By James Riley
Amazon rating: 4.8/5, grades 3-7
Good Reads: 4.17/5
Common Sense Media: Not Reviewed
4Rbooks: 4/6, grades 6-8
385 pages
Synopsis:
Jack can never pass his “rescue the princess” test, but what does it matter, there aren’t any princesses to be rescued anyway. Until one day, when a young girl wearing a “punk princess” t-shirt dops into his living room, and she needs saving from the Huntsman who is trying to capture her. May is desperate to find her grandmother, the famous Snow White, who has been captured and is being held in the snow palace of the Evil Queen.
Jack agrees to help May rescue her grandmother and they set off on an adventure from Giant’s Head, Jack’s village, and through the Black Forest until arriving at the Evil Queens palace. Along the way they enlist the help of seemingly perfect Prince Philip and the Wolf King, who may, or may not be their friend.
Battles with Rose Red and her gnomes, Malevolent, the genie in the mirror, and more await as they endure their heroic trek. Perhaps the more daunting task is to survive the journey without killing each other as teenage angst, sarcasm, and moods interfere with the developing friendship.
Parental Guidance: low-medium
Various scenes of teenagers in dangerous situations.
Though the exact words are never used, a few characters are said to be
utilizing obscenities during stressful situations.
There are a couple of scenes that were uncomfortable in the wake of the
“Me Too” movement.
Recommendation:
This is the first book of a trilogy. The other books are Twice Upon a Time and Once Upon the End. I will be reading and reviewing those at a later date. This is a “fractured fairy tale” like Shrek, but more in the manner of Into the Woods. It is an adventurous read with many twists and turns and a surprise plot twist at the end. It did drag at times. I think the author would have been better served my losing an adventure or two and streamlining the tale.
If you have read many of the traditional fairy tales in their original form you know they are rough around the edges with violent and magical themes. This story, though not graphic, does not shy away from “painful” details.
My biggest question with this book is whether it could be written today in the aftermath of the “Me Too” movement. There are a few scenes that were borderline cringey: 14-year-old Jack kisses 14-year-old May when she falls into his living room, seemingly asleep under a spell. She’s not happy. Other scenes were just creepy: When May is captured, small monsters grab her and carry her to the Huntsman “like presenting her as a gift.” When the other boys in town find out there is a princess at Jack’s, they surround the house and demand that she be released so they can marry her. An imp promises to free the princess but with evil intentions.
On the positive side, May is a strong, independent young woman who handles hers challenge admirably. She knows when to step in on her own, and when to ask for help. I believe this book would be fine for a middle school student, but I would only recommend it to an elementary student who is an advanced reader with parent guidance recommended.
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