Jane Yolen's Briar Rose (1992)A fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty, intertwined with the quest for the truth about Gemma's past leads Becca, her granddaughter, on a tour from a box of documents to Oswego to Poland. This book sweeps back and forth from the telling of the fairy tale otherwise known as Briar Rose to the present day where Becca attempts to piece together her Gemma's mysterious past. Who was she? What was her name? How did she come to America? Where was she from, and why does she insist that she is Briar Rose?
I found the telling of this story intriguing and fascinatingly woven with intrigue, suspense, and the pain of a harrowing past that is steeped in fairy tale lore. The form of the novel was nicely separated, and the tale of Becca's is symbolic of Gemma's own story. The history of the places Becca visits in Poland are indeed unforgettable, considering it is based in fact rather than in fiction. It is agonizing to remember that the sheer numbers are accurate...
All in all, though a bit rushed at the end, I'll give it a solid *** and 1/2 stars. I think the Grimm's version is calling to me now...
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