The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale

Last fall, in a Newberry Award streak, I picked up Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale (a 2006 Newberry Honor book). I loved the book, and the fact that Shannon Hales lives near me. In fact, I recently went to one of her signings. Anyway, after Princess Academy, I read Book of a Thousand Days and Austenland. I hadn’t, though, delved into her Bayern series. Thus, when my book club picked the first Bayern book, The Goose Girl, for this month’s read, I was thrilled.

The Goose Girl is based on the fairy tale of the same name. I knew the basic plot of the fairy tale (princess goes to marry a prince in a foreign land, her lady-in-waiting switches places and tells everyone she is the princess, the princess becomes a goose-keeper, eventually the true princess is restored to her rightful place and the lady-in-waiting is killed), but Hale’s retelling of the book was intruiging and magical and heartfelt. I was swept along with Ani/Isi (the goose girl) and her tale of becoming a princess by being a commoner. The character development was a little spotty with regard to most of the other characters, as with most fairy tales, but the development of Ani was amazing. I felt her uncertainty and longing and the building of her character and sense of self. (Also, I loved the prince.)

Some of the more fantastical elements, like Ani’s the communications with the wind, were a little much for me. But I loved Ani’s mystical aunt and Ani’s communications with Jok, the goose, and Falada, her horse. There was a bit of everything in this story: heartbreak, intrigue, murder, royalty, love, friendship, betrayal, loyalty, bravery, and self-discovery. And, most importantly, they all lived happily ever after. At least until the next book starts. Sigh. I’ll read this book again. And again.

The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale

Other reviews:
A Striped Armchair
The Written Word
Melody’s Reading Corner
Things Mean a Lot
Blue Archipelago

Buy The Goose Girl at Amazon.com.