What if Rapunzel didn’t want to be rescued from her tower? What if, instead, she put herself there? Rapunzel’s Gambit is advertised as a “diabolical” fairytale retelling of Rapunzel, and a part of the All That Glitters collection. While I’m not sure if diabolical is the right word for this story, one thing’s for sure… it’s super entertaining! (Also, how fun is the cover?)
Desperate to rid his kingdom of a troublesome dragon, King Harrigan offers his daughter’s hand in marriage to any man who can slay the beast, but Rapunzel refuses to be pawned off. Deciding that a life of crime is preferable to wedding some power-hungry suitor, Rapunzel fakes her own kidnapping and joins forces with the cunning dragon plaguing her kingdom.
Together, they plot a grand scheme that would amass them both riches beyond their wildest dreams. As the lure of a reward for the princess’s safe return attracts men tempted by greed and Rapunzel’s flirtations, the would-be heroes soon become the ones in need of rescue atop a tower only accessible by dragonback. But as her alliance with the dragon grows more precarious and dangerous, Rapunzel is forced to question whether she’s trusted the wrong side.
On the chessboard of fate, the swindler princess of Rookwyn must make her own moves with every calculated gambit and soon realizes…
The real game was never about knights, kings, and queens, but about how a mere pawn could become a legend.
World, Character, and Plot
Let’s start with the characters. Rapunzel herself is super fun. She doesn’t follow rules, has a mind of her own, and comes up with some pretty great plots. She was the catalyst in her own story, moving the plot forward every time, and I loved to see that. I’m not sure if “diabolical” is the right word to describe her. Every criminal act she does is done out of desperation to protect herself or her kingdom (not poor morality). “Headstrong” seems to suit her better. Rapunzel knows what she wants and what she wants for her kingdom, and she’s willing to do anything to achieve those goals.
I do have to say that the book does struggle to support its supporting cast. Characters like Pollox and Griffin had lots of potential but lacked development. This is something I’ve seen many times in books with one main character… Others in the story lose dimension so that the lead can have their page time. We spent a lot of time focused on Rapunzel (who I love), but I think that more development for the side characters would have really pulled me into her story.
There is one part of the book I’d like to discuss, but SPOILERS… so I’ll do my best to talk around it. Rapunzel’s Gambit does have a love triangle, but it’s not your normal love triangle. I did feel the scales were tipped a little too obviously in favor of one suitor. Maybe more balance between the two would have added emotional tension and made Rapunzel’s final choice more compelling? I actually disagreed with her choice in the end, especially since it was based on an action one character took that felt completely out of character. Many actions felt like they were there to serve the plot, rather than being based on the character’s actual motivations.
Speaking of plot: The plot in this book was killer. I was invested in every page. The schemes, misdirection, and reveals are consistently fun. No matter the stakes, Mary Mecham made me care about whether or not the characters could pull their plans off.
PAGED IN: Rapunzel’s Gambit is clean fantasy romance, so zero profanity and zero innuendo! I love to see this in YA. There is also mild fantasy violence.
Conclusion
If Fourth Wing had a younger sibling that was clean and appropriate for YA, it would be Rapunzel’s Gambit. While some members of the supporting cast felt underdeveloped (a consequence of spending so much focus on Rapunzel herself), this particular book is still satisfying and fun. I enjoyed the plot twists, headstrong heroine, and creative take on the classic Rapunzel fairy tale. Four stars!
Special thanks to Mary Mecham for the ARC copy. All opinions are my own. You can buy Rapunzel’s Gambit here.
Marie