Zel by Donna Jo Napoli
Zel by Donna Jo Napoli is a retelling of the fairy tale Rapunzel. I knew it was based off of Rapunzel and when I told my husband that it was a retelling, he looked at the cover and said “Oh, Zel as in Rapunzel?” Okay, I must be a complete idiot or else I was really tired. Why didn’t I catch that Zel was short for Rapunzel?
From the book jacket:
Zel lives on an isolated Swiss alm with Mother, who insists they have everything, for they have each other. But Zel is growing and changing. How cant his be enough for her?
When Zel shows interest in the young nobleman who is so smitten with her after they meet b chance, suddenly Mother sees the future unfolding: and it holds loss – only loss. Swiftly she does the unspeakable. She locks her perfect daughter away in a tower, at the same time imprisoning herself in sel-hatred and the vain hope that in time Zel will make the choice Mother wants. Meanwhile, day after day, for years, the haunted young man searches for the girl.
These three people each tell their parts of this story of pain, loss, betrayal, innocence destroyed, and abuse in the name of love. . . .
I found myself truly enjoying this book. Fantasy is a genre I normally don’t read (although I’m reading more this year), so I did find parts of the book odd. I don’t think that it was the story itself, just my “newby-ness” (yep, I made up that word) to the genre. I think I wanted it to be more realistic than fantasy, although the fantasy bits, in all actuality were just fine.
In Zel, Zel is torn between showing her devotion to her Mother (who locks her up in a tower) and to her new found love (who has been searching the countryside diligently to find Zel for years). But she can only pick one. This book beautifully narrates the anguish in differentiating between a Mother’s love and a Lover’s love.
Whom would she choose?
I believe she chose correctly . . .
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Category: Book Reviews, Fiction, Young Adult
Tags: fantasy, M-P Author, twisted fairy tale, U-Z Title
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Zel isn’t Napoli’s best novel. I think Breath and Sirena are my favorites. She does wonderful things with fairy tales, though sometimes her endings break my heart.
on April 29th, 2008 at 10:36 pmI too don’t read a lot of fantasy, but am trying to expand my reading. Sounds like something I will give a shot!
on April 30th, 2008 at 7:47 amI read about this in some article I was reading for…some paper I was writing, and it made my tbr list. This just reaffirms that.
ALSO, I would NEVER have caught on to the whole Zel/Rapunzel. So…durrrr. Maybe we’re all dumb.
on April 30th, 2008 at 8:26 amI think she chose correctly, too. I loved this book and I’m glad you enjoyed it as well.
PS: Another dumb one here
I didn’t know Zel was short for Rapunzel until it was mentioned explicitly in the book.
on April 30th, 2008 at 8:48 amI haven’t heard of this book or author before. It sounds like something I would enjoy. Would you say it’s more juvenile fiction or YA fiction? I wonder if my 8 year old would like it?
on April 30th, 2008 at 10:21 amLOL! This book is on my TBR list and I did not make the Rapunzel/Zel connection either! Duh!
on April 30th, 2008 at 12:11 pmLiviania – Hi! I’ll definitely be reading more of this author. This was my first book.
Tracee – One of my goals this year was to try a new genre. Fantasy is it.
Raych and Nymeth – You both make me feel so much better about myself!
**SPOILER**
on April 30th, 2008 at 12:12 pmKim – It’s actually YA but I did read one review that thought it should be classified as adult. I don’t think it would be appropriate for your eight year old. At the end of the book there is a sex scene(they do declare themselves married first, but it’s just a declaration) and she becomes pregnant. You might want to read it first and then decide. But I think it would be above her.
Jeanette – You slipped in there while I was responding to the others. Glad to know that I am not the only one to not figure that out. Obviously, my husband is a genius.
on April 30th, 2008 at 12:15 pmI’ve seen this one around a lot lately (on the blogosphere). Sounds like an interesting re-telling of Rapunzel. I have been reading more fantasy as well this year and am finding I really enjoy it!
on May 1st, 2008 at 6:49 pm[...] da-ju-vu because I wrote this exact same thing when I realized that Zel was short for Rapunzel in Zel by Donna Jo Napoli. I’d like to think that I’m smart about some things but I’d like to think that [...]
on June 10th, 2008 at 1:52 pmThanks for this great idea for a Z title for the a-z challenge, I’ve been looking for one!
on July 2nd, 2008 at 8:12 ami lovethis book i rocks
RapunZEL
on September 23rd, 2008 at 1:56 pmhate it!
on September 28th, 2008 at 9:38 ami LOVE this book and have read it so many times. i didn’t realize the zel thing until starting the third time i read it. you are not alone.
i hadn’t realize you had reviewed this book until i saw it on your A-Z list. glad i saw it =] it really is great.
also i’m glad you’re reading more fantasy. it’s my favorite genre and what i tend to write also. can’t wait for a great 09!
on January 2nd, 2009 at 8:28 pmzel is a piece of pure genius. i read the book for the first time last year, and i’ve read it again three more times. it’s so beautiful, it makes me cry. this all sounds corny, but it is my favorite book. please write more like this!
on January 25th, 2009 at 2:12 pm