The Book of Gothel

15 hrs. 21 min.

Language Russian

Author Mary McMyne

Narrator Elena Suvorova

Description

Germany, 1156. Haelvais, a young girl, always felt like an outsider in her native village. After her mother’s death, she runs away and finds in the forest a mysterious tower she heard about in fairy tales—a place that promises protection to any woman.

There, Haelvais meets a wise old woman willing to take her under her wing and teach her what only recently seemed impossible for a girl. Heresy.

As it turns out, ancient magic exists not only in legends.

But Haelvais isn’t the only one seeking refuge in the Gotel tower. A runaway princess prays for help, and friendship with her draws Haelvais into a world of old spells, bloodthirsty nobility, and dangerous secrets…

A magical historical fantasy with elements of a retelling of the Rapunzel fairy tale. A strong main heroine and an understanding of a woman’s role in 12th-century Germany. A fresh look at the story of Mother Gotel, who kidnapped Rapunzel—told from the witch’s own perspective. Was she really as cruel as people say?

A recommendation by Gregory Maguire (“Wicked”) and Hanna Witten (“A Daughter for a Wolf”), authors of New York Times bestsellers. A beautiful cover by artist jwitless (23k followers on VK).