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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A sideways sort of fairy tale, a little sweet but a little salty.
Not my top favourite Kingfisher offering but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it. Like many of her books, my main gripe is how short it is. I know that works with how short the original story was and Kingfisher and fleshed it out quite well for her own re-telling.
Toadling was by far my favourite character. I loved her scenes with her bog/swamp family and wished we had more time with them. Yes, I was sad when she left the 'Real World' for Fairy and went back to them at the end but at the same time, I think she deserved to be with them after being away for so long.
The side-characters from that area were fun and intriguing.
I didn't care for the Princess/Fayette at all. I think it would have been better if her cruelty/evil personality had more nuance to it or reason behind it. Saying she's like that 'just because' seems rather lazy and I felt we were cheated out of a more layered antagonist. Even after waking from her slumber, she's shown to be quite powerful and yet she's pushed out a window and dies.
Like, I get it but also that was very anticlimactic and such a cop-out.
Halim was a fine enough character but a lot of his actions annoyed me. Apparently 'No' means 'Yes' to him and in typical man fashion he just barrelled ahead to do whatever he wanted. I liked him as a friend to Toadling but any spark of romance (which seems to be what Kingfisher hinted at) was lost on me. I didn't see it but it's okay because even though Toadling is ugly, Halim likes her because she is 'Interesting and Sad'. Thanks Halim.
The King and Queen were there... The Nurse had more personality than them. When Toadling was told at the end that killing the child was the answer... I rolled my eyes. Of course that was the answer!
Overall, I found it to be whimsical and a fun re-telling. I liked Toadling and would honestly enjoy reading more about her. Halim was fine (he's just Ken) but I'd want more of the Fairyworld and the Greenteeth that raised Toadling tbh.
4.5/5 but closer to a 4 for me, sadly.
Toadling was by far my favourite character. I loved her scenes with her bog/swamp family and wished we had more time with them. Yes, I was sad when she left the 'Real World' for Fairy and went back to them at the end but at the same time, I think she deserved to be with them after being away for so long.
The side-characters from that area were fun and intriguing.
I didn't care for the Princess/Fayette at all. I think it would have been better if her cruelty/evil personality had more nuance to it or reason behind it. Saying she's like that 'just because' seems rather lazy and I felt we were cheated out of a more layered antagonist. Even after waking from her slumber, she's shown to be quite powerful and yet she's pushed out a window and dies.
Like, I get it but also that was very anticlimactic and such a cop-out.
Halim was a fine enough character but a lot of his actions annoyed me. Apparently 'No' means 'Yes' to him and in typical man fashion he just barrelled ahead to do whatever he wanted. I liked him as a friend to Toadling but any spark of romance (which seems to be what Kingfisher hinted at) was lost on me. I didn't see it but it's okay because even though Toadling is ugly, Halim likes her because she is 'Interesting and Sad'. Thanks Halim.
The King and Queen were there... The Nurse had more personality than them. When Toadling was told at the end that killing the child was the answer... I rolled my eyes. Of course that was the answer!
Overall, I found it to be whimsical and a fun re-telling. I liked Toadling and would honestly enjoy reading more about her. Halim was fine (he's just Ken) but I'd want more of the Fairyworld and the Greenteeth that raised Toadling tbh.
4.5/5 but closer to a 4 for me, sadly.
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This may be my new favourite book of all time. Toadling is so precious and it is easy to love and root for her. A soft, cosy read! I’ll definitely have to get my own copy soon 💛
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty
Minor: Suicide
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a cute, short retelling of Sleeping Beauty but from the POV of the person protecting the tower in which Sleeping Beauty rests. The story itself is very short, but for a novella, I thought it was the right length. Kingfisher’s writing is very good and descriptive, and I thought the narration style of “Toadling thought this…” felt like someone was reading a fairytale to me, which is appropriate given the context.
I really liked our main characters: Halim and Toadling. They are precisely what one would expect if two random people got thrown into a high-stakes situation. Halim’s line, when asked if he’s capable of killing someone outside of the battlefield, is my favorite example of this: “’I … I don’t think so,’ he said finally. ‘I want to say yes, for you. Because of what you said. But I’ve killed a few men, and it’s bad. And they have to be coming at me with swords, and it’s not like—not like that, exactly.’”
Similarly, Toadling has some great one liners like “Toads are capable of sarcasm, but their blood runs too cold for hysteria.”
I really liked our main characters: Halim and Toadling. They are precisely what one would expect if two random people got thrown into a high-stakes situation. Halim’s line, when asked if he’s capable of killing someone outside of the battlefield, is my favorite example of this: “’I … I don’t think so,’ he said finally. ‘I want to say yes, for you. Because of what you said. But I’ve killed a few men, and it’s bad. And they have to be coming at me with swords, and it’s not like—not like that, exactly.’”
Similarly, Toadling has some great one liners like “Toads are capable of sarcasm, but their blood runs too cold for hysteria.”
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
One of the most unique retellings of the Ranpunzel story I've read, but incredibly well done