Everyone knows the story of Repunzel in her tower, but do you know the story of the witch who put her there? Mary McMyne's spellbinding debut novel reveals the truth behind the fairy tale--the truth they never wanted you to know, as only a witch might tell it. Germany 1156. With her strange Mack eyes and even stranger fainting spells, young Haelewise; has never quite fit in. Shamed by her village, her only solace lies in the stories her mother tells of child-stealing witches, of princes in wolf-skins, and of an ancient tower cloaked in mist,where women will find shelter if they are brave enough to seek it. But then her mother dies, and Haelewise is left unmoored. With nothing left for her in her village, she sets out to find the legendary tower her mother spoke of --a place called Gothel, where she meets a wise woman willing to take Haelewise under her wing. There she discovers that magic is found not only in the realm of fairy tales. But Haelewise is not the only woman to seek refuge at Gothel. It's also a haven for a girl named Rika, who carries with her a secret the church strives to keep hidden. A secret that reveals a dark world of ancient spells and murderous nobles, behind the world Haelewise has always known.
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