Briar Rose

By: Jane Yolen

Narrated by: Linda Stephens

Briar Rose is a historically sensitive retelling of Sleeping Beauty set amid forests patrolled by the German army during World War II.

In the heat of midsummer 1942, deep in a forest in the heart of Poland, Briar Rose arrives at a castle that has fallen into the hands of an evil army. Corrupted by dark deeds and choked by a poisonous mist, the castle will soon come to be known as Chelmno extermination camp. And in that place of death, Briar Rose is plunged into a deep sleep. …

Ever since she was a child, Rebecca has been enchanted by her grandmother Gemma's stories of Briar Rose. Becca would have sworn the stories were made up, but on her deathbed Gemma extracts from Becca a promise to fulfill three impossible requests: find the castle, find the prince, and find the spell-maker. Her vow sends Becca on a remarkable journey to uncover the truth of Gemma's astonishing claim: I am Briar Rose.

Yolen's graceful retelling of the German folktale of “Briar Rose”—known to some as “Sleeping Beauty”—sets the story amid forests patrolled by the German army during World War II. Yolen confronts the deeply tragic events of the Holocaust with lyrical prose and rich characterizations that tell a tale of good and evil, hope and despair.

The Washington Post called Briar Rose “a terrifically moving story.”

©1992 Jane Yolen (P)1996 Recorded Books

Awesome rendition

Becca Berlin makes a commitment to her Gemma, who is waiting on the stairs of death, to find the missing puzzle pieces of a childhood fairytale and bring it to reality. Unbeknownst to Becca, this vow sends her on a mysterious voyage, in a faraway land, to uncover the authenticity of her grandmother's rendition of Sleeping Beauty. But when the answers become more questions can she put it all together and find the truth. Yolen writes an effective and heart wrenching story about the trials and tribulations that were endured during one of the darkest times in history, and the LOVE one can have for another.

A fantastic story. Ruined by an unrealistic and needless number of homosexual characters.

I am disappointed by this book’s needless homosexual characters. I only see how one actually added to the plot. And I am happy that character was there. But almost every character had to have some experimentation, or homosexual theme. It is not necessary, and it drew my attention away from an otherwise fantastic and compelling story. Needless fluff obviously driven by an attempt to normalize homosexuality.

Hauntingly beautiful

I have loved this book since childhood. It makes me cry every time. Ms Yolen is a masterful story teller and while they are very different in styles, this makes a great companion to the Devil’s Arithmetic also by Jane Yolen.

Fairytale without fantasy

If you could sum up Briar Rose in three words, what would they be?

Educational not entertaining

Any additional comments?

Not having read the blurbs and other comments, I was a little surprised. Not fantasy at all except for using the Sleeping Beauty scaffolding. I'd place the book in holocaust studies and subtitle it The Gay Prince and the Alternative Kiss. The quest part felt more like a stage setting for the final lecture.

Better than expected

My husband and I listened together and loved it we highly recommend it, especially if you know some of history.