The Girl in the Tower

by Lisa Schroeder

Ever since she can remember, ten-year-old Violet and her mother have been locked away in a tower by the evil Queen Bogdana, who has the kingdom under her spell. The queen has everything she wants except for one thing -- beauty. Violet possesses this beauty. She also has a secret: although she is very small, both her spirit and her heart are mighty.

When Violet is summoned by Bogdana to start training to become a real princess, it seems as if her life might be taking a turn for the better. But hope quickly fades when Violet's mother is banished from the castle, and she and Violet are forbidden to see each other ever again. With everyone's lives in the balance, it's up to Violet to break the spell and reunite her family.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Childrens, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Juvenile, Novels

256 pages, Hardcover

First published March 29, 2016

About the author

Lisa Schroeder is the author of more than twenty books for kids and teens. Her latest novel is A NIGHT TO DIE FOR, a YA murder mystery. She lives in Oregon where she works full-time and writes when she can.

twitter: www.twitter.com/lisa_schroeder
instagram: lisaschroeder15

Reviews

[Lisa]

Novel Novice says: "The Girl in the Tower will charm you with its big heart, sweet story, and enchanting writing."

Publisher's Weekly says: "Kids will find it easy to root for determined Violet as she sets out to secure her family’s freedom. . . her courage and hope light up the pages."

School Library journal says: "Forced to decide between her true destiny and the luxurious life of a princess, Violet makes tough decisions based on character and courage rather than fantasy and greed. Recommended for fans of fairy tales and modern Disney princesses."

***
Available now, this book is about a girl banished to a tower who has a great imagination and a heart of gold. There's a secret garden, an evil queen who is really a witch, magical spells, traveling minstrels, and two very special birds.

The artwork by Nicoletta Ceccoli throughout the book is just so very special and I feel incredibly fortunate to have her attached to the project.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The library gave me this book instead of other book of the same name (Winternight Trilogy #2). Probably I goofed up when I requested it. The whole time I was reading I was wondering why I requested this book and how it got on my list. But I read it anyways!

It's cute. I would've loved it as a little girl.

[Dianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book appealed to my seven-year-old daughter. This is a big deal; she is the pickiest reader I've ever met, and she won't touch most books. So, points for that.

A couple of hours after she went up to bed, I checked on her. She was halfway through this book, and she was sobbing. The witch is TOO MEAN! She's EVIL! She wouldn't read any more. I told her I would read it and tell her if it was worth finishing.

The beginning of this book is kind of a downer. A girl has been locked in a tower all her life (with her mother), just so the evil witch/queen can use her in a spell when she turns 11. It's pretty bleak—and then it gets worse. That's where I caught my poor daughter. It does look up in the end, I promise—and I'll try to convince her that she can make it through the rest of the book.

I liked the overall message of this book—that the way you are is more important than the way you look. But the story was kind of flat for me; none of the characters felt real. Also, I didn't think the writing was very good—the story felt told more than shown. However, it was very real for my daughter, and this book wasn't written for adults, it was written for children. I guess it's just right for a seven-year-old. A less sensitive one than mine, that is.

Update: She finished it! And she liked the ending.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely! And wonderful message in it about true beauty, happiness, and love. Love the birds!

[Krys · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl in the Tower is an upcoming fantasy novel written by Lisa Schroeder. I downloaded it hoping for a fun read, thinking it was a play upon Rapunzel. For its similarities, I found it to be nothing like that tale. Instead it's a precious, enjoyable romp about a young girl who spends her youth growing up in captivity. It sounds dark and sinister but I assure you that it isn't. It is sweet and charming and full of gorgeous illustrations by Nicoletta Ceccoli. I loved it so very much.

Violet was born in a castle after her mother, Nuri, went into labor on the road. Nuri traveled with a pack of wandering minstrels , including her husband Marko. The Queen of the realm, Bogdana (a witch in disguise), met with Nuri and her daughter and decided to keep them locked away in a tower. Bogdana has a spell that she needs Violet for; a spell that will keep them under lock and key for over a decade until Bogdana may cast the enchantment.

Nuri tries to make life the best that she can for Violet. She invents games and lessons to occupy their time, all the while hoping that her husband will find them. Violet, small and inquisitive, knows little else than the tower itself until the gardener, George, and his wife, Maggie, take pity on her. George builds her a secret garden to further her play, encouraging her to sneak into it as frequently as possible.

But this is only the beginning of an enchanting and magical tale that finds young Violet and her jewel-like Hummingbirds in possession of Queen Bogdana, who wants her to become the princess of the land.

I found this book to be exactly what I wanted. It reminds me of classic books that I read as a child; of fairy tales and folklore and so many things that I love. It's simple and it's straight-forward though it's carefully crafted and exquisitely detailed in tandem. I loved the soft elegance of it.

Violet is a dreamer, a girl full of life and of love. She is trusting and sweet and brimming with ideas. She's the type of heroine that parents will want their children to read, the kind that embody all of the good-natured qualities of children. Against Bogdana she is a perfect foil of light versus dark, of good versus bad, and beauty versus ugly. She is an innocent curious child wrapped up in a world out to get her, and she handles herself very well. She is a self-possessed girl with many tricks up her sleeve, and she will surprise you on many turns.

The illustrations, as mentioned, are gorgeous. Ceccoli's skill is deft and subtle, a loose rendering style that relies upon hatch-marks and precision. The style is playful and aids to enhance the old-fashioned quality of this book. I tried to imagine it without the images and came up short. It would have been a pity to have read an advanced copy without them, and I am so glad that they were included in the preview.

High on whimsy, light on terrors, this sweet novel of hope, perseverance, and optimism will delight younger readers. It's smart and funny and very cute. I want to read it to a child of mine in the future, and I cannot think of any higher praise than that.

5 out of 5 stars.

- review courtesy of www.bibliopunkkreads.com

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schroeder, Lisa The Girl in the Tower, illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli, 246 pages. Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2016. $16.99. Language: G (0 swears, 0 "f"); Mature Content: G; Violence: G;

Violet is a beautiful girl named for her beautiful eyes. She and her mother were locked away in a tower because of Queen Bogdana, her quest for beauty, and the ingredients for a beauty spell. The kingdom's kind-hearted gardener, George, tried to make things as happy as he possibly could by growing a secret garden for Violet. Hummingbirds visited Violet in her garden, and they communicated in a way no one else could.

This magical story is one I couldn't put down! Any Rapunzel-loving reader will fall in love with this enchanting tale within the first few pages. Enjoy this story with lots of twists and turns as you follow Violet on her courageous journey of bravery and wisdom.

EL - ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: Amy, Elementary Teacher.
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2016/...

[Alexa (Alexa Loves Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is pretty darn precious. It felt like reading a fairytale, and in spite of the similarities it bears to fairytales I've read, it certainly has its own spin to it. Pretty delightful, and a quick read!

[Lisa Albert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book and was lucky enough to read in manuscript form. Looking forward to the final version and reading it again in book form!

[Mei-Ling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book because the girl in it is resourceful and not a shrinking violet. It is a sweet little fairy-type tale and would be a good pick for young readers.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely sporadic illustrations; charming twist on a Rapunzel-ish theme; Madam enjoyed it too; and good themes.

[createitlibrarian (Amanda)]

The dialogue seemed forced

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute fairy tale style story.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 stars

I loved this book.

Violet(10 years old) and her mother, Nuri, have been trapped in a tower since Violet was born. This is because an evil queen, Bogdana(who's actually a witch), needs Violet for a spell to make herself beautiful when she turns eleven.

One day, Bogdana takes Violet away from Nuri and tells Violet that she will become a princess. Violet doesn't like this idea because she doesn't want to be separated from her mother.

The plot of the story is for Violet to reunite with her family.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it kept me wanting more. I always wanted to continue reading, especially at the end, when Violet tries to escape from the castle.

In the book, they often change POVs(third person), but I like that about the story because it gave the book a lot of character.

Violet was a very enjoyable character; I really like how she was kind and loving. I loved her bond with the hummingbirds in the story; they loved each other and could never be separated. She was also very brave, and I liked that about her.

One of my favourite characters is Harry, a kitchen boy who helps Violet escape from the tower.

I also liked Maggie and George, two married maidservants who help Nuri and Violet.

Spoiler Alert!

My favourite part of the book is at the very end when bogdana's spell was broken and we discover that Maggie and George are the true king and queen. I wasn't expecting it, and it was really exciting.

I would recommend this book to young girls who like brave main characters. I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.

Megan:)

[Ellen Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

On pg. 43 when George brings cinnamon cookies for Violet, she "licked her lips". Then, on pg. 71, when she's "hunting for treasure", she "licked her lips as she studied the map." The second time it was written, it did not fit in somehow. And it struck me as odd, that's how I can remember it! Another phrase that was repeated enough to attract attention was: "Ever so slowly".

Apart from those slight "annoyances", for I get annoyed when a phrase is repeated enough times to get on my radar (unfortunately), the book was good. I liked the story, it was quite original with well-known and well-loved elements woven into it quite cleverly.

When Maggie plays the harp, and can't recall how she knows how to play it, I suspected that she was under a spell. But I was, in no way, prepared for the surprise at the end! A very pleasant surprise too.

It's a long story, a thick book, but my ten-year-old sister read it in three days. So, I guess kids aged 10-14 would enjoy this? I liked it well enough and was pleasantly entertained for a few long hours.

[Kendal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great 2016 spin off of the classic story of Rapunzel. As main character violet is stuck in a tower her entire life just as Rapunzel was in the original story. The main character is seen as kind but also brave which is a great way to brake the norm of princesses in story books as they are often depicted as helpless and in need of saving by a man. The ending was very surprising and not what the reader would have expected. Overall super entertaining and elementary school Kendal would have loved it.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A witch who has taken over a kingdom and transformed nearly everything in it consults her book of spells for a recipe for beauty. All she needs is a long black hair from a girl with lavender eyes who has reached the age of 11 but not yet turned twelve and a feather from a hummingbird.

The story which unfolds includes a castle tower, kind servants, a secret garden, traveling musicians, devoted parents, imagination, hope, help, and wits to overcome the many obstacles that arise.

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked that Violet always found something to do when she was trapped in the tower and I didn't like that the queen was mean and only did what she wanted. I liked that Maggie and George ended up being the true King and Queen because they are so nice unlike Queen Bogdana and George and Maggie help Violet and her parents.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Violet has been in the castle tower since she was born because of her purple eyes. Luckily she has dear friends that help her find happiness in her situation. When the Queen finds her in the secret garden she tries to make her stay. What happens when Violet discovers the Queen's plan with her?

[cookiemonger · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's cute. The illustrations are pretty. Although the first half is rather twee and almost all of the conflict resolution is decidedly inorganic, there is a show of strength from the titular girl near the end that manages to save it. It's probably better when shared with a young reader.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful story and the illustrations were so beautiful! I am sure I am not the first person to order this by mistake, I was looking for The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden. I am so glad that this unintentionally landed in my lap, it was very enjoyable.

[Olivia Gasca]

This book is a spin off of sleeping beauty but is aimed towards a younger audience. This book can show kids that no matter who you are or where you come from, you can be strong and mighty. The Girl in the Tower also has a strong emphasis on family and the importance of the love of family.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful children's fairytale, a VERY loose retelling of Rapunzel. With a surprise twist ending, I can think of several 4-6th graders and others who are going to love this book!

[Cindy Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story. Loved the sweetness of the stories message.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was a really sweet and simple fairytale, kind of a mix between Rapunzel and Snow White. The pictures were delightful.

[Chelsey L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book.It was super easy to read.It had so much action and adventure.

[DaNae · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the writing so cloying, this was hard to get through. And the message that ugly is evil and beauty is best made my stomach squirm.

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

beehive nominee 2018

[Rachel Robins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, unique fairy tale:) Little predictable, but an excellent choice for a middle reader.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a cute and fun story. I read this with my 7 year old and she loved it. it's a quick and easy read and perfect for a younger audience.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story. Perfect for 2-3rd graders, an easy read.