From the back cover:

Ever since she was a child, Rebecca has been enchanted by her grandmother Gemma’s stories about Briar Rose. But a promise Rebecca makes to her dying grandmother will lead her on a remarkable journey to uncover the truth of Gemma’s astonishing claim: I am Briar Rose. A journey that will lead her to unspeakable brutality and horror. But also to redemption and hope.

A stunning and unforgettable novel by master storyteller Jane Yolen—from the highly acclaimed “Fairly Tale” series created by Terri Windling.

“Both heartbreaking and heartwarming, Yolen’s novel is a compelling reminder of the Holocaust as well as a contemporary tale of secrets and romance.” Booklist

Hi, all--
Please journal when you receive the book and make a new journal entry with your review once you've read it. PM the next reader for an address (you can use the links below to reach the reader's shelf), then make a new journal entry when you put the book in the mail. Please don't do a release note; earlier readers don't get copies of the release notes but do get copies of journal entries.
If you need to be skipped when the book is due to you, let me know so I can reschedule you on the list if you like. This list is a long one already (and since it's a ray, it'll be open indefinitely), so please keep the book moving in a timely fashion.

Bookray participants (tentative order):

1. GuinevereII (in New Jersey, US)
   
2. retc (in New Orleans, US)
   
3. fizzfred (in California, US)
   
4. cheli-garza (in Texas, US)
   
5. sunsign6 (in Texas, US)--Skipped at her request.
   
6. SCRAM33 (in North Carolina, International)
   
7. GrammarBroad (in Louisiana, International)
   
8. meganh (in Australia, International)
   
9. taniazed (in Australia, International)
   
10. gypsyrose02 (in Australia, International)
    
11. katayoun (in Iran, International)--Skipped at her request.
    
12. nikel27 (in Germany, International)
    
13. blurbren (in Malaysia, International)
    
14. janetcarolina (in Peru, International)--asked to be skipped
    
15. suzyruth (in South Carolina, US)--it's here
    
16. becca-mo (in Tennessee, International)
    
17. Ramya (in New Jersey)
    
18. Vunna (in Bulgaria)
    

If necessary, Ramya can send the book back to me, and I'll launch it on its next International trip.

This book went out in the mail today to GuinevereII.

Enjoy!

Recieved today in the mail from Georgia. Thank you so much! I'll get around to reading this within the next two weeks. Maybe when I'm on vacation in the Virgin Islands?

This book got a free round trip to the US Virgin Islands! My dad went to St. Thomas on business for the first time ever, so he dragged the whole family along and made a vacation out of it. I read the first half on my plane ride home from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Newark, New Jersey. The picture on the left is of St. Thomas that I took while I was there.

I love Holocuast/WWII stories and I love fairy tales retold, so of course I thought this book was just awesome. Gemma was one amazing character. I could see where this story was going from the beginning, because everyone's familiar with the tale of Sleeping Beauty. But the ending climax was so graphic and unexpected compared to the rest of the story---which really was just a mild search leading to the climax. Without the ending, there IS no story. Anyway, you think think you've come upon who you expected to find in the end, but you haven't. Good plot twist.

The descriptions of homey, yet ghost-ridden Poland was great. I admire Yolen's skill for mixing horrific, harsh reality with the beauty of the Briar Rose story. I had never heard of Chelmo before this novel.

What I didn't like was Becca and Stan. It seems as if the author needed Becca to have a romantic interest, so she just lumped her together with Stan. It wasn't romantic at all. Nor did I think their personalities suited one another. Magda was cool, though; I liked her. And I smiled at the reference to Robin McKinley's Beauty. I have that on my shelf, too!

Dropped off in the mailbox today for retc in Louisiana. Hope she enjoys!

Received in mail. I have one book ring to read before this one. I am looking forward to this one. Thanks!

Finished this over the weekend. I really, really loved it. Thanks for sharing. I have PMed the next person for an address.

Released on Friday, December 10, 2004 at about 9:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at book ring in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release Controlled Releases.

RELEASE NOTES:

sent on its way

Yey! I guess retc's husband finally finished reading this book. How did he like it??? I have one other bookring that I am half way through before I get to this. I'm sure I'll be finished in the next couple weeks though. I'll journal again then.

Oh, this book was good. And so, so sad, well happy but sad. I read it in two sittings - I couldn't stop for anything once I got to Josef's story. When I finished I needed to have a good cry. This book was so well done, it really got to me. I will not soon forget Gemma, Josef or Aron. Thank you so much, KF-in-Georgia for introducing them to me. I will send this on to cheli-garza once I get an address.

Sent to cheli-garza today via media mail.

Got this in the mail last week. Sorry I haven't logged it yet, but my 'puter's been on the fritz. This is an amazing book, not at all what I expected. It'll be on its way to sunsign6 as soon as I get an address. Thank you for sharing!

1-18-2005: Sunsign6 says she's catching up on life right now, so PMd SCRAM for address.

1-19-2005: Will go in the mail to SCRAM33 tomorrow.

Received this in the mail and read this yesterday. What a powerful story! I agree with GuinevereII about Becca and Stan. Their story was really unnecessary. It did not really add anything to the story. However, I was completely glued to Gemma's story.
*Spoiler Alert*
Although I was disappointed that we never really found out anything about Gemma's life prior to the Holocaust, the idea of her replacing her traumatic memories of the war with the beautiful story of Sleeping Beauty was moving. This wasa truly inspired take on the fairy tale. Off to Grammarbroad!

Arrived yesterday. Thank you.

This is one of those strange coincidences. I don't know where I heard of this book, or how I first got on the list. I didn't even remember asking for it when Scram33 PMed me for my address. I guess I was just meant to read it, though.

Definitely not a children's fairy tale. Not at all what I expected.

Haunting.

Well, Briar Rose, you are off to Australia, girl.

#635

In the mail today. Enjoy.

This arrived in Friday's mail (29/7/05) and I have been away for a long weekend, hence the delay in journalling. I am relieved it is here as I was starting to think the mail had gone astray. I'm looking forward to reading Briar Rose.

I sat down to read this today - on a cold winter's afternoon in Gisborne. The story was gripping and I hardly put the book down till I was finished. From the back cover and also from the well known fairytale of Sleeping Beauty, it was not difficult to see where the story would take us. However, Jane Yolen's treatment of Sleeping Beauty gave me an unforgettable slant on what has always been treated as a 'happily ever after' story. Perhaps the inclusion of the budding romance between Becca and Stan was to satisfy that part of the fairytale.
Gemma and grandaughter Becca had a very strong bond, perhaps partly because of their physical likeness although Becca did not appear to realise this until she started her search for her grandmother's story. The tales of and about the holocaust continue to haunt us and help us to remember a dark time in our recent history.
This will be off to taniazed as soon as I get her address.

arrived today. have a few before it, but will get to it asap.

what an amazing book. i anxiously followed the story along with becca to fit the missing pieces of the puzzle. The last couple of chapters broke my heart. Being a mother, certain parts of it were so upsetting for me that i had to block them out or i would've had nightmares. im glad ive read this one. thanks for including me. katayoun has asked to be skipped, so waiting for details from next bcer along.

posted out today.

arrived safe at my house.

update:
thanks for sharing with me, Just finish reading over the weekend.

asked already for next members address:
blurbren (in Malaysia)

RELEASE NOTES:

EnJoy the Book !!

Saw it in my mailbox today! Thanks for making my day, Nicole! :)

The envelope was opened and resealed with the label "Opened for the Home Ministry" - for censorship or control of books (in case some are banned books, maybe?)

Anyway, the envelope was stamped with the words "Akta Mesin Cetak Dan Penerbitan 1984 (Pindaan) 1987" (Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984 (Amendment) 1987) and "Telah diperiksa dan diluluskan" (Checked and approved), with a signature dated today! Hmmm...

Am just glad it made it through! Looking forward to reading it!

Resisting the temptation to read the journal entries till I've read the book. Don't want to spoil the surprise.

The story started off more like Cinderella, with stereotypical roles for Becca's sisters, I'm afraid. But interesting retell of Sleeping Beauty, and with more sad and ugly elements than I bargained for. Liked the explanation for Gemma's name, and the way Jane Yolen would stretch Gemma's storytelling to Becca.

Was hoping for a leeetle more romance to the story, though. Agree with GuinevereII and Scram33 that Becca-and-Stan didn't seem to have much point in it. Sigh... I suppose the twist at the end did tie up the loose ends, but the revelations were more of an anticlimax.


Sending it off to suzyruth since janetcarolina asked to be skipped.

Received this book as part of a bookray, thank you, blurbren!...will read it and pass it to the next person on the list.