2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I really like fairy tale retellings, so I was eager to read this book. It is a good book, but not so much about fairy tales as about the Holocaust and one girl's struggle to uncover her grandmothers past.
Becca's grandmother, Gemma, always tells the story of Sleeping Beauty. As Gemma ages and gets sick, the story of Sleeping Beauty is the only thing she ever says. When Gemma passes she leaves a mysterious box of trinkets for Becca. Becca has promised to track down her grandmother's past and uses the box of clippings and trinkets to find out the story of her grandmother who thought she was a Polish Princess.
This was a very well-written book and a very interesting idea. When I realized that this was a book that merged the story of Sleeping Beauty with the Holocaust I was a bit taken aback. I mean the origins of fairy tales are never pretty, but I can't think of an uglier time in human history than the Holocaust. The chapters alternate between short snippets of Gemma reciting her version of Sleeping Beauty and chapters following Becca's journey to find out what happened to Gemma.
More than anything this is a fairly accurate fictional accounting of events that happened during the Holocaust; as you might expect this makes for a somewhat sad, depressing, and distressing read. This story is much more about history, the origins of fairy tales in general, and human nature than it is about Sleeping Beauty. While there are some echoes of hope throughout the book, the majority of it explores the evils of the Holocaust and the struggles people went through during that time. The renditions of some of the actions taken by the Nazis are disturbing and accurate, although not overly gory.
The story itself is very engaging and hard to put down as you are struggling to guess what Becca will find out about her grandmother. All in all it was a good read, just not necessarily a pleasant one. I have read works by Yolen before and her writing style is excellent; I am not used to her dealing with such a serious topic.
Overall, this was an excellent read. People should be prepared more for a different variation of Holocaust events than a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. This book is about so much more than fairy tales. Yolen also has a brief afterward telling which events in the book really happened and which she fabricated to meet the stories needs. For those of you who have read enough about the Holocaust to know how truly disturbing it was; you may want to skip this. I do think that everyone should be exposed to the horrors of those times though so that they are remembered...and this book does an excellent job of doing that while pulling readers through anintriguing story at the same time.
Becca's grandmother, Gemma, always tells the story of Sleeping Beauty. As Gemma ages and gets sick, the story of Sleeping Beauty is the only thing she ever says. When Gemma passes she leaves a mysterious box of trinkets for Becca. Becca has promised to track down her grandmother's past and uses the box of clippings and trinkets to find out the story of her grandmother who thought she was a Polish Princess.
This was a very well-written book and a very interesting idea. When I realized that this was a book that merged the story of Sleeping Beauty with the Holocaust I was a bit taken aback. I mean the origins of fairy tales are never pretty, but I can't think of an uglier time in human history than the Holocaust. The chapters alternate between short snippets of Gemma reciting her version of Sleeping Beauty and chapters following Becca's journey to find out what happened to Gemma.
More than anything this is a fairly accurate fictional accounting of events that happened during the Holocaust; as you might expect this makes for a somewhat sad, depressing, and distressing read. This story is much more about history, the origins of fairy tales in general, and human nature than it is about Sleeping Beauty. While there are some echoes of hope throughout the book, the majority of it explores the evils of the Holocaust and the struggles people went through during that time. The renditions of some of the actions taken by the Nazis are disturbing and accurate, although not overly gory.
The story itself is very engaging and hard to put down as you are struggling to guess what Becca will find out about her grandmother. All in all it was a good read, just not necessarily a pleasant one. I have read works by Yolen before and her writing style is excellent; I am not used to her dealing with such a serious topic.
Overall, this was an excellent read. People should be prepared more for a different variation of Holocaust events than a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. This book is about so much more than fairy tales. Yolen also has a brief afterward telling which events in the book really happened and which she fabricated to meet the stories needs. For those of you who have read enough about the Holocaust to know how truly disturbing it was; you may want to skip this. I do think that everyone should be exposed to the horrors of those times though so that they are remembered...and this book does an excellent job of doing that while pulling readers through anintriguing story at the same time.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a very different book. I like how the author intertwines the fairy tale Briar Rose into the Story of Gemma who survives the Holocaust.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
What to not to expect: A traditional retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Sleeping Beauty is used as a metaphor or rather a clue to a greater mystery.
What to expect: A great story that is not only about a modern day family trying to uncover a past secret, but that the secret that leads back to the holocaust.
A wonderful read whether you are 17 or 71.
What to expect: A great story that is not only about a modern day family trying to uncover a past secret, but that the secret that leads back to the holocaust.
A wonderful read whether you are 17 or 71.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
My son had to read this book for school. I though it sounded interesting, so I read it. Excellent book. "The bright tale of sleeping beauty, the dark tale of the holocaust--twined together in a story you will never forget."
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I loved this novel
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Fairy tale mixed with WWII & Holocaust revelations. A good story with a bit of history mixed in. A bit of romance and a bit of family tales. This book takes the story of Sleeping Beauty and mixes it up with real life.
A very powerful & moving book.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Its a mix of the cinderella story and a holocaust tale. Its great!
I didn't exactly mean to read this in one sitting, but that is just what happened! This book is loosely based on the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty, but is set in Poland during WWII. The history is tragic and the writing is pretty solid, but there is a definite loss of magic that should be at the heart of every fairy tale - retold or not. Still, I did enjoy it.