow White is the most beautiful is the day Rapunzel must act to secure her own future.
This was an excellent fairytale mashup! I went into this book thinking it was going to read as rather generic when it comes to fairytale retellings, but I was mistaken. As you can tell from the synopsis, this is a mashup of the fairytales "Rapunzel" and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." When I first started the book, I wasn't quite on board with the mashup, kind of confused by how it was going to come together in a cohesive manner that made sense. Somehow, Carolyn Turgeon made this mashup work in ways that were totally unexpected. I loved Turgeon's unique twists and turns to the plot. It made sense to me that Rapunzel would grow infatuated with a prince, angry that he marries someone else, then she eventually marries him, but grows more and more obsessed with her beauty and jealousy with Snow White, eventually turning her into the Evil Queen of the "Snow White" tale. Genius! I also highly enjoyed the ending of this book. Knowing how fairytales end for the villains or for the evil stepmothers, I had a vision of how this book was going to end, but once again, Turgeon managed to still throw in some clever twists and turns that don't totally vilify Rapunzel since she is our protagonist of the story whose perspective we are in.
There's even something about the writing of this novel that is very reminiscent of fairytales. If the Grimm brothers were alive today, I would imagine this is how they would write. Turgeon weaves together what is essentially a modern day fairytale, throwing in nuances of feminism and issues around sex and beauty. The original Grimm tales were basically cautionary tales. "Fairest of Them All" definitely has that weaved into it as well as we see a young and naive Rapunzel at the start of the novel who thinks the prince will stay only with her after she foolishly gives herself to him after only knowing him for a few hours. She grows into a woman who gets a bit hardened by life and takes risks and chances that may or may not hurt others, all so she can get the man she loves and become queen. And there's Snow White who eventually becomes her stepdaughter who she is desperate to love and be a mother to, but who she is willing to kill if necessary after her enchanted mirror tells her that Snow White is the most beautiful in the kingdom.
I also liked how the novel dealt with magic and religion. Rapunzel is raised by a lady named Mathena (who is often called Madame Gothel) who many call a witch. Mathena has her own backstory about why she lives in the woods and how Rapunzel came into her possession. Though this novel takes place in a fictional world, it's still heavily influenced by medieval culture. There's mentions of priests and a religion ruled by one god, but Mathena doesn't buy into that and she's much more pagan, worshipping the gods of Greek mythology. As with medieval culture, a woman who worshipped deities other than God, a woman who dealt with herbs and plants, a woman who practiced medicine, was often labeled a witch. Rapunzel becomes a healer much like Mathena, helping people come to them who need medical aid or help. So when Rapunzel eventually does marry her prince, she has to hide the fact that she deals with herbs and plants, or she'll be labelled a witch as well and the kingdom will revolt against her. Rapunzel has to carry around a Bible or go to mass to appear pious. I really enjoyed that element of the book since it provided a nice historical backdrop or a sort.
Overall, if you are a sucker for fairytales or fairytale mashups, I think you will be pleasantly surprised by this book. It's not very long for starters and it moves at a nice pace that's not too fast nor too slow. Turgeon's unique spin on these classic stories genuinely worked for me and I definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a unique spin on a familiar story. -
REVIEW ALSO ON:
http://bibliomantics.com/2013/08/16/m...
Fractured fairy tales are a dime a dozen, and I have read my fair share of amazing and terrible takes on the genre, but Fairest of Them All stands far above the offerings I've imbibed. Not only does it combine the original tales of Rapunzel and Snow White, but it also does so in a very original and adult way, fully fleshing out the story in remarkable ways. See Hollywood, you don't need to set things in space to make them original! Sorry
Cinder, you know I still love you.
Note: this novel should not be confused with the Snow White retelling
Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen from comic book turned prose novelist Serena Valentino based on the Disney film. However, if you're looking for something adult and in the same vein, you should definitely check out Neil Gaiman's haunting short story with a similar theme:
Snow Glass Apples. Just don't expect a happy ending.
For anyone who doesn't know how the original fairy tales go, here's a brief summary. In the Rapunzel fairy tale, a husband and wife live next to the garden of a witch and for some reason the pregnant wife will not eat anything but the rapunzel plant that grows in her garden. On the third night of thieving the plant, the husband is caught and the witch, Dame Gothel agrees to forgive him if he gives her their then unborn child. Since parents in fairy tales are the worst, he readily agrees.
Gothel raises the girl with the long blonde hair (whom she names Rapunzel) as her own and locks her in a tower when she comes of age just because. After being drawn by her beautiful singing, a Prince happens upon and uses her super long super strong hair to climb into her room in the tower. There they devise a plan to run away and get married. Like you do.
Unfortunately, this is the Brother's Grimm version and Gothel learning of the pair's deceit through a foolish Rapunzel banishes her adopted daughter to the wilderness. But not before she chops off Rapunzel's hair and uses it to trick the Prince into visiting one final time. Once in her clutches, the witch tells the Prince he will never see Rapunzel again and he throws himself off the tower and lands on some thorns which blind him. But somehow doesn't damage any other parts of his body.
He spends his time wanderIng around blind until he once again hears Rapunzel's singing and finds his love who has given birth to their twins (a boy and a girl). Reunited, Rapunzel's tears heal the Prince's sight and he takes them to live happily ever after in his kingdom. Apparently the witch gets off scot-free except in that one version which decided to have a moral about being evil.
In Fairest, Mathena Gothel tells Rapunzel and her magical hair (which can feel other people's secrets) the tale of how she came to be in her care (the same as in the original) and she spends Rapunzel's childhood teaching her how to be a healer. However she never allows her to use the word witch in fear of the kingdom's recently reformed policy against magic and the fear it strikes in the hearts of the citizens.
JUST LIKE THIS.
She specifically teaches Rapunzel how to perform various spells of the heart as those same citizens who speak out about witchcraft in the presence of royalty have no qualms about having a witch help them with their man troubles. Rapunzel finds these customers weak and foolish until her heart falls for the handsome Prince Josef. Seeking to protect her adopted daughter from the Prince who is merely lusting after her, and from her past troubles at court, Mathena, knowing he is betrothed to someone from a neighboring kingdom for peace treaty reasons locks her in the tower. But much like life, their hormones find a way.
After their night of pleasure, Josef goes back to his kingdom and marries his intended and they give the kingdom an acceptable female heir: Snow White. Although it would have been preferable if she had been born Steve White.
The Grimm's version of Snow White is much more well known. A Queen gives birth to a daughter with skin as white as snow, hair as black as night (or a picture frame) and lips as red as blood after wishing it so. Too bad she dies soon after. A year later, the King remarries a beautiful yet wicked woman who is so obsessed with her own beauty that every morning she checks with a magic mirror to make sure she's the fairest one of them all.
When Snow White turns seven the mirror changes its tune, telling the Queen that Snow White is a thousand times more fair than her. In jealousy (way to go mirror) the Queen instructs her Hunstman to take Snow White into the woods and kill her, requesting he bring back her liver and lungs to prove he did his job.
Instead of killing her, he releases her into the woods where she is taken in by seven dwarfs. You know, after she breaks into their home and prays upon their sympathy with her sob story. The Queen learning Snow isn't dead goes to finish the job herself, eventually incapacitating her with a poison apple. The piece of fruit lodged in her throat convinces the dwarfs that she's dead and they put her in a glass coffin. Because that would be your first response, right?
As if this isn't bad enough, they then give the coffin to a Prince who falls in love with her beauty. As they're traveling, the men carrying the coffin trip and the apple dislodges from Snow White's throat and she lives once more. Even though the Prince is totally into necrophilia, Snow White marries him. Hearing from her mirror that a Young Queen is more beautiful than her the Wicked Queen goes to check out this women, not knowing it's Snow White. Once at their wedding, Snow White's stepmother is forced to dance in heated iron shoes until she dies. Yay medieval torture, so much for a fair and just trial.
In Turgeon's version, seven years later when Rapunzel arrives in the kingdom after the death of Josef's first wife, she is anything but evil. In fact, Rapunzel truly wants to do what's best for Snow White and tries to help fill the hole left by her deceased mother, even taking her to visit and help heal the woes of the peasants. Albeit through witchcraft. Or in this case herbology. You can't help but feel bad for Rapunzel who is not necessarily a bad person (she's more in a grey area) but due to circumstances and her own upbringing isn't truly and wholly as good as you expect your storyteller to be.
Rapunzel also befriends a Falconer named Gilles who takes the role of the Huntsman. Unable to produce an heir and the hated Queen of the kingdom, Rapunzel becomes jealous and full of hate for everything Snow White represents. Her own failure to produce a viable child, her own beauty that once enraptured her husband and the approval of the people. Again, all a magical mirror's fault for telling her Snow White is way prettier.
At her breaking point, Rapunzel demands Gilles kill Snow White and give her her heart, so she can eat and imbibe her power and beauty. Not that she doesn't feel guilty, she does, and worries about possible punishments which include, yes, iron shoes.
It's after this point that things take a dark and twisted turn in the story. See also: Snow White's story in
1001 Nights of Snowfall. You may see some of it coming, but I guarantee you will not see all of it coming. Carolyn Turgeon took a well known story, added layer upon layer of depth and then turned the whole thing on its head. Mind. Blown. -
http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy....
At A Glance
You know the saying, "It's not you, it's me." That pretty much sums up my relationship with The Fairest of Them All. It was a great book, but it wasn't really for me.
The Good
Turgeon weaves together the fairy tales of Snow White and Rapunzel flawlessly. Though this is no Happily Ever After, it is a dark, interesting story that really left an impression on me. I won't soon forget the surprises Turgeon had waiting for us at almost every chapter. Even with the foreshadowing, I was still shocked at some turn of events.
What surprised me the most was the strong feelings I had toward each character. Not one of them was perfect. They were all horribly flawed. Sometimes they were even hard to like. But I felt bad for each one. They have all done the unforgivable, but I didn't care. I wanted them to find their happiness. I hoped that they would overcome their fear, jealousy, hatred, and naivety and find peace with themselves. We don't always get what we want, but I liked that I felt bad for even the most villainous character in The Fairest of Them All. I saw their pain for what it was and was able to look past their wickedness and see people, not monsters. Sure, I had trouble liking any of them, but that doesn't mean I didn't see their potential for good.
I found Turgeon's writing to be the most fascinating part of my experience with this book. She has a way of building a world that is both dark and light. Even though I proclaim that this book will leave you depressed (in The Bad section) I did recognize some of the light and love Turgeon inserted into some of the character's lives. She didn't leave our shredded hearts completely deserted to shrivel up and die. But what really stood out was the "grayness" of her writing. Their is no straight forward villain or hero, good or bad ending, wise or foolish action. Turgeon keeps us in the gray, because that means anything is possible in the future. I liked that sense of incomplete story, that there is more to it but we just haven't read about it yet.
I think Rapunzel as the main character and having us follow her POV was a great idea. She is probably the most flawed but most redeemable character out of the whole story. We really see her grow as time goes on and we feel bad for her even when she is doing the most horrible of things. Because we understand deep down she comes from a place of love, even if it's desperate love. Without being stuck in her head, this book wouldn't have been the same. Job well done, Turgeon
The Bad
I was bored for almost half this book. I am still not us to the slow times fantasy books tend to have. We wait with Rapunzel as years pass until the prince returns. I'm not into reading about a character passing time doing nothing of importance.
The characters were hard to like. I don't really mean this, but I feel like saying, "You all deserve what you got!" Which is a horrendous thing to say since some things that happen to these characters are really bad. But I can't help but feel like if any of them were a bit nicer, they wouldn't have had such a crappy life. It pays to be humble, kids. I will say though, by the end, I found these troubled characters to be pretty interesting, but during the read, they were hard to take.
One word: depressing. Don't go into this book expecting to walk away with a smile on your face. Sure, I knew the story was going to be dark since we all know the gist of the fairytale of both Snow White and Rapunzel, but this book takes it further. The Fairest of Them All is dark as dark can be. And usually I like that, but not this time.
The Snuggly
Yeah, um, don't read this book for the romance. There is none. Well, there is but it's not a happy romance. Spoiled, pompous characters getting with naive, low-moral characters is not my idea of a great romance. At least we get a little bit of a romance near the end. I liked that Rapunzel got to be with someone that seemed to be of pretty good character.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, I have conflicting feelings for this one. The things I praised are only a fraction different from the things I hated. I can see the potential of this book, it's uniqueness that others will love, but in the end, I didn't really enjoy it that much. I am just not sure if retellings/fairytales are my thing. But I do think a lot of people will love this book. So yes, recommended overall.
Favorite Quotes
Even at his most hurt, his most lonely, he contained this wonder inside him, a passion for the world and all its beauty. People loved him for that, I realized. I could love him for that.
"I like knowing that these plants can do so many things."
"It's important to know what they can do," I said. "You could walk right through this garden and have no idea, and all the while, the plants are scheming and plotting."
"Now I know their secrets," she said.
"You don't understand," she said. "I'm ruined."
"People do not het ruined!" I said, though even as I said it I did not believe it. -
I really enjoyed this book. Finally found time to read it and it was hard to put down.
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I liked the way the story combined Rapunzel and Snow White it made an interesting cast of characters. The setting was also well done but overall I was still a little underwhelmed by the story.
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The Fairest Of Them All by Carolyn Turgeon
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The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club's Review:
Review:
Don't get fooled by the beautiful cover of this incredible book. This is not a lovely fairy tale where everyone lives happily ever after and the evil queen ends up dead or being good. And it's not for sure the story about Rapunzel or Snow White that we all now. Because as you know, Rapunzel was not Snow White's step mom, but in this book she is.
We think that seeing the point of view of Rapunzel was much more fun that reading about a corny story about a princess waiting for prince Charming. Don't get me wrong, I love those corny stories, but being evil, in this story, is much more fun!
Reading about Rapunzel's story, you get an insight into her life. Why and howe she evolves from being that girl in the tower with the long, long hair ending up being the evil queen who want Snow White dead more than anything in her life.
At the beginning, you can see how Rapunzel was all innocent and trustful, letting in her a life a handsome Prince full of promises and beautiful words. She opens her heart to him and he ends up marrying another woman. So you can see how Rapunzel started hating the other woman and asking herself why not her. You even feel sorry for her.
And it's not far after that when she gets what she wanted: the prince and the kingdom. Why not? Even the evil queens deserve a happy ending. But what Rapunzel can't get out of her head is that she's not the fairest of them all, so being the most beautiful of her kingdom becomes her first priority. That's where Snow White enters in the story. When Rapunzel asks the mirror who the fairest of them all is, what do you think it tells her? Not her, for sure. That's when the seed of evilness starts to grow in Rapunzel.
But that's not all. If we have to talk about differences from the original stories that make this book such a killer one, we have to talk about Snow White, too. We have read and seen in movies and TV shows, howe Snow White is the good and forgiving person that everyone tries to be, the saint that cannot be enticed by evil or would not dare doing or saying something considered bad or evil. As a normal person, this version of Snow White has her own character and personality and it's not so saint as every book/movie showed us. You even start, at some point in the story, understanding Rapunzel's hate for this girl.
In general, the story was incredible, captivating, with a catching prologue and a strong plot. How Carolyn Turgeon did to create this awesome mix of fairy tales, escapes our knowledge, but we know one thing: she did a wonderful job. Bringing a dark touch to the fairy story that we know all so well, Carolyn created a story full of unraveling events and twists that were not expecting at all. AT ALL!
So what's our verdict? We loved this book! So much that we have to thank Carolyn to bring to our world this wonderful new story. So you need to read this book, Book Addicts. Because you are going to get hooked with this one.
Let the magic of Rapunzel and Snow White enter your shelves, Book Addicts, and let us know what you think about this book, because we are giving a five gorjuss dolls from our rating system.
Dream Cast:
Taylor Swift as Rapunzel
Ian Somerhalder as Prince Josef
Bailee Madison as Snow White
Julian Morris as Gilles
