Golden: A Retelling of "Rapunzel" (Once Upon a Time)

"Once upon a Time"

Is Timeless

Before Rapunzel's birth, her mother made a dangerous deal with the sorceress Melisande: If she could not love newborn Rapunzel just as she appeared, she would surrender the child to Melisande. When Rapunzel was born completely bald and without hope of ever growing hair, her horrified mother sent her away with the sorceress to an uncertain future.

After sixteen years of raising Rapunzel as her own child, Melisande reveals that she has another daughter, Rue, who was cursed by a wizard years ago and needs Rapunzel's help. Rue and Rapunzel have precisely "two nights and the day that falls between" to break the enchantment. But bitterness and envy come between the girls, and if they fail to work together, Rue will remain cursed...forever.

Customer Reviews:

A Cute, Funny, Romantic Take on the Rapunzel Story

By B. Calhoun - February 19, 2008

When the sorceress Melisande catches her neighbor stealing the herb known as rapunzel for his pregnant wife, she makes a deal: the wife can have as much rapunzel as she likes, but if she cannot love her baby just as she is, Melisande will take possession of the child. Of course, the vain, selfish mother cannot bring herself to love the baby when it is born completely bald, so Melisande takes the child, who she names Rapunzel. Rapunzel never grows hair and is therefore considered something of an oddity by most people, but she is loved by Melisande and is, for the most part, quite happy. Rapunzel also makes friends with a tinker named Mr. Jones and his handsome adopted son, Harry.

When Rapunzel is sixteen, a heatwave causes a drought and crop failure and Rapunzel is rightly worried that a mob will take its frustration out on the local sorceress and her oddly bald daughter. After abandoning their home, Melisande reveals her secret to Rapunzel: she has a biological daughter... read more

Loved this one

By small review - May 2, 2010

A retelling of the fairy tale Rapunzel from the Once Upon a Time series reimagined with a completely bald Rapunzel. How can that possibly work, you say? Well, all I can say without giving anything away is that Dokey makes it work. With the exception of Belle, all of Dokey's retellings have been filled with inventive and often unexpected twists that somehow manage to be not only enjoyable, but also beautifully compliment the original tales. It also helps that her characters are endearing and fun to read, and Golden's characters are no exception. Also continuing her pattern is the presence of not one, but two sets of lovers whose eventual pairing is left up in the air until the very end. Recommended.

Rapunzel will never be the same

By D. Allensworth "Wordzilla" - June 1, 2008

Golden was the first book I read of the Once Upon a Time series. It captured my imagination and now I own all the books of the series. I've always been a sucker for a great fairy tale and Golden did not let me down. The book is mesmerizing right from the first page and character development is remarkable. Cameron Dokey creates a Rapunzel never before seen. She is a stronge heroine and her journey to discover the value of herself is something that we can all learn from. This book is a must read for all ages.