Bound To Stay Bound

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School Library Journal - 03/01/2015 Gr 6 Up—The traditional fairy tale of Rapunzel gets a new treatment in the land of Tyme, a mythical continent on the Tranquil Sea. Readers meet Rapunzel as a happy girl, delighted with her home and the woman she calls Witch, who tends to her every need. Princes have come and gone, vowing their love for her, but since "ground people are liars," she rebukes them and lives contentedly in her tower. That situation quickly changes with the arrival of Jack, a young boy who ascends the tower seeking a cure for a badly injured fairy. Remembering nothing of his previous visit, Rapunzel casts him out of the tower, but he returns the next day with more stories about fairies and their powerful magic that will bring harm to Witch. Concerned for Witch's safety, Rapunzel climbs out of the tower and hence becomes "grounded" with only Jack to guide her through foreign lands. The fairies capture Rapunzel and agree to spare her life only if she follows Jack on a journey to locate the Woodmother and learns the truth about her sheltered life. The story line moves swiftly as Jack and Rapunzel face evil Stalkers, thieving bandits, biting cold, and an uncertain food supply. The relationship between the characters develops in a predictable but realistic way and is woven into a story that has plenty of suspense and intrigue. The conclusion neatly ties up the major plotlines, while leaving sufficient room for a sequel. VERDICT Fans of traditional and fractured fairy tales will thoroughly enjoy this new twist on an old story.—Anne Jung-Mathews, Plymouth State University, NH - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 04/15/2015 Fairy tale meets funny in this fresh take on Rapunzel, the first of a planned series. Here Rapunzel is a perfect princess, kept in a tower by a witch for her own safety. Bolstered by stories of stupid, cowardly, and rude peasants and princes, she is happy to stay away from the rabble, but when thief Jack comes calling, she is delightfully surprised and more than happy to trade sharp wits with him. Rapunzel chases after Jack—just to chastise him—but she gets drawn in by the quick, playful boy and his quest to help the Red Fairies. She is soon in the thick of Tyme, a place she has never set foot before, and here she will find adventure and the courage to face anything, even her once-beloved Witch. The realm of Tyme fits in well with the current modern-fairy-tale trend, and Morrison’s cuttingly clever take on classic tales will please readers and keep them hungry for more. Finding out the truth behind the tale has never been so snarky. - Copyright 2015 Booklist.

Bulletin for the Center... - 06/01/2015 Morrison’s version of Rapunzel has no interest in being rescued, thank you very much, and she’s perfectly content to stay in her tower where her every need is met by her beloved Witch. So when Jack Beanstalker manages to trick Rapunzel out of her tower, she’s desperate to get away from the filthy “grounded” peasants and back to her elevated home; however, a powerful Red Fairy captures Rapunzel and tasks her with finding the Woodmother. Terrified that the fairy will kill Witch, Rapunzel agrees, and with Jack as her guide and her long braid in tow, she travels across the land of Tyme, facing down fearsome magical creatures and merciless bandits. It’s the revelations of the Woodmother, however, that end up being the greatest challenge to Rapunzel as she learns uncomfortable truths about herself, her history, and Witch. Morrison has a deft hand with both world-building and pacing, carefully constructing the geography and various politics of the fairy-tale world of Tyme in between chase scenes, bridge collapses, narrow escapes, and bargains with all sorts of devious beings. Rapunzel and Jack have an easy, witty banter going as they quest, adding a much appreciated dollop of humor to their tale, but the beating heart of this story lies with Rapunzel, whose love for Witch remains steadfast even as she discovers the woman’s monstrous deeds. Their final encounter is a devastating display of the complexities of love and the virtue of forgiveness, giving this fractured fairy tale a surprisingly deep emotional element. Fans of the recent Maleficent and readers who are wise enough to understand that there is more than one side to a story will find this to their liking. KQG - Copyright 2015 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

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