THE BOOK OF GOTHEL

Everyone knows the tale of Rapunzel in her tower, but do you know the story of the witch who put her there?

“Smart, swift, sure-footed and fleet-winged, The Book of Gothel launches its magic from a most reliable source: the troubled heart. Mary McMyne is a magician.”—Gregory Maguire, NYT bestselling author of Wicked

Praise for The Book of Gothel

“McMyne’s shimmering debut gives a fresh, exciting backstory to one of the most famous villains in fairy tale lore: the witch who put Rapunzel in her tower… The result is a sprawling epic, full of magic, love, and heartbreak. Fans of Circe and The Wolf and the Woodsman will devour this taut, empowering fairy tale.”—Publisher’s Weekly (starred review)

“A reinvention of the Rapunzel fairy tale, a luscious origin story from the witch’s point of view… McMyne melds folklore with actual historical figures and cleverly bookends the narrative with opening and closing chapters set in the twenty-first century, when an American linguistic scholar arrives in Germany after being called to translate a well-preserved medieval manuscript.”  —Booklist (starred review)

“Impeccably researched and rooted in the instantly recognisable ‘fairytale country’ of medieval Germany… When there’s this kind of fidelity to history in a fantasy or fairytale, it makes me slip between the story and reality in a really fun way. There’s a part of my mind – the part that still reads like I’m thirteen and sitting on my bed on a Sunday afternoon, trying to delay doing my homework – that starts to be unable to distinguish between the history and the fantasy of the story, enjoying the slip between them and making the past seem like a place of magic and mystery.”—British Fantasy Society

“McMyne masterfully weaves fantastical elements into the historical backdrop of medieval Germany. A page-turner… This evocative story is rich in sensory descriptions, and the suspense heightens to a heart-throbbing climax.”—Historical Novel Society

“Mary McMyne’s debut novel is dark and moody, full of distrust, doubt and more than a little bit of drama. Far from being a simple villain origin story, it explores Haelewise’s family and the stark world of 12th-century Germania. This atmosphere, combined with the deep longings and confusion of a girl just entering womanhood and the fact that readers have a good idea of the fate that awaits her, shadows The Book of Gothel with an overwhelming sense of dread—but will also compel readers to keep going to the very end.” — BookPage

“This gorgeous, feminist retelling of ‘Rapunzel’ immediately captivates… Readers of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden will adore this new fairytale fantasy.” — BuzzFeed Books

“One of our favorite kind of multi-layered fictions: it offers both a 12th century woman’s memoir and the story of the modern-day scholar who finds and translates it… utterly inventive and a real pleasure to read.” —Sustainable Arts Foundation

“Compulsively readable historical fantasy.”— Grimdark Magazine

“For lovers of villain origin stories! Naturally, a story told from the perspective of a villain often humanizes them, and this is no exception. This retelling of Rapunzel is both original, female-centered, and includes historical aspects of Germany, like its lore, paganism, and Saint Hildegard.”—BookRiot

“Both gently and fiercely told, The Book of Gothel is a sweeping, sharp story of how history twists into fairytale and back again.” –Hannah F. Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf and For the Throne

“An inventive retelling of a classic tale that pulls you deep into the wild woods of medieval Germany. The Book of Gothel is a spell-binding debut.”— Signe Pike, author of The Lost Queen and The Forgotten Kingdom

“Heartfelt and vividly imagined, this intriguing backstory to a classic fairy tale lifts the curtain on a medieval world where women battle to keep magic alive.”—Emily Croy Barker, author of The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic

“Certain stories endure because of their beauty, wonder, and wisdom. The Book of Gothel is such a novel—one that will hold readers in delighted thrall right to the startling end.” –Ronlyn Domingue, author of The Mercy of Thin Air and the Keeper of Tales Trilogy

“Mary McMyne’s The Book of Gothel is a gut-punch of a fantasy novel—I found myself completely enraptured by this story within a story, and even more taken by the end, which I totally didn’t see coming. Gothel feels both familiar and like a completely original fairy tale, and I was moved by the Jewish representation. This is Rapunzel like you’ve never seen her before.” —Rena Rossner, author of The Sisters of the Winter Wood

“This is the fairy tale retelling I never knew I needed. Rooted in history, The Book of Gothel highlights the relationships between women and the ways in which we both help and hinder each other in the name of love and loyalty. Haelewise will be in my heart for a very long time.”–Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch’s Heart

“The Book of Gothel delivers an intelligent spin on a well-loved fairy tale, the rich historical detail deftly woven with folktale magic and thoughtful characterisation.”—Rowenna Miller, author of Torn

“The Book of Gothel is wonderfully rich with historical detail, and sparkles with the intermingled magic of gods and goddesses, seers and wisewomen. Haelewise is a memorable heroine, worthy of legend. Readers will see the story of Rapunzel in a new and refreshing light.” –Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches

“Fable and history rhyme in McMyne’s captivating vision of a medieval past steeped in women’s magic and bound by women’s love.” –Jordanna Max Brodsky, author of the Olympus Bound trilogy

“A fresh reimagining of the story of Rapunzel’s witch… Readers who have enjoyed Gregory Maguire’s ‘Wicked Years’ series will find McMyne’s perspective delightful.” —Library Journal