- Gorgeous cover.
- It was offered by NetGalley and looked interesting.
- Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (YA)
- Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan (Adult)
Summary from GoodReads:
Have you ever wondered what happens to the other people in the fairy tale?
Things look grim for Talia and her mother. By royal proclamation, the constables and those annoying “good” fairies have taken away their livelihood by confiscating their spinning wheel. Something to do with a curse on the princess, they said.
Not every young lady has a fairy godmother rushing to her rescue.
Without the promise of an income from spinning, Talia’s prospects for marriage disappear, and she and her mother face destitution. Past caring about breaking an arbitrary and cruel law, rebellious Talia determines to build a new spinning wheel, the only one in the nation, which plays right into the evil fairy’s diabolical plan. Talia discovers that finding a happy ending requires sacrifice. But is it a sacrifice she’s willing to make?
My Review:
I am a sucker for re-told fairy tales. I’ve read everything from retold stories from Snow White to Peter Pan to Little Red Riding Hood in the past year, so when I saw this alternate tale regarding Sleeping Beauty I jumped on it.
This is a novelette. It’s 97 pages long, or thereabouts and easily read in an afternoon. A warning, however – this book contains VERY adult material, this is not a fairy tale to be passing out to teens without consideration.
Talia is a girl that.. is not the prettiest catch. Self-described as plain with a face full of warts, she depends on her livelihood as a spinster to support herself and her mother. However, these times are not the times to be a spinster, as Princess Aurora has just been born and a curse is laid over her. All the spinning wheels are confiscated, so what is a girl to do?
Talia is a spirited young woman and brave (although I did not agree with the choices she made, but it did make for some steamy reading material). Although the story is short it is a complete story and reads like a longer book. I enjoyed it, even if some of it was.. well, quite unexpected.
Check out these review(s):
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
