Product Description

'Hale's writing is beautiful, with a vivid eye for detail' Daily Telegraph Anidora-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kilindree, spent the first years of her life listening to her aunt's incredible stories, and learning the language of the birds. Little knowing how valuable her aunt's strange knowledge would prove to be when she grew older. From the Grimm's fairy tale of the princess who became a goose girl before she could become a queen, Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original and magical tale of a girl who must understand her own incredible talents before she can overcome those who wish her harm. Shannon Hale has drawn on her incredible gift for storytelling to create a powerful and magical grown-up fairy tale.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #248329 in Books
• Published on: 2005-01-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Review
'In layer upon layer of detail a beautiful coming-of-age story emerges, a tale about learning to rescue yourself rather than falling accidentally into the happily-ever-after' New York Times 'Hale tells the goose girl's story with imagination and a tremendous devotion to the texture of the world in which the narrative unfolds.' The Guardian 'A masterpiece that will win a permanent place in children's hearts'. The Independent 'A sophisticated fairy story that will appeal to girls with a taste for adventure and romance' Financial Times

About the Author
The Goose Girl was Shannon Hale's powerful debut in the world of children's fiction, followed by the wonderful Enna Burning, also published by Bloomsbury.

Customer Reviews

Fascinating and absorbing
The fact that 'The Goose Girl' is one of the lesser known tales by the Brothers Grimm makes this book all the more interesting (I doubt you could find many people who could tell you the basics of the story, unlike more well-known stories such as 'Sleeping Beauty', 'Snow White', 'Red Riding Hood' etc.). If you have read the original tale, however, this gives the story a deeper resonance, as you recognise certain characters who have been given a bigger role and more complexity.

Frankly, in the original story, the goose girl is a bit of a wimp, a real dumb blonde, but Hale gives her retiring nature a psychological background, so you sympathise with her instead of feeling irritated or uncaring about her fate. The relationship with the maid is particularly interesting, given that Ani believes this girl is her only friend. She feels like she's a failure as a princess, unable to live up to her mother's and other people's expectations: only her father and her horse Falada accept her as she is. But then her father dies, and Ani discovers that instead of inheriting the throne, she is to marry the prince of the neighbouring country, in order to avoid a war. Her mother gives her two gifts as she goes, in order to safeguard her, but she loses them, and so begins the real story of 'The Goose Girl', namely a girl finding herself and her feet in a strange country.

Ani's gradual development is realistic and interesting. Curdken's role and character are both expanded, and he becomes far more likeable in the process. The tragedy that happens to Falada is even more horrific in this story than it is in the original. The final three chapters of the story are really tense - even though you know things end happily ever after, you really do wonder how Hale will achieve this, and that is a mark of how good this book is. It's sad and scary sometimes, funny and sweet at others, and I'll certainly be reading it again.

Shannen...!
I have this book on CD & I enjoyed every moment of it.

What a breath of fresh air she is. Like Tamora Pierce, Hale paints her characters very well.

The Goose Girl is a retelling of an old fairy tale. It tells the story of Ani, a relectant princess who is sent by her mother to another country to marry a prince. On the way, some of her company of guards rebel and attempt to kill her and replace her with her lady in waiting. Ani is forced to run. With murderous guards searching for her, she has to learn how to survive. She gets a job in city herding the geese and, whilst doing so, learns about herself and world.

What makes this story so utterly fantastic is that Ani is so well drawn. She starts off being very insecure & ignorant but by the end, Ani grows into a confident, assured young woman who knows exactly who she is.

The icing on this cake was the excellent drama. I felt as if I was watching a film. All scenes, horrfic, sad, touching, were vividly painted. The action scenes were very tense, I caught myself biting my nails at one point. The death of Ani's horse was also handled well. Even the telepathic relationship between the two utterly convinced this irritable skeptic.

I have become a big Hale fan. I am really looking forward to what this talented author does next.

an unputdown-able grown up fairy tale
When i first heard of Goose Girl, I didn't think it would be that special. I mean, a Princess goes to another kingdom to marry a Prince?...It didn't seem like much of a book! But I SO wrong!

Princess Anidori is sent from her home in Kildenree to marry a Prince is Bayern, a far off kingdom to form an alliance between the two kingdoms. It's a long journey from Kildenree to Bayern, and Ani's lady-in-waiting has beome jelouse of Ani's luxurious royal lifestyle...

Goose Girl is not your average fairy tale, the princess has to help herself instead of having a fairy godmother sort out all her problems.

I would recommend this book to anyone aged 12/13+ (particularly girls) because it's an easy-to-read grown up fairy story. If you love Goose Girl, DEFFINATLEY read Enna Burning, the second book. I read it in a day becuase i just couldn't resist turning the page!
Shannon Hale really knows how to write a good story, Goose Girl is exciting from start to finish. Buy Goose Girl and you won't be wasting a single penny!

Get offline and read it now! xxx