Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir Published by Subterranean Press on November 30, 2020
Genres: Fantasy
Pages: 197
Format: ARC
Goodreads
Also by this author: Harrow the Ninth
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
About Princess Floralinda & the Forty-Flight Tower
What’s an imprisoned princess to do when all of her potential rescuers have been eaten by a dragon?
A witch kidnaps Floralinda and installs her at the top of a 40 story high tower. Each floor is guarded by something awful starting with a diamond-encrusted dragon. Sadly for Floralinda, no prince makes it by the dragon.
Princess Floralinda receives unexpected and perhaps unwanted help in the form of Cobweb, a bottom of the garden fairy with a penchant for chemistry and sly sarcasm. If you enjoyed the sullen sarcasm of Gideon the Ninth, then Cobweb is definitely the character for you.
My thoughts about Princess Floralinda
This fairytale flips the princess needs rescuing trope on its head with Tamsyn Muir’s usual pointed wit and sarcastic charm.
The witch is more performance artist than typical witch – more interested in avoiding cliches and getting good reviews.
Along the way, Muir delves into some seriously old school Brothers Grimm fairytale gore. And there’s the questioning of gender, traditional roles, and what that means.
Imagine Patricia Wrede’s Dealing With Dragons but with more sarcasm and a bit of slasher film added in for a different type of fun.
Your thoughts
Do you enjoy fairytales turned on their heads? While I’m a fan of the classics, I do enjoy a good retelling or reimagining. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Other books
If you’re a fan of sarcasm and fantasy tropes turned upside down, check out Tamsyn Muir’s debut novel, Gideon the Ninth. Read my review of the sequel, Harrow the Ninth.
Looking for another novella that’s a reimagined fairytale that questions gender roles and sexuality? Try Burning Roses by SL Huang, a very different Little Red Riding Hood.
Thank you Netgalley and Subterranean Press for the ARC.
Be First to Comment