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A review by ladytiara
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
4.0
Briar Rose is a unique and inspired retelling of the story of Sleeping Beauty. It is part of the Fairy Tale series organized by Terri Windling, which features a number of classic tales retold by well-known fantasy authors.
In this version of the fairy tale, a young woman named Rebecca is very close to her grandmother Gemma. As children, Rebecca and her two older sisters loved to hear their grandmother tell them the story of Briar Rose. The older sisters outgrew their interest in the fairy tale, but even as an adult, Rebecca still likes to hear her grandmother tell it. On her deathbed, Gemma insists to Rebecca, “I am Briar Rose.” The rest of the family thinks she’s confused the fairy tale with reality, but Rebecca is determined to investigate her grandmother’s past. When she starts asking questions, she realizes the family knows almost nothing about Gemma. When she came to the United States, where she came from, and even her real name are mysteries.
Rebecca’s journey into her grandmother’s past takes her deep into the horrors of the Holocaust. But amidst the violence and brutality, she finds humanity and hope. Yolen’s prose is simple and lyrical, and the story moved me greatly. My only complaint is a subplot involving a potential romance for Rebecca. It felt tacked on, and it didn’t really add anything to the story. This minor issue aside, I highly recommend this book.
One note of caution: although the book is classified as young adult, the violence and sexual themes in the book may not be appropriate for very young readers. It should be fine for teenagers.
In this version of the fairy tale, a young woman named Rebecca is very close to her grandmother Gemma. As children, Rebecca and her two older sisters loved to hear their grandmother tell them the story of Briar Rose. The older sisters outgrew their interest in the fairy tale, but even as an adult, Rebecca still likes to hear her grandmother tell it. On her deathbed, Gemma insists to Rebecca, “I am Briar Rose.” The rest of the family thinks she’s confused the fairy tale with reality, but Rebecca is determined to investigate her grandmother’s past. When she starts asking questions, she realizes the family knows almost nothing about Gemma. When she came to the United States, where she came from, and even her real name are mysteries.
Rebecca’s journey into her grandmother’s past takes her deep into the horrors of the Holocaust. But amidst the violence and brutality, she finds humanity and hope. Yolen’s prose is simple and lyrical, and the story moved me greatly. My only complaint is a subplot involving a potential romance for Rebecca. It felt tacked on, and it didn’t really add anything to the story. This minor issue aside, I highly recommend this book.
One note of caution: although the book is classified as young adult, the violence and sexual themes in the book may not be appropriate for very young readers. It should be fine for teenagers.