I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience. Note: I ended up purchasing a final copy to read in the future.

I loved this book so so much. The world, the magic, the dynamic characters. It was refreshing reading a book where the female main character is strong and doesn’t just blindly follow whatever morals she thinks she ought to. Haelewise really took the time to ponder both sides before making any decisions and I appreciated that a lot. I laughed and I cried with this book. Would absolutely recommend.

𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐥 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐜𝐌𝐲𝐧𝐞

“𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚁𝚊𝚙𝚞𝚗𝚣𝚎𝚕 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚍𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚙𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎?”

Have you ever wondered why the witch imprisoned Rapunzel in her tower?

Set during medieval Germany, this is Haelewise’s story, a young midwife who would later become known as the witch from Rapunzel.

This book was so good. It reads as a historical fantasy much like Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden books do. It blends a rich historical setting with the magical, all the while adding a feminist element. I was completely hooked.

Such notable figures as Emperor Frederick and Hildegard von Bingen make an appearance and the enchanted Tower of Gothel is fully explored. There is even a touch of romance. It’s about sistership and the various bonds women can have.

But, what I loved the most is how, through young Haelewise’s journey to becoming a wise woman, we witness her imperfect and fierce determination to overcome all obstacles.

This book is for readers who like magic rooted in nature and folklore, where history intertwines with fairytales. Feminist journeys and rich atmosphere. It’s not a fast-paced book but immersive and thoughtful. Spellbinding.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 @orbitbooks_us, @redhookbooks 𝚊𝚗𝚍 @netgalley 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢.

I enjoyed the atmosphere of this book a lot. I think anyone who loves fairy tales can really enjoy this book. I think it was a great read for the cozy/winter season.

However, considering it keeps being advertised as a Mother Gothel origin story from Rapunzel, I did struggle with it. I liked the small nods to the story of Rapunzel, especially with the cloak/outfit that is gifted to the main character being described as similar to the outfit Mother Gothel wears in the Tangled movie.

I did enjoy this book, however did struggle at times. I think the writing was beautiful and can not wait to read another book by Mary McMyne. Overall, I would give it 3 stars.

Germany, 1156. With her strange black eyes and even stranger fainting spells, young Haelewise has never quite fit in. Shunned by her village, her only solace lies in the stories her mother tells of child-stealing witches, of princes in wolf-skins, and of an ancient tower cloaked in mist, where women will find shelter if they are brave enough to seek it.

When her mother dies, Haelewise is left unmoored. With nothing left for her in her village, she sets out to find the legendary tower her mother spoke of—a place called Gothel, where she meets a wise woman willing to take Haelewise under her wing. There, she discovers that magic is found not only in the realm of fairy tales.

But Haelewise is not the only woman to seek refuge at Gothel. It’s also a haven for a girl named Rika, who carries with her a secret the church strives to keep hidden. A secret that reveals a dark world of ancient spells and murderous nobles, behind the world Haelewise has always known.

Rate : 3.75 out of 5
Thoughts : Nice world building, great characters. This is one of standalone books that i've enjoyed.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This story was ok. The plot seemed very meandering and unbelievable and some of the things the characters did did not seem to match what I felt like they would have done.

Honestly, a "villain" origin story, fairytale retelling- there was little chance of me not loving this book; and it did not disappoint. Beautifully written with clever connections to other versions while still being uniquely its own.

Interesting take on a alternative version of Rapunzel. This book touches on religion, magic, family, politics and more. It seemed like this book was slow to start and slow in different parts of the book. It was interesting to see how the main character, Haelewise, grows from a child to an adult as different events happen throughout her lifetime. 



Thank you Redhook Book and NetGalley for this ebook for an honest review.

This is a Rapunzel retelling but with a twist. It's about the witch who stole Rapunzel as a baby. I wanted to love this because I love Rapunzel but I found much of this book to be very repetitive which ultimately led it to bore me.

Couldn't really get through this one. Found it meandering instead of gripping at the beginning. If it were faster paced I could have finished sooner.

Love this take on the "other side" of a story we all know and characters we all *think* we understand. I read this one in one sitting!


*Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.*

I actually DNF this about 20% in. It wasn't hard for me to get into. I was drawn to the book in the beginning, but once I started reading it started to go downhill for me. Retellings can be hard to write well enough for me to enjoy it.

An interesting take on a familiar story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and had to purchase a copy for my personal library.

I loved this book it was such a unique and entertaining Rapunzel retelling. This book follows Haelewise from a young age when she started having seizures everyone thought she was communicating with a demon. She had to leave town to avoid stoning. She was told to seek out a wise woman in the woods an apprentice herself to her. This book was so original and had me from the first page I did not want to put this book down. The writing was so entertaining and this book reminded me a lot of The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden with it being so engaging. I will be picking up more from this author in the future.

I really enjoyed this book! I like the retelling of fairy tales and the focus on mother gothel was interesting for me. Not sure the modern day framing was completely necessary, but it did make the ending a bit more intriguing.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

I loved this book. The tale of Mother Gothel and her life and the circumstances that led her to be the "villain" she was. It was totally relatable and humanizing. I also appreciated the tension and pace of the storytelling. The incorporation of old Germanic lore was totally unexpected and awesome. Highly recommend.

Wow, they are making me feel for the 'villain' of Rapunzel.

I think it was a unique take on the character of Gothel and how the interpretation of certain Grimm Fairytales was inspired. It did make me think because this book has a heavy feminist current to the story. The question of women's free thought & magic vs the church & the social norm in medieval times.

However, this was so long! It was so long and slow in many places & I honestly struggled to continue. I could be more forgiving if the fairytale aesthetic were more robust, I would have been able to push through, but it wasn't exciting at times.

Greetings, fellow book lovers! Today, I want to share my thoughts on Mary McMyne's debut novel, "The Book of Gothel: Memoir of a Witch."

From the first page I was enchanted!

McMyne's writing style is lyrical, evocative, and immersive, and her unique retelling of the fairy tale of Rapunzel from the perspective of the witch who keeps her captive is an excellent example of imaginative storytelling.

"The Book of Gothel" begins with the witch, whose real name is not revealed until much later in the story, recording her memories and observations in a mysterious book that she guards with her life. Through her recollections, we learn about her early years as a healer and midwife, her encounters with magical beings, and her eventual descent into isolation and bitterness, which leads her to imprison the young girl who becomes known as Rapunzel.

What I loved about this novel is the way McMyne subverts the traditional roles of heroes and villains, showing us that even the most seemingly wicked characters have their own motivations, fears, and vulnerabilities. The witch, whose character is richly developed and sympathetically portrayed, is not simply a one-dimensional caricature of evil, but a complex and tragic figure who struggles with issues of power, love, and mortality.

Another aspect of the book that impressed me was the way McMyne weaves in themes of feminism, spirituality, and social justice, without being heavy-handed or preachy. The witch's journey, which takes her from being a healer who helps women in childbirth to being a despised outcast who is feared and shunned by her community, mirrors the struggles of women throughout history who have been marginalized, persecuted, and misunderstood.

Throughout "The Book of Gothel," McMyne's prose is rich with symbolism, imagery, and metaphor, creating a vivid and immersive world that feels both timeless and contemporary. Whether you're a fan of fairy tales, historical fiction, or literary fiction, this book is sure to captivate and inspire you. Highly recommended!

A fascinating fairytale retelling, from a villain point of view. Slow to start, but quickly picks up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the chance to read this book!