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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A quick, cozy, and quirky spin on a fairy tale retelling of "Sleeping Beauty."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Confinement
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder
Minor: Cursing, Blood, Death of parent, War
adventurous
emotional
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
In a crumbling tower lies a beautiful princess. She has slept in her bower of thorns for hundreds of years, waiting for a prince to rescue her and guarded by an ugly water fairy. We all know the story, but what if we are wrong? What if the beautiful princess is not what she seems? What is the the ugly Toadling is not protecting the princess from the world, but is instead protecting the world from her? What if the prince is ready to listen, to think, and to save a fairy from a princess?
I just love T. Kingfisher's stories. Her characters are always fully realised, her stories unexpected and her prose is delightful. The only downside is I wish her books were longer. This story is told in a traditional dark fairy-tale style, with requisite changelings, princess, a king & queen, a fairy godmother, and a blessing that becomes a curse. But that is as close to tradition as the story gets. Toadling is a far more interesting character than any fairy-tale princess has ever been.
I just love T. Kingfisher's stories. Her characters are always fully realised, her stories unexpected and her prose is delightful. The only downside is I wish her books were longer. This story is told in a traditional dark fairy-tale style, with requisite changelings, princess, a king & queen, a fairy godmother, and a blessing that becomes a curse. But that is as close to tradition as the story gets. Toadling is a far more interesting character than any fairy-tale princess has ever been.
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
fast-paced
lighthearted
medium-paced
This was an interesting novella adaptation of Sleeping Beauty in a traditional dark fairy tale style. I loved Toadling and Halim.
fast-paced
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes