This is a wonderful novel by Shannon Hale which retells the classic Goose Girl fairytale in a whirlwind of twists and turns that keep readers turning page after page.
This book follows the story of the Princess Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee (Ani). Ani is a young crown princess, destined to take the throne of her kingdom, but her mother betroths her to a prince in a far-off kingdom instead. Confused and slightly heartbroken, Ani sets off to meet the prince. Along the way, her handmaid betrays her, taking everything from Ani and stranding her in the forest as her handmaid goes forward to claim herself as the crown princess to the foreign prince.
Stripped of royalty, Ani has to find a way to reclaim her title and her rightful place as the betrothed princess of Bayern. She becomes a goose girl, herding the King’s geese with some Forest teens. Gifted with the ability to learn animal languages, Ani draws the curiosity of the other animal herders. Befriending them, Ani is able to rally them to fight off her handmaid and prove to the king and prince that she is the true princess.
This story was very intriguing as it incorporated magic and romance in a realistic way. I loved the elemental abilities and explanation of people-speaking. Overall, it was a pleasing novel and an amazing beginning to the rest of the Books of Bayern series.
If this story was to be made into a movie, it would be PG. The language was clean, and there was little violence. Some of the story was more centered on teens and young adults, however, younger kids would enjoy it too!
My rating on this book would be 4.5 stars. My reason for this is that there were several spots in the book that seemed to drag on forever. Although these were difficult to read, once you get past these spots, the rest of the book is amazing.
The Goose Girl is an enchanting retelling of the classic fairytale that draws readers into a magical world of romance, culture, and adventure.
