“She thought now it was time to be tested, to make decisions and find her own roads, to stop falling where she was told to fall and to stand only when allowed to stand.”–Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl
As a kid, one of my favorite books was a compilation of Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales. While often violent and sad, I loved those stories. The Goose Girl was one I read often and I was intrigued when this retelling was introduced by Shannon Hale. I was captivated from the first page and it has become a favorite of mine. It is hard to believe it has been over twenty years since it was originally published and it is clear that Hale’s Goose Girl is standing the test of time.
In this retelling, Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee is the Crown Princess of Kildenree. She grew up listening to her aunt’s stories and learning the language of birds, particularly swans. As she grows older, she develops animal speech also and is much more confident with animals than people. Her mother sends her to a foreign land to be married but does not accompany her. Instead she sends her with a lady in waiting and company of guards. Unfortunately her lady in waiting has a silver tongue and delusions of grandeur which leads to a mutiny of soldiers following her and leaving Ani alone and destitute. To survive, Ani takes on the roll as royal goose girl, hiding in plain sight while she develops her talents, builds her confidence, and discovers her true power and voice.
This was Shannon Hale’s debut novel and established her as a master storyteller. If you like The Goose Girl, be sure to read the remaining books in the Books of Bayern Series: Enna Burning, River Secrets, and Forest Born
Content Advisory: Violence, animal death, abuse