The Book of Gothel by Mary McMyne ~ Review

Everyone knows the story of Rapunzel in her tower, but do you know the story of the witch who put her there? Mary McMyne’s spellbinding debut reveals the truth behind the fairy tale—the truth they never wanted you to know, as only a witch might tell it.

“Smart, swift, sure-footed and fleet-winged, The Book of Gothel launches its magic from a most reliable source: the troubled heart. Mary McMyne is a magician.”—Gregory Maguire, NYT bestselling author of Wicked

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.

Praise for The Book of Gothel:

“A sprawling epic, full of magic, love, and heartbreak.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A luscious origin story.”—Booklist (starred review)

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tales, Witches, Historical Fantasy, Gothic

Get Your Copy: Amazon | Goodreads

If you’re looking for a book that will transport you to a time and place you’ve never been to but somehow feels oddly familiar, then you have come to the right book!

What if the story we all know – Rapunzel kidnapped by an evil witch and held prisoner in a tower – isn’t the true story at all but a fabrication built over years of spoken fakelore and fear of the unknown?

This medieval retelling of Mother Gothel was everything I had hoped it would be. The story of Haelewise was haunting and painful; a story of great loss and heartache but also one of bravery, perseverance, personal growth, and immense inner strength. When faced with trauma that would leave most without the will to carry on, Haelewise pressed into a faith she didn’t fully understand, driven by the loves she had lost. A journey of justice both for herself and those she sought a better life for challenged her to forge her own path at a time when it was taboo to do so.

The pages of this book hold a mystical wonder that can take your breath away, and even though you know it’s fiction… if you’re like me, you might find a part of yourself believing in the legacy left behind by the woman we have come to know as Mother Gothel.

Mary McMyne is a novelist, poet, and professor who is fascinated with the stories behind stories and the portrayal of women in history, folklore, and literature. She is the author of The Book of Gothel and the forthcoming A Rose by Any Other Name. Her poetry chapbook, Wolf Skin, won the Elgin Chapbook Award. A graduate of the NYU MFA program, she has received the Faulkner-Wisdom Prize for a Novel-in-Progress and a grant from the Sustainable Arts Foundation, among other honors. She is the poetry editor for Enchanted Living.

Find her on Instagram @marymcmyne or subscribe to her quarterly newsletter at marymcmyne.substack.com.