The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway

 By: Ashley Schumacher

Location: FIC SCH

Genre: Romance, Young Adult

Wonderfully, perfectly adorable. I laughed, I got misty eyed, I swooned. This was such a surprise!- Trisha

Since her mother’s death, Madeline “Gwen” Hathaway has been determined that nothing in her life will change ever again. That’s why she keeps extensive lists in journals, has had only one friend since childhood, and looks forward to the monotony of working the ren faire circuit with her father. Until she arrives at her mother’s favourite end-of-tour stop to find the faire is under new management and completely changed.

Meeting Arthur, the son of the new owners and an actual lute-playing bard, messes up Maddie’s plans even more. For some reason, he wants to be her friend - and ropes her into becoming Princess of the Faire. Now Maddie is overseeing a faire dramatically changed from what her mother loved and going on road trips vastly different from the routine she used to rely on. Worst of all, she’s kind of having fun.

Ashley Schumacher's The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway is filled with a wise old magician who sells potion bottles, gallant knights who are afraid of horses and ride camels instead, kings with a fondness for theatrics, a lazy river castle moat with inflatable crocodile floaties, and a plus-sized heroine with a wide-open heart... if only she just admits it.

Marilyn- Review

The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher was inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time. I really enjoyed Gwen’s and Arthur’s characters. My heart went out to Maddie as she grieved for her mother. Loosing a mother at the impressionable age Maddie was at was a loss that was beyond comparison. It was good that she had a therapist but Arthur seemed to be the piece of the puzzle that Madeline/Gwen had needed to help her move on. Arthur instilled her with self confidence again and helped her accept and love her body. Madeline/Gwen transformed into a girl who became more assertive and self assured. The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway was about grief, family, friendship, trust, letting go, fate and choices. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it highly.