The Ghost In The Tower (+Giveaway)

Have you ever read a book, been completely fascinated by it, but have absolutely no idea why? No? Well…phooey on you then. (Just kidding. Maybe.) That was exactly the case for me when I finally sat my stubborn booty down and read “Rapunzel Untangled.”

See…Rapunzel is a pretty big deal in my house (and by big I mean I hear “LET DOWN YOUR HAAAIIIRRRR” at least five time a day coming from my 4-year-old daughters room) So when I saw that Ms. Bennett was looking for reviewers for her Rapunzel themed novel, not pouncing was not an option. (Do you KNOW how cool it was when my daughter asked me “What are you reading mommy?” and I could answer with something that didn’t involve zombies or jilted lovers? Let’s just say it started with awe and ended with some.)

Anyways, (back to the subject at hand…”facinated and don’t know why”) I could sit here and lie to you. Tell you that RU was action packed, that I was floored by the characters…drawn in to their trails and tribulations to the point of disillusion (which would explain my inability to put this book down) but that’s not the case. The truth is…this book interested me because of my daughter. My tiny little Rapunzel obsessed mini-me.

“Rapunzel is not your average teenager.

For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world from certain destruction. But then she meets a boy named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk everything familiar to find out who she really is.

Filled with romance, adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won’t want to put down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to the classic fairy-tale.”

So…what about the story? Well, for starters…there wasn’t much of one.

I have read the original (short) story of Rapunzel, and I loved it. Though short…it illustrated the consequences and rewards of longing, love, and deception. So a longer more in-depth version was in my mind…a stroke of genius.

However as I rounded the 60% mark I realized I wasn’t feeling a connection to the story at all. The characters were ok. Rapunzel was appropriately naive. Fane was self-assured and loving. Even Gothel was mean and deceptive in all of the right places.

So what was wrong?

The characters never evolved past their initial introduction. The story was slow. The same halls were explored over and over. The same concerns were address ad nauseam  The same bad attitude erupted from her mother at the mere mention of freedom. Without a forward moving plot for the majority of the book, I felt as if I was in a holding pattern circling the airport.

I wanted adventure! I wanted passion! I wanted Rapunzel to take her life back.

Instead I was offered up a quick solution to an average story. A story that HAD twists (like a room that was covered floor to ceiling in 6’s and charred from a previous fire.) It had turns (staircases that supposedly went nowhere) Heck..it even had a heavy dose of mystery (mamma Gothel was a husband killer?) the problem was…all of these things were just left hanging. Like an ad-lib that was never finished.

Now, don’t get me wrong…I’m not saying the book was all bad. Even though it kind of sounds that way. I just wish Bennett would have taken more chances with the story that she was trying to tell. Made things MORE uncomfortable. Pushed herself. Instead, she wrote an everyday average book about a girl who has long hair and a boy who fell in love with her over Facebook.

In short…not the best. Not the worst. Just average.

Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: Tell the story that makes your heart race. Not the one that makes it beat.

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About the Author

Cindy C Bennett was born and raised in beautiful Salt Lake City, growing up in the shadows of the majestic Rocky Mountains. She and her husband – who happens to be her high-school sweetheart – raised two sons and two daughters. She’s now blessed with two daughters-in-law as well. She developed a love of writing in high school when a teacher introduced her to the joys of escaping reality for ten minutes each day in writing.

When she’s not writing, reading, or answering emails (notice there’s no mention of cleaning, cooking, or anything remotely domestic), she can often be found riding her Harley through the beautiful canyons near her home. (Yes, she rides a Harley.)

Stalk Cindy at:  Blog    Facebook    Twitter    Goodreads

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