Yesterday, I finished reading The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale.  It’s the first book in the Books of Bayern series.

The Goose Girl is a retelling of the fairy tale written by the Brothers Grimm.  I wasn’t as familiar with this story as I was with other Brothers Grimm works, so I looked up information about the original fairy tale because I wanted to know more about it.  I was surprised to see how much Shannon followed the original telling.  I really liked her twist on the events, aspects of the setting, portrayal of the characters, and additions to make the story more fun and fantastical.

This is the first book I’ve ever read written by Shannon Hale. I had heard from several people that her books are really good, so I wanted to give her a try.  And, since I knew she would be in town, I decided to get the book, so I could get it signed. (I actually got the book from Brodi Ashton, a great blogger and soon-t0-be-published YA author, for “following” her blog.  She’s seriously hilarious! You should check out her blog.)

I really enjoyed The Goose Girl.  Even though I wasn’t immediately captivated by the story, I found it enjoyable and I love Shannon’s way with words.  In an interview written in the back of Enna Burning, the second book in the Books of Bayern series, Shannon describes exactly the way I felt about her writing in The Goose Girl:

I’m so impressed with writers who grip the reader from the very beginning, but I can’t seem to do it.  I’m cursed to have to build a story slowly, it seems.  And I can’t do a book in two or three drafts as some do, but a minimum of a dozen full rewrites…. I love trying to find just the right words, just the right way to say something.

I thought she did an excellent job at “find[ing] just the right words, just the right way to say something.”  She’s definitely a master wordsmith and I’m glad I gave her writing a try.  I want to read her other books and I’m especially excited to read Enna Burning to see how the story progresses.