I have read this book twice for two different book clubs and thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't worry about the "girl power" stuff just enjoyed a book where the main charachter has to figure out her role in life. Miri is a a typical teen young woman who has doubts in some areas and confidence in others. I loved that she came from a family that loved each other instead of the usual "family in crisis" stuff usually included in modern fiction.
In an age where "princess" almost always equals a Disney-esque rendering of royalty, I was at first hesitant about selecting this book for my two girls but am SO glad we gave it a shot. We all thoroughly enjoyed it.
It also provides a great contrast to the highly commercialized princess stories/fairy tales, which often incorporate a "love at first sight" aspect to the story line and can lead to good, age-appropriate discussions about the whole "knight in shining armor" myth.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is considering reading it!
The book is full of negative messages that are disguised as positive ones.
I know its a weird thing to say about a book, but its very true. This book is like a how-to for bad judgement. The hero, Mirri, just having learned to read that week, decides that she now has the keys to all problem solving. She doesn't question the idea that maybe just because she has read one book she doesn't have all the answers. The best example; She doesn't understand things like demand, and supply, but she learns that this weird rock that they get from the mountain is expensive. So she now "knows" that the traders are cheating her village, and can somehow stop them. Ok? How about the cost of hauling this rock through a mountain? She has no idea what that costs the traders. She has no idea if anyone out in the wider world even wants this rock at a given time. Maybe no one even is building a palace in the lowlands. So how exactly would she be able to force the traders to change their prices? She can't take the rocks to the cities herself. Maybe the traders simple can't afford to give a better price even if the price of the rock is theoretically high. UGH. There is nothing worse then an idiot with a teeny bit of knowledge. Thats Miri in a nutshell.
Worse yet, she is exactly the same with rules. Miri thinks that she is the best qualified to know if a given rule is just or not. Im sorry? Maybe I think drugs should be legal. Does that mean I can act on it? You don't just break a rule because you don't like it. Only a sociopath does that. Maybe thats a very good point actually. Miri is as shallow and as egotistical a person as I could imagine. I doubt she will grow out of it. Do not give this book to a kid. They will not learn any good lessons, and plenty of bad ones.
Well, To start off I loved the Goose Girl and my kids really enjoyed me reading it to them at night time. It was a great book and my kids begged ne each night for just one more chapter. When I found theis book at my local bookstore on sale I literally jumped up and down like a little child with a new toy. My kids went t obed early that night just to get in at least 4 chapters before bedtime. The beggining of the book was hard to get into and very complicated for my 8 year old daughter to understand. Why was it hard? Because how is she supposed too know what Goat Cheese and Love is all about. I continued on to read the book and Not only did my kids cry but I also went to my bed and cried that night too. I continued reading and got into the book. My daughters were very impressed at how Miri was so determined to learn. I went to bed and continued reading the book to myself. The ending was HORRIBLE. Miri worked so hard to become the princess and make a better life for her family but her bestfriend gets the title as princess. I knew that I didnt want my kids to think that If you worked hard you come up with nothing. So, I wrote my own ending and rip out the last pages and replaced them with a great happy version of the goat boy actually bieng the prince, If you know your kids are not the best in History or Big words and Idioms then I suggest you read it to them and explain. My personal view of the book was one of Shannon Hale's most horrible books.
Great for tweens, and teens, and Mom's to read to younger daughters
I read this because my daughter was reading it. I really enjoyed it myself. I especially liked how they had a community with seemingly little power come together to show courage and overwhelming protection and love when needed.