is a complex retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Sigismund, the prince, knows that he is the one destined to break the spell and wake the princess - the problem is the evil faie Margravine knows he is too. She doesn't want him to wake the princess unless he's under her power - that way she can seize the power of Sleeping Beauty's palace. That definitely complicates things.
Things I Liked:
This was a surprising treat. I hadn't heard a lot of talk about this fairy tale retelling (though the reviews I saw were glowing), so I went in slightly skeptical. I was floored. This was a complex, deep, intricate, and quite beautiful story. Sigismund is the main focus of the story and his training, not to mention growing, is a huge part of the tale. The world created for this tale was quite wonderful - filled with faie and other mystical creatures. The magic was really well done - believable and still powerful. It also managed to keep me guessing on the ending and just how everything worked out. A real treat.
Things I Didn't Like:
The book was a bit slow at the start. I think some of the introductory stuff on Sigismund might have even been dropped and the story would have been just as good. I was also a bit surprised that it was a middle grade/elementary school aged book. While no content made it "objectionable," I found the plot and writing a bit too complex for some younger readers, though I am sure many of them would love it.
Read-alikes:
A bit like The Princess and the Hound and The Princess and the Bear by Mette Ivie Harrison
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry
BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
mrg-factor: none
v-factor: ->->
some fighting and a bloody boar hunt
Overall rating: *****
What's your favorite fairy tale? Fairy tale retelling? Why?
