The Oddling Prince

by Nancy Springer

In the ancient moors of Scotland, the king of Calidon lies on his deathbed, cursed by a ring that cannot be removed from his finger. When a mysterious fey stranger appears to save the king, he also carries a secret that could tear the royal family apart.

The kingdom’s only hope will lie with two young men raised worlds apart. Aric is the beloved heir to the throne of Calidon; Albaric is clearly of noble origin yet strangely out of place.

The Oddling Prince is a tale of brothers whose love and loyalty to each other is such that it defies impending warfare, sundering seas, fated hatred, and the very course of time itself. In her long-awaited new fantasy novel, Nancy Springer (the Books of Isle series) explores the darkness of the human heart as well as its unceasing capacity for love.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, Fiction, Fae, Audiobook, Fairies

288 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2018

About the author

BIO -- NANCY SPRINGER


Nancy Springer has passed the fifty-book milestone, having written that many novels for adults, young adults and children, in genres including mythic fantasy, contemporary fiction, magical realism, horror, and mystery -- although she did not realize she wrote mystery until she won the Edgar Allan Poe Award from the Mystery Writers of America two years in succession. DARK LIE, recently released from NAL, is her first venture into mass-market psychological suspense.
Born in Montclair, New Jersey, Nancy Springer moved with her family to Gettysburg, of Civil War fame, when she was thirteen. She spent the next forty-six years in Pennsylvania, raising two children (Jonathan, now 38, and Nora, 34), writing, horseback riding, fishing, and birdwatching. In 2007 she surprised her friends and herself by moving with her second husband to an isolated area of the Florida panhandle, where the birdwatching is spectacular and where, when fishing, she occasionally catches an alligator.

Reviews

[Nassy · Rating 3 out of 5]

What attracted me to request this book (apart from the cover) was the bromance storyline. There is nothing I love more than loyalty/bonds between two people that are not based on romance so I was hyped to read this. Unfortunately, I did not like this as much as I thought I would

What I didn’t like
- The writing is in old English, very fairytale-ish which I realized I did not like. Sometimes, I did not even know what certain sentences meant. I think this book would have been better as an audiobook.

- This book had non-romantic insta-love which I did not even know existed. Albaric , a half-fey, half human boy comes into the palace to help the king who was suffering from an affliction, and claims to be the king’s son and half-brother to prince Aric and while the King is suspicious of Albaric, Aric immediately starts being protective/ loyal and it seemed too fast for me. This instant connection spoiled the bromance for me because I wanted their relationship to grow gradually. Honestly, at some point, their relationship was weird, like almost romantic weird. It got to a point where I thought it was THAT type of book and I was really glad when a love interest was introduced lol

- This book didn’t have a centred plot but a bunch of subplots. The only constant thing was the loyalty between Albaric and Aric so I guess this is a character-driven book

I did like some things though
- There is this ring that has the ability to control people. It reminded me of lord of the rings which I love. I liked the interactions between the ring and characters

- Although there was barely a romance, I found the little glimpses of it to be cute

- I liked the main characters Albaric and Aric and I felt really bad for Albaric because the king hated him. I did enjoy some of their bromance moments when it wasn’t weird.

- I liked learning why the king was so distrustful of Albaric

- Like I said, there was no centred plot so I wasn’t really sure where the story was going but I was pleasantly surprised at the ending and I found it unique.

Overall, it was an okay read but not something I would read again.

pre-reading
My first ARC from NetGalley whoop. it took me like 10 minutes to figure out how to open the ebook since it was protected. it required downloading an app and remembering passwords 😫. Hopefully, all the struggle is worth it.

[Eli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh god this was just not for me.
I guess I just didn't really like anything about this... the characters were flat and very superficial, the story strange and not really coherent and yeah.. not my cup of tea but I won't rant about this.
Thanks Netgalley!

[Mel (Epic Reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So close to 5-stars. If not for two major plot points that really annoyed me near the end it might have made the coveted 5-star list. The Oddling Prince is compelling and has lovely writing; as I would expect from someone as experienced as Nancy Springer. There are some trips along the way in the story; but overall this is a great little book. Perfect to start a middle-grade reader off in the fantasy genre.

Plot Points
There are a few moments in this book that really irritated me. The first is that we start off with a lot happening and no clue what is really going on. It takes about the first 20% of the book to really give context to why on earth some random elf comes and saves a king that he does not answer to (not a spoiler as it happens in the opening chapters).
Then we are led into the typical 'back story' fill-in to catch us up. And it's done as flashback story being told to us. For those not aware this is a terrible way to give major plot points out! Yes even though Tolkien did it a lot; that doesn't mean it's a good literary choice.
The final plot point that annoyed me I can't tell you about... it's a major spoiler. But, if you know my pet peeves in writing, you'll know that anything that's convenient or 'too easy' in plot really bugs me. Unfortunately Springer copes out and nearly ruins the whole book for me. But I got over it and would gladly continue on with the subsequent books in the series after getting to the end. It may also be that Springer chose to 'dumb-down' the story because of the age group it's geared at. I don't agree with this tactic (as kids are way smarter than we give them credit for usually); but it would make sense given the target age group.

Characters
Springer has always excelled at great character development and The Oddling Prince is no exception. Our two lead males are so well defined that even though their names are so close to one another (Aric and Albaric) I managed to keep them distinctly apart in my head. Normally I would be annoyed by the similarities in their names (regardless of the reason) but because they are so clearly separate people with distinct personalities and dialogue I did okay.

Not a Romance!
Now you may laugh at my assertion that this is not a romantic story. It's actually quite emotional and has a lot of loyalty and love involved in it; but it's between two brothers and their parents, as opposed to with a romantic partner. I liked that the focus was on family and how it's sometimes difficult to reconcile people's actions with our love for them. This is really the core of what makes this a great book, there is no annoying or messy love interest; just a good clean story with a slightly weird family set-up that any child can likely relate to. Even the best of homes has its flaws and I think there would be a lot of things younger readers would be able to identify with in The Oddling Prince.

Overall
While not the best book in the world, The Oddling Prince is a solid read. It's quick for the avid reader and has some cute little moments. It can be a bit Lord of the Rings-ish at times--and there isn't anything mind shattering here for plot or characters--but it's perfect for any little boy or girl to read and get a flavour of fantasy. It would also be great read-aloud by a child or adult to a child. Springer has delivered exactly what I hope for from this level of story.

To read this and more of my reviews visit my blog at Epic Reading

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

[Sherwood Smith]

In a fantasy version of historical Scotland, the king of Calidon lies on his deathbed, cursed by a ring that cannot be removed from his finger. His son Albaric manages to save him, and suddenly gets a fey brother whom the king doesn’t remember, and takes a sudden, violent hatred to.

But Albaric takes just as sudden a violent love for his fey half-brother.

And so begins a fairy tale novel that in the early chapters contained graceful, even elegiac descriptions that evoke Lord Dunsany, but as it developed gradually became less graceful and more studied, with sometimes abrupt transitions as facts come out of nowhere (we suddenly learn that the king had had a slew of brothers, all of whom he’d hated, before one of them pops up) and outmoded words are used awkwardly, that is not quite in the manner those words once were used.

But at the heart the story is about the brothers, written in such homoerotic language that one could be forgiven for assuming that this is a m/m romance, only without the sex. Let’s say, everything but the sex. A romance does occur, but the young lady is fourteen, so being told that her kiss “was that of a woman” and suchlike was kind of stomach-turning for me. I do not give a novel written today for modern readers a pass for the fact that girls were often married off at fourteen in days of old.

The ring and its trickster magic was intriguing at first, but about halfway through it began to feel more and more like a plot device to keep the angst on the boil.

There is a glimpse of the weird fey, and a castle attack with murky strategy and tactics, led by a one-dimensional baddy, until the end, with a weird magical turn that confirmed the feel of m/m.

I think the audience for this would be those who like a fairy tale feel, with all the dream-like sudden twists and turns that so often drive fairy tales. And of course those who like brotherly love. Lots of it, up close and personal.

Copy provided by NetGalley

[Amy Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book! Old Scotland mixed with Fae and war. Two brothers that know nothing of each other and bond. It was an epic fantasy and I just want more!

Aric is seventeen and heir to the throne of the kingdom of Calidon. His father has taken ill and seems to grow sicker everyday. The cause seems to be an enchanted ring that no one can remove and things look bad for the king. Just when hope seems lost a Fae sprints in and removes the ring saving the king's life. His health steadily returns and everything Aria thought he knew was wrong.

Albaric is the son of the Queen of Elfland and Aric's half brother. When he saves his father from death he is surprised to find his father has forgotten all about him and he has a half brother that is human. He stays, trying to rebound with his father and get to know this brother as war looms over them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ecopy of this book for a fair and honest review.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The king of Calidon is dying, cursed by a ring that cannot be removed from his finger. The fey stranger that comes to the castle to save him has a major secret that could tear apart the royal family. The kingdom’s only hope lies with two young men raised in two entirely different worlds - Aric, the son of the king of Calidon, and Albaric, a mysterious person who is clearly a member of the nobility but is strangely out of place.

It's been a while since I've read a YA fantasy novel by Nancy Spinger, but when I was younger I loved I am Morgan le Fay and I am Mordred. I've read some of her other works that I've enjoyed, but just based on those fantasy books I was really looking forward to her newest outing in the genre. While I liked the story well enough with her interpretation of the fey, the setting of ancient Scotland, and the idea of ring which totally reminds me the One Ring of Lord of the Rings. I don't know about you, but I had issues with the writing style and language. To me it came across as little stilted, especially when it comes to the characters. I had a difficult time investing myself in the cast of characters. I don't know if it was just me, but I also had a hard time keeping the characters straight in my head. I mean with names like Aric, Albaric, and Bardaric, I had trouble remember who's who throughout. I have to admit, too, that names like Escobar and Garth were unexpected.

Overall, there are many elements I liked about this new story from Nancy Springer, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. My favorite aspect is definitely how the fey are portrayed, but unfortunately I didn't find myself invested in the either of the leading characters. If you're interested in the fey or any of this author's earlier YA fantasy novels, you may be interested in her newest outing in the genre.

[Holly Hearts Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like this is a book that people will either love or hate.

It follows our main character Aric (Yes! Finally a male protagonist in YA fantasy) and he is the young prince of a lonely kingdom in Northern Scotland. His father, the king, is dying because of a strange and spooky ring around his finger but luckily, a fae (that's right! Faeries!) suddenly appears and saves the king by removing this ring. Well, not all is what it seems when history reveals itself. I really don't want to spoil anymore than that.

While the writing was pretty gorgeous and extremely detailed, it was clunky to read for me. I kept stumbling over words which is very unlike me. It's definitly the style of writing this author has. It just doesn't mesh well with me. The plot was also a little too hastey. It definitly reads like a fairytale but I didn't have time to grasp the situation the characters were in. Also the characters.. I wanted to love them but man, the relationships seemed so unrealistic and too clingy. You see, I think people will either think the main relationship will be "Aw, so cute and warm hearted!" or like me "ehhhhh, no.."

All in all, very descriptive writing but there was something about the story that I struggled to connect with.

[✨faith✨trust✨pixiedust✨ Dead Account; Not Coming Back · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this eARC from Tachyon Publications on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book in any way.

For fans of The Lord of the Rings, The Oddling Prince is a tale of two brothers and their father, the King, and a ring of power that has plans of its own.

The Writing and Worldbuilding

The beginning of this book was somewhat difficult to really get into, as the book was written differently than any book I've ever read before, with a very storybook, almost Shakespearean style. I feel that it would be great as an audiobook, because the 1st person narrative has many asides and interjections from Aric, the protagonist, that it seemed to be a story being told. Once I got used to it, I really enjoyed the writing. There are many terms that might be unfamiliar to many readers, so I would only suggest this to people who are fluent in English and at high school reading level or greater.

I loved the world! Elfland was so intriguing, and the fey elements of the story were very well done. The prophecy of the White King was wonderfully interspersed throughout to maintain suspense without being overbearing or exposition. I absolutely loved the ring! It had the potential to just be a LOTR copy, but instead it was unique and interesting and acted as a great plot driver. It really was a chaotic neutral force sometimes, and almost seemed to be a character in its own right.

The strange bromance between Aric and Albaric really could and should have been done better though. It was insta-love, really, and didn't feel familial until over 50% into the book, because Aric kept commenting on how beautiful and lovely and wonderful and astounding and skilled Albaric was like some lovesick puppy. Some of their behavior, like touching each others hands and cuddling felt like was I do with my sisters, and as men of their era, that was odd though not unwelcome. It was Aric's constant praise of Albaric that was so off-putting. Siblings don't act that way.

I loved how the conflict with the king grew slowly and deeper with each chapter. It really kept me intrigued and on the edge of my seat.

The Characters

Aric: Besides his creepy obsession with his brother, he was a really fun character! I loved his sense of humor and his carefree, fun nature. He was kind of ADHD but I loved that, and found him so incredibly endearing.

Albaric: He was definitely my favorite character! His struggle with being a previously immortal being trapped in a mortal body and with unrequited love for his father was so well done and unique. I've been really wanting a well done fey character ever since I read A Court of Thorns and Roses and found it incredibly lacking in every magical regard (besides other things) and so this character and this book really hit my fantasy spot. Also, his humor and banter with Aric was fantastic! I love utterly clueless but well-meaning characters so much!

King Bardaric: He was so interesting. His dark descent into madness was such a great character study and really kept me guessing and second guessing its origins.

Queen Evalin: She was so great! She is seriously the best, strongest, most elegant lady I've ever read in any book. She's seriously what I needed right now. She's so supportive and wise, and so determined. I really loved her.

Marissa: She was somewhat of a surprise, and I was determined to not like her (given the fact that I didn't much see her point at first) but her girlish charm won me over and I relented.

Conclusion

This might be a new favorite, I'm not totally sure yet (might need to let it settle for a bit) but either way, it was a great fantasy adventure, and really gave me everything I needed when setting out to read a book from such a genre. It made me feel nostalgic, for what, I don't know, but nostalgic nonetheless. I seriously really enjoyed this and I want all of you to read it too once it comes out, because it's totally worth it.

[Mogsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/07/08/...

Long ago in the highlands of Northern Scotland there lived a kind and just king. However, one day he returned home from a hunting trip with his son Prince Aric and found that a cursed ring had suddenly appeared on his finger. With no way of removing it, the ring quickly caused the king to sicken until he was close to death. But just as his father was about to slip away, Prince Aric noticed a mysterious young man riding hard for the castle. Using his magic, this newcomer was able to remove the ring just in time to save the king’s life. He then introduced himself as Prince Albaric from the Faerie realm, revealing that he was also Prince Aric’s half-brother, conceived when the Fae queen seduced the king and transported him to the otherworld. His story also explained how the enchanted ring first came to be on the king’s finger.

But rather than feel grateful towards Albaric, the king refused to even acknowledge him as his son. Worse, as Aric and Albaric grew closer, their brotherly bond only caused their father’s hostility to worsen. No longer good and just, the king became bitter, paranoid, and angry. Concerned for his father and troubled by the changes wrought on the kingdom, Aric also started to worry for his half-brother. Exiled from the land of the Fae and with no home to return to, Albaric’s only hope was to be accepted by his mortal father, but sadly, the king’s mind would not be easily swayed.

In order to save the kingdom, Aric must somehow find a way to help Albaric make peace with their father before the king’s resentment can bring ruin upon them all. In essence, this familial conflict serves as the backbone of The Oddling Prince. A fantasy inspired by folklore and mythology, the novel lends itself to be compared to stories of Arthurian legend, as it is written in a style that evokes that same kind of quaintness and sentimentality. Much of this is due to the book’s somewhat archaic tone and language, which was elegant and lyrical but also served to bog down the prose. As a result, it took me quite a while to get into the flow of the story, for the same elements used to impart an old-fashioned flavor also made it very awkward and slow to read.

Tales of this type are also often heavy in metaphor and deep in meaning, but lighter in terms of character and story development. So even though I found The Oddling Prince to be a sweet and charming little book, I was not surprised to feel little to no connection to the characters. Like a Disney movie, you just knew deep in your heart everything would work out fine, despite all the seemingly insurmountable challenges thrown in the protagonists’ way. While I wouldn’t go as far as to say this novel was completely devoid of surprises, there were simply no genuine threats or high stakes to make you feel any real concern. There was also this thick layer of idealism in the depiction of Aric and Albaric’s relationship—which was intentional, I am sure, given the sentimental nature of this story. But again, this just made them feel like cardboard heroes out of a fairy tale, not real enough to relate to.

Still, there were a lot of aspects I really liked. Despite the book’s fanciful tones, there were some powerful tensions between Aric and his father. I wouldn’t say this story had a real antagonist, but with the king being such a huge jerk, I would say he came the closest. In the face of his irrational fury and jealousies though, Aric remained steadfastly on Albaric’s side, refusing to be cowed. This loyalty to his brother was heartwarming and beautiful, and ended up being the highlight of this book. And even though she was a rather late introduction, I also loved the character of Marissa. The portrayal of her relationship with Aric may have left a lot to be desired, but her personality was so lovable that she immediately became a favorite.

In the end, I thought The Oddling Prince was an enjoyable read, though at times it felt a little too light and lacking in substance. However, if you like reading fantasy stories that are heavily inspired by fae-related folktales or mythological influences, this one might be worth checking out. The underlying wistfulness and dated feel of the writing may take some getting used to, but all the same, these elements might prove to be the novel’s biggest selling point for those seeking an evocative tale told in an old-timey, sentimental style.

[Page Grey (Editor) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning: Minor Spoilers ahead (depends on how you take them)

I think this book isn't for me...

The Oddling Prince is no doubt brilliantly written. I love the author's style, and yes, the 2.5 stars are for it alone. It was worded using archaic language, almost like in King James version of the Bible, and thankfully, it's my favorite version so I find the writing of this book fascinating. The words are flowery, lyrical and poetic.

Now with the content, I have so many complains. It was boring. I was expecting this book to be high fantasy, with faes and elves, but what I got is a tale, though the words used were beautiful, it wasn't told properly. Maybe it has something to do with the narrator, Aric,  that as a character, I dislike. I'll get to the characters later... Anyway, it started with the kingdom's misery with the King, King Bardaric, lain in bed dying because of some stupid ring. Then the arrival of Albaric. From then, Aric chose to narrate their everyday activities, worse, their everyday activities aren't that interesting. Such as how Albaric chose and tame a horse and how he sings to it. And Aric even narrated Albaric's bath because the aforementioned horse made him sore and bruised, aching all over. (And mind you, there are plenty of baths in the story.)

I do understand such scenes are necessary so the reader understand how new Albaric is in his new form but it gets boring. It takes at least 40% of the book, the introduction I mean, before they get into an adventure. And the said adventure isn't the kind of adventure I was expecting. It was lame.

The world, though seems fantastic isn't that amazing. It's also underwhelming. Just another kingdom and it's neighboring realms.

The characters... Aric and Albaric are the corniest characters I've ever encountered. And that twist in the ending didn't even made it better for me. Why? Because the twist just explained why they were so close though they were raised worlds apart. It didn't change the fact that their actions and words are too soft. Too feminine. It would've been so much better if this book turned out to be LGBTQ. It might have redeemed the characters for me. Ah!!! I would've loved them more if they were... And I almost think the story will turn into something taboo the way they interact with each other but it didn't. Though I wouldn't have mind if it came to that (I'm a GoT Fan). At least that would've explained so many things...

Obviously, I didn't like the ending though the twist might surprise others, I find it eeeewwww!!! Like I hate to imagine them now.

This book might not be a bad book for others, even I, won't call this like that. This isn't just for me and this is just a different-than-usual book...

Thank you to the publishers for granting me an e-copy thru Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. :) 

Happy Reading guys and hope you like this more than I did. I mean look at how gorgeous the cover...

[Fizah(Books tales by me)]

Is this whole book is about Aric giving tuition to Albaric?
I can't bear it anymore.

[Sheila G · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my FULL review of this book on my blog along with others at: shesgoingbookcrazy.com



All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.



Content Warning: Suicide Idealisation, Prejudice, Neglect

“What is a friend?
Troth without end.
A light in the eyes,
A touch of the hand--
I would follow you even
To death’s cold strand.”

I want to jump right in and say that I think this book has been (and will be) widely misunderstood. I’ve seen a lot of reviews already that are very misleading and don’t represent this book well at all. While it has been placed into the Young Adult fantasy genre, it doesn’t really fit in well with other current titles and trends. The Oddling Prince reads exactly like an old-time fairy tale, i.e. The Lily of Life: A Fairy Tale, and reflects little upon the mantras of the genre it has been categorized under. For these reasons, I would highly suggest going into this read with an open mind. There are some very valuable topics being explored, which could completely become overshadowed by preconceived notions.

With that being said, I’m so glad that I picked up this book! If you are a fan of original fairy tales, this will be a read that you will want to give a shot at.

World Building

"My father says 'White King' is only a mistake for 'Viking,' making a fairy tale of how our ancestors in longboats came to Calidon."

Set in ancient Scotland, Calidon is the realm in which the plot is set. Only hints of the world are discussed, creating an atmosphere not as astounding as I’d hoped for. It doesn’t matter much, however, as the plot is driven by the interactions and relationships between the characters.

Majority of the setting is at or surrounding Dun Caltor, the place where the royal family resides. Politics exist mainly between the station of King Baldaric and his competitors (almost exclusively Lord Brock Domberk.) Any form of religion is not discussed, as the fantastical overtake this area via the existence and presence of faeries and a faerie realm.

Pacing & Readability

The first half of this story is the main area that really pulls the reader in. While the second half is consistent, most of the content that makes this book so great is revealed earlier on. The pacing remains rather consistent, with a few lulls in plot movement and intrigue. Because it reads like a fairy tale, sometimes its length feels forced. It could have been shorter.

Point-Of-View & Characters

Before I say anything, there are three characters in this book with names that are very similar and can be the cause of some confusion. I'm not sure why these characters' names are so similar, other than assuming it has something to do with passing down a family name. I personally didn't have any issues with keeping these characters straight, but some might find it tricky.

“A prince I was, yes, but in looks no more than passable--no comelier or taller than most men--and in prowess, no better with sword or lance or horses or--or anything. I had quested nowhere, had wooed no true love, I was--I felt myself nothing compared to my father. I loved him.”

Aric serves as the main character and protagonist in the story. The point-of-view is directed from his perspective. A 17-year-old prince and heir to the throne of Calidon, Aric doesn’t yearn for power. A rather unusual boy, Aric’s innocence and genuineness immediately make him likable to the reader. His likeability only grows when confronted with the revelation that he has a half and immortal brother. Instead of allowing jealousy to overtake him, he eagerly embraces Albaric after (and even before) hearing his tale of woe. Not only that, he holds nothing against his father no matter how he treats him. Aric’s character possesses qualities which are truly a breath of fresh air. Selflessness, humbleness, faithfulness, honesty, innocence, loyalty are the attributes that make him so appealing. With that, Aric goes through some very real, and difficult experiences as well.

“Once I regained my strength and got up out of the bed, it would be Father and Albaric again, Albaric and Father, and the heartache and constant fear. I did not want to die, but neither did I want to live.”

The most refreshing part was how he maintained his character through tough trials. He doesn’t allow bitterness and resentment to take place in his heart, even when everyone around him was telling him otherwise. His character reminded me slightly of Job from the Bible and how he refused to listen to the bad suggestions from his friends and family.

“‘My father,’ I burst out, ‘when he set foot on the ground, his horse turned to air. When he took the ring off you, his fire went out. His light is gone. He cannot return whence he came. He has thrown in his lot with mortals now, and he will someday die, and he has made this sacrifice to save you.’”

Albaric’s character was also very intriguing to me. When he first arrived on the scene, it was hard to tell his intentions. However, it is quickly revealed that this immortal has a soft heart. Actually, Albaric experiences some very difficult feelings such as abandonment, unacceptance, and even prejudice from others to the point of where he contemplates taking his own life. While King Baldaric completely denies that he is Albaric’s father, Aric comes alongside him and develops a beautiful kinship with his half-brother.

Albaric is described as “otherworldy” in a sense that his beauty is too much for the world of men. While it is the truth, he doesn’t allow his appearance to dictate his character and brings a refreshing view on beauty in general.

Albaric certainly faces difficult trials. Realizing that his father doesn’t even recognize him, and becomes suspicious of him breaks him apart. Later on, the stress of his situation and being stuck in the mortal world leads Albaric to give in to his hurting. He gives spiteful advice to Aric on how to react towards their father and their failing relationship.

King Baldaric, the father of both Aric and Albaric, starts out as a loving and doting father and king. He clearly loves his son Aric, but his character is deeply challenged (understandably so) when he discovers that he has another son, Albaric, with the fairy queen and has no recollection of it ever happening. This discovery is the start of a chain of events which sends the once good king into a downward spiral.

“But a king must think like a king. An oddling comes and claims to be my son. What can I think but that he schemes to take the throne?”

He becomes so bad that he even believes his once beloved son Aric wants to overthrow him and take his throne. Despite his beliefs, Aric works tirelessly to contradict his father's beliefs. The metaphor of darkness and light are often used to depict this waging battle of Baldaric's feelings and again, reinstill the "fairy tale" feel of the book.

Queen Evalin, King Baldaric's wife, and Aric's mother serves as a realistic mediator. When chaos ensues, she often is the voice of reason.

The main antagonist comes in the form of the ring but also shares the title with Lord Brock Domberk, (a vassal of King Baldaric’s), as well as King Baldaric himself. While the ring takes the center stage, it causes others to do things and become people they aren't. The ring itself is an ancient thing and has the ability to enchant those who wear it. The ring, however, obeys no one and often has alternative repercussions when used for personal gain.

Major Themes

⇒ Light vs. Darkness

"I saw the invisible drawing of swords between him and Albaric; I felt the tension in the close air of the bedchamber. Dark, it was too dark in there because of the shadow of death. Father wore black."

The theme of light vs. darkness is equivalent to good vs. evil. It is utilized regularly in context as well as metaphor. When Albaric first arrives, he's riding a horse and they are both stark-white. As he turns out to be King Baldaric's redeemer, it makes sense that he's depicted in white. Darkness is equally referred to, indicating illness, death, and malice.

⇒ Kinship

Kinship plays a massive role in this story. Mostly depicted by Aric and his half-brother Albaric, their relationship is one of pure love for kin. Despite the odd situation with their father, and how Albaric even came into being, Aric and Albaric immediately put the fact they are brothers at the forefront of the matter. While Aric accepts Albaric, Baldaric denies that Albaric is his son, which causes an obvious issue within the family's dynamics.

⇒ Trust

Mainly exhibited in Baldaric’s character, his lack of trust almost costs him his relationship with his son Aric. Knowing the truth of what happened to him in Elfland, Aric tries effortlessly to reassure his father of his intentions. Baldaric's judgement becomes too clouded in his humiliation that he begins to lose trust in everyone dear to him, leading him to make some bad decisions later on.

⇒ Shame/Self-Doubt

“Yet his face reddened, and now I recognized what I saw there: shame, with which he struggled clumsily, unaccustomed to guilt, to error. Never in my memory had such self-doubt afflicted him before.”

Another theme exemplified by Baldaric, and combated by Aric, shame and self-doubt are forces that heavily impact the events of this story. Baldaric, a king, was tricked by the elf queen into staying with her and having a child with her. Granted, he didn't know what he was doing because he was enchanted, but deep down he never loved the elf queen, and loved only his wife. When he learned of these events when Albaric appeared, he becomes so distraught by the fact that he had been bested by the elf queen that it changes him drastically. It shows how impactful one's perspective of themselves can be on so many lives outside of their own.

Overall Feelings

Things that I liked:

⇒ The different style in which this book was written (aka writing style). It is not the typical modern YA fantasy!
⇒ The themes discussed.
⇒ The way the fantastical was woven into the story.
⇒ The lessons to be learned.

Things that I didn’t like:

⇒ The world building was lacking for me, as I’d hoped to see more historical influence of ancient Scotland and the people there.
⇒ The story overall felt somewhat drawn out and could have been shorter and have been just as effective.

Overall, I loved this story. I think there is something here for everyone to take away. That's what I love most about the fairy-tale style in which it is written--it allows the story to be told in a way that is perhaps, more tangible for the reader to grasp, yet allows for a few elements to not be entirely explained. It allows for the magical element that fairy-tales possess to remain aloof.

This doesn't affect my view of the book at all, but this quote from the author was included in the acknowledgments, and I thought it was worth sharing because it is so beautiful.

“Writing fiction has always, for me, been an alchemy of turning pain into poetry, ugliness into beauty. It has been a kind of redemption.”

Vulgarity: Only 5 words were counted.
Sexual content: Minimal. There was some discussion between Aric and Albaric about the human desire for sexual relations.
Violence: Minimal to moderate.

My Rating: ★★★★½

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[Lucie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It just wasn't for me, when it sounded like it was.

I read some of Nancy Springer's works when I was younger, and adored her Enola Holmes series so much, so when I heard about The Oddling Prince, I was so excited to get my hands on it, especially since it was set in Scotland. Unfortunately, it didn't really click with me.

One of the things I enjoyed with this novel was how it focused on family dynamics : the entire plot is centered around the royal family, their complicated dynamics and yet how they loved each other. It could also be a flaw at times, because outside of the family, none of the secondary characters made a lasting impression on me, I felt like they weren't fleshed out at times. I really liked Marisa though, I was a bit sad she arrived so last, but her awesomeness made me revise my judgement a little on the fact that there were next to now female characters in this one (the first time we saw girls of Aric's age, they were shallow and were just there because they wanted to become his bride...... nope).

I was particularly excited to read about Aric and Aldaric's relationship, they're brothers who didn't know each other/they had a brother until they were seventeen, and while I loved that they would burn the world down to the ground for each other, their relationship made me uncomfortable at times. Other reviewers have pointed this out, but I totally agree, I had to go back to check they were actually brothers and not having a romantic relationship. The resolution of their storyline was also very weird, I don't understand why this happened... While I'm on the topic of relationships : The Oddling Prince kinda had a romance at some point, when they said multiple times that one of the characters involved was a child ? I dunno, maybe I would have been okay with it if it hadn't been about marrying and what it involved ??

However, I did really like the world it was set in, with the light faerie aspect and the atmosphere ! But for the rest, it felt rushed all the time, when it could have been so much more, because this novel isn't even 300 page long. It felt more like a middle grade novel and not like a young adult one, even though the main character was seventeen, which isn't a criticism per se, but it was labelled as YA and it didn't feel like YA that much, maybe it was marketed for the younger part of YA?

Overall, this is my second big disappointment of the year and I'm so sad about it, because I thought that I would love it! Alas, we can't love every book we read.

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a huge fan of the fae mythology I was eager to read this book that promised the reunion of two brothers, one fae and one mortal, as they learn to love each other while facing the threats to their kingdom from enemies both foreign and within. Unfortunately, I spent the first half confused as to what all happened leading up to the sick king and Oddling Prince and then suffered with boredom through the rest.

The language used in this is very fantasy driven which is fine although there were a few moments that took me awhile to understand what they were trying to say, however at the beginning there was an entire section that I had to stop and double check to make sure this was a story about brothers and not lovers because on more than one occasion the descriptions and emotions pulled from the characters blurred that line, though the actions themselves never crossed it. There’s also the matter of using an insult to describe one of them in order to create fear or animosity against them only to have that end up being the solution to the final problem which I thought was odd given the context even though it was written to be an act of love.

The major conflict, if you can even call it that, almost seems like an afterthought with the troubled relationship with the King and his family at the forefront but never quite answering the questions as to why things changed so drastically. There’s a slight answer but given the events leading up to it it almost seems like a cop out and there’s little explanation in regards to the mysteries of the ring which I thought would at least explain some of the personality issues in regards to the mythology in which it was created and less as a result of a tormented psyche.

This book didn’t do anything for me and I mostly spent my time reading and checking to see how much longer I had to suffer before it was over.

**thank you to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

[jenn *mother of dragon & snake* · Rating 2 out of 5]

i....i..... i can't do this. DNF at 25%

the writing is super pretty and very well done .... but where is the plot!? and who the hell is this kid coming out of nowhere?!



this cover sucked me in i'm not kidding. you'd think i would have learned my lesson about this.

but i hope it's at least a 3.5 star.

[ShannaBanana✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh sweet Albaric♥️I love love love him. I’ve been trying so hard to find books about brothers who are protective of each other (preferably Princes) and there aren’t many that I’ve found. I came across this one today and while it could have been better, I was completely satisfied with the love Aric and Albaric had for each other. Poor Albaric needed it.

Their father the King was horrible. I hated him for how he treated young Albaric and also Aric. This was a pretty emotional read filled with brotherly bonding and love. 4 stars

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars--I liked the book.

I can't believe I've never read Nancy Springer before! But at least I've remedied that now. This charming book reminds me very much of a folk tale--like I'm reading about Beowulf or Cú Chulainn. And I think that tone is intentional. This is a story of two princes on a remote Scottish isle--one human, one fey--and the bond that ties them together.

Characters aren't deep and the story progresses in an unsurprising manner (as I said before, it reads like a folk tale), but the message is uplifting and the plot satisfying.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

[ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I received an Advance Reader's Copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I got hooked from the very beginning and finished this book within four hours. The plot was interesting and refreshing and the characters were unique and so lovable.

The bond between the brothers Aric and Albaric and their love for each other was so pure and heartwarming. They way they protected and cared for each other truly made my heart melt.

Aric is such a kind and genuine character, honest and full of compassion and love, he stole my heart. The way he understood his brother was touching, he put others before himself and wasn't yearning for power, didn't take the throne even though he could have states how genuine and pure he is.

Albaric helped his father even though he knew that he will lose everything, he helped his father and only hoped for love and acceptance in return. My heart ached for him, he is half-fae, half-human and didn't belong anywhere but that changed when he met his brother. He loved his brother, Aric, and would've done anything for him. He was loyal, kind, compassionate and a skilled fighter, he would've done anything for his brother which shows how devoted he was.

I also loved the character of Queen Evalin. She was brave, kind. understanding and full of love. She approached every difficult situation with a cool head and logic and believed in forgiveness.

Marissa, now she was an interesting character and I would've loved to read more about her but I'm still satisfied with what I got. She was a wild, carefree girl with a huge heart. She perceived things in a way no one else did and I absolutely loved that.

The book was amazing, the plot was fascinating, the characters were unique and lovable. The bond between the brothers was heart warming and their journey was magical, full of challenges they overcame together. The other thing that snatched my attention was the ring, loyal to some, a trickster and played a very important role in the book.

I am not sure about the ending however, I didn't hate it but I don't know what exactly I feel about it. I did not see that coming and wasn't expecting anything even close to that but I enjoyed it once the shock wore off.

I'm glad I picked up this book!

[Kayla Silverss · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got sent this book in exchange for a honest review, all my opinions are my own and thank you so much to the publishers for sending me this book!

This book was not for me. Fae books are my thing so I was really expecting to love it but i didn't. The plot was so well thought out and really well executed don't get me wrong but I think it's cause I just read a book series with heavy romance and now going into a book with none at all is weird and that's maybe why I didn't enjoy it.

[Kelly Brigid ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Son of the wind, son of the thunder. Fleet are your legs, son of the lightning. Son of sky raining, shod with silver. Son of the dayspring, shod with gold.”

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly don’t know how to elaborate my thoughts about this novel. The writing style started out peculiar, but I eventually learned to enjoy it. In addition to the writing style, I had mixed feelings about the brotherly love between Aric and Albaric. Siblings relationships are one of my favorite types of character bonds. While it was nice to see how much the two brothers cared for one another, their affection felt odd at times. The world building, though vague, was enchanting, and I loved the inclusion of fantasy elements. The ring in particular was a lovely aspect of the story. My inner Tolkien nerd, adores any fantasy that reminds me of Middle Earth.

Never before has a writing style grown on me so much. When I first began this novel, I did not find the writing appealing. It felt as though the author was attempting to tribute the great Tolkien, while incorporating her own unique style. I found it to be choppy, and a tad confusing at times, since it is written in an Old English of sorts; however, as I continued to read, the simple charm of the melodic writing, started to rub off on me. If I had to compare the writing in this novel to that of another book, it would be of The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander.

The brotherly relationship was confusing, to say the least. At the start of this novel, I presumed Aric and Albaric were brothers, but they soon had several exchanges that made me question this. They make several remarks about yearning for and feeling deep love towards one another. Forgive me for thinking this way, but I had half a mind that they would wind up being homosexual. This wasn’t the case – thankfully – they truly just loved each other as brothers, and that was sweet. It still felt partially uncomfortable, but I’m sure that’s just me.

The love interest, Marissa was undoubtedly my favorite character. She was intelligent and witty, and I loved how she embodied a strong female character. With so many novels measuring only physical strength as a determinant for a strong female character, I loved how Springer illustrated her brilliance through her intelligence. I have grown weary of seeing nothing but the typical strong, doesn’t-need-a-man heroines that often emerge from young adult literature, so Marissa was a pleasant surprise!

Only hints of action and romance were shown, but that’s alright. I love it when a story is able to remain enticing, without stressing needless action and romance. Both the action and romance were subtle and befitting towards the story. Granted, the plot was a bit monotonous at times, it was still intriguing and held my attention. The writing and tone of this story was quite original, and I loved the way it created an atmosphere of its own, with characters that worked in accordance with it.

Although this novel didn’t blow me away, it was definitely entertaining to read. I wish the relationships between the brothers and Marissa would’ve been explored more, and the setting could’ve had more descriptions. Having an Irish background, I love reading novels that take place in Ancient Scotland or Ireland. This was the first novel I’ve read by Springer, and I’m looking forward to reading more of her words in the future.

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[Meaghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, I would like to thank the publisher and author for providing me this ARC to review. Please note that the version I read was an advanced copy, and certain events/language may be changed in the published edition.

Stars (Out of 10): 5/10 Stars

Favorite Character: Albaric

Spoiler Free: When I checked out the Goodreads reviews after being accepted for this book, I was quite worried. It was sitting around a 3.06, and that’s probably the lowest scored book on Goodreads I’ve ever read. While in the end I did like it more than expected, there were many things I agreed with in some of the negative reviews I read.

Let’s start at the premise. The main selling point of this book will be the Faerie influence, as that’s a hot subject in YA Fantasy at the moment. Unfortunately, I have to say that this book fails to deliver much of anything on that front. The main purpose of the Faerie/Elfland was to give a backstory to Albaric, but besides that, it doesn’t mean anything at all. In fact, the entire “plot” of the book revolves instead around an entirely unrelated set of lore, and therefore I don’t classify this book as a Fae one at all.

When it comes to the writing, this seems to be a hit or a miss with most readers. While I enjoyed it stylistically, it made everything take ten times as long, since no sentence was ever simple. However, without it, I doubt I would’ve even liked the book at all.

In terms of the characters, this is where I feel the book succeeded the most. The main reason this book wasn’t a DNF was due to the interesting relationship between Aric and Albaric, and while it feels like insta-love but a sibling version, it does get explained later. Additionally, the pure love and caring between these two brothers was just interesting to read, since sibling rivalry is much more common in YA. Additionally, when it came to other characters, most played into the story quite well, and the complex relationships between everyone was where this book truly shined.

However, that did not fully make up for the lackluster plot and under explained world. While the world being weakly developed wasn’t that much of a problem due to its irrelevance to most of the plot, it was a bit frustrating not understanding the situation the book takes place in. We get hints here and there of Vikings and weaker civilizations outside of Calidon, but not much more than that. Even the inner workings of Calidon itself isn’t truly explained, and this leaves the plot unsupported and dull.

Additionally, the plot itself is rather overshadowed by the characters themselves. Aric doesn’t care about much besides Albaric, and therefore really only feels through Albaric, instead of feeling himself for the actions going on around him. We see his worry for his mother and father at times, but it is always overshadowed by the bond between Aric and Albaric. Lastly, the plot itself isn’t actually a tough thing to solve, and when the characters actually are forced to face the problem, it gets solved in a chapter. This ended up making the middle of the book feel very boring, with most of it consisting of Aric and Albaric frolicking around with occasional plot heavy chapters here and there.

All in all, I’m not sure if I’d recommend this book. It is an interesting tale about family and kinship, and an emotional one at times, but not much more than that.

[Justine from Novels and Panda · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Oddling Prince started as a foreign novel. The writing style is completely different from the ones I read. It is narrated through a 3rd person in the old English language. The introduction was hard to pick up. I was shaking my head and dragging myself to finish it because I kept on staring at the word “whence” repeatedly. The book sure has it’s own magic too, what I did like about is the writing style grows on you. It sticks. I don’t know but it does. It will be enough to get you until the end.

The plot a.k.a the part it confuses me one; it was so brief, The Oddling Prince is a character-driven plot. (Still brief,) But I say it as, it’s all over the place, it doesn’t show where it should mainly focus in, it shows more of the journey of the two siblings’ journey. After Albaric saved king Bardic from his imminent death, the king was never been the same. Then it connects with the king Bardic’s past from his own family experiences. And that it didn’t showcase much of the mythical magic touch I was looking for only shown literally in the end. POOF!

The setting a.k.a what confuses me two. It wasn’t that insane of a world building it has its highs and lows. There were flashes of vivid setting they’re but aside from those it wasn’t that specified much.

The characters a.k.a the good bit: We have seventeen-year-old Aric, he’s way too transparent, his thoughts in every chapter was clear as day. I sure know that everyone would grow to love. Albaric a tad enigmatic of character that too will draw you in. But the brotherly chemistry between Aric and Albaric was both familiar and peculiarly off. It appears too intense then it isn’t and hurried. Whom I admire most is Marissa! Portrayed as a fourteen-year-old who’s wiser beyond her age. She’s candid and completely unapologetic character. A kind of woman they truly needed.

The Oddling Prince isn’t a knock your socks off amazing read but I sure liked the values of it.

[Kei · Rating 1 out of 5]

Albaric, Aric and Bardaric are three different people. I'll start with that.

Bardaric is the King. Out of the blue a mysterious magical ring just appeared on his finger one day and nobody was able to pull it off him, both with force and magic. The ring weakened him to the point where he's about to die when a random stranger rides in the castle and he's able not only to walk into the King's bedroom like it's no big deal but get close to him and actually pull the ring.



Aric and Albaric have, by far, the weirdest relationship ever. I actually had to come back and check the blurb to make sure they were indeed brothers and not lovers because the way their introduction is written and the way they describe and talk about each other, that's not brotherly. At. All.



Apart from the archaic writting style that made me re-read sentences multiple times and stil have no clue what was going on, it felt like freaking Yoda was trying to write this and *spoiler alert* it's not so good.

I gave up around 30% or so because it gave me a headache and I had no clue what was happening.

[Christina (Ensconced in Lit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating is somewhere between a 4 and a 4.5.
I have loved Nancy Springer since my childhood when I read the magical Not on a White Horse. I also loved her novels involving Camelot like I am Mordred. I was thrilled to learn she was coming out with a new novel.
The Oddling Prince is for lack of a better word, an odd novel. It's so different than what's out there now, which to me is a good thing because fantasy has become boring to me, trope upon trope of sameness. Oddling has it's own charm, with delightful, likeable characters that are unique and while not voltage packed with tons of sword fights, blood shed and swooning princesses, what is there is thoughtful and heart warming. Most of the characters are male, but there is a side female character that steals every scene she is in, and her sections were my very favorite in the whole book.
This is a delightful gem of a book, and don't pass it over for more flashy ones. You won't be disappointed.

[Jessica {Litnoob}]

Dnf 32%

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m struggling with a way to begin this review that won’t sound like I’m incoherently babbling about how much I loved reading this because, for me, it’s just that great a book. So, I’ll start in the usual way, with a short summary of the book.

The Oddling Prince takes place in the kingdom of Calidon in ancient Scotland and revolves around two princes, brothers, one of them fey. One day Prince Aric is out riding with his father when suddenly a ring appears on his father’s finger as if from no where and after that the king falls ill. After being ill for some time, and as he lay dying, suddenly a fey boy shows up claiming to want to save the king. He declares himself Albaric, son to King Bardaric and brother to Aric. This causes a great shock to the royal family, and most everyone seems to fear the fey boy, except for Aric who feels an immediate affinity with Albaric. Together they’ll work to overcome the darkness that has invaded the King and the kingdom of Calidon since the king’s illness.

To start off, the immediate thing that grabbed me about this book was the prose. I was hooked from the first page because I fell in love with the way in which this book was written. It’s a very stylistic prose, and at times may feel a bit archaic to some, but this wasn’t a barrier for me and instead felt like an invitation to another time and place. This is just the type of touch that draws me in to a story.

I was so emotionally involved with this book and its characters. There are certain types of stories, or parts of stories, that I empathize with more than others. The thing that makes me weep, that pierces my heart, is when a character, innocently, naively, is yearning to be loved. And then is cruelly denied that love and doesn’t always understand why–why are they not able to be loved? This book has a lot of that, with Albaric having no one, except Aric, who accepts him in this new mortal world. He seems strangely alright with facing his own mortality, and is even willing to end things when his father, once his only companion in the fey lands, doesn’t remember him and rejects him. King Bardaric is constantly hurting Albaric, by not only ignoring him, but by actively and cruelly pushing him away and trying to separate him from Aric. Because of their bond, Aric, from whose POV the story is told, feels his brother’s anguish and is the only one that can bring him comfort. He is the only one that understands. And so, yes, I wept through much of this book. (But it was a good crying! The best, most cathartic, kind of crying!)

I loved both Aric and Aldaric, but there were other characters to love as well. Queen Evalin is a wonderful character. Full of love for her family, but also practical and full of strength, she does her best to hold everything together when things start to fall apart. And then there is Marissa, a headstrong young girl, daughter of King Bardaric’s enemy. At first she seemed precocious but there is a reason that she seems a little wise beyond her years. Like Aric’s mother, she is practical as well, and also has a great capacity for love. One of the things I loved most about this is that it is full of characters that you want to see achieve happiness. Aric is already a good person at the beginning of the story. You immediately love him and want to root for him in all things. But he doesn’t see himself as being able to be as great as his father, his king, whom he idolizes.

This is a story about love–not romantic love–but about love of your family but also (and maybe especially) love of yourself. Prince Aric, from the beginning, talks about how ordinary he is, and how he doesn’t feel very prince-like. He has these self-doubts throughout the story here and there but they become overshadowed by more immediate concerns, his worry for his new brother and over his father’s sudden personality change, not to mention an invasion from one of their vassals. Through all of these things, and especially through love of his brother, he learns to love himself and who he has become by the end of the tale. This is an extraordinary tale of transformation of self, not just of Aric, but also of his father, who didn’t know how to deal with the trauma of a horrific ordeal he went through in the fey lands and had to learn to accept himself again in order to accept others.

I know it’s only February, it’s early yet and there are a lot of books ahead of me, but this very well could end up being my favorite book of the year.

I’d like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC copy of this book for review. The Oddling Prince comes out May 25th from Tachyon Publications.

[Delirious Disquisitions · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 20%. This book just wasn't for me. The attempt at archaic language grated on my nerves. As did the use of run-on sentences and stuttered speech to convey shock or dismay. 20% into the book and I still didn't care about the story or any of the characters. If you like stories with this kind of archaic language, medieval worlds bordering on the edge of faerie, and warrior culture bromance then this might be the book for you. For me, it's a hard pass. 1 star

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it at first, I liked the element of magic, liked Aric and Albaric, I liked the language too.

I was just expecting more from it. There's not clear plot line, no clear villain and the ending was a bit odd.

I'd also hoped for more magic.

Still, it was a pleasant read.

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m all for a bit of JRR Tolkien in my literary reading list, so when I came across The Oddling Prince I thought it’d fit the bill perfectly. It’s by Nancy Springer, a famed fantasy author, it has an epic quest and it has a battle between good and evil, framed by the relationship between two brothers. Hooray, I thought, dear reader, and picked up the book eagerly.

Straight off the bat: it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. The story opens with Aric, a prince whose father, Bardaric, is dying due to a mysterious fairy ring that appeared on his hand. But somebody comes to save him: a fairy prince, who is suddenly revealed to be Albaric, Aric’s half-brother, fathered when the king was snatched away to the land of the fairies one day when hunting. So far, so unusual. The two boys quickly strike up a deep friendship, and must work together to survive coups, plotting, jealousy, and most of all the wrath of the cured King, who grows stranger and crueller by the day.

That’s the brief outline, but a hell of a lot happens between the lines. I lost count of how many times the plot twisted and turned, leading us to expect one thing- like Aric and Albaric going on a quest to find Albaric a place where he could be happy and not shunned- and then hitting us with another, like the boys having to turn back because their father’s kingdom had been taken over (spoilers, sorry). Springer has a marvellous imagination, and devices like a coil of hair that functions like a rope you can climb up, or the fairy ring itself, make the world seem magic and exciting, adding to the sense that you’re reading an epic fantasy.

That impression is only reinforced by the language, which is Tolkien-esque in the extreme. Indeed, with kings and queens, struggles for power, the fairy world and the extreme bro-mance, it did feel like I’d taken a step back to the storywriting of the fifties- and that was no bad thing. It was well-written, and some of the characters, like the young (too young, really) love interest to Aric, Marissa, was everything you want in a female character: strong, interesting, supportive and independent. The same goes for Aric’s mother, who was a strong, welcome change from the helpless damsel in distress stereotype. Aric, too, was quite an unusual hero: lots was made of his pure, clear, honest nature and desire to love and support his brother no matter what.

That’s all well and good, but the depiction of Albaric was a little confusing to me. He’s described as tortured, lost and in desperate search of somebody to love him. That’s fine, but the ethereal way he was described didn’t really do a lot to endear him, with the end result being that I didn’t really much mind what happened to him. Likewise, the insta-love between him and Aric made me feel a touch uncomfortable, and was described sometimes in an almost erotic way- so much so that I was relieved when Marissa was introduced.

By the end of the book, I was left feeling very confused. The ending was very cleverly tied up, and the writing was very pretty, but some bits felt a little contrived and the villain of the piece was a bit pantomime for me. If you’re looking for something a little bit different from your fantasy this summer, I’d definitely recommend it: it’ll leave you thinking!

Three word review: ethereal, epic, mournful

[Meegy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found it a bit hard to start off with when reading, but it started getting better, and the characters were amazing. I absolutely loved the ending, I cried like a baby.