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Title: Zel by Donna Jo Napoli ISBN: 0-14-130116-3 Publisher: Puffin Books Pub. Date: 01 November, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.42 (73 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: I will always be grateful that I read this book
Comment: I wavered on the prospect of buying this book for at least a month before finally purchasing it, simply because I wasn't sure if I would be getting a "kid's book" that would interest me or a more mature novel. Because Donna Jo Napoli's books are mostly listed as "young adult," and because some of her other titles, such as "Soccer Shock" and "Shark Shock" looked like "kids' books," I kept putting this recommendation aside.
I wanted to read fairy tales, but not Disney-style, written for children with children's themes. I was (and am) interested in the adult side to these tales, but every time I would search Amazon.com for fairy tales, this was one of the first recommendations. Eventually, I succumbed, and I am unbelievably grateful.
"Zel" is one of the finest novels I have read, period. Napoli's fierce command over language, tone, content, setting and narrative prose shines so brightly in this book that I re-read it every day for three weeks just to absorb it all.
Zel, of course, is the story of Rapunzel, but as with most of Napoli's work, the details have been rearranged. Zel's love of life is corraled by her mother, who loves her daughter so much that she can't bear the thought of losing her to anyone or anything. And besides, Mother is a witch.
The character of Mother is a careful, powerful description of a woman in torment, as well as the crushing ability of love. Her internal struggles take root in the very fundamental question of evil: why do bad things happen? In Mother's case, the "bad thing" is her inability to have children. The desire is so intense that her barreness drives her away from God (at one point, she asks how He could make her want one so badly and yet not let her have one). She is unconcerned with selling her soul for the powers that allow her to acquire a child.
Mother has a need to both justify her actions and suffer for them. The increasing amount of control she imposes over her daughter - to the point that Zel is locked in a tower - drives both Mother and Zel to madness, but while Zel's madness is born from loneliness and isolation, Mother's is driven from guilt and fear. Mother works to bring her daughter wonderful gifts -- which Napoli describes in a way I've yet to see another author master, through patient mentions of foods, receipes, and other basic goods -- yet knows as she delivers them that Zel doesn't want them.
Konrad is the impetus for placing Zel in the tower. Zel's chance meeting with the 15 year-old count arouses all the fear Mother has of her child growing up and leaving her - as well as loving anyone besides her. But Mother can't control Konrad, who seeks Zel out everyday.
The alternating views -- between Mother, Zel and Konrad -- keep the book balanced with everyone's viewpoint. Mother is kept from being a black-hat villain because she can tell her story and therefore allow the reader to understand. Of course, you have to cheer for the young lovers, but despite the ending, I could sympathize with Mother's position.
Napoli doesn't shy away from adult situations -- including sex -- but she handles them tastefully and powerfully. "Zel" has themes that I don't think younger children or even younger teenagers can entirely grasp. It certainly isn't a novel to keep kids away from, in my opinion, but it is strong in nature.
The final paragraph is perhaps the most powerful of the entire novel, and it's probably why I keep rereading. Those are always the best kinds of books, I think; the ones that _make_ you read them again. I would recommend Zel to everyone except the very young. This book has caused me to gobble up nearly every book by Donna Jo Napoli, and for that, I will always be grateful to Amazon.com, who continued to recommend it no matter how many times I ignored it.
Rating: 5
Summary: The way Rapunzel was meant to be told
Comment: "Zel" was excellent. Incredible, amazing. What can I say? It was the best "fairy tale" I've ever read.
It tells the story of an almost 13 year old mountain girl, named Zel. She lives in a secluded cabin with her mother, who loves her greatly. One day, when Zel and her mother go to town, Zel meets a wealthy boy, Konrad, and she can't stop thinking about him. When her mother finds out, she takes Zel away to a tower, where she's locked up. She believes her mother is keeping her safe from an evil person, as she told her. But Zel nearly goes crazy - she wants to see people, she wants to live her life.
This book is told by 3 characters: Zel, her mother, and Konrad. It was very emotional, and I'd recommend it for ages 12 and up. Be sure to read the other books by Napoli!
Rating: 5
Summary: Enchanting and unique
Comment: I just finished this book yesterday and I thought it was very good! The researched setting is realistic yet with magical elements, and the characters have strong, vivid emotions. There was no rambling, the sentences were to the point. This retelling of Rapunzel is very unique, and I loved the character Zel. You can see Zel mature as the book progresses, the words and emotions change beautifully. There were some odd moments, but overall I loved this book.
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Title: Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli ISBN: 0590383892 Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks Pub. Date: 01 November, 2000 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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Title: Spinners by Donna Jo Napoli, Richard Tchen ISBN: 014131110X Publisher: Puffin Books Pub. Date: 01 February, 2001 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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Title: The Magic Circle by Donna Jo Napoli ISBN: 0140374396 Publisher: Puffin Books Pub. Date: 01 June, 1995 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
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Title: Snow by Tracy Lynn, Kinuko Y. Craft, Tracy Lynn ISBN: 0689855567 Publisher: Simon Pulse Pub. Date: 01 February, 2003 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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Title: Beast by Donna Jo Napoli ISBN: 0689835906 Publisher: Simon Pulse Pub. Date: 01 June, 2002 List Price(USD): $8.00 |
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