The Witch’s Tower (Twisted Ever After Book 1)

Young Adult

Gothel is a witch who is tied to a tower that holds the Princess Rapunzel inside. The Princess has long, heavy hair that limits her movement. Gothel has to stand guard over the tower, or she dies. One day a prince and his squire arrive at the tower. They want to save the princess but the only way to break the curse is to cut Rapunzel’s hair. The only thing that can cut Rapunzel’s hair is a pair of magical shears. The squire, named Raj, and Gothel make a plan to obtain the shears, which are guarded by powerful witches. On their quest they are joined by a dark elf and a shapeshifting wolf. Throughout their quest, Gothel becomes more attached to Raj, but knows what her future holds if they succeed.  

This story is not a typical fairytale! This well-known tale is filled with strong characters and dark twists and turns. It is wonderful to read about the popular Rapunzel story from Gothel’s point of view. Her development is wonderful. Even though she is courageous, she is used by everyone around her and is very quick to forgive but needs to find out her true potential. Gothel and Raj have great chemistry and will make reader’s root for them. The dialogue is something to get used to as it is a bit stilted. The pacing is also uneven. Some events fly by while some get drawn out. However, this world is dark and creative! It is filled with unique creatures that add to the wonder of it all.  This twisted tale will leave reader’s wanting more!

Amanda Hupe