The Goose Girl (The Books of Bayern, #1)

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The Goose Girl (The Books of Bayern #1)

by Shannon Hale (Goodreads Author)

4.21 of 5 stars 4.21 · rating details · 53,479 ratings · 6,875 reviews

Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, spends the first years of her life under her aunt's guidance learning to communicate with animals. As she grows up Ani develops the skills of animal speech, but is never comfortable speaking with people, so when her silver-tongued lady-in-waiting leads a mutiny during Ani's journey to be married in a foreign lan...more

Paperback, 400 pages

Published May 13th 2005 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens (first published August 8th 2003)

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The Best Fairytales and Retellings

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Jan 03, 2011 Sara ♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: YA Lovers, People who like fairy tale retellings

Shelves: challenge-spring-2009, fantasy, young-adult, favorites, 2009, audiobook, 2010, challenge-spring-2010, romance, fairy-tale, ripped, books-i-own, 2011, challenge-winter-2010

December 24, 2010 - January 2, 2011

Not sure what else to say about this book beyond, "Wow! It's awesome!". I mean, I've read it SEVERAL times now and just bought it for my sister-in-law for Christmas... I love it!

March 9-10, 2010

Errr... ditto to what I said before. And now I'm REALLY excited to read Enna Burning just as soon as it gets here through ILL!!

April 3, 2009

In an Austin Powers voice: "One million stars..."

It's been a really long time since I added a book to my favorites bookshelf. (It t...more

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Mar 30, 2008 Chanelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Chanelle by: Kari

Shelves: book-club, strong-female-character

What a sweet story, it's one you can transport yourself into another world where things like communicating with animals and controlling the wind seem entirely feasible. The characters are really likeable (esp. Geric- I don't think there was enough of him. Every word he said would make a girl smile) I'm classifying this book as strong female because I loved the fact that when Geric wrote Ani off, she was upset and angry, but her world did not collapse (contrast that to Bella in New Moon who did n...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The author's voice is beautiful. Wondrous imagery but not 'purple prose.' Faithful to the original story, adding enrichments & explanations. Smooth reading - one day for me. Lots of fun characters. Neat ideas about magic. Some intense themes but in general a low 'yuck factor.' Ages 11 up, I'd guess, maybe younger if the child is avidly interested. But really, adults can enjoy it as a fantasy. A map, but it's only to help clarify some bits; it's not like you have to keep a thumb there to foll...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Tyler rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Tyler by: Meg

Wow, is all I can say, just plain old flat out wow. You expect this to be some sort of, princess fairy tale, in a sense it is just give it a little bit of action and suspense and there you go, The Goose Girl, It goes in a direction you totally don't expect, all of a sudden Ani the little naive princess is suddenly on the run from the scary warriors!
The ending doesn't disappoint there's even a battle, who'd expect that from a Princess Fairytale?
I really liked how it kind of kept you on your toes...more

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Feb 19, 2008 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Goose Girl is an adaptation of the Grimm fairy tale by the same name — which I had never heard of before reading this book. I guess if Disney hasn’t already adapted it, I’m more or less clueless when it comes to fairy tales. ;-)

That comes in handy, though, when reading a new story — I figured that Princess Anidori-Kiladra (a.k.a. Ani; a.k.a. Isi, the Goose Girl; a.k.a. the Yellow Lady … there’s a lot about disguise and identity in this story, if you can’t tell) would live happily ever after...more

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Sep 30, 2012 April rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, summer-challenge-2009, own, fantasy

While reading the Goose Girl, I felt I was in the middle of a fairy tale. I should admit right now, I am a very big fan of re-told fairy tales, doesn't matter if it's the 100th re-telling of Cinderella or an off-beat tale, like the twelve dancing princesses. If it's a re-told fairy tale, chances are pretty huge that I am going to read it.
Read the rest of my review here

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Mar 04, 2008 Sesika rated it 5 of 5 stars

Super fun read. Incredible imagination that was clear and easy to read. Very likeable characters that made the books that followed interesting and appealing.

10 likes · like · see review

Jan 04, 2012 Parvathy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fairy tale lovers,YA

Recommended to Parvathy by: goodreads

Shelves: chick-lit, fairy-tale-retellings, glued-till-the-last-page, living-vicariously, strong-females, young-adult, feel-good

I love fairy tales and I will read anything which even remotely resembles a fairy tale in appearance. It is because of this same reason that I could never pick out a favorite from the lot but I will tell you one tale that is not in my list of favorites and that is Goose Girl. I have always found this story frustrating and scary regardless of how many times I have read it. The easily bullied, weak princess is the frustrating part and the talking horse head constitutes the scary part. Over the yea...more I love fairy tales and I will read anything which even remotely resembles a fairy tale in appearance. It is because of this same reason that I could never pick out a favorite from the lot but I will tell you one tale that is not in my list of favorites and that is Goose Girl. I have always found this story frustrating and scary regardless of how many times I have read it. The easily bullied, weak princess is the frustrating part and the talking horse head constitutes the scary part. Over the years even though the story has faded somewhat from my mind the feeling I had about this tale stuck with me. So with a title like Goose Girl and knowing fully well that this book is a retelling of that same old story I approached this one with much apprehension. To be frank Good reads rating of 4.25 stars was the only thing that persuaded me to overcome this apprehension(Not having read any of the author's other books).

Having finished reading the book I can honestly say that Shannon Hale's Goose Girl is everything a fairytale retelling should be. Other than the fact that I loved the book, this book also made me love the original fairy tale. If a retelling can make a person fall in love with the original then that definitely is something special. The book answers all the questions that made the fairy tale less likable and that too in a satisfying and believable manner. My main problem with the original story was how easily the princess stepped aside or was forced to step aside for her lady-in-waiting. Because in the original story there was only the princess and the maid sent on the journey to the neighboring kingdom. But in Shannon Hale's tale when Princess Ani is shipped off to a neighboring kingdom as a bride, her scheming entourage mounts a bloody mutiny to replace her with a jealous lady-in-waiting, Selia, and to allow an inner circle of guards more power in the new land. Barely escaping with her life, Ani disguises herself as a goose girl as a way to regain her identity and claim what is rightfully hers not knowing that her little ruse can help her in more ways than one. Other than the refreshing take on the story I thoroughly enjoyed the author's writing style. The engaging plot and the medieval fictional land settings has done it's part to set the mood but it is the heroine Princess Ani that stole the show and made this book a worth while read. At first when she was introduced I would have bet she was going to turn in to one of those weak, whiny, irritating characters that you could never sympathize with. Then as the story progressed her character changed from one of those "too stupid to live heroines" to a likable character with enough strength and courage to do what is right no matter what the odds are. I especially liked that aspect of her character which enabled her to let go of the things she treasured not letting them define her. The talking horse head part which I found scary in the original story was transformed in this book to something magical and praise worthy. Ani's ability to talk to animals and birds and her power of controlling wind made the story all the more interesting and way they manifested in the hands of Shannon Hale fascinating. The Q&A session in the end with the author is insightful and is a very useful addition to the book. Definitely a book for the re-reading shelf. (less)

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Apr 25, 2011 JG (The Introverted Reader) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nook, own, 4_stars, author_american, fairy_or_folk_tale, fantasy, fiction, read_in_2011, reviewed, young_adult

Princess Anidori-Kiladra is unusual in her kingdom; she has the ability to communicate with animals. Her mother frowns on the gift and discourages Ani from using it. The queen finally decides that Ani is not at all appropriate to be the next ruler of Kildenree and arranges her marriage to the Prince of Bayern, the neighboring kingdom. En route to the wedding, half of Ani's guards stage a mutiny to overthrow Ani and install Selia, her lady-in-waiting, as the princess. Ani barely escapes with her...more Princess Anidori-Kiladra is unusual in her kingdom; she has the ability to communicate with animals. Her mother frowns on the gift and discourages Ani from using it. The queen finally decides that Ani is not at all appropriate to be the next ruler of Kildenree and arranges her marriage to the Prince of Bayern, the neighboring kingdom. En route to the wedding, half of Ani's guards stage a mutiny to overthrow Ani and install Selia, her lady-in-waiting, as the princess. Ani barely escapes with her life. She goes into hiding as a goose girl and resolves to get back her rightful place.

I loved this. I would give it 4.5 stars if I could. I finished it with a huge smile on my face and that contentment that comes from a story well told. It's like enjoying a feast for the reader's soul.

I had heard so many good things about this book, I went into it with very high expectations. I have to admit that I wasn't too sure what to think at first. The princess who spoke to swans intrigued me, but I found her to be...spineless. Yup. She was a door mat. Anyone and everyone walked all over her. Add to that the fact that the story is written in third person, which I don't always do well with, and I was worried.

I shouldn't have been. I should have trusted Shannon Hale after devouring Book of a Thousand Days.

Sure, Ani is spineless at first. There's no denying it. But that gives her so much room to grow. And grow she does. Her character development felt completely natural. I worried about her and cheered for her and missed her when I finished the book. I also loved that she is a princess, but when it's time for her to work, she works. She isn't ashamed to do manual labor. She doesn't hold herself aloof from the peasants who surround her. She sees everyone for their intrinsic worth, not just their titles. She becomes resourceful and brave and everything that a worthwhile fairy tale heroine should be.

I loved the way the whole book flowed along. The pacing was pretty much perfect for me, and while I can't say that the plot was full of surprises, neither was I entirely sure how she was going to win her throne back. I'll just say that it was all very satisfying.

I highly, highly recommend this one, and I'll definitely be continuing the series.(less)

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Jun 03, 2008 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: young adult, fairy tale lovers

Recommended to Jamie by: Megan B

Shelves: fantasy-fairy-tale

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I thought that this was a sweet book. I learned from this book that often times it's easier for people to be their best self if unrealistic expectations aren't on them.

Ani was born the first princess of Kildenree. She didn't open her eyes for 3 days until her Aunt came and sung songs and told stories of the old days when people could talk with the animals and some even with the elements. She spends her time with her Aunt and learns to speak with the swans and other birds. Her mother dislikes thi...more I thought that this was a sweet book. I learned from this book that often times it's easier for people to be their best self if unrealistic expectations aren't on them.

Ani was born the first princess of Kildenree. She didn't open her eyes for 3 days until her Aunt came and sung songs and told stories of the old days when people could talk with the animals and some even with the elements. She spends her time with her Aunt and learns to speak with the swans and other birds. Her mother dislikes this and finds it unfit for the Crown Princess and sends her Aunt away.

Ani doesn't fit in with all of the royalty as much as she tries. Her father dies and immediately following his death she is told that she will be married the the Bayern prince and not become queen of Kildenree. She is dissappointed because she has been trying so hard to be what is expected of her but she leaves for Bayern, over a 3 month trip. On the way their her lady in waiting, Selia, turns on her and has her loyal guards killed. Selia plans on taking on Ani's identity and becoming Queen of Bayern.

Ani escapes and lives with a forest family until she make her way to Bayern and becomes the tender of the kings geese and hence becomes the Goose Girl. She learns to speak with the geese and conceals her identity by keeping her blonde hair always covered and dying her eyebrows. She makes some friends and also meets a handsome man named Geric while tendig the geese. She tells one of her friends, Enna, her story. She has some run ins with Selia's guards, who need her dead if Selia is going to be queen, but is saved by her new friends.

The day comes for Selia to be married and Ani plans as attending as her little sister. Selia's guards catch her but not before the King of Bayern hears of her arrival. Selia and her guards are left alone with Ani and the truth comes out. Geric, who we now know is the prince, and his father are hiding and overhear everything. There is a fight but Ani prevails.

I love the message of this story... "In layer upon layer of detail a beautiful coming-of-age story emerges, a tale about learning to rescue yourself rather than falling accidentally into happily-ever-after."
-The New York Times Book Review (less)

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Aug 07, 2008 Cassie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairytale, ya-fantasy

Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee was born the Crown Princess of Kildenree, but her mother didn’t feel she was fit to rule and instead arranged a marriage with a neighboring kingdom, passing the title on to Ani’s brother. Ani was always a strange child, she didn’t open her eyes for the first three days after her birth, and her aunt taught her to speak with birds. It’s no wonder her mother didn’t feel that someone who could be considered a witch should sit on the throne. So off Ani goes with her La...more Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee was born the Crown Princess of Kildenree, but her mother didn’t feel she was fit to rule and instead arranged a marriage with a neighboring kingdom, passing the title on to Ani’s brother. Ani was always a strange child, she didn’t open her eyes for the first three days after her birth, and her aunt taught her to speak with birds. It’s no wonder her mother didn’t feel that someone who could be considered a witch should sit on the throne. So off Ani goes with her Lady-in-Waiting Selia to be married to the prince of Bayern, in order to bring peace to the two neighboring kingdoms.

On her journey, Ani is betrayed by Selia and soon finds herself alone in a foreign land, with Selia’s guards hunting for her and her former Lady-in-Waiting stealing her name. Taking a job as a goose girl (a girl who cares for the king’s geese) puts a roof over her head and allows her to save up money to return home and tell her mother of the betrayal. That is, until she finds out war’s coming and she no longer has time to return home, but must instead take back her name and her heritage to protect her kingdom.

This is the first Shannon Hale book that I’ve read, and I now understand why everyone’s been singing her praises. The story was well-crafted and captivating, and I immediately wanted to go out and buy the next two books that take place in this world. Happily, she’s the not the kind of author who feels the need to rehash a finished story, and the other two books are about secondary characters from The Goose Girl, and I look forward to reading them.

Here’s another fine book with a strong heroine who didn’t exactly ask for her position, but rose to it none the less. Ani as the Crown Princess never really felt like she could fulfill that role—she simply thought she would have to. When she loses her role as the next ruler of Kildenree, she finds herself unsure of who or what she will become next. Even though she’s betrothed to a prince, she knows she’ll never be the ruler, just the wife of one. Still, she doesn’t really think about all of this until she finds herself alone in the woods without her name or royal identity. She redefines herself, becoming a goose girl and finally stepping up and becoming a princess in action, not just in title.

The magic in this book is well worth mentioning. Instead of traditional “wave a magic wand” or have a fairy godmother appear magic, Hale crafts a world of people-speaking, animal-speaking, and nature-speaking. These rare magics allow Queens to command attention and for Ani to learn to talk to the wind. It’s great to see such unique magic woven into an already excellent story. The animal talking was also well crafted; Hale stayed true to the way animals would talk, not letting Ani have long conversations with them, but more getting ideas and things like “danger” or “good grazing land” across. The geese were especially well-written, as anyone who’s been around geese knows that they’re both truly evil and incredibly loyal animals. A goose would make a good attack animal for an evil overlord, now that I think about it.

Read the rest of my review at Bookwyrm Chrysalis :: YA Fantasy Book Reviews (less)

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Oct 29, 2007 Lucy rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: adolescent girls and women who don't mind remembering what it's like to be an adolescent girl

Poor Shannon Hale. I think the most frequent comment I've heard about her as an author is, "She's LDS and like Stephenie Meyer, doesn't write LDS fiction."

I'm not sure it was a good enough reason to check out her book, Goose Girl, but I did it anyway. My sister, Jen, liked this book and that was one more reason, but a good enough one for me.

It was a nice break from some of the meatier stuff I've been reading. It's not meatless, exactly, but written as a fairy tale in the voice of a young prince...more Poor Shannon Hale. I think the most frequent comment I've heard about her as an author is, "She's LDS and like Stephenie Meyer, doesn't write LDS fiction."

I'm not sure it was a good enough reason to check out her book, Goose Girl, but I did it anyway. My sister, Jen, liked this book and that was one more reason, but a good enough one for me.

It was a nice break from some of the meatier stuff I've been reading. It's not meatless, exactly, but written as a fairy tale in the voice of a young princess so it's about as meaty as Chicken Noodle Soup.

There are some worthwhile themes throughout the book. Ambition, gifts, honesty, work. The princess, whose name was blessedly shortened to Ani for most of the book, lacks the power of persuasion that her mother, the Queen, possesses. The author calls this gift "People Speaking" and while Ani doesn't possess that particular gift, she does possess the rarer, and less esteemed "Animal Speaking" and later "Nature Speaking" gifts. She can talk to swans, as a girl, and later, while in hiding when her lady-in-waiting pulls a coup during their journey to meet her betrothed, learns to speak to the geese she keeps. Ultimately, she uses these gifts, especially her ability to talk with wind, to restore her place as Crown Princess, leaving us with the lesson that we can rely on the gifts we possess to accomplish what is necessary. I think. At least, that's what I'm taking away from it. A la....To Thine Own Self Be True without all the fancy talk.

Those elements create the fairy tale, as well as all the prince and princess stuff, but this felt surprisingly modern to me. There were times the dialogue seemed appropriate to the time of the story, but most of the time, I heard the voices of young, spoiled American teens in my head, especially when the ruthless Selia spoke.

In any light, Goose Girl is an easy read, with some sound moral backbone - as fairy tales usually have, but isn't incredible literature - as fairy tales usually aren't. But sometimes, it's nice to simply read a good story. Goose Girl is that.(less)

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May 01, 2013 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2013

I love fairytales and this one was perfect. Every plot twist and heart rending emotion kept me bewitched chapter after chapter. Shannon Hale writes gorgeously and tells a story effortlessly. It's the kind of book that is more than ink and paper; it lives and breathes and stays in your heart forever.
(Disclaimer: there are several inappropriate references so I don't recommend this book for younger readers.)

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Mar 05, 2008 CLM rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrensbooks, fantasy

This is a book so wonderful I wish I had written it myself!

Although some criticize the heroine as being too passive, I think Hale does a good job of showing that she is dealing with such intense grief and shock that it takes her time to recover and assert her personality.

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Dec 29, 2010 Jen Petro-Roy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, childrens, audiobook, middle-grade, jens-favorites

While I have read a few books by Shannon Hale before (Book of a Thousand Days and Austenland), I was truly blown away by The Goose Girl. Hale took a simple Brothers Grimm fairy tale, and created a fully realized world around that structure, truly making it her own.

Shannon Hale's writing is lush and gorgeous, filled with stunning, vivid descriptions. Both Kildenree and Bayern become vivid, real places under her pen, and the simplest descriptions of forest trees or flowers bloom to life. On multip...more While I have read a few books by Shannon Hale before (Book of a Thousand Days and Austenland), I was truly blown away by The Goose Girl. Hale took a simple Brothers Grimm fairy tale, and created a fully realized world around that structure, truly making it her own.

Shannon Hale's writing is lush and gorgeous, filled with stunning, vivid descriptions. Both Kildenree and Bayern become vivid, real places under her pen, and the simplest descriptions of forest trees or flowers bloom to life. On multiple occasions through the course of this audiobook, I actually stopped, paused my iPod, and thought over the phrase that I had just heard, marveling how a simple decision of word choice and word order managed to paint such a scene in my mind.

I wish I had read this book when I was in middle school. Ani is a strong, determined female character, one who saves two kingdoms from war and also manages to thwart a cadre of men and a devious 'friend' scheming to take her life. Yet she's unsure of herself, shaky in her self-belief, and not at all confident that her meager powers are enough to allow her to either fit in or triumph over the forces pushing against her. It is quite refreshing to witness a character express that lack of confidence and to see a loner gradually opening up to people around her and finding a place in a world that welcomes her, exactly as she is. The fourteen year old me who was so anxious about acceptance would have found a kindred spirit in Ani.

One of Hale's strengths in this book is pacing, as the action never drags, yet we still witness quiet moments of Ani settling in, exploring, and finding her place in her new environment and new role as a Goose Girl. On the surface, the plot of this books seems as if it should be so simple: Mutiny occurs, Ani becomes a Goose Girl, Ani regains her crown. As easy as one, two, three. Yet so much more happens within the lines of this novel, as twists and turns, complications and missteps occur, leading Ani to test her strength in new ways and to form new relationships. In addition to Ani, the supporting characters are quite well-developed and three-dimensional. I was especially impressed with the character of Conrad, the Goose Boy whose jealousy of Ani's popularity with the fellow child laborers leads to unforeseen consequences. This character could so easily have slipped into the token antagonist role, yet Hale managed to make his motives complex and relatable. The villians, most notably Selia and Ungolad, are menacing, yet appear in the flesh rarely. Hale uses the threat of their plots and Ani's fear to great effect, creating a sense of foreboding throughout the story.

The Goose Girl was my first experience with an audiobook produced by Full Cast Audio, which used multiple actors to play various roles, rather than just one narrator taking on the voices of all the novel's characters. The result is a lush, fully realized production that feels more like hearing a stage production of a story than listening to an audiobook. The music is interspersed at the perfect moments, with lilting tunes accompanying Ani's communion with nature and animals, and tones of foreboding announcing the approach of danger. The main narrator Cynthia Bishop's voice is authoritative and commanding, grabbing the listener's attention and blazing a path through Hale's tale. Erica Lustig, the voice of Ani, has a sweet, melodious voice, one that seems ideal for communication with both nature and animals. Her intonation, while slightly timid, is able to gain enough strength to depict Ani's transformation in the last half of the novel. I was also impressed with the work of Emily Holgate, the voice of Enna. Holgate perfectly portrays the strong, assertive character whose support and friendship gives Ani the courage to forge ahead and the acceptance to be herself.

I am looking forward to continuing with the next book in Shannon Hale's Books of Bayern series, Enna Burning. I would hand this to fans of Robin McKinley, Tamora Pierce, or Gail Carson Levine. (less)

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Apr 13, 2009 Tanja rated it 4 of 5 stars

I suppose I am simpleton, but I enjoy these kind of stories. It is an easy read and I could see the end almost from the beginning, but it was fun and entertaining. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

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May 24, 2011 Isamlq rated it 4 of 5 stars

… And they lived happily ever after, *le sigh.* Reading Goose Girl is a breath of fresh air especially after the types of books I’ve been reading lately. It did take me a while to warm up to Ani. She was an absofreakinglute doormat…even the geese bruised her up! I could not get my mind around how pitifully she was treated. Despite that, I still enjoyed this. It’s a sweet fairytale fantasy.

Who doesn’t love a good fairy tale? A princess, a prince, and a betrothal. Except it wasn’t that simple as...more

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Mar 07, 2011 Kat Hooper rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

As the oldest child of the King and Queen, Crown Princess Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee (Ani) is being groomed for the throne of Kildenree. Much to her mother’s disappointment, though, Ani doesn’t seem to be leadership material. She doesn’t have the ability to persuade and motivate people like her mother does and, oddly, she seems to communicate better with animals than people.

Nonetheless, Ani is shocked when her mother declares her little brother to be...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Princess Debz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-books-ever, to-re-read, i-own-it, fairy-tales, young-adult, clean-reads, read-in-2012, retelling, best-of-2012, princess, lds

I will never be able to thank the friend who introduced me to Shannon Hale three years ago deeply enough. At first I thought titles like “Goose Girl” and “Princess Academy” sounded stupid, and brushed off any attempts to get me to read either. Then one day I was at the library and decided I would finally give it a go. It changed my life.

And the Goose Girl is what started it all. It’s such a simple story, but with Shannon Hale’s lyrical prose and original characters, it becomes an unforgettably m...more

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Sep 07, 2010 Alyssa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: leisure

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Hale presents the Grimm Brothers' Goose Girl tale with accuracy and imagination. She has moments of brilliance, where the prose is almost lyrical and the imagery so effortless you can't help but be drawn into the world of Ani. However, such shining moments are equalized by heavy handed passages that are discordant, strained and even confusing.

The book gets off to a sluggish start - truly slow and rather painful. That said, the last two hundred and some o...more I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Hale presents the Grimm Brothers' Goose Girl tale with accuracy and imagination. She has moments of brilliance, where the prose is almost lyrical and the imagery so effortless you can't help but be drawn into the world of Ani. However, such shining moments are equalized by heavy handed passages that are discordant, strained and even confusing.

The book gets off to a sluggish start - truly slow and rather painful. That said, the last two hundred and some odd pages had surprisingly few of these moments in comparison to the first, each section building upon and gaining momentum from the last, with some parts outright compelling.

The book is wanting in many places; places where a deeper reading would expose at times catestrophic flaws in logic and faulty premises, insufficient rhetorical finess or, worse, rhetoric excess; but, at the same time the book (thankfully, and refreshingly) does not dumb down the prose to sacrfice style or substance for the younger target auduence (age 10-16). In light of that intended readership, I found discrepencies excusable and did not feel overly burdened by the over simplification or annoying convenience of some characters, nor by an ending wrapped up before its due time.

Once committed (and past the at times excruciating beginning) I was thoroughly drawn into the novel, and even found myself wondering what little twists of delightful imagination I might find on the next page, and the next, though I know the original tale quite well: she tranformed a well known favorite into her own fanciful tale with ease.

All in all, I enjoyed the read and Hale's story telling style. This was her first novel and while I have yet to read the subsequent others, I plan to. I believe that she is an author to watch and as she fine tunes her craft she may yet write a deeply rich and wonderfully crafted novel free of some of the hiccups in the Goose Girl. I plan to shelf this book away for the day my daughter is old enough, as I think it will serve as a wonderful way to bridge the gap between children's stories and "grown up" books.(less)

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Jul 31, 2008 Woodge rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, recommended, favorites

The cover caught my eye and the blurbs drew me in. I found this in the Young Adult section while looking for something else. This fantasy story is a retelling of a Brothers Grimm tale (one I was not aware of beforehand). It's told in simple and poetic language and it's a fast read. Anidori-Kiladra, "Ani," is a crown princess from Kildenree sent on months-long journey to the kingdom of Bayern to be a bride for that kingdom's crown prince. But along the way, her scheming lady-in-waiting overthrows...more

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Apr 23, 2008 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: ladies

Recommended to Heather by: Ward Book Club

What a wonderful book. I actually read this book in 2 days, since I was so interested in what would happen to the princess Anidori as she journeyed to the Kingdom of Bayern to marry the prince of that land all in the prospect of peace.

As the story begins, Andori feels that she is not very gifted in the fact that she cannot use the language of People speaking when it comes to talking with people, but she has the gift of
speaking with horses and with swans and also the wind as the story progresses...more

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Mar 29, 2009 Jacqueline rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone who likes a satisfying, absolutely beautiful fairytale retelling

Recommended to Jacqueline by: LRRHers, who pushed me to read this a LOT

Shelves: fantasy, fairy-tale-retellings, books-i-own, blog-reviews, required-reading, signed, all-time-favourites

Imagine that you are a princess–you live in a luxurious palace that is filled with hundreds of servants, you can go on exciting rides on your very own horse, who is also your closest friend, any time you want. But think again: what if, even with all the riches surrounding you, you were lonely and constantly self-conscious of your actions? And, just what would you do if your own mother commanded you to marry a prince from a faraway land, a prince you’ve never even met? Or perhaps worse: what woul...more

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Jun 16, 2008 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: utah-author

Last fall, in a Newberry Award streak, I picked up Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale (a 2006 Newberry Honor book). I loved the book, and the fact that Shannon Hales lives near me. In fact, I recently went to one of her signings. Anyway, after Princess Academy, I read Book of a Thousand Days and Austenland. I hadn’t, though, delved into her Bayern series. Thus, when my book club picked the first Bayern book, The Goose Girl, for this month’s read, I was thrilled.

The Goose Girl is based on the fair...more

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Feb 19, 2008 Allen Garvin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-and-folk-tale-retelling, ya-fantasy

A retelling of the Grimm tale 'The Goose Girl'. Princess Ani learns from her aunt to talk to birds as a child, but then her aunt disappears (and later dies), and her overbearing mother isolates her to keep her away from all animals and friends. She grows up shy and passive and at age 18 is married off to the kingdom to the north. On the way there, her maid-in-waiting carries out a plot to get rid of Ani and present herself to the king as the true princess. Ani escapes and circumstances force her...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 01, 2011 Shazzy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is about a princess who is sent by her mother to a far away land to marry the kingdom's prince with her servants who will lead her. On their journey, her disloyal servants make a plan to have her killed so her maid would be the one marrying the prince. She somehow escapes and goes through horrible experiences trying to be safe and get to the castle. However, she discovers her unnatural powers that help her through the voyage. She also makes new friends and gets her title as the "goose...more

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Jan 12, 2009 Cortney rated it 5 of 5 stars

I jumped right into it and couldn't stop. All I thought about was finding out what happened next. I even had dreams about it as if I were in it. It pulled me in and I have to say I would read it again. Such a cute story with a great outcome.

1 like · like · see review

Dec 30, 2008 Kris rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a cute YA story cleverly written by Shannon Hale. If I were judging it by adult standard, it would merit 3 stars, but I think a 13 year old girl would be charmed by the story line and characters.

1 like · like · see review

Jan 16, 2011 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tale-or-princess, books-i-own, retelling, read-in-2011, audio-book

Ah, Geric ...

Listened to the audio book. Loved the voices. This story is even better the second time around!

** FIRST READ - October 2007 **
In my opinion, all of Shannon Hale's books to date are a must-read for girls (and their moms!). The stories are so interesting and always star a female "lead" character. She will have to make choices (some good, some bad), learn from her past, rely on others, choose good friends, and eventually triumph and overcome! But without all of the "girls are so aweso...more

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May 28, 2008 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Ok, seriously I need to stop reading for a while and be a better mother and wife. I could not put this book down! It was such a cute fairytale. Something I love about how Shannon Hale writes is that the conversations between people are so real. In a lot of books (and movies), even books that I really like I find myself thinking a lot "People don't really talk like this". I loved how Ani changed and matured through her experiences. I'm so excited to read the next one. I really liked Enna, so I'm...more

1 like · like · see review

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About Shannon Hale

Shannon Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of six young adult novels: the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy, multiple award winner Book of a Thousand Days, and the highly acclaimed Books of Bayern series. She has written three books for adults, including the upcoming Midnight in Austenland (Jan. 2012), companion book to Austenland. She co-wrote the hit graphic novel Rapunzel's Reveng...more

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Trivia About The Goose Girl

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Quotes from The Goose Girl

“Right now I'd like all my troubles to stand in front of me in a straight line, and one by one I'd give each a black eye. ” — 797 people liked it

“... If we don't tell strange stories, when something strange happens we won't believe it.” — 322 people liked it

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The Goose Girl (The Books of Bayern #1)

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