Reviews with content warning for Classism - True Crown - Der Mantel des Elfen-Lords

I enjoyed reading this book thoroughly! What I like most are the characters. The main character Effie is a delightfully hardworking maid who dares to daydream of marrying a lord; she has her eyes on Mr Benedict Ashbrooke. When presented the opportunity to get help with her dream from a faerie Lord Blackthorn (i. e. Mr Jubilee or Juniper Jubilee as his true name), she weighs her options and decides to accept the help despite all the warnings she's ever heard of faeries meaning trouble. They make a deal:

"Well... let us say that you have a hundred and one days to marry the man that you love," he offered. "We will see it done, of course. But if something should go awry — and I tell you, Miss Euphemia, it is vanishingly unlikely — then I suppose that you shall simply have to come back with me to faerie and serve me as a maid instead, for the rest of your days. [--] But I know what I shall ask in return. For every minute that you are a lady, you shall add one stitch to my coat. I am sure that you can embroider something quite fetching upon it, if you set your mind to it."

Even with Lord Blackthorn's enthusiastic help the situation reveals itself to be more nuanced and difficult than either of them anticipated at first. Effie begins to doubt whether there are good options beteen her current employment as a maid and being let go and so having no employment– this concern on top of their deal doesn't make her overall situation very easy. Perhaps the same doubt could be said of Effie's love interest as well: it is very hard to get to know Mr Benedict, and Mr Jesson brings new questions to the table. Moreover, Effie's best friend Lydia, a fellow maid, seems to think that Effie is forgetting or overlooking one other option completely. Perhaps Lydia represents the reader as well, since her hinting seems quite obvious even if Effie doesn't catch it.

Lord Blackthorn furrowed his brow with greater and greater concern as Effie spoke. "If all of your options are terrible," he said slowly, "then that is a trap of a different sort, isn't it?"

I could praise almost endlessly the depth that the characters were given: they have multiple sides to them, and they aren't always just in the right or wrong, but stumble their way forward while aiming for their common goal of fulfilling the deal in Effie's favour. When they make wrong choises or end up hurting someone else, they try their best to fix the situation. While doing so, the two of them become closer and begin to enjoy each other's company.

"In a way, I suppose... you have become even more someone to me than everyone else is."

At the top of their scheming,

Mr Benedict ends up proposing to Effie in front of Lord Blackthorn. Effie accepts, but even this doesn't end the turmoil in her: maybe marrying Benedict isn't what she hopes for, after all.

There might be a more appealing choise to her.

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cozyscones's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful medium-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

4.5

Content Warnings

ramakn22's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

lunalorenne's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was an absolutely lovely twist on the Cinderella fairytale and while mildly predictable that actually worked in its favor to be an easy comfort fantasy read.

Content Warnings