A refreshing take on an age old fairytale
What if the golden haired Rapunzel is actually a dark skinned Asian girl who lets down her hijab instead to get out of the tower? This is the premise of Rumaysa - a fascinating debut cleverly brings SouthAsians hues to a well known story.
Gist:
A dark skinned Asian girl trapped in a tower is looking for a way to escape. She finds a way out and discovers a magic carpet outside but there is no knight in shining armour instead a friend who gives her a necklace that tracks down people in need.
And then begins her adventures. The book is divided into three independent stories and though the first one is of Rumaysa, she weaves in and out of the other stories, more like a faciliator instead of a rescuer, helping the characters take control of their narrative.
My review:
Radiya Hafiza's sparkling debut offers a refreshing twist to age old fairytales and is divided into three sections. Readers will recognise well known characters as they follow Rumaysa's story and then follow on her adventures. Though stories take off in a similar fashion they do not end up the same way.
I was not expecting the twist in the second story or the third and was pleasantly surprised to find one. You can see shades of the writer's skills colouring the story while retaining the fabric of the original story which I was thought was amazing.
It is a great read, ideally suited for 9-11 year olds, full of action and adventure.
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