Title: The Goose Girl

Author: Shannon Hale

Series: Books of Bayern #1

Genre: Fantasy (YA)

Pages: 400 Pages (Paperback)

Original Publication Date: August 8, 2003

Overall Rating:
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Summary from Goodreads

She can whisper to horses and communicate with birds, but the crown princess Ani has a difficult time finding her place in the royal family and measuring up to her imperial mother. When she is shipped off to a neighboring kingdom as a bride, her scheming entourage mounts a bloody mutiny to replace her with a jealous lady-in-waiting, Selia, and to allow an inner circle of guards more power in the new land. Barely escaping with her life, Ani disguises herself as a goose girl and wanders on the royal estate. Does she have the pluck to reclaim her rightful place?

Get ready for a fine adventure tale full of danger, suspense, surprising twists, and a satisfying conclusion. The engaging plot can certainly carry the tale, but Hale’s likable, introspective heroine makes this also a book about courage and justice in the face of overwhelming odds. The richly rendered, medieval folkloric setting adds to the charm.

My Thoughts

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’d be in town, I decided to get the book so I could get it signed. ;)

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.