Let It Go

by Jen Calonita

What if Anna and Elsa never knew each other? When a magical accident erases Anna and Elsa's memories, not only of magic but of each other, the sisters are separated for protection. But when Elsa unexpectedly finds herself as a young queen, mysterious magic begins to happen and questions of her past start to form. Will the sisters ever be reunited?

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

312 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2019

About the author

Hi Goodreads!
I'm Jen Calonita, a MG and YA author who loves what I do because it lets me connect with all of you (and no, I wasn't intending for that to rhyme!).

I've been writing ever since I can remember, but it was fourth grade when I put my "three wishes" for a genie down on paper. They were:
#1. Buy all the Cabbage Patch Kids in the world and give them away for free (because apparently that was how I rolled).
#2. I wanted a mansion, limo, lake house, pool and speed boat (still sounds quite nice).
#3. I wanted to be an author for young readers, which I am!

I love writing novels for teens (and for savvy grown ups who know that YA rocks at any age). My first series was "Secrets of My Hollywood Life" and it followed a teen star named Kaitlin Burke who struggled with the fame game. I have also written the stand-alone novels Sleepaway Girls, it's companion book, Summer State of Mind and the Belles series.

I've been writing middle grade too and am having so much fun with my series Fairy Tale Reform School! The fourth book in this series about a school run by former villains is called Tricked and will be out March 2018. Ever wonder what it would be like if your parents got a job with someone like Taylpr Swift? My other middle grade series, VIP, follows super fan Mackenzie Lowell as she tours with her favorite band, Perfect Storm.

I promise to give book updates here, and on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or my website. I hope I hear from you!

xo
Jen

Reviews

[megs_bookrack · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5-stars**

1. What Once Was Mine (Tangled): 4.5-stars rounded up
2. Reflection (Mulan): 4-stars
3. Go the Distance (Hercules): 3.5-stars rounded up
4. As Old As Time (Beauty & the Beast): 3.5-stars rounded up
5. Straight On Til Morning (Peter Pan): 3.5-stars rounded up
6. Mirror, Mirror (Snow White): 3.5-stars rounded up
7. Unbirthday (Alice): 3.5-stars
8. Conceal, Don't Feel (Frozen): 3.5-stars
9. A Whole New World (Aladdin): 3-stars
10. Part of Your World (The Little Mermaid): 2-stars



I was greatly anticipating Conceal, Don't Feel, the Frozen retelling of all our dreams.

I love the story of Anna and Elsa, as I'm sure many of you do. There's so many great lessons about being true to yourself and who you are, no matter what others may think.

Additionally, there's loads of good humor and fantastic side characters as well.



In this installment of Disney's Twisted Tale series, we are proposed the twist of Anna and Elsa growing up without one another.

In this version, after Elsa's magic harms Anna, in order to protect her, their parents choose to give Anna away to a family in the village. The girl's memories are then wiped clean by magical means and they grow up with no knowledge that they have a sister.



It started out slow for me, but did pick up towards the middle and the conclusion was actually quite lovely.

Although slightly underwhelming, most likely because I had hyped it up so much in my head, this is still a good story. It was fun to spend time with all of these dynamic characters again.



After this though, I am very happy the girls grew up the way they did in the movie and not some other version. That was sad enough!

Am I right?!



If you enjoyed the movie version of Frozen, you should definitely give this one a shot. Let Anna, Elsa, Olaf and the rest, take your mind off the world for a while.

You won't regret it!



I love the whole concept behind this series. I am always checking to see what Disney is going to release next.

I am looking forward to continuing on with the rest of the books!

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Princess Elsa...you are a threat to Arendelle. You are going nowhere."

Frozen - the quintessential childhood movie - is back again, but this time with a BIG twist.

"Elsa racked her brain, trying to think of who the truck could belong to. A name was rolling around in her head...A...A...A...it was stuck."

In this alternate reality, Anna and Elsa have never met.

Well, technically they knew each other at the very beginning but their present-day selves have absolutely no memory of one another.

"Even with a fire raging, the house felt colder than Anna remember its ever being in winter."

But then, just as Elsa is to be crowned queen of Arendelle - there's a snag. One so big that she hurtles herself into the woods.

Arendelle is plunged into a bitter winter. With supplies running low, Anna decides she will leave her adoptive parents and travel to Arendelle...but will she be too late? Will Arendelle be lost forever?

This was a LOT of fun to to read!

I also quite liked the plot to this story - it was fun to follow this alternate version, especially with the original fresh in my mind.

Anna and Elsa were a couple of fabulous characters - their personalities were so vibrant and distinct. It was so much fun to read their takes on the typical events!

One thing that I really appreciated is that THIS version of Frozen makes far more sense.

I always thought the reasoning behind most of the major decisions in Frozen was a little bit flaky and the magic system left much to be desired.

I don't want to get too much into it because much of the plot revolved around that but overall, I was quite pleased with the logic behind the girl's separation (though, the magic did seem a bit wild still).

While the book could never live up to those gorgeous songs from the movie, I did quite like the little references here and there to the songs.

All in all, this one was a delightfully fun book and I quite enjoyed reading this one for the very first "The Plot Thickens" book club!

YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads

[Jessica Beaumont · Rating 1 out of 5]

I usually love these books .... But this one was just bad. Copied straight out of the movie with tiny changes. Not impressed.

[Tucker Almengor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Disney for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review




———————

4 stars! Review maybe to come

———————






I have a very special announcement about this book!!



╰( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° )つ──☆*:・ﾟlink

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| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram

[Everlinet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not impressed. I wanted a twisted tale, not the movie version with small changes. It was legit so similar i though i am watching the movie. I hoped this would be different, maybe even with different ending. Nope! The writing style was kinda meh, too. Not what i wanted at all, very disappointing.
I hope other “retellings” are different because this was not a retelling, only a bit changed story.

2*

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge lover of a lot of Disney movies. And initially I also really loved Frozen. And then the hype happened. Everyone was talking about Frozen. Frozen was around every corner, in every store. Every girl wanted to be Elsa (and surprisingly never Anna, because she doesn't have magic, I assume?) and Let it Go (in the version of Idina that gives me headaches) echoed everywhere around me. I never watched the movie again.

But, this book reminded me why I loved the story so much and what the true power of this story is. This twisted tale is different from the other twisted tales I've read so far, but in its own way it's still amusing, entertaining and unique. A lot of scenes from the original movie make an appearance in this book, but twisted, in a different context or at a different time. It creates a strange familiar and yet original feel at once.

And the heart of the movie, the heart of the story? That has only grown stronger and more prominent in this version of the tale. This tale is even more about the love between two sisters, unconditionally and without doubt. It's even more about two lost girls finding their way back to each other, facing every obstacle. It's about two young women knowing one thing for sure in a world full of questions: They need to help the other, because the other needs them.

Thank you so much for letting me rediscover this tale and why I loved it so much! (And thank you for making Hans's betrayal hurt even more in this version of the tale ;-))

[Joey Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn’t like I expected at all, I haven’t yet read any others from the twisted tales series but I hope they are better than this one.

I was hoping for this to be a whole new take on Frozen, but it wasn’t really. It was pretty much the same as the movie expect a few scenes that were different and if only one major thing had of changed what would have happened.

Now I’m not saying the book was bad as it wasn’t it was still a good book, but for the most part I was reading the movie rather than a piece of original work that had a whole different storyline. It also had a sort of fan fiction vibe to me through the whole thing.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my favorite story in the whole series. Sisters reuniting and saving the kingdom, Olaf as the greatest creation of the two young sisters, fantastic parents and adoptive parents... It had all of the wonderful parts of the original Disney story, but with a Parent Trap-esque twist.

To be fair... this is probably one of my favorites because it didn't mess with the original story too much, and still had a happy-ever-after ending...

[Eleanor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this would be a lot better than it was, but the author just took scenes from the movie and moved them around and put them in different contexts. It could have been so much more original but it was sadly not.

Also what did they do to the UK covers? They used to be pretty and now...they're not.

[Connie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too similar to the movie. There were only a few changes here and there but it wasn't enough to make this stand out. I ended up zoning out the last quarter of the novel.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read many different twisted Disney tales in my time and I normally love them. But this was really bad. I feel like the author wasn't allowed allot of creativity from Disney as a Kingdom hearts fan I know how restricting Disney can be on people's adaptations of it. Allot of this book was words used in the films. It made me cringe the twist was not that great. That between the accident as children to the eternal winter it's near enough the same. In the film Anna doesn't see elsa in that time anyway so the fact that they were separated is the same. Also the tag line says "what if they never knew each other" but that twist didn't work because they did know each other at one stage. The only good thing I liked in this story was that Anna still called her adoptive parents mama and papa. I tell you if it had just ended with Anna being like well I'm a princess now I don't know u peasants it would have been a 1. But that's the only thing that saved it for me. I actually cringed when elsa was walking up the North mountain and was thinking the words to let it go and when they say the exact thing word for word of the movie. The other twisted tales at least have an original story. This had so much promise and I was really looking forward to it. I just feel let down.

[Books_and_Crafts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second time around with my book club was just as amazing!

✨Book Review✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Conceal, Don’t Feel by @jencalonita literally saved the Twisted Tales Series for me.

This is the book that kept me going. I flipping loved it. This story was so much better than the movie it’s not even funny. It had all the magic and wonder that we saw in the film but SO much more personality and relationship building.

I adored that Anna grew up in a bakery and Elsa in the castle after the curse. The girls flourished in their lives, yet still knew in their hearts where they belonged.

Love and friendship surrounded this book in a warm hug that I couldn’t get enough of!

5 HUGE stars for this masterpiece that should have been the film!

I will 100% read this again at some point, hopefully to my little cousins and nieces/nephews 🤍

[♡ Martina ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avete presente quando, vedendo un film, immaginate una storia diversa?

Questo è ciò che succede in Gelo nel cuore, in cui una trama alternativa si intreccia con gli avvenimenti del film (un po' forzato nel finale) creando così una storia sotto molti aspetti più realistica, umana ed emozionante.
In questo libro ogni personaggio assume un ruolo nuovo e possiede una personalità ben più pronunciata e definita coinvolgendoti.
Olaf, che nel film ha un ruolo marginale, nel libro diventa uno dei personaggi principali ricoprendo un posto importante all'interno della storia.

[kristal ✿]

“what if anna and elsa never knew each other?” is cute
but what about “what if kristal sent the duke and hans away as soon as they opened their mouths?”

[fer bañuelos · Rating 1 out of 5]

BOOOOOOOO!

Peor crimen que un autor puede cometer: hacer un retelling ABURRIDO.

I'M SO MAD.

La serie twisted tales me encanta como concepto. Retellings de clásicos de Disney con un giro inesperado? Estoy dentro. Tengo todos en mi lista de pendientes porque me llaman demasiado la atención, y después de haber leído el de la Bella Durmiente dije ok tengo que tenerlos todos.

What the fuck is this.

El problema, y es genuinamente el más grande de todo, es que este libro no fue creativo en lo mas minimo. El de "Erase una vez en un sueño" tiene una trama INSANE. Aurora no se despierta y tiene que huir del castillo en su sueño. Es oscuro, atrapante y con muchos giros distintos a la historia original. Este libro es literal una transcripción del guión de la película.

La trama donde Anna y Elsa no se conocen porque perdieron sus recuerdos juntas tiene mucho potencial, pero se volvió tan repetitivo y tan soso que me estaba picando los ojos leyendolo. El estilo de escritura no me gustó nada y el pacing de la historia fue lo más raro de todo. A mis adentros yo decía QUE ESTÁ PASANDO porque sí, guilty, me gusta mucho frozen y de verdad le tenia muchas ganas, pero para leer los mismos dialogos mejor vuelvo a ver la película.

HOWEVER no voy a dejar que este me aleje del potencial que tiene la serie. Hay muchos que me llaman la atención y que seguiré checando, pero que flop tan más flop fue este. Bye.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I Say, A Lovely twist on the original.

[Katricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not saying this is a Stations of Canon thinly-veiled novelization of the film. Except, well. That's exactly what I'm saying.

Which is fine, just... not what I was hoping for from the tagline.

[Kiana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never thought that I would read another Twisted Tale book but, over a year after Part of Your World, the Frozen installment piqued my interest. I have long had a contentious relationship with Frozen—not because I want to go against the grain (or with the grain, depending on what side of the Internet you’re on) but because, from a storytelling perspective, it is so freaking infuriating in terms of its missed opportunities, underdeveloped psychology, confused plot, and disgustingly hypocritical progressivism. But I’ll save the Frozen dissertation for another time: long story short, I didn’t care how much the Twisted Tales series messed with its mythos and, the truth is, after completing Conceal, Don’t Feel, I wish it had actually screwed it up more. Because Part of Your World might have been awful and borderline demented, but it was an experience: Conceal, Don’t Feel is basically Frozen with one or two minor details shifted around and it ended up inciting the exact same reactions as the movie. And, whether or not you’re a Frozen fan, I can’t see that method appealing to anybody.

Like dear old Frozen, this book initially gave me hope that this could be a really cool story and, honestly, I’m not sure that I liked this premise any less than the actual movie—in many ways, it might have been better. Having Anna and Elsa truly not know one another instead of just not interacting for ten years makes a whole lot more sense in terms of why their sisterly relationship would be so nonexistent and, by not having them be defined by their estrangement alone, they actually get hints of inner lives in this book’s beginning. I mean, we see Elsa actually do stuff to prepare for her future queendom and Anna has a semi-career as a baker—that alone gives them more material to work with than the movie. Plus, having Elsa’s power emerge at a time of intense grief (her parents’ death) rather than just having them from the start makes for a way better anxiety/depression/loss of control allegory.

But then after the first couple of scenes, the book, like its movie counterpart, goes and does nothing interesting with its premise. Rather than a compelling exploration of the psychology behind the girls’ positions and two sisters finding one another, it’s a near beat-for-beat retelling of the film, with the only difference being that Anna wants to find Elsa because she wants to meet her instead of her wanting to help Elsa with some supposed sisterly relationship. And that’s just…whatever. Frozen had a pretty shaky plot to begin with—everything after Elsa flees the palace up until Anna’s sacrifice is basically just bumbling filler—and the book isn’t much different. The characters run around and go random places because of some nebulous sense of “destiny” and, like the movie, it bored and irritated me immensely. Though I will say that the book’s extreme similarity to the movie just further validates my criticism of the film—the fact that Anna and Elsa’s relationship ultimately feels no different here than it does in the movie, despite the fact that they have literally been erased from each other’s minds shows how flimsy and bogus their bond was to begin with.

Yeah: that’s it. Unlike Part of Your World, which was throwing out weird stuff in every chapter, Conceal, Don’t Feel plays things as safe as humanly possible. It doesn’t expand on its source material or challenge it; it doesn’t make glaring mistakes in chronology or characterization but it also fails to make the characters or story more interesting. And, given the fact that I think Frozen is some material that could benefit from such a rehaul, that’s rather underwhelming, but I shouldn’t have expected anything else from this series.


A couple of random notes:

The three-year time jump is even more unnecessary and awful in the book than it is in the movie. After Elsa’s parents die, she develops powers and realizes that she has a missing person in her life named Anna who her parents never told her about and she can’t remember—in other words, her world has been completely upended and she’s completely traumatized and afraid—and she resolves to find out who this “Anna” is and make sense of it all. And fast-forward to three years later where nothing has changed. I guess she just dropped that resolution. At least in the movie the three-year change was just more stretching of the same estrangement between Anna and Elsa; here, when the tables turn, it makes no narrative sense.

Also, I refuse to believe that Elsa would be nearly as damaged from those three years of solitude if she had Olaf as a companion the entire time. Unless his company just drove her insane, which is totally possible. Can you imagine if he was just a figment of her imagination because all of her time in isolation with her grief and uncontrollable powers made her crack? Now there’s a story for you.

And, lastly, the author randomly threw in a couple of characters named Kai and Gerda just to remind us that we’ll never get a proper Snow Queen movie adaptation from Disney, so thanks for that.

1.5 stars.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

For someone who loves, just LOVES, all things Frozen.. I was so excited to get my hands on this book! Not going to lie, I love Elsa but Anna is my girl. She completes me and is most definitely my spirit animal. Girl makes me laugh so hard.

Okay, onto Conceal, Don't Feel. Lord, oh lord. I loved this book! Yes, these twisted tales have taken me on an endless roller coaster ride with all the feels. I haven't loved every book that I came across but I have enjoyed them all no matter what. This was most definitely a love book. Plus, I loved all the twists and turns in this one. Yes, we still get some scenes that we can all vividly reimagine due to watching the movies countless times.. yet, it was highly entertaining.

Anna and Elsa are sister goals. Yes, I have one and I'm pretty sure if we didn't know one another we wouldn't even blink an eye walking past one another. So, yes, these two are goals because no matter what they knew that they needed to help one another.

Again, super freaking happy that I got this book. I'm excited for whichever book comes next in this series.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Call me whatever you want, but, I have always found Disney's first Frozen movie to be a delight, especially the song "Let It Go". I've read various books--including both prose and comics--based on the film, and had lots of fun with them. However, I was disappointed that the sequel wasn't as good, especially since it lacked a big, show stopping musical number.

So, as you'd expect, I enjoyed this alternate take on the movie. It brought back memories of seeing the original flick on Christmas Day 2013, nearly seven years ago. (Where has the time gone?) Fans of Anna and Elsa will find plenty to like about this book; it's no surprise that the author is a big Disney fan.

[Lau_Marlau · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 🌟

Mi primera experiencia con esta colección de libros Y la verdad es que no podría haber sido mejor.Me ha encantado reencontrarme con Ana y Elsa y ver cómo En esta ocasión son separadas a causa de una terrible maldición. La autora, basándose en el argumento de la película original y con unos guiños y mejorables, crea su propia trama y le da un toque extraordinario que hará las delicias de tod@s los fans de las películas de Disney. Totalmente recomendable.

Muy pronto reseña en: https://rincondemarlau.blogspot.com

[Juan Manuel Sarmiento · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5
Me ha dejado un poco frío (badumtss) porque es básicamente la misma historia que la película, en un 90%
Por ahora, es el retelling de esta saga que me ha parecido más flojo con diferencia

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg what a beautiful wonderful and loving story. I lovee frozen the movie of course, but this... this was even better than I could have hoped for
Sooo many emotions and feelings... it is a heartbreaking magical story and THIS shows what love for a sister is capable of. True love can thaw a frozen heart indeed, but it can break any curse.
I already love the story from the movie and I really liked all the little easter eggs through out the story. I also love the characters, but in the book... wow so much more, so much more depths, Elisa made me cry so many times, I feel soo bad for her. Anna is an even kinder stronger and free spirit, I love her the most!!! the king and queen have a more important roll and Hans is more vicious than ever. The love between Anna and Elisa is soo heart warming. There are many more emotional scenes, more feelings, more everything
I will truly value this treasure

Twist: What if Anna and Elsa never knew each other?

Get ready for a spoiler-packed, immersive narrative-style summary, so you can skip rereading and jump right into the full story.

❄️ CONCEAL, DON’T FEEL

By Jen Calonita — Full Story Recap (Twisted Tale #7)
"What if Anna and Elsa never knew each other?"

🏰 Prologue: A Night That Changed Everything

It begins like the movie: young Princess Elsa of Arendelle has magical ice powers, and she accidentally injures her younger sister Anna while playing. The King and Queen rush to the trolls for help.

But here’s the twist:

Instead of just erasing Anna’s memory of Elsa’s powers... the trolls erase her memory of Elsa entirely.

And to protect both girls, the King and Queen separate them.

Elsa is raised in the castle, alone, told she’s the sole heir to the throne.

Anna is sent to live with a baker’s family in a remote village, unaware she’s royalty.

👸🏼 Elsa: The Isolated Princess

Elsa grows up with immense pressure. She is told that her powers are dangerous. Her parents and servants treat her with caution, insisting that she must conceal, don’t feel.

After her parents die in a shipwreck, Elsa becomes Queen of Arendelle, but she is emotionally distant, isolated, and plagued by guilt, fearing she’ll hurt others like she hurt… someone (she doesn’t remember Anna either).

Her powers are growing stronger and harder to control.

🌼 Anna: The Ordinary Girl

Meanwhile, Anna grows up as “Anna Gold”, the adopted daughter of warm, loving bakers. She’s cheerful, curious, and quirky—but always feels a strange emptiness, like a piece of her is missing.

She dreams of a different life, of something more. She’s drawn to stories of Arendelle and its mysterious queen. She doesn't know why, but she's obsessed with the castle and the idea of snow and ice, despite having never seen them.

❄️ The Coronation & the Collapse

Elsa's coronation is approaching, and though it's to be a grand event, she dreads the pressure. When the day comes, her powers begin to leak out uncontrollably, especially during an encounter with Duke Weselton.

Then Anna—attending the coronation as a guest—sees Elsa for the first time and is overwhelmed by a deep, inexplicable connection.

When Elsa loses control and accidentally plunges Arendelle into eternal winter, she flees to the mountains. Sound familiar?

But here’s the twist:
Anna doesn’t know Elsa is her sister.
Elsa doesn’t know Anna exists.
Yet both are drawn to each other by instinct, as if their souls remember what their minds do not.

🧊 Elsa’s Ice Castle & Memories

Elsa builds her ice palace, embracing her powers in solitude. But her mind is haunted by fragmented visions—a girl with red hair, laughter, warmth. Anna.

Meanwhile, Anna sets out on a journey to stop the winter and talk to the queen, hoping to understand this strange connection. She meets:

Kristoff, the ice harvester;

Sven, his reindeer;

and eventually, Olaf, the magical snowman Elsa accidentally created.

Just like in the original film—but the emotional stakes are completely different because Anna and Elsa are strangers… who feel like they’re not.

🧙 The Truth from the Trolls

Anna and Kristoff seek out the trolls for answers. Grand Pabbie reveals the truth:

Anna is Princess of Arendelle, and Elsa’s sister.

Their memories were erased to protect them both.

Only an act of true love can heal the growing instability in Elsa’s powers—and possibly restore their memories fully.

Anna is shattered, but determined.

⚔️ The Climax: Sisters Reunited

Anna finally confronts Elsa in her ice castle. She tells her the truth. Elsa doesn’t believe her at first, overwhelmed by fear.

Then Hans (still the villain) shows up, trying to seize control of Arendelle by killing Elsa. A battle erupts.

Hans slashes at Elsa—
Anna throws herself between them—
Anna is frozen solid, sacrificing herself to save the sister she never knew.

That is the act of true love.

💖 The Ending: Warmth Returns

Anna begins to thaw. The magic of sisterly love restores not only her body, but both sisters’ memories.

Elsa remembers Anna. Anna remembers Elsa.
They fall into each other’s arms, overwhelmed by grief and joy.

With love now guiding Elsa’s powers, she reverses the winter, saves the kingdom, and fully accepts her role as queen—with Anna at her side.

Anna and Kristoff share a romantic future, Olaf gets his flurry, and Arendelle becomes a kingdom not of fear—but of love, family, and truth.

🧵 Themes & Symbols

Memory & Identity – Who we are is shaped by what we know—and feel—even when memories are missing.

Sisterhood – Love between sisters is more powerful than any magic.

Self-Acceptance – Elsa learns to stop hiding and starts embracing who she is.

The Cost of Protection – The well-meaning choices of the past have consequences, even when made out of love.

👑 In Conclusion

Conceal, Don’t Feel takes the iconic story of Frozen and deepens its emotional core by asking:

What if love had to find its way back without memory?

It’s not just a tale of magic and snow, but of connection that transcends forgetting—and the power of love to restore identity and family, even when the world conspires to keep them apart.

[Celia || Mil Y Una Páginas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original, adictivo, emocionante y lleno de aventuras. Este retelling es una versión bastante fiel al clásico de Disney. Guarda la esencial principal y los acontecimientos son similares, solo que suceden de modo diferente, lo que crea una historia muy sorprendente.

Jen Calonita tiene una pluma ágil, amena y sencilla, que engancha desde el principio por la gran dosis de misterio que rodea a todos los acontecimientos. Reescribe la historia donde, en esta ocasión, las hermanas han perdido la memoria y han sido separadas.

Elsa vive en el castillo con sus padres y desconoce tener poderes, han desaparecido. Reaparecen en un momento doloroso al igual que fragmentos de una vida en la que juega con una niña más pequeña a la que no conoce.

Al principio, el libro nos crea una gran incertidumbre al lo saber qué ha ocurrido con Anna.

La narración será a tres voces, lo que nos desvela el paradero y la vida de cada uno de los protagonistas, sin perder detalle de nada.

-Comienza Elsa. Al introducirnos en su vida, la autora hace una perfecta descripción de la psicología y los sentimientos de este personaje. Podemos verla interactuando con sus padres, oyendo cuchicheos en palacio, y la presión a la que se ve sometida una princesa siendo hija única.

-Más tarde, la narración de Elsa se alterna con Anna, lo que nos descubrirá muchos datos importantes en la trama.

-En el desenlace, cuando la acción se vuelve más rápida, podemos encontrarnos con la narración de Kristoff para que no perdamos ningún detalle de los tres personajes cuando están separados. Sinceramente, ¡¡esto me ha parecido brillante!!

Muy recomendable como lectura ligera. Todo el que adore Frozen va a disfrutar con este giro inesperado.

[Meli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prinzessin Elsa lebt mit ihren königlichen Eltern im Schloss und führt dort ein ziemlich einsames, abgeschiedenes und ruhiges Leben. Sie bemerkt aber, dass ihre Eltern Geheimnisse vor ihr haben und schon bald ist sie auf sich allein gestellt, mit unheimlicher Eismagie und seltsamen Erinnerungen an ein Mädchen, das ihr irgendwie bekannt vorkommt.

Es handelt sich bei diesem Buch um eine verdrehte Version des bekannten Disney-Films "Die Eiskönigin", hier ist die Prämisse, dass die Schwestern voneinander getrennt wurden. Ich denke, dass die "Twisted Tales"-Reihe sich mehr an Fans der Filme richtet, so wie es bei normaler Fanfiction auch der Fall ist und denke, dass die meisten Leser den Film bereits kennen, wenn sie das Buch lesen.

Denn das Buch geht ganz sicher davon aus. Viele Szenen sind aus dem Film übernommen, sodass man sie wiederkennt und sich daher genau vorstellen kann, was gerade passiert, zum Beispiel wenn Kristoff seine Möhre mit Sven teilt oder Elsa den Eispalast errichtet, und diese Szenen sind eher knapp beschrieben.

Ich denke dazu, dass sich das Buch an ein jüngeres Publikum richtet, denn ich fand es leider viel zu anspruchslos. Der Leser weiß ja schon, dass Elsa und Anna Schwestern sind, die beiden jedoch wissen es nicht. Das Buch versucht gar nicht erst, ein Geheimnis daraus zu machen und vieles ist so offensichtlich, was Elsa und Anna nur naiv scheinen lässt. Auch der Bösewicht aus dem Film bekommt schon früh im Buch ein Kapitel aus seiner Perspektive, in dem seine Absichten bekannt werden - etwas, das der Leser ja schon wissen sollte, also warum baut man das dann überhaupt ein? Damit klar ist, dass die veränderte Prämisse des Buchs seinen Charakter nicht verändert hat?

Ich mochte es schon, wie die Trennung die Schwestern verändert hat. Anna war als Bäckerstochter von vielen Kindern umgeben, ist liebevoll und arglos wie gewohnt. Elsa erinnert sich aber nicht an eine Schwester, die sie mit ihrer Magie verletzt hat, und hat die damit einhergegangenen Ängste und Sorgen nicht, auch wenn sie trotzdem ziemlich einsam ist. Ihr veränderter Charakter ließ mich schon eine andere Handlung erhoffen, weil Elsas Gefühle ja eine sehr große Rolle spielen, aber letztendlich hat es keinen Unterschied gemacht.

Generell war ich enttäuscht davon, wie nah das Buch an der Vorlage ist. Am Anfang der Geschichte gehen wir einen anderen Weg, indem wir die Schwestern voneinander trennen, und da war ich noch wirklich gespannt auf die Geschichte. Nach und nach musste ich dann feststellen, dass dieser neue Weg sich sehr oft mit dem ursprünglichen überschneidet. Es sind einfach zu viele Parallelen und so viele Szenen, die eins zu eins übernommen wurden, dass es für mich die ganze Spannung zerstört hat. Während fast alle neuen Details vielversprechend waren und mehr Potenzial gehabt hätten, wurde das Buch durch die bekannten Sachen immer vorhersehbarer und man war so bemüht, immer wieder diese Szenen einzubauen, dass es manchmal gar nicht wirklich Sinn ergab.

Fazit
Für mich war "Elsas Suche" letztendlich nicht "Twisted" genug, ich hätte mir mehr Kreativität gewünscht und habe stattdessen wieder die gleiche bekannte Geschichte bekommen. Ein kleines bisschen anders und mit interessanten neuen Details, dafür aber auch nicht so stimmig wie das Original.

[Amanda Staffieri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all things Disney and have been meaning to read all the Twisted Tale books. I did read the Beauty and the Beast twisted tale a couple of years ago and loved it. I could not pass up to read this Frozen Twisted Tale called Conceal, Don’t Feel by Jen Calonita. Everything in this book is the same as the Disney movie, except for one thing. Elsa and Anna have never known each other. Elsa has been raised as an only child, preparing to be Queen of Arendelle, but it has always felt like something is missing. Anna was adopted when she was a baby by a couple who own a bakery, but she yearns to visit Arendelle. One tragic day, Elsa’s parents die and Elsa’s powers become out of control. However, she not only discovers her powers, but memories are starting to come back. These memories lead her to discover a curse that changed her and her family’s life forever.

If you are a lover of all things Disney, then you will enjoy this book. I read this book in a matter of hours. It is pretty much a copy of the movie only with a few differences. However, there are lines that are straight from the movie, actually… not just lines, full scenes. Now, I love the movie, so it didn’t really bother me. I just figured it would have more than just the slight differences.

As the oldest of 3 sisters, Frozen will always have a special place in my heart. I do love how the bond of sisters really comes through in the book, just like in the movie. Even their memories being destroyed can’t keep them apart. So if you have a chilly afternoon and a few hours to kill, this will make the evening magical. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

[Dr. Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5

No one is canon queer, but I still believe Elsa is aroace.

What if Elsa & Anna were never sisters? Or they thought they weren't. In this twisted tale, Elsa and Anna have grown up separately, but after the King and Queen's death memories begin to unveil themselves which comes to a head on Elsa's coronation. She then sets off endless winter and flees for the North Mountain. Anna travels to Arendelle for the first time with the strangest feeling she knows this place.

I am trash for Frozen so I knew I'd like this. There's a lot of scenes where the dialogue is similar but the scene is maneuvered from the movie so it fits this plot differently. So if you're expecting a lot of original content, you might be a bit disappointed.

One thing I really noticed this time is that Anna might be ADHD. Like wow how did I not think this was a possibility sooner. It would explain why I relate so much to her. I loved that this book is all about sisterly love. So glad I finally read it!

[Katelyn Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!! Cannot even begin to describe how much I loved and enjoyed this twist on one of my favorite Disney Movies!!! The writing had such a wonderful flow to the story, that you could paint it in your mind!!! When I got to the end I was filled with all the wonderful book feels too.I love the Disney Twisted Tales so much and I can't wait for the Eight installment to come out!!!
Love really can thaw a frozen heart!! ❤❄❤

[Martina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adoro che anche qui Olaf sia l'elemento che congiunge le due sorelle💙

[Estíbaliz Montero Iniesta · Rating 4 out of 5]

YOUTUBE / INSTAGRAM / WRAP UP MAYO
Este es solo el segundo libro que leo de esta serie de Un giro inesperado (el primero fue el de Mulan) y reconozco que me adentré en él con un poco de miedo, porque había leído reseñas muy variadas, pero me he llevado una grata sorpresa con lo mucho que lo he disfrutado.

Quizás el tema con este retelling es que es más apegado a la historia original (y con esto me refiero a la película de Disney) que la mayoría de retellings (véase Cazados, ACOTAR, Crónicas Lunares y un largo etcétera). Sin embargo, creo que esto se explica porque es un retelling de corte middle-grade, por lo tanto, hay que darles a los niños suficientes elementos que puedan identificar.

Antes de seguir, quiero advertiros de que puede que comente algún SPOILER de la película de Disney (que no de este libro), así que si no la habéis visto y la queréis ver, quizás sea mejor no seguir.

La premisa de la que parte este retelling es ¿Qué pasaría si Anna y Elsa no se hubieran conocido? . Este ha sido el punto que más me ha sorprendido quizás, porque yo me esperaba que el por qué de que no se hubieran conocido fuera diferente, pero me ha gustado como está hecho y tiene bastante sentido.
Partiendo de eso, las 100 primeras páginas del libro son totalmente diferentes a la peli. Aparte de que no se conocen, los padres de Elsa mueren cuando ella es adolescente, no niña, por lo tanto los ha tenido a su lado más tiempo que en la peli. Pero tras su muerte, unos misteriosos poderes aparecen y empieza a recordar cosas de su infancia hasta entonces enterradas en su memoria, en particular una niña de cabellos pelirrojos que le resulta muy familiar.

A partir de la página 120 o así ya empezamos a ver escenas que nos van a ir sonando de la película, no obstante, también tienen cambios. Por ejemplo, los diálogos son nuevos y diferentes (y me han gustado especialmente las nuevas interacciones entre Anna y Kristoff). El personaje de Hans sigue siendo el mismo, pero puesto que Anna no está en el castillo, han tenido que reubicar un poco alrededor de quién actúa y se me ha hecho rarísimo, pero reconozco que también tiene sentido.

El mensaje sigue siendo el mismo, un mensaje de aceptar lo que nos hace diferentes y no considerarlo algo negativo y también un mensaje sobre todo de amor entre hermanas. A mí me gusta la película y el libro me ha gustado también, para mí el equilibrio entre detalles nuevos y detalles más calcados de la peli ha estado bien, no he tenido ningún problema con que sea un retelling mucho más fiel a la versión original.

YOUTUBE / INSTAGRAM