I’m not usually a fan of graphic novels, but Rapunzel’s Revenge is one of the few graphic novels I read.
You know the story Rapunzel, right? You know, her dad steals rapunzel lettuce for her mom from a witch named Gothel, Gothel takes their daughter, Rapunzel, and traps her in a tower. A prince comes and they live happily ever after. The End. (Gothel interferes before they live “happily ever after,” but I’m not going to get into that.)
Anyway, Rapunzel’s Revenge is sort of a wild west story with a western version of Rapunzel that lassos and whips things and people with her braids. (If you look on the cover of the book you’ll see Rapunzel wearing cowboy getup.) Here’s how the story goes:
Rapunzel is living with Gothel in a huge villa and thinks she is her mom.
She also doesn’t know that Gothel uses growth magic to make people pay her taxes. If they don’t, she makes their farmland dry up. I guess you could say Gothel was the Supreme Ruler of the Universe or something like that.
When Rapunzel meets her real mother, who is forced to work in Gothel’s mines, Gothel locks her “daughter” up in a really tall tree with a room at the top. Ta da! An organic tower.
Rapunzel escapes her tower and meets Jack (and the beanstalk) at a Western Saloon where he tricks her into stealing horses. They become friends and go back to Gothel’s to teach her a lesson on blackmailing innocent people and enslaving Rapunzel’s mother.
I also really love the pictures and the fact that the authors incorporate humor and sarcasm into the story.
I first read this book in 3rd grade and I’m 12 now, so I would probably say this book would interest 9-12 year olds. Or maybe 9-14.
I would give this book a 5 out of 5 star rating.
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