Book Review: Grounded – The Adventures of Rapunzel by Megan Morrison

Title: Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel (Tyme #1)
Author: Megan Morrison
Genre: Fantasy/fairytale adaptation
Date Read: 29/04/2015 – 01/05/2015
Rating: ★★★★★

Review:

I discovered this book entirely by accident, and boy, am I glad I did! I had been looking for a Rapunzel adaptation that really explored the psychological effects of Rapunzel’s isolation, and this book captured it perfectly!

In Grounded, we meet a Rapunzel with a completely perfect life. She has her tower, she’s looked after by Witch, and she is kept safe from the peasants that would try to poison her below. That is until a boy named Jack climbs through her window and claims that she had met him the day before. The next thing Rapunzel knows, she’s climbing down her tower and joining Jack on an adventure in a world she’s never experienced. As they travel, Rapunzel begins to learn that Witch hasn’t been telling her the whole truth, and that maybe she might even be better off without her.

Both the characters and the world-building are outstanding. Rapunzel has grown up in one of many realms within Tyme, and throughout the book, she and Jack end up exploring several of them, and hearing about others. My mouth was watering as I read about the different foods available in the marketplace in the Yellow Country, and the descriptions of the Fairy Realm (I will admit that it’s now been a little while since I’ve read the book, so I can’t remember exactly what that realm was called) made me want to visit. There were also hints of other fairytales taking place in some of these other lands, something I assume will be explored in later books.

Rapunzel’s characterisation is great. If you’ve seen the movie Tangled, I got a vibe of that version of Rapunzel from this one, though book!Rapunzel is around 12 or 13, rather than 18. I wanted to hug her as she tried to reconcile everything she’d known with the new information she was learning about herself and about Witch, and using leaps of logic to get there. Jack was also sweet if somewhat long-suffering – having to look after Rapunzel was not something he was planning. We got a little bit of his back story in this book, but I think there is much more to come.

This was one of those cases where I found out a book within days of its release, finished it a few days later, and now have to wait who knows how long for the sequel. I have a feeling the wait will be worth it, though!