Rootbound: A Tangled Novel

by Margaret Owen

Revisit Rapunzel and Eugene from Disney's Tangled as they race to protect a neighboring kingdom in this thrilling fantasy adventure penned by the New York Times bestselling author of Little Thieves.

A cunning king. A devious princess. Best. Week. Ever.

Rapunzel knows nothing about her neighboring kingdom, Astera – and not just because she only left her tower a month ago. The famously reclusive island has limited its contact with outsiders for decades. So when a suspicious invitation arrives welcoming Rapunzel to the Asteran princess’s coming of age ceremony, and offering her a chance to be useful for the first time since she lost her healing powers, Rapunzel accepts – and unwittingly plunges herself and her companion, Eugene, into a tangled knot of political intrigue and magical secrets.

Eugene is just happy to get one last adventure with Rapunzel before his criminal background catches up with him and prevents their happy ending. Yet as they’re drawn further into the country’s problems, they uncover truths about Eugene’s parentage that point to deeper unrest in Astera, and suddenly the fate of their own kingdom, not just their personal dreams, is at stake.

Thrust into a power struggle between Astera’s beloved princess, Verette, its domineering king, Enver, and a mysterious secret society, Rapunzel and Eugene race to protect their home from an unsettlingly familiar threat and discover that the past can either hold them back, or help them blossom.

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Fairy Tales, Middle Grade

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication July 28, 2026

About the author

Born and raised at the end of the Oregon Trail, Margaret Owen spent her childhood haunting the halls of Powell’s Books. After earning her degree in Japanese, her love of espresso called her north to Seattle, where she worked in everything from thrift stores to presidential campaigns. The common thread between every job can be summed up as: lessons were learned.

She now spends her days wrestling disgruntled characters onto the page, and negotiating a long-term hostage situation with her two monstrous cats. (There is surprisingly little difference between the two.)

Reviews

[Gwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and to the author for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

Rootbound 4.25/5⭐

This book was pure nostalgia🥹

Don't forget to follow me on YouTube, where I post all about my favorite clean books! https://www.youtube.com/@ItsRenity

✨Plot✨

Rapunzel has been free from Mother Gothel for only a month when a mysterious invitation to a princess's coronation from a country they haven't had contact with in a century arrives. Rapunzel takes it as her chance to finally be useful and accepts, and unwittingly plunges herself and her companion, Eugene, into a tangled knot of political intrigue and magical secrets.

Eugene is convinced her parents won't approve a wedding between Rapunzel and himself since he has no status and is only a common thief, almost hanged by his girlfriend's parents a mere month ago. While in the mysterious kingdom of Astera, they uncover truths about Eugene’s parentage that point to deeper unrest in Astera, and suddenly the fate of their own kingdom, not just their personal dreams, is at stake.

Little did they know there was a war raging on Astera before they ever set foot there.

✨Characters✨

The characters were unique and fit the cartoon, but at times I felt they veered too much into trying to act like average fantasy characters instead of sticking to being their own characters.

✨💜Rapunzel💜✨
Having Rapunzel reflect on Mother Gothel really made me realize how verbally abusive she had been, and it made me sad for Rapunzel. I'm so glad she is still so sweet even though she went through all that

✨🩵Eugene🩵✨
Eugene was kind of different compared to the movie, but I still really liked him! I just had to imagine his voice from the movie saying what he was saying in the book, and then I'd be back immersed, and my mind would connect the dots again.

✨🐚Princess Verette🐚✨
The mysterious princess. . . duh duh duh duhhhhhhhh. She was very closed off for most of the book, but she was a really cool and fun character once you learned more about her.

✨👑King Enver👑✨
Not my favorite charecter. . .

✨💚Pascal💚✨
"Remember, he has violent tendencies"
Pascal was hilarious and entertaining and the best part! This was the exact same Pascal from the movie, and I loved it so much!

✨🐎Maximus🐎✨
He wasn't very present in the book, having been in the stables quite a lot, but he was still amazing! I was thoroughly entertained when he was given a sword and described as "absolutely obliterating" those he was fighting against.

✨Romance✨

Rapunzel and Eugene were so cute, and their love is so wholesome!

✨Writing Style✨

Beautiful writing style!

Also, the magic system was so cool and the roots and everything; I was very intrigued!

✨⚔️Action⚔️✨

Really fun and entertaining. Especially the final battle!

✨Would I Recommend It?✨

YES, 100% it is amazing, and I loved it so much!!!!

[Ri ♡]

OMG THE COVER 🫠🤌🏼 a tangled retelling??? A TANGLED RETELLING!?!?! i am ready to devour this!

[Nancy •͙͙✧⃝•͙͙✩ͯ (semi hiatus till 2027)]

A TANGLED novel? Are you serious?! I'm so reading this. I hope I like Margaret Owen's portrayal of Rapunzel and Eugene!

(੭˃ᴗ˂)੭

[Starr ❇✌❇]

HOW DID I MISS THIS? I'm not a big Disney adaptation person but Margaret Owen AND one of my favorite Disney movies??????? 😭😭

[✮demi✮]

Disney movie to book adaptations >>>>

I NEED THIS 😭

[Gabriella୨ৎ (semi-ia)]

ᰔᩚ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞: ꒱
forgot to add this to my tbr when i first saw it. i'm absolutely obsessed with this cover, it looks so magical and very similar to what rapunzel looks like in the movie. margaret owen is actually an author i've been meaning to try for some time, so i really hope that not only her, but the tangled retelling, will be amazing. i'm sooo scared because i love love loved the movie and it will forever be one of my favourites, so i have high expectations that need to be met in order for me to like this book. praying it won't be a shitty novel that is completely different to the movie. please don't do rapunzel and eugene dirty.

Ⓘ pub date: july 28th 2026

[Kristina]

I'M SORRY, WHAT???!!! A novel that acts as a sequel to one of my favorite childhood movies? And releases before my birthday??

Yes, yes, yes.

[Darcey]

this might be awful. but it's my favourite disney movie PLUS the author of LITTLE THIEVES aka one of the greatest books ever, so i fear i must give it a try anyway!

[shiloh]

I have no words. No words.
Is this real?
This better be good
Actually this HAS to be amazing.
Otherwise I might give up on disney- especially after Wings of Starlight!

[Eliza]

Guys, I love Tangled and I love Margaret Owen (see my review of Merciful Crow haha) so this has gotta be goooooood.

[Lydia]

THIS IS EVERYTHING I DIDNT KNOW I NEEDED!!!!!!! If there is anyone I can trust with my precious child it’s Margaret Owen!!!

Forget the rest of 2025 GET ME TO OCTOBER NOW

[anna ୨ৎ]

Ok tangled is my second favorite Disney movie (with beauty and the beast being first) so i should like this.

[Maria Lavinia]

hello this book is one of my most anticipated book releases in 2026!
I loved watching the rapunzel movie and tv show and now I can't wait to read this one !

[jayc]

NOBODY PANIC IT’S FINE I’M TOTALLY NORMAL ABOUT THIS IT’S ALL GOOD

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

cuuuuteee

[Sara S]

EXCUSE ME ??????????

RUE, WHEN WAS THIS????????

[Marah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so excited! I really really hope it features characters from the TV series too!!

[m๋࣭⭑⚝]

this better give me butterflies or else I'll combust

[eternallove · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rootbound is a strong sequel to Tangled that expands on this world and its characters in an adventure built on mystery and danger.

There were a few parts about Rootbound that I wasn’t expecting in which I was pleasantly surprised by. For one, the villain. Since so much of Rootbound was built on the mystery and secrets of Astera, I felt like I was right alongside Eugene, Rapunzel, and (a new favorite character of mine) Minister Cressien as they discovered clues and uncovered plot twists. I appreciated that true villain’s identity wasn’t clear until it was absolutely necessary, and when the villain and their desires/motives came to the surface, they were evil and relentless. They never turned good either, they suffered from their twisted actions. It was a great to see a Disney villain who was wicked for the sake of being selfish and manipulative till the end again after so long. It shows audiences, no matter the age, the price of evil nature.

Speaking of the villain, there were times when I felt our heroes were actually in danger. I remember a moment during the final battle where my jaw dropped; a testament to Owen’s ability to attach our hearts with the characters so well. Another thing I didn’t expect was to become so attached to the array of new faces, most notably Cressien. He’s passionate about his kingdom and his duties. Courageous whenever the time comes to face danger or protect his friends. Brilliant when it comes to politics and exploring new perspectives. He’s the loyal friend you’d trust to look out for you. Cressien is one of my favorite examples of good queer representation in Disney stories, not only because of who he loves but who he is as a genuine person.

Finally, the third thing I wasn’t expecting was how much of Rootbound elevated Eugene. From his background to the exploration of his character——taking his victory in Tangled and making it his internal conflict, driving Eugene’s action in Rootbound——was so intriguing. Watching Tangled and knowing everything I do now about Eugene, I feel as though his character has deepened so much in the best ways possible.

Needless to say, there’s also a couple things that I would have really enjoyed seen more of. Maximus and (for most of the story) Pascal got the short end of the stick here. They were barely in the story and when they do show up, I’d always catch myself saying “Oh! Right, they’re here too.” Rapunzel was fantastic and I felt she also grew a lot character wise, though I felt there were multiple times she’d trip up and have no opportunity to pick herself back up. I realize these moments were intentional to show Gothel had such a strong presence in her subconscious after the events of Tangled, but I wanted Rapunzel to empower herself during those important moments instead of apologizing and falling silent. By the end, this was mostly resolved and Rapunzel showed her strength, though personally I would have preferred to have seen a progression of her confidence throughout the entire story than only the very end.

With a score of 4.5 stars overall, I’d love to see Rootbound become an on-screen adaptation someday. I believe Owen has written an incredible sequel to Tangled and Disney fans of all ages will enjoy seeing Eugene, Rapunzel, and Cressien through this tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy). This review is based off of an uncorrected proof.

[Breanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute add-on story that fits somewhere in between when Rapunzel finds out she is the lost Princess in the Tangled movie (starting roughly a month after) and her wedding to Eugene. She is still learning how to be a Princess and simple things like wearing shoes and speaking to foreign diplomats and how not to come off as naive and childish. Eugene makes some unexpected discovered about his own heritage and parentage.

It was a bit pedestrian and middle-grade, but it wasn't so bad (as follow-on storylines/adaptations go). As the Tangled movie came out in 2010 making it 16 years old now, I assumed it would be perfect for young adult readers (as I assumed the average 2010 Tangled fan would be young/adult) but this one is clearly marketed to the younger audience of teens and tweens. (I'm in my thirties and children's fiction doesn't sit with me as well as it did when i was closer to being a child).

There were so odd things like how whenever Rapunzel thought of Mother Gothel, it would always say "Mother - no, Gothel" like we didn't already know that Gothel isn't Rapunzel's real mother. I get that this is Rapunzel's way of dealing with the trauma of losing her mother and mother-figure all in one, but it got a bit repetitive.

The narrative contained a lot of expository dialogue. I get it's for younger readers but as a boring adult I found it kind of 'meh' at times.

Another thing that has strong "side-quest vibes" was meeting Varrette and the shells and her weird relationship with her father even though this was meant to be a main focal point of the story. I'm still confused at how old she is - like is she 18? 19? 20? or is she like 40-50? It's mentioned by one character that she has had her "coming of age" many times over does that mean she has potentially turned 18 many times in a row or had several cycles of 18 years in a row? And why doesn't she defy her father? I mean he's King and all but he's deliberately stopping her from become queen (very Gothel-behaviour).

I still have no idea what a "sunmill" is and what I'm meant to be imagining throughout the story - does this thing resemble a tall windmill? That's kind of what I was imagining. It also mentioned parts of ancient machine parts like a water screw (had to google that one). It was also got a bit confusing as to where everything was taking place like in a random marketplace somewhere in a street in the citadel? And the underground cave system was difficult to picture with the underground dock (how does this work or fit?) and the underground tree that is somehow growing without the aid of sunlight (magic, I guess?). The magic roots that respond to singing/humming their favourite song is cute though.

Plus, one weird trope I've noticed in LOTS of books lately (including Rootbound) is how quickly the token gay friend loses love and finds it again (pretty much with the next person they find interesting who also thinks they are interesting). I swear I've seen this in genres from adult fiction to sci-fi and now middle-grade fiction? I get that everyone can shoot their shot with love, but it seems a bit unrealistically fast - like head-over-heels in love within TWO DAYS? Even for straight couples that seems kind of fast :|

End rant!!

[Rea ♡ㅤ✧ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House/Disney, and Margaret Owen for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

-ˋˏ ༻❁✿❀༺ ˎˊ--ˋˏ ༻❁✿❀༺ ˎˊ--ˋˏ ༻❁✿❀༺ ˎˊ-

‘If Rapunzel had a frying pan on hand, she would probably be halfway to an act of war.’ˋˏ ༻❁✿❀༺ ˎˊ

Rootbound: A Tangled Novel starts off in the events immediately following Tangled. Rapunzel and Eugene are finding their footing in their new lives, their new home in royalty when a new adventure takes off for the pair. An invitation arrives to visit their neighboring kingdom, Astera, a place barely written about in history books due to it’s secrecy. Upon arriving to Astera, they meet the King Enver and Princess Verette, who seem to be hiding more than they’re letting on.

Rapunzel is determined to help Astera and it’s royal family in any way she can, wanting to prove herself and her worth- even with the loss of her healing powers. Eugene is determined to show his worth, too. To prove he is worthy of Rapunzel, despite his history and origins catching up with him.

For a YA novel, this was everything I had hoped for! As a Disney girl at heart, they did such a good job capturing these characters and keeping them consistent. The characters felt the same in this book as they did in the movie, with their actions lining up morally, and their senses of humor staying the same. It was so easy to imagine Rapunzel and Eugene saying the lines written in this book. This book tied in with the movie seamlessly. There were numerous scenes in the book that directly referenced movie scenes, even down to Eugene speaking about the ‘family hug’ at the end of Tangled. And yes, Rapunzel still hates shoes!

While Rapunzel is on the cover of the book, Eugene played just as big of a roll in this as she did. The book has dual pov narration, which means we get lots of insight into both characters, which I loved. Eugene has a lot of character growth to go through, and this book tackles that as we dig deeper into his past and how he wants to spend his future (which isn’t on an island- tanned and rested and alone!) His character was really expanded on in this book.

Rapunzel deals a lot with inner turmoil during this book, really digging into the trauma of living with Mother Gothel for so many years, and being locked up in the tower. In the beginning of Rootbound, Rapunzel feels as though her hair is the only useful thing about her. You get so much more insight into her thinking and actions compared to the movie, and it really expands the depth of her character.

I know you’re probably wondering, I was too, but yes. Pascal and Maximus were both featured in the book multiple times (and it was fantastic.)

The new characters were enjoyable as well, and the action scenes were well written and fast-paced. YA novels aren’t always my favorite, but this one was really well done, and was an easy 5 stars from me. Seeing this turned into an animation one day would be a dream.

-ˋˏ ༻❁✿❀༺ ˎˊ--ˋˏ ༻❁✿❀༺ ˎˊ--ˋˏ ༻❁✿❀༺ ˎˊ-

[Jordan Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Disney's Tangled, so I was so excited to read this book!

Set a month after Rapunzel's escape from her tower and return to her true family, Rootbound is a story of secrets, adventure, and discovering the type of person you want to be. I'm not sure if/how this fits into the canon since there's an entire show about Rapunzel's adventures as a princess, but this is a wonderful story no matter.

Rapunzel is invited to the mysterious kingdom of Astera to celebrate the princess's coming of age. As a new princess, Rapunzel is still shaky on politics and protocol, but she makes up for it in enthusiasm and a true joy for learning and life. Joining her on this adventure are Eugene, Pascal, and Minister Cressian, who is not impressed with Rapunzel's lack of decorum. Maximus also joins, although his page-time is rather brief. But it's good he's there, because when the party arrives in Astera, it quickly becomes clear that things are not what they seem. It's obvious that the king is keeping secrets, everyone is looking at Eugene like they've seen a ghost, and the princess seems less than excited at becoming queen. What's going on? The crew is going to find out!

Owen has done a fantastic job of nailing the characterization of our familiar favorites. Rapunzel is still joyous and free-spirited, but she's struggling with all the new things in her life: shoes, huge expectations, the feeling that she's not good to anyone without her healing hair. The emotional abuse she endured for years rears its ugly head many times, and it's so realistic to see Rapunzel working through the lies and learning that people appreciate and love her just for being her. Likewise, Eugene is coming to grips with his less-than-savory profession and what that might mean for his relationship with Rapunzel. I loved getting more of Eugene's story in this book, especially his connection to Astera. And I also really loved the new characters, especially Princess Verette. Lots of weird vibes from her at first, but then it all becomes clear, and I loved her parallels with Rapunzel in regard to their upbringing and finding their place in the world.

I also loved the setting of Astera. It's a beautiful place, but it's clear right off that the kingdom and its people are suffering. Owen's descriptions of the city and the obvious disrepair and the almost-depressed air to the citizens really brings the city to life and shows how the kingdom was once a flourishing place and but has changed with the loss of starlight. I loved, loved, loved the addition of the starlight and how it compares to Rapunzel's sunlight. It helps give Rapunzel something to relate to but it has its own unique lore and abilities. I wonder what other magic is in Rapunzel's world?

I assumed this was meant to be a one-off, but the ending gives a surprising twist that perhaps means we might be getting more Rapunzel books? I'm all for it! Rootbound is an amazing book for fans of Tangled no matter their age, and I can't wait to see what Owen has in store for these beloved characters.

[Lyemix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Subject: Rapunzel and Eugene will always be top tier, even if this book isn’t.

!! Potential spoilers ahead !!

Alright, Tangled fans! “Rootbound” by Margaret Owen is the latest piece of media to provide fans of Princess Rapunzel and Eugene Fitzherbert more time with the beloved characters from the 2010 film. The story progresses in a dual-narrator POV changing each chapter between Rapunzel and Eugene.

Their romance isn’t the sole focus of the book, but Eugene’s feelings about his worthiness (or feeling a lack thereof) to be with her do have a role to play throughout the tale. Readers will enjoy a YA mystery set in an unvisited foreign land full of surprises, backstories, and character growth by our two heroes.

Here are some things readers should be aware of before starting this book:

1. “Rootbound” does not follow, contain, or continue the story canon presented in the “Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure” animated tv series that ran from 2017-2020. This was admittedly a disappointment as a fan of the series and entire Tangled universe, and it took me awhile to separate the two universes and consider this one to be akin to the Disney “Twisted Tale” series (which, yes, I’m aware there is one for Tangled in it already; I loved it).

2. The book has a complete story, however, it does end in a way that completely opens up the very real (and clearly intended) possibility for a sequel in the future should this novel perform successfully in the market. Honestly, this bumped the rating up for me as it genuinely left me wanting the book to continue rather than being okay with it ending.

3. There are a couple gay characters that were included (one present for the entire story) that felt thrown in for token representation as them being gay didn’t really contribute anything to the plot of the story other than them ending up together at the end because one saved the other. The whole subplot could have been removed from the story, and you’d never suspect that anything was missing.

With all this in mind, “Rootbound” earned at 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounding down to a 3 for platforms without a 1/2 star rating.

- Re-read? Not very likely.
- Recommend to others? Possibly, but would depend on the age and maturity of the reader.
- Read the sequel if it comes out? Yup!
- Purchase it? Not likely.

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Owen nailed the characters, the whimsy, the vibes, and the banter.

Set right after Tangled, the movie, Rapunzal and Eugene - the brand-new princess, and her suitor with a pardon so recent the ink hasn’t dried, are sent as emissaries to a kingdom no one’s heard from for a whole generation.

Rapunzal has escaped the tower, yet still feels confined by her role as a Princess and the perceived expectations which she is wholefully unquipped to deal with.

Eugene got his pardon and happily-ever-after, yet feels the noose as an ex-criminal has nothing to offer (except his questionable skill set).

He tosses his head and snorts at Eugene as if to say, About time.
“Sorry, I was busy committing grand acts of sabotage,” Eugene says airily as he grabs a fistful of Max’s mane and swings onto his back. “Let’s go get our girl.”

With this unconventional pairing, Owen nails their dynamic whilst also developing them both individually. I wish we got slightly more wit and lucky, fanciful escapes like the movie, but the short page time count delivered a satisfying story.

The one is middle-grade to young adult, but felt developed enough that adults could easily enjoy it and revive their nostalgia.

“Sometimes I forget you still have a whole world to see. I won’t be the one to make this castle a cage. Just promise . . .” Her eyes glitter in the lamplight. “Promise me, Rapunzel, that you’ll come back.”

There is even a possibility of a sequel.

Arc gifted by publisher.

Bookstagram
Tiktok

[Sifa Poulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.

Tangled is one of my favourite Disney films and Margaret Owen does a fab job in ROOTBOUND at capturing what made that movie work so well.

ROOTBOUND has all of the fun irreverence of the movie that does not detract from its heart. Eugene gets kidnapped and gives them a rating, docking points for sloppy knots. Rapunzel does not like shoes (on which I agree!) It has the reckless plans and pure fun factor of the movie with action sequences and cute moments between the leads (who haven't unlearnt all the lessons of the film!)

I really loved how healthy their relationship is. They're communicating well and not holding secrets, and when they're struggling to voice things because of their fears, they're open with themselves that they're finding it hard to say - but still tell the other. We need more healthy relationships like this in books for teens.

The book alternates between Rapunzel and Eugene and they have such voice. Clearly the author loves the movies as she is able to capture the speech patterns from the film and carry it through into the book. I could hear them in my head. It is quite a skill to take characters written by screenwriters and then brought to life by actors and follow that through.

The book wraps up this story line but dangles a new idea that could well generate a sequel if there is demand. I hope there is - this was so much fun and I'd love to return to this world and these characters.

[Random Van]

Sunday, 14 June, 2026:
I did not receive an arc. This book was released a month earlier in my country, but the edition for my country hasn't appeared on Goodreads yet. Wow. I'll probably be able to rate it properly when this book releases, and hopefully, the right edition will be available for me to review and rate by then. For now, I'd give it 3 stars.

It was alright. This is the fourth book I've read from this author, and Rootbound is the only book I've liked. The entire thing just felt like an alternative to the first movie, but I can't tell if I'm going insane from reading this author's work or if the novel actually feels like that. Regardless, I was expecting something different and was disappointed. In a nutshell:Astera had a drop of starlight fall into a spring in their kingdom, which also healed MOST (the book indicates that the sundrop was more powerful) ailments and injuries when it was drunk directly from it, but the monarchy of Astera got too possessive of it, especially King Enver, and this event, known as Night of the Poisoned Dagger was where King Enver became the only one in possession of the starlight spring in the form of a tree and an apple it sprouted that he ate from.

Anyway, the conflict is the only issue I have with this book. I liked the character interactions/relationships and the first two parts of the book.

[Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw that one of my favourite authors ever is writing a sequel to Tangled, I couldn't have been more excited. And the waiting really paid off, Rootbound is such a fun read! It really captures this typical Disney spirit, but gives it a modern spin so that it is perfect for every age category.

Rootbound is told from a dual-POV, which allows the reader to explore the mysterious neighbouring state Asteria from both Rapunzel’s and Eugene’s perspective. On their journey, they are confronted with miserable advisors, secret societies, danger, betrayals, strange magic, and much more. There are some great twists throughout the story, and the mystery unfold beautifully until the very end. The only thing I think would have made this book even better for me: more Maximus, Pascal and especially Cressien!

The story of Rapunzel and Eugene is sweet, funny, and gripping until the very end, and I think not only fans of Disney and YA-fantasy will enjoy this thoroughly. There are a lot of easter eggs and hints to scenes which happened previously in the Tangled-movie, but I think you can enjoy Rootbound regardless of whether you have actually seen the movie or not.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Carissa Veltri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, author Margaret Owen, and publisher Random House for this e-ARC!

I have been a huge fan of Tangled since I was a kid so I was very excited to read this book and it did not disappoint! If you ever wondered what happened to Rapunzel and Eugene when the movie ended, then this book is for you! It acts as a sequel and starts a few months after the end of the movie, with Rapunzel learning how to be a princess. The book manages to stay true to the movie storyline while also introducing new friends and foe.

When Rapunzel gets invited to visit a neighboring kingdom, Astera, she, Eugene, and a new character Minister Cressien travel there in order to find out the reason for the invitation. Astera is known for being rather reclusive so for Rapunzel to receive an invite is suspicious. I loved the mystery aspect of this book and I thought the pacing was perfect. The villain of the story was not clear outright and it keeps you guessing for a good portion of the book.

This story also sets Eugene up with a detailed backstory about how he came to be at the orphanage. I really enjoyed learning about his past and how it connects to Astera. I think I would've liked to see Rapunzel interact with her parents a bit more but overall I really enjoyed this book! The ending leaves it open for more so I am excited to see what comes next!

[Alyce Caswell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rapunzel has only been a princess for a month and feels overwhelmed, like she's unable to give her parents - and their people - what they expect from her. Then an invitation to the mysterious land of Astera arrives and off she goes, desperate to prove herself. Eugene is at her side, naturally, though he wonders how long that will last. But Astera has its own complications for him.

Such was my excitement to get my hands on this book that I added it to my son's Scholastic order last month. Heheh. Years ago, I read every Tangled sequel fanfic I could find, keen to see how Rapunzel's life would change, how she'd grow into her role. Perhaps it's a credit to those fanfic writers of nearly 16 years ago, but Rootbound...wasn't any better than them. It's not terrible by any means, but it didn't reach my - possibly unreasonably high - hopes. It does the job, despite the slow pacing.

I will just note that the book does not follow the show's canon. Which is perhaps one of the reasons I could not become enamoured with it.

[Avery Clason · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute book!

Rootbound picks up right after the end of the film “Tangled” and follows Rapunzel and Eugene as they embark on a journey to a kingdom whose history evades many. We also see Pascal and Maximus on this journey as well, though I wish they were a bigger part of the story… I found myself saying “oh yeah, they’re here too” when these two would come up. However, their presence is always a delight.

I really enjoyed uncovering more about Eugene’s past in this novel and hope we get a second book considering the ending of this one.

Additionally, I would love to see this book turned into an animated series, much like the Tangled: Before Ever After show on Disney. I think there is a lot of room for character exploration and this is 100% something that people would love! Margaret Owen has done so well with these characters that I believe when they read this novel, they will also be calling for an adaptation ASAP!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!