thaictaff's review
4.0
If you know anything about me, you know I love fairytale retellings, and I am so ready for more lgbtq+ retellings! This story, in a nutshell, was adorable, but at the same time it had some deeper cut meanings and not everything was great and wonderful all the time, that made the novella that much more interesting and at the end, both aspects -fluff and dark- meshed greatly together.
It tells a story of Valentina, the princess of Pouso Dourado, who after her mother's death was locked away by her abusive father. Until one day she finds herself leaving her prison with the help of a stranger who was just passing by.
This story has a certain innocence to it that it feels like a book you should read when you're in middle school, it's so soft and pure, even with the dark undertones of PTSD, violence and abusive parents, it's a great mixture of elements and I really hope more young people read this, I feel like it'd be a great way to start opening their minds to different kinds of people.
Something I personally enjoy in Hollis' writing is that she always add some Brazilian detail on it, and as a Brazilian I absolutely love seeing that, even if it's just some details and touches that wouldn't change the story, it's still there and I really appreciate it.
My only complain about this story is that it wasn't longer. I got so interested in this world, I just need to see more, and more of the side characters as well, hopefully this book will do great and we'll get a lot of retellings like this; soft, fun, light, interesting.
Review also posted at Read. Breathe. Repeat.
It tells a story of Valentina, the princess of Pouso Dourado, who after her mother's death was locked away by her abusive father. Until one day she finds herself leaving her prison with the help of a stranger who was just passing by.
This story has a certain innocence to it that it feels like a book you should read when you're in middle school, it's so soft and pure, even with the dark undertones of PTSD, violence and abusive parents, it's a great mixture of elements and I really hope more young people read this, I feel like it'd be a great way to start opening their minds to different kinds of people.
Something I personally enjoy in Hollis' writing is that she always add some Brazilian detail on it, and as a Brazilian I absolutely love seeing that, even if it's just some details and touches that wouldn't change the story, it's still there and I really appreciate it.
My only complain about this story is that it wasn't longer. I got so interested in this world, I just need to see more, and more of the side characters as well, hopefully this book will do great and we'll get a lot of retellings like this; soft, fun, light, interesting.
Review also posted at Read. Breathe. Repeat.
emeliestegbornblixt's review
3.0
*2.5/5
The story had potential, and I really wanted to like this more than I do. The writing really didn't impress me, but I did like how this novella handled important issues like identity and abuse. I'd be interested to read something more by this author, because my problems with this mostly come down to lack of skill when it comes to the craft of writing - and skill is something which can be improved upon.
The story had potential, and I really wanted to like this more than I do. The writing really didn't impress me, but I did like how this novella handled important issues like identity and abuse. I'd be interested to read something more by this author, because my problems with this mostly come down to lack of skill when it comes to the craft of writing - and skill is something which can be improved upon.
heresthepencil's review
3.0
rep: lesbian mc, bi/pan li, side mlm couple, side poc characters
ARC provided by the author.
So, yes. A Rapunzel retelling. A gay Rapunzel retelling.
(lesbian voice) thank you!!!
Honestly, I don’t think I’ve even ever read the original fairy tale. Like, sure, I know the story more or less but I can’t really tell you what exactly was changed here. Apart from the obvious romance between two girls part, of course. But I’m pretty sure it’s one of brothers Grimm’s so I don’t really wanna fix that. In any case!! This version is lovely and let’s focus on that.
One of the things I loved most about this, was that Hollis took the parts that were clearly working based solely on the fairy tale logic & made them more realistic. And all this while still sustaining that fairy tale charm. The first example that comes to mind would be that while Valentina did have long hair, she used a rope to escape. Because, you know, it would be impossibly painful for anyone to climb using her hair…
Actually the whole story that unfolds is constantly checked to make sure it makes sense. There’s actual logic at play here and every action has believable consequences. I really appreciate that, it makes the book feel more real & the reader more grounded. And somehow gives the lesbian romance more force by giving it roots in a rational world.
Another great addition to the original is definitely that the princess who rescues our Valentine comes from a country inhabited mostly by PoC. It’s a made-up world so it’s not exactly possible to be more specific but I’m pretty sure they’re at least based on Latinx people. Which. Effortless diversity in a gay romance? Thank you.
And that brings me to my most important point. Heterosexuality is very clearly not the norm in this world. God, I don’t even know how many fantasy novels I’ve read where authors created whole new worlds with new magical races and yet still!!! still felt the need to make homophobia into something natural and needed. Not here! What a relief and a blessing!
Ripped Pages never lets you forget it’s a fairy tale though. By which I mean the way it’s written, is prominent only in this specific genre. It would work amazingly published with rich illustrations on every page. God, I would LOVE to buy that for every single kid I know… But yes, while the writing is very clear and the story being told is very lovely, the whole thing feels maybe not weak but… slim? shallow? It’s too short and too much is going on for us to really connect to any of the characters. They’re not as fleshed out as we could want. We’re left with only descriptions in most cases, honestly. Which is why it would work so well as an actual pictures book for kids!! Their imagination would fill all the gaps, add all the needed depth to the story and to the characters.
I don’t think that’s a flaw, just to be clear. Hollis says from the beginning it’s a fairy tale retelling and as such it’s Perfect. It’s just that when we’re judging it by other books standards, it falls a little bit flat. Still enjoyable and very much cute!! Just leaves you wanting more.
ARC provided by the author.
So, yes. A Rapunzel retelling. A gay Rapunzel retelling.
(lesbian voice) thank you!!!
Honestly, I don’t think I’ve even ever read the original fairy tale. Like, sure, I know the story more or less but I can’t really tell you what exactly was changed here. Apart from the obvious romance between two girls part, of course. But I’m pretty sure it’s one of brothers Grimm’s so I don’t really wanna fix that. In any case!! This version is lovely and let’s focus on that.
One of the things I loved most about this, was that Hollis took the parts that were clearly working based solely on the fairy tale logic & made them more realistic. And all this while still sustaining that fairy tale charm. The first example that comes to mind would be that while Valentina did have long hair, she used a rope to escape. Because, you know, it would be impossibly painful for anyone to climb using her hair…
Actually the whole story that unfolds is constantly checked to make sure it makes sense. There’s actual logic at play here and every action has believable consequences. I really appreciate that, it makes the book feel more real & the reader more grounded. And somehow gives the lesbian romance more force by giving it roots in a rational world.
Another great addition to the original is definitely that the princess who rescues our Valentine comes from a country inhabited mostly by PoC. It’s a made-up world so it’s not exactly possible to be more specific but I’m pretty sure they’re at least based on Latinx people. Which. Effortless diversity in a gay romance? Thank you.
And that brings me to my most important point. Heterosexuality is very clearly not the norm in this world. God, I don’t even know how many fantasy novels I’ve read where authors created whole new worlds with new magical races and yet still!!! still felt the need to make homophobia into something natural and needed. Not here! What a relief and a blessing!
Ripped Pages never lets you forget it’s a fairy tale though. By which I mean the way it’s written, is prominent only in this specific genre. It would work amazingly published with rich illustrations on every page. God, I would LOVE to buy that for every single kid I know… But yes, while the writing is very clear and the story being told is very lovely, the whole thing feels maybe not weak but… slim? shallow? It’s too short and too much is going on for us to really connect to any of the characters. They’re not as fleshed out as we could want. We’re left with only descriptions in most cases, honestly. Which is why it would work so well as an actual pictures book for kids!! Their imagination would fill all the gaps, add all the needed depth to the story and to the characters.
I don’t think that’s a flaw, just to be clear. Hollis says from the beginning it’s a fairy tale retelling and as such it’s Perfect. It’s just that when we’re judging it by other books standards, it falls a little bit flat. Still enjoyable and very much cute!! Just leaves you wanting more.
liralen's review
2.0
Sure, I guess. I'm always happy to see a queer retelling of a fairytale or myth, and Ripped Pages takes Rapunzel's story and adds a bit of a coming-out story. It's sweet but pretty simplistic: other than Valentina falling for a princess rather than a prince, and the more 'fairytale' elements being stripped out (e.g., nobody climbs up anyone's hair), there's little to set this apart from...a pretty bland fairytale retelling, I guess. And that's okay! It's sweet and it's fluffy and, as a novelette, a very quick read. I wish it had done more—it's sort of short on character development, and plotwise there isn't really room to deviate from the standard. I'd love to see more f/f retellings, but I'd prefer that they do a bit more.
invisibleninjacat's review
4.0
I loved the fact that it has lesbian romance, but the story itself was rather bland.
bookdeviant's review
3.0
See more of my reviews on my blog the Book Deviant
I've adored Hollis's other novellas, The Melody of You and Me and The Paths We Choose, so when I heard she was coming out with a sapphic fantasy romance, I preordered ASAP. I didn't get the chance to read it until now, and I do have to say that I am a little disappointed.
Hollis writes the story as if it is being told to you from a book of fairy tales, and it was very endearing and cute! But then it continued on throughout the story, and it got a little tiring. It didn't allow for the characters to gain any development, and it more or less was like I was reading about a card board cut out than a character. While I did love the characters, they were one-dimensional and hard to LOVE.
I also feel as if the story could use some more development as well. It was very brief, and, while it was a novella, it felt like it didn't go anywhere. There was the traditional Rapunzel story where she is locked in the tower and is saved, but everything afterwards seemed too convenient, too easy. It wasn't much of a story, but more of a summarization of a story by only touching on a few different parts.
Final Rating: Three Stars
Overall?
While I enjoyed it, I was really hoping for more. It was all-around a very one-dimensional story, one that was still entertaining and cute and something I could enjoy. Just not something I'd fall in love with.
Would I Recommend?
If you're looking for sapphic retellings, sure! It's a quick read, but it's very basic and not well developed. I love M. Hollis, but I do have to say that I enjoy her Lilliac Town novellas much more.
I've adored Hollis's other novellas, The Melody of You and Me and The Paths We Choose, so when I heard she was coming out with a sapphic fantasy romance, I preordered ASAP. I didn't get the chance to read it until now, and I do have to say that I am a little disappointed.
Hollis writes the story as if it is being told to you from a book of fairy tales, and it was very endearing and cute! But then it continued on throughout the story, and it got a little tiring. It didn't allow for the characters to gain any development, and it more or less was like I was reading about a card board cut out than a character. While I did love the characters, they were one-dimensional and hard to LOVE.
I also feel as if the story could use some more development as well. It was very brief, and, while it was a novella, it felt like it didn't go anywhere. There was the traditional Rapunzel story where she is locked in the tower and is saved, but everything afterwards seemed too convenient, too easy. It wasn't much of a story, but more of a summarization of a story by only touching on a few different parts.
Final Rating: Three Stars
Overall?
While I enjoyed it, I was really hoping for more. It was all-around a very one-dimensional story, one that was still entertaining and cute and something I could enjoy. Just not something I'd fall in love with.
Would I Recommend?
If you're looking for sapphic retellings, sure! It's a quick read, but it's very basic and not well developed. I love M. Hollis, but I do have to say that I enjoy her Lilliac Town novellas much more.