Skip to main content

Allerleirauh by Chantal Gadoury: A Book Review

Allerleirauh
Author: Chantal Gadoury
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Publisher: Chantal Gadoury
Release Date: 2015
Pages: 236
Source:  This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Once Upon a Time… 

     In the Kingdom of Tranen, a King makes a promise to his dying wife to only remarry someone who has her golden hair. With time, the King finds his eyes are turned by his maturing daughter. Realizing her Father’s intentions, Princess Aurelia tries to trick her Father by requesting impossible gifts: dresses created by the Sun, Moon and Stars and a Coat made of a Thousand furs. 

     When Aurelia discovers his success, she decides to sacrifice her privileged life and escapes the Kingdom disguised by the cloak and under a new name, “Allerleirauh.” 

     Aurelia enters the safe haven of the Kingdom of Saarland der Licht, where she is taken under the care of the handsome and gentle Prince Klaus. Hoping to not be discovered by her Father’s courtiers, Aurelia tries to remain hidden under her new false identity. 

     Unexpected love is found between Aurelia and Prince Klaus and is challenged with an approaching arranged marriage between the Kingdom of Saarland der Licht and a neighboring ruler. With the possibility of discovery hanging in the air, Aurelia must face the troubles of her past with her Father, and her fears of the future in her journey of self-discovery. 

     My Review: Allerleirauh is a retelling of the lesser known Brothers Grimm fairytale, “Donkeyskin.” When Princess Aurelia’s mother dies, her only request is for the king to marry a woman as beautiful as she with golden hair. Princess Aurelia’s father has been looking for brides that resembled his late wife, when finally he gives up looking and settles on marrying his daughter. Desperate to escape the marriage to her father, Aurelia tries to stall the wedding by making impossible requests. When the requests are fulfilled, Aurelia flees to the kingdom of Saarland der Lict, where she meets a handsome and gentle prince named Nikolaus.

     Princess Aurelia is, at first, very naive. She is a woman that yearns for her father to be proud of her. Yet, she realizes that her father does not love her. When she flees her kingdom, she is an emotionally-distraught young woman. Yet, in her time with Prince Nikolaus, she embarks on a journey of healing and self-recovery. She eventually grows into a wise, headstrong, and courageous woman. Therefore, readers will root for Princess Aurelia as she tries to start a new beginning to love and be happy with herself. She is a person that anyone can relate to when they experience a personal tragedy and trauma in their life.

     Overall, this book is about friendship, love, choices, and hope. It is about a woman who searches for her own identity. The message of this book is that even though there are bad times, there are also good times. This book took a while for me to get into because the first half was a very uncomfortable read, for it was very disturbing. Yet, the second part sucked me into the book, and I did not want to stop reading. I really liked the blossoming romance between Prince Nikolaus and Princess Aurelia. It starts out as friendship and both of them grow to love each other through their love of mutual understanding and respect. Therefore, while the first part of the book was disturbing, it was very important because it helps build the basis of their relationship. Therefore, I really loved the main characters, and I liked watching them grow. Even though this is a young adult book, I believe that this is more suitable for older teens. This is because there are some graphic parts in this book. Nevertheless, this was a beautiful retelling with a strong message. I recommend Allerleirauh to fans of Juliet Mariller, Robin McKinley, and Sharon Shinn.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Interview with Melanie Karsak

Today, I have the pleasure of having an interview with Melanie Karsak! I have read and enjoyed her many series of books on some of history's more obscure or misunderstood women. Often, little is known about their true histories, either from not being recorded because of their gender and the unimportance given to women or else intentional character assassination. Mrs. Karsak seeks to bring light where much is shrouded in darkness. As a result, we are enriched by their lives and these fascinating women can speak to us through the centuries. In this interview, Mrs. Karsak talks about what drew her to these women and her writing pro cess! Thank you Mrs. Karsak! You have written books on Lady MacBeth, Hervor, Queen Boudica, Queen Cartimandua, and now Freydis. What drew you to write about these women? I like the unsung and maligned heroines. Hervor is a significant character in the Norse Hervarar Saga . In fact, there are two Hervors in that tale—grandmother and granddaughter. But

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki: A Book Review

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Ballantine Release Date: February 15, 2022 Pages: 381 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you. . . . So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted, and work hard—even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys, and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweath

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn: A Book Review

The Rose Code Author: Kate Quinn Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Harper Collins Release Date: 2021 Pages: 635 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: 1940, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire.        Three very different women are recruited to the mysterious Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes.       Vivacious debutante Osla has the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses – but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, working to translate decoded enemy secrets. Self-made Mab masters the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and the poverty of her East-End London upbringing. And shy local girl Beth is the outsider who trains as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.       1947, London.        Seven years after they first meet, on the eve of the royal wedding between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, disaster threatens. Osla, Mab and Beth are estranged,