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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
Disclaimer: This review is based on my reading of an ARC provided by the author in a giveaway.
Okay, so this was surprisingly good. I was a little hesitant going in because honestly how on earth are you supposed to give Prince Phillip (whose name I could only tell you with any confidence after having read this book) any personality? But Miller managed just that. Now, I’ll admit that it’s not the most complicated personality ever, and it’s clearly focused on one very specific element drawn from the movie: the lack of consent that permeates the film and story itself. The most obvious way that this was dealt with was by giving Phillip and Briar Rose a proper relationship prior to their first actual meeting – which I consider to be a brilliant use of the “Once Upon a Dream” theme and song. But it also addresses the fact that OF COURSE Phillip would have complicated feelings about growing up knowing he’d marry someone he’d never met solely for the sake of protecting her, and how those feelings might manifest. Again, it’s fairly one note, but it’s very well done. Briar Rose also gets a proper personality and some actual agency in this book. An important note that I’ll try to address with minimal spoilers: the kiss at the end is NOT nonconsensual in this retelling. It’s very clear that Miller went to pains to ensure that it was clear that this was the case. There’s also an important current of the challenges of parental relationship and how unhealthy familial relationships can make us cling to any semblance of affection, which I think was very well done. Again, none of this was overly complicated or deep, but that’s not inherently a bad thing. I actually think that there’s an ideal audience for this book: young readers who read at a higher level than typical for their age range and struggle to find appropriate content. It’s understandable in terms of its themes and there’s no sexual content, rude language, or excessive violence, but it’s written at a reasonable young adult reading level. There are not enough books like this out there and I really appreciate this contribution to the options for young readers.