Good Books - Enchantment

I was a bit of a slacker last week. I didn't get around to doing a "Good Book" review. I was kind of busy last Sunday. I went with my father to one of his co-workers weddings. Then we had Stake Conference so my day kind of got full.

But today I find myself with plenty of time for a good review. Since Ender's Game just came out in the movie theatres I decided this week I would share my favorite Orson Scott Card book. It is titled "Enchantment."

 This book is about the story of Sleeping Beauty, only it's not the normal telling of it. For starters the book's main character is Ivan. A young man born in the Ukrianian part of the Soviet Union. When he was ten years old his parents decide to leave the country and make a break for the USA. On their way to Vienna, they stayed with his mother's cousin Marek, on his farm.

During their short stay, Ivan explored the woods and discover a mysterious clearing where a he saw a woman resting on a bed of leaves. When he tried to approach he heard growling coming from under the leaves. Too afraid of the sound he ran back home.

His family made it to America and he grew up and went to college to study Ancient Slavic languages, like his father, and folklore. During his masters program he returned to Kiev, Ukriane, now no longer part of the USSR.
While there, he paid a visit to Cousin Marek's farm.

While out on a morning run he found himself once again at the same clearing he saw as a child.

 

This time he doesn't run away and he discovers that the woman resting in the leaves is surrounded by a ditch and at the bottom of the ditch is a great black bear.

With his skills in long jumping, Ivan is able to jump the ditch and land next to the sleeping woman. Following the fairytale stereo type he kisses her and she wakes up. But he find that she speaks one of the Ancient Slavic languages he has been studying. They have a disagreement on how to get off their island safely. Ivan sees a bridge on one side but Katerina sees one on the opposite side and they can only see each other's bridge if they are holding hands. Katerina takes him over her's and Ivan finds himself in medieval Ukraine, where she is from.

Ivan is forced to get over the culture shock and is told Katerina was under a spell placed on her by Baba Yaga, an evil witch.

And the story goes on from there. It is fun to see the relationship of Katerina and Ivan develop and grow. She doesn't like him at first because he isn't a warrior like the men she was raised with. But she discovers that he is more than meets the eye.

So if you are looking for a new take on the Sleeping Beauty story. I highly suggest reading this one.