The Book of Gothel
"Smart, swift, sure-footed and fleet-winged, The Book of Gothel launches its magic from a most reliable source: the troubled heart. Mary McMyne is a magician."—Gregory Maguire, NYT bestselling author of Wicked
Everyone knows the tale of Rapunzel in her tower, but do you know the story of the witch who put her there?
Haelewise has always lived under the shadow of her mother, Hedda—a woman who will do anything to keep her daughter protected. For with her strange black eyes and even stranger fainting spells, Haelewise is shunned by her medieval village, and her only solace lies in the stories her mother tells of child-stealing witches, of princes in wolf-skins, of an ancient tower cloaked in mist, where women will find shelter if they are brave enough to seek it.
Then, Hedda dies, and Haelewise is left unmoored. With nothing left for her in her village, she sets out to find the legendary tower her mother used to speak of—a place called Gothel, where Haelewise meets a wise woman willing to take her under her wing.
But Haelewise is not the only woman to seek refuge at Gothel. It’s also a haven for a girl named Rika, who carries with her a secret the Church strives to keep hidden. A secret that unlocks a dark world of ancient spells and murderous nobles behind the world Haelewise has always known…
“McMyne’s shimmering debut... is a sprawling epic, full of magic, love, and heartbreak. Fans of Circe and The Wolf and the Woodsman will devour this taut, empowering fairy tale.”—Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)
Title: The Book of Gothel
Author: Mary McMyne
Genre: Fantasy
Paperback: 400 pages
Publication Date: 07/28/2022
Publisher: Redhook Books
Language: English
ISBN: 0356517713
ISBN-13: 9780356517711
My Review
The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne was an amazing tale filled with old lore and spirit. ️ Absolutely fantastic if folktales or the magic of fairytales is your goblet.
Quote per publisher "Everyone knows the tale of Rapunzel in her tower, but do you know the story of the witch who put her there?"
There is a prevailing sense that’s never left me since my childhood and that is the magic and simultaneous fear of forests and fairytales. One can say, they are ingrained or fused into my entire being. Having been raised with Brother Grimm’s fairytales mainly, this eerieness, this sense of awe, has never left me and I experience it as an adult still, when I get the right story into my hands.
The Book of Gothel was everything I look for in a fairytale that has not been written yet!
This is not a retelling but takes place before Rapunzel’s time as we know it. The story begins with a professor traveling to Germany upon receiving an invitation to analyze a book found in an old cellar. The book of Gothel unfolds like the story of a diary that has been passed down by generations and tells the story of the peasant girl Haelewise, her mother and grandmother in the 13th century, rooted in parts of the true history of the famous abbess, Hildegard von Bingen. Immediately one picks up on the time setting and characterization in the novel. Forests, little medieval villages, markets, apothecaries, apprenticeships, and Christianity build the contrasting frame around pagan worship, herbalism, spirits, and the supernatural.
Haelewise is ousted in her town for her fainting spells and her mother's attempt to heal her with the remedies of Mother Goddess. Practicing midwifery won't keep her afloat after her mother dies since everyone blames her for the deaths of the lives she touches and her father leaves the home. In the forest, she finds refuge in a tower shrouded in mist and through the practice of herbalism, finds guidance from her mother. What has been protected from her the entire life, now unfolds in a series of circumstances that she must overcome while enciphering the truth of her mother's secrets long guarded.
This story feels fresh and authentic to stand on its own. The author's research of the old ways and language were surprisingly accurate and left untranslated in parts for authenticity. The plot unfolds richly with intrigue and crooked ways from nobility, unforeseen twists, and mystery. Plenty of heart in it too.
I truly enjoyed this novel and didn’t want it to end. Lovers of historical folktales and fairytales would enjoy this book too.
I highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
All opinions are my own.
Thank you!
