A Whole New World (Twisted Tale Series #1) by Liz Braswell
Product Details
Web ID: 14352667Darker and Thought-Provoking
Braswell's story parallels the beginning of the classic Disney movie well. The stage was set perfectly to explore the tale of 'what if.' I enjoyed the thought-provoking narrative because it made the story more realistic. However, the realistic feel made the story much darker than Disney audiences may be used to. This book is recommended for ages 12-17, however, I would not recommend the book to the younger ages unless they are more mature for their age. The realistic events that the Disney characters encounter are not light-hearted like the movie. This book is perfect for those looking for a more adult version of a fairy tale.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Fun Reimagining!
After being disappointed by As Old as Time by Liz Braswell, I was nervous that the author wouldn’t be able to do my second favorite Disney Princess justice either in A Whole New World, but I must admit that it was not bad! If you don’t already know, the Disney Twisted Tales series follow the characters we know and love, but incorporate an unexpected twist. In this book, the twist was that Jafar rubbed the lamp before Aladdin. Taken as a whole, I enjoyed this book! It focuses more on an uprising and rebellion as opposed to the relationship Aladdin and Jasmine develop, but I appreciated that change. For one, I don’t think it would’ve made sense for this book to focus on their relationship, as the turn of events placed their priorities elsewhere. In fact, I would have been happy if Jasmine and Aladdin’s relationship remained completely platonic, as their love for one another felt underdeveloped in the book. Similarly, I really enjoyed the way Braswell depicts Jasmine, particularly her efforts to connect with all of her people. In the movie, Jasmine cares about her people, but we don’t really get to see her interact with the people of Agrabah beyond one or two occasional scenes. In this book, she truly takes the time to get to know people, especially those living in poverty. One aspect that I thought was missing from the novel was the focus on feminism. The fact that Jasmine is a girl and must marry a prince is kind of a big deal in the movie. While I understand that it is not as relevant in this book, I think the author missed out on an opportunity to deepen the themes in the book. I would have liked to see Jasmine take on feminist issues, and I think the problem of her ruling as an unmarried woman still could have been addressed in the book. Overall, I definitely liked A Whole New World! While there are some things that were missing, Braswell clearly added a lot of depth and darkness to the original story!
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Great light read
The beginning was basically the original cartoon. Had very much Harry Potter vibes as the street rats, Aladdin and Jasmine start their plotting for battle. I liked seeing the street rats perspective in this version but I didn’t like the ending when it came to a few of the characters. Could be a great movie!
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Great read to pass the time
It's very interesting. It's still has most of the original characters from the film, but it also has new enjoyable characters that help explain Aladddin background. How the characters are portrayed is also very interesting and enjoyable to read. I would recommend this for someone who likes a bit of war tactics and also wants to see how the main characters evolve throughout this story. WARNING This is leaning towards a rating of PG-13 because it does discuss rape, but only for a little bit. If you want this for your child who still does not understand the subject, then I would recommend reading it with them to either skip that small part or to help them understand it.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A real page turner!
I bought this book because I am a big time Disney fan. I thought found it so interesting how they twisted the story of Aladdin. I was so mesmerized by the book that I read the whole thing in a day.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Loved this retelling
Twisted Tale sums this up nicely. A retelling of Aladdin that takes you down interesting paths. It is very fast paced and I truly enjoyed it.
Recommends this product
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com