Rootbound: A Tangled Novel

by Margaret Owen

Rapunzel knows nothing about her neighboring kingdom, Astera―and not just because she only left her tower a month ago. So when a suspicious invitation arrives welcoming Rapunzel to the Asteran princess’s coming of age ceremony, Rapunzel accepts―and unwittingly plunges herself and her companion, Eugene, into a tangled knot of political intrigue and magical secrets. 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, 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, Romantasy, Fairy Tales

316 pages, Paperback

First published 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 ❇✌❇ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
*Review to come*

Pre-review to come
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!

[Chloë Mali · Rating 5 out of 5]

My expectations, as a bona fide Rapunzel lover, were very, very high. I am pleased to say that they were met and surpassed! This novel is absolutely delightful. There are so many wonderful, humorous quotes (for example: “The first and last time Eugene got caught picking pockets was when he committed the cardinal sin of trying to rob an old lady”) but yet, despite the amount of times something made me laugh, the topic of moving on from eighteen years in a tower with a manipulative parent was so gracefully handled. Rapunzel has her struggles after only a month of being a princess, and I really appreciated seeing that, because it's realistic and should not be brushed over. I am very curious if there will be a sequel... I very much desire one.

[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.

[jamie ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝘙𝘢𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘻𝘦𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘬. “𝘐𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮, 𝘌𝘶𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦?”

[…]

“𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵, 𝘧𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺

⋆｡‧˚ʚ💜💫🏰🌼ɞ˚‧｡⋆

The general premise of this book isn’t one I would typically gravitate towards, YA fantasy steeped in kingdom secrets, magic, and darkness, but as it’s a Tangled retelling I had to give it a try. Safe to say, I absolutely loved it.

Rapunzel and Eugene are deftly characterised in a way that feels truly faithful to their on-screen counterparts. When it comes to retellings if the characters essences aren’t captured well it can quickly dampen the novel, so I was apprehensive but ended up so impressed. Eugene’s wit and relentless sarcasm remain intact, meanwhile Rapunzel’s endless optimism, creativity, and selflessness continue to shine throughout the novel.

Above all else, it’s their relationship that makes the story so compelling. Eugene gives Rapunzel the space to process her trauma at her own pace, encouraging her to realise that she is already enough, she doesn’t have to spend her entire life proving her worth to anyone. He helps her adjust to life outside of the tower while never asking her to give up any of her “quirks” that she has attainted due to her unusual childhood (such as her lack of royal etiquette and disdain for shoes!). Equally, the novel doesn’t reduce Eugene to merely the supportive & funny love interest; it gives him his own emotional arc, allowing his insecurities and difficult past to quietly loom over his hopes for a future with Rapunzel.

Pascal and Maximus also make many appearances, which was nice to see, but admittedly I expected Maximus to have a slightly larger role. You can’t have everything, though!

The central plot revolves around a nearby kingdom, Astera, which has stayed closed off from outsiders for years. Unexpectedly, Rapunzel receives an invitation to Asteran Princess Verette’s coming-of-age ball, and the chaos and mystery unfolds from there. Eugene, Max, Pascal and Cressien (a Royal Minister of Diplomatic affairs) accompany her on the venture.

After reading Wings of Starlight and being pretty dissatisfied — I felt rather apathetic towards it, the purple prose was undeniably pretty, but it was not emotionally striking for me like it seems to be for most readers — this has restored my faith in Disney retellings!!

[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

[Liv C.]

“𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬, 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦… 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭.”

Rootbound continues the story of Rapunzel and Eugene one month after the events in the movie take place. They are tasked with establishing international diplomatic relations with a neighboring kingdom shrouded in mystery.

Margaret Owen's understanding of, and deep care for, the characters and the source material is evident throughout the book. Her expansions of the world and development of relationships in the aftermath of the Tangled film is meticulous and delightful. AND HER WRITING OF EUGENE IS PERFECT!!!! SPLENDID!!!! NO NOTES!!!!

The Tangled film is very near and dear to my heart. Rootbound is everything I could have hoped for and more as a continuation of the story. I hope there is a Rootbound 2, I hope Owen writes it. Now you must excuse me, I’m off to read the rest of Margaret Owen’s works because she has just become my new favorite author!

[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 !

[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.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun story! Tangled is one of my favorite Disney movies and I've been looking forward to reading this since it was announced, and I'm happy to say it does not disappoint.
The vibes from the movie carry over to this novel very well, and Rapunzel and Eugene's depictions are extremely spot on. I was worried the characters would feel a little off, which sometimes happens in these books, but you can hear just about everything they say in their voices.
The kingdom of Astera was really interesting and I really liked Princess Verrette, who started out being pretty closed-off but ended up being really sweet.
Minister Cressians no-nonsense personality was a nice complement to Eugene and Rapunzel and I liked seeing his character growth.

*It's worth noting that while this book takes place about a month after the movie, it does not follow the canon of the animated series, which also serves as a sequel to the film. It was a little disappointing at first as I adore the series but just think of it as an AU and you'll be fine.

[Minna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Disney/Random House, and Ms Owen for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Rootbound is a continuation of the Tangled story with Rapunzel, Eugene, Pascal et al. As a big Tangled fan I was really looking forward to this. Let me add that the cover was super cute. Rootbound picks up pretty much right where Tangled left off, give or take a couple weeks. It’s nice to wallow in favorite familiar characters a little longer, particularly seeing how both of them were adjusting to their new lives. It did strike me as sort of YA but considering the original movie is for actual kids I suppose that tracks. Pascal was the standout character which should surprise no one. ;) I wish Maximus was in the story a little more but I’m glad to see him in any amount. Recommended to anyone who loved the movie 👸
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Katelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was both deeply nervous yet excited when I heard about Rootbound. Though it does not follow the animated series, through reading it, it stands quite well on its own. The characterizations for Rapunzel and Eugene was on point and written well (very in-character) there were also other aspects that I hoped the author would keep or add, in which she did! My worries for it not being faithful to the characters and story was alleviated when I read it, and suffice to say Margaret Owen’s did a great job with this Tangled novel!! I enjoyed reading it and could not put it down until I finished it.

And what can I say, Eugene and Rapunzel… they are just so precious to me. The author did them and their relationship justice 💗

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much better than I even expected. Seeing it was tagged middle grade and young adult I was expecting cute,sweet return of loved characters with a more simple, young plot. However I was pleasantly surprised to find a plot that weaved together a lot of the smaller parts of the movie.....want to say more but spoilers..... Eugene had a fantastic story in this one as well in addition to Rapunzel of course which was a pleasant surprise. Best news of all is it seems like it wrote itself to set up for a sequel?!? Yes please!!

[Kay ・❥・ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tangled is my all time favorite Disney film, so when I saw this book in the store I IMMEDIATELY picked it up. Overall it was very fun, it’s definitely targeted towards a younger audience however if you love Tangled and the characters as much as I do, than you will definitely enjoy this.

[ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sequel to Tangled that follows Rapunzel and Eugene, along with a third companion, traveling to a nearby kingdom and discovering they have they're own version of the sundrop, all while discovering Eugene's parentage and giving him a job within the castle? It's so familiar...

[jayc]

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

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

cuuuuteee

[aila ✧.* · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun and joyful

[Prospectre_Radiant28 · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Rootbound” by Margaret Owen

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read between July 31st and August 5th, 2026.

“Rootbound" by Margaret Owen was by far my most anticipated novel this year, and it was to my utmost delight and satisfaction that it lived up to every expectation I had, and in some ways went above and beyond. For some personal background context, this novel is a continuation of Tangled, the animated Disney film based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale, which was released in the year 2010. I remember seeing the film as a child at the time and never really thinking much of it. For a decade my feelings towards this film, towards this story, stayed the same–that is, essentially nonexistent. I remembered liking it, but never really having that much of a connection. It wasn't really a fault with the movie itself, but more-so just who I was as a person. I wasn't as into loving and delving deep into stories as I am now, but I digress. Fast forward many years through the 2010s, to when the time of COVID hit and my entire world was flipped upside down; my senior year of high school cut short and the looming transition of college on the horizon sent my mental health into a downward spiral. I was yearning for some kind of escape, and one of those days while browsing my Disney+ I rediscovered this movie–one of the many animated films released by Disney, one that may appear indistinguishable from the others in their catalogue. Such a small decision I made on this day turned out to be one of the most consequential moments at the time for me–I watched this movie I had not seen in close to a decade, and I fell in love with everything about it. The story, the music, the atmosphere, everything was just perfect. I loved it all, and it ended up becoming a great crutch for me, a bastion of comfort and joy in living within this story, in escaping the difficulties of my then-current experiences and feeling as if for a brief period of time, everything was alright. I actually ended up rediscovering my love for reading through looking at some of the stories fans wrote and published online that were inspired by this universe, so I have that and more to be appreciative for.

The interesting thing about this book is that it's not actually the first officially released rendition of a kind of continuation from the original movie. In the mid to late 2010s, there was an animated series released that ran for three seasons and over 50 episodes. I actually watched this shortly after I had first revisited the movie, and even considering how I was definitely not the intended audience (as an adult male at the time), I thought the show, while flawed in many ways, had incredible merit and heart to it. The music especially was fantastic, which was to be expected with the return of Alan Menken. So what's the case with “Rootbound," then? Well, I actually went into this book expecting a somewhat faithful story for what came to be the animated series. "Rootbound” takes place a month after the movie, whereas the series starts six months after, so theoretically there was a path for both of these stories to work together. Ultimately though, what this book ended up as was something that instead became its own thing, not really aligning with some of the overarching character and plot decisions that the creators of the animated series went with. There were some major developments in the series that this book directly contradicts, instead doing something new. I actually learned only after finishing it that Margaret Owen, the author, didn't actually watch the series before writing the book.

As for how I feel about this, I'm actually, to my own surprise, pretty okay with it. And that's largely because I think the direction the book went with those particular changes, of which I won't get much into specific details for due to spoiler-related reasons, was honestly written pretty great and done in a way that… I think was genuinely better than what the animated series did. This represents a much larger point of discussion, which is that I think this book accomplished so much more in its totality, in its mere three hundred pages, when it came to the handling of Rapunzel and Eugene’s characters and how they deal with the lasting impacts of what they went through in the movie. This book handled the trauma in an inspiringly realistic manner, and the fact that we see how they both have to deal with the psychological side of it, how they have to come to terms with everything that happened and are struggling in some ways with their insecurities, with feeling as if they belong, with wanting to see the best in people and being the best version of themselves. Rapunzel and Eugene's relationship was the heart of the movie, and it was the strongest aspect of this book–how they compliment one another and see the best in each other, but also see the ways in which they struggle, how they're there for one another and assure the other of their undying devotion and dedication to their cause. Rapunzel deals with feeling as if she needs to be enough for those around her now that she doesn't have her magical healing hair, and Eugene is experiencing imposter-syndrome with thinking that his time with Rapunzel, his time in the good graces of her kingdom and her newly rediscovered family, is going to end before he knows it. Their characterizations felt perfect to me, and I loved how this book explored the more interesting angles to both of them, highlighting their intelligence and uniqueness of personality in different ways. Eugene’s charisma and Rapunzel’s curiosity is on full display and it made my heart swell to at last read such a story that felt not just faithful to what was established in the movie, but continued it in a mature way that felt completely satisfying and right. This is the book I've been waiting six years for. I loved how vulnerable they both were at times, and I loved how Margaret Owen wrote it in a way that allowed them both to be a bit nerdy at times, with Eugene’s love for the Flynnigan Rider book and Rapunzel being interested in any and all technical aspects of the new setting we're introduced to.

All in all, this turned out to not only be a fantastic continuation for the movie, but also a pretty great story on its own. It was everything I had hoped for and I am so incredibly grateful to have gotten such a story as this released. The ending set up potential future stories, of which I'm hoping Disney will allow Margaret Owen to continue if she so pleases. It's a different continuation than the animated series, in many ways for the better. Both renditions can exist simultaneously and I'm so glad nonetheless that what has become an incredibly cherished story for me has been treated with the respect and maturation I believe it has earned.

[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