Towers And Tithes by Christina Bauer

The new book of Christina Bauer, published earlier this November. Thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review!

Themes: YA fantasy, fairytale retelling, romance

The synopsis

Rapunzel Meets Jane Eyre in this fairy tale romance!

I’m a Tower Tithe with a Rapunzel problem. That’s not as weird as it sounds.

Ever wonder how Rapunzel survives without leaving her home? After all, someone must stock groceries, buy hair products and fix the plumbing. Witches don’t wield toilet brushes, so “Rapunzel care” becomes the job of Tower Tithes like me. Not that we choose this gig. We’re just unlucky elves who get magically chucked into servitude. Since our kind live for ages, being a Tower Tithe can drag on for thousands of years… and I’m seventeen. Yipes.

That said, it wouldn’t be too awful if I had a cool Rapunzel. No such luck.

I serve none other than Lady R, the social media sensation and sadist who lives in Manhattan’s famous Apex Towers. With the help of her manager—a witch named Jocasta—Lady R releases daily gossip videos while assigning me “torture chores.” Many tasks are designed to remind me how Lady R is the gorgeous variety of elf, while I’m beyond plain. I spend a lot of time scheming my escape. And dreaming about Dex, the hot prince who is Lady R’s promised happily ever after.

My name is Grayson Eyre, and this is my story.

The review

Well, it seems that this month I’m going for retellings. This time, it’s the one of Rapunzel and Jane Eyre. Like any fairytale, it’s a very, very quick read and to be honest it felt a bit rushed. I wish I had more time to discover the world and the system of the fairytales used as patterns for the characters’ lives (which I found very unique). But I think all these elements are present in the other books since this one is part of a series, even if it can be read alone.

I liked the characters with the bad ones being slightly psycho, going beyond the usual bad of fairytales. Grayson is cute even if a bit stupid at times but since she never left her cottage before it’s logical. I wished she had more chapters but there are more things happening on Dex’s side so I understand this narrative choice. My favourite was Elle because she seems a bit crazy but has a network I wish I had! It was also fun to go from a fairytale setting with forests and castles to New York which is a bit revisited to fit in the plot.

In brief: a good fairytale but too short. The copy I received had artwork inside which was very nice even if I would have preferred to have it at the end instead of between the chapters.

My rating: 4/5