The tale of the legendary golden flower is widely known. The story has been told many times and in many ways. But always the flower is coveted by an old witch to keep herself young and beautiful. And always the flower is used to save a dying queen, who then gives birth to a princess with magical hair. Not willing to lose the flower, the old witch steals the princess and locks her away in a high … high tower, raising her as her own. But the princess always finds out who she truly is and manages to defeat the old witch.
And yet this is only half the story. So what of the old witch, Mother Gothel? Where does she come from? And how does she come across the magical golden flower? Here is one account that recounts a version of the story that has remained untold for centuries . . . until now. It is a tale of mothers and daughters, of youth and dark magic. It is a tale of the old witch.
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The fifth installment of Serena Valentino’s Disney Villains Series took me a bit longer to get through. It was mostly just life getting in the way of reading, and I am fine with that. Life is like that sometimes, and that’s okay.
About the book, it isn’t my favorite. The title is a bit misleading. I thought the book would be more about Gothel and Rapunzel, the missing princess. That is not the way the story is written. In fact, the missing princess didn’t become part of the story until I was almost finished with the book. The small portion of the book that is about the missing princess is pretty much the Tangled script – from Rapunzel and Gothel to Flynn Rider. Pascal even makes a cameo. It is just like the movie. What isn’t like the move is the tapestry woven in the background of their stories.
The book starts with Gothel as a child spending every waking moment with her sisters Primrose and Hazel. Their mother is too wrapped up in herself and being Queen of the Dead to care about her daughters. All she cares about is that the girls never leave the dead woods.
The Odd Sisters play a very large part in this story. As in the previous books, the sisters are meddlesome and destructive. Although they try to save Rapunzel from Gothel so Circe will forgive them, Circe knows the sisters are the reason Rapunzel is in danger in the first place. Their feeble attempts to gain Circe’s favor only serve to make Circe angrier.
We all know how the story ends for Rapunzel. After all, we all saw her and Eugene at the coronation of Queen Elsa of Arendelle. Mother Knows Best isn’t really about Rapunzel. Mother Knows Best is about Gothel – the black-hearted daughter of the Queen of the dead.
Mother Knows Best is my least favorite of the Villains Series so far. Don’t misunderstand that statement. Serena Valentino is a very unique story teller. She brings elements to these beloved fairy tales that I, for one, could never imagine. I am enjoying this series very much. However, I will caution you to be careful about who you allow to read these books. It will be quite some time before I allow my four-year-old niece to read these books. Yet, I can hardly wait to share them with my cousin’s eighteen-year-old daughter.
That being said, I would like to offer a sincere apology to Serena Valentino. When I first started reading her Disney Villains Series, I read the first four books in a month. It has taken me over a month to finish Mother Knows Best. The amount of time it took for me to complete this book had very little to do with the book. Life just happens sometimes, and this past month has been quite a challenge on several fronts. I’ve been unable to read on a regular basis, as with the previous four books. For that, I sincerely apologize. I will do my best to get through the next books more expeditiously – between homeschooling a quarantined child and holiday baking.
Enjoyable read. I liked the story and was happy with the ending. It ends but leaves it open for the next book.
I listened to an audio version of this book and loved it. The narrator is so good. I already have the next book ready to go.
Couldn’t get through it.
Next to the first book in this series, Fairest of All, this was my second favorite. I feel like it went back to the Grimm-like timeless retelling that I enjoyed so much in the first book. Yes, the Odd Sisters played a huge part in this story, but for the first time, they felt like the BELONGED in the story, unlike in books two, three, and four where it felt like they were hijacking someone else tale.
I won’t dissect this book as it’s already been done numerous times here, but this is definitely one of the best, most fleshed out books of the series. If you’re struggling with the middle books, stick it out…this one is great.
I LOVED the original story of Gothel’s beginnings! So creative and I came to really feel for her. This is the first book in the series that I’ve read so I don’t know if the other books share this trait, but I thought the novel was well-paced until the point where it intersected with the Disney movie. I thought the interweaving was creative, but it went too fast. Also I thought the ending tie-together was weak. But overall, beautiful imagery and an original backstory made the book totally worth the read! I definitely plan on tracking down the others and reading them.
Such a great twist on a Disney classic! Love the story behind the story! Recommend the entire series!
This one was my favorite in the series so far! I loved Mother Gothel’s original back-story. It was extremely creative and so different than anything I could have imagined her story to be. Great read! I can’t wait for the Odd Sisters own book to come out.
This book helps give you a better understanding of the Disney movie Tangled, also makes you feel bad for Gothel. I Say that she is not as bad as she looks.
Valentino weaves wonders in her latest Villains novel, Mother Knows Best. Perfectly complimentary to the previous four installments while also a story that holds its own, MKB is a testament to Valentino’s spectacular spooky storytelling.
MKB walks us through Mother Gothel’s early years, setting the scene for the Gothel we know (and love?) in Disney’s Tangled. From exploring the dead woods and witnessing the grandeur of the castle and conservatory, to visiting ribbon-spooled Fripperies and the floral-patterned, deep brown and dusty rose rooms of the cottage house, readers will be charmed by each scene setting. Not to mention the charm the new characters to bring to the series. Jacob, Tiddlebottom and others warm our hearts in an otherwise death-laden environment. The juxtaposition of the Tangled storyline with MKB’s content is a treat for die-hard Disney film fans who will appreciate Valentino’s commitment to consistency.
And so, once again, Valentino enchants her readers; whisking them away somewhere between dreams and nightmares. Villains fans will not be disappointed, and newcomers will receive a warm and witch-filled welcome.