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Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower
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When the witch built the forty-flight tower, she made very sure to do the whole thing properly. Each flight contains a dreadful monster, ranging from a diamond-scaled dragon to a pack of slavering goblins. Should a prince battle his way to the top, he will be rewarded with a golden sword—and the lovely Princess Floralinda.
But no prince has managed to conquer the first fli ...more
But no prince has managed to conquer the first fli ...more
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This is a real treat.
I listened to the audiobook for this one and am glad I did. I love Moira Quirk's narration for the Gideon and Harrow audiobooks, and she's just as brilliant here, in this twisted fairytale novella.
The writing is great. The story is an evil delight. Highly recommended. ...more
I listened to the audiobook for this one and am glad I did. I love Moira Quirk's narration for the Gideon and Harrow audiobooks, and she's just as brilliant here, in this twisted fairytale novella.
The writing is great. The story is an evil delight. Highly recommended. ...more
This is a short, fun story that subverts classic fairy tale tropes with Tamsyn Muir’s signature irreverence and humor. Although there is some gore involved, it’s markedly less dark than the author’s other works and has a distinctly comedic tone from start to finish.
Personally, I enjoyed the narrative voice and character dynamics above everything else. Muir is consistently great at writing snarky dialogue between terrible people, and even though most lines weren’t as memorable as those in the Lo ...more
Personally, I enjoyed the narrative voice and character dynamics above everything else. Muir is consistently great at writing snarky dialogue between terrible people, and even though most lines weren’t as memorable as those in the Lo ...more
Tamsyn Muir has once again produced a work of snarky, fantastic delight. Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower bundles up a set of traditional fairy-tale tropes, lights them on fire, and cheerfully warms its hands over the blaze. When the embers burn down, you are left with something darkly comedic, cleverly imagined, and utterly unique.
Floralinda herself is a princess who has, as princess often are, been trapped at the top of a very tall tower by a very enterprising witch. Each level ...more
Floralinda herself is a princess who has, as princess often are, been trapped at the top of a very tall tower by a very enterprising witch. Each level ...more
![laurel [the suspected bibliophile]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1546974316p2/7494844.jpg)
Once upon a time, there was a witch who wanted to imprison a princess in a tower. But she wanted to do it properly, so she made it forty stories tall and filled with varying monsters at every level. Yet the princes never made it passed the first floor, and the princess languished away, as princesses do. Until one day something changed, and the princess decided the only way out was down.
I did not expect to love this Rapunzel retelling as much as I did, but that rather unexpected ending took this ...more
I did not expect to love this Rapunzel retelling as much as I did, but that rather unexpected ending took this ...more
3.5 stars
What had happened was that the witch put Princess Floralinda in a tower forty flights high, but said it wasn’t personal. She told her to cheer up. “Princes will be flocking from near and far to rescue you,” she said. “I’ve covered all my bases. There’s a golden sword at the gates for a prize, if the prince doesn’t care overmuch for princesses, and once he battles his way up thirty-nine flights you’re free to go. I don’t really mind what happens from this point in.”
This is fun. A bit g ...more
What had happened was that the witch put Princess Floralinda in a tower forty flights high, but said it wasn’t personal. She told her to cheer up. “Princes will be flocking from near and far to rescue you,” she said. “I’ve covered all my bases. There’s a golden sword at the gates for a prize, if the prince doesn’t care overmuch for princesses, and once he battles his way up thirty-nine flights you’re free to go. I don’t really mind what happens from this point in.”
This is fun. A bit g ...more
finished in a single hour-long gasp. a classic gail carson levine but mean.
The idea of the princess rescuing herself isn’t exactly new anymore, thanks to the (incredibly welcome) surge in grrl-power fairy tale retellings. Still, in the hands of Tamsyn Muir, this princess story feels fresh and so, so entertaining.
Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower is a slim book (with a wonderful cover!), but it’s jam-packed with humor and adventure (and all sorts of guts and gore, but in a FUNNY gross way).
A witch has imprisoned the beautiful princess at the top of a tower. ...more
Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower is a slim book (with a wonderful cover!), but it’s jam-packed with humor and adventure (and all sorts of guts and gore, but in a FUNNY gross way).
A witch has imprisoned the beautiful princess at the top of a tower. ...more
Jul 06, 2020
Sana
marked it as to-read-so-bad-it-hurts
'A dark fantasy novella about what happens when a princess is forced to fend for herself'
ALDLKGHSKD AKA YES, I BADLY, BADLY WANT BECAUSE IT'S BY TAMSYN FUCKING MUIR. PLUS, THAT COVERRRR ...more
ALDLKGHSKD AKA YES, I BADLY, BADLY WANT BECAUSE IT'S BY TAMSYN FUCKING MUIR. PLUS, THAT COVERRRR ...more
Nov 30, 2020
Bláthnaid Nevin
marked it as to-read
So . . . where do European people buy this?
IT. RULES. it builds in all kinds of satisfying ways i would never want to ruin, and reads like a videogame i want to be made.
Technically I am the first person actually reviewing this book, the other five reviews are just all about how excited people are about it, which seems like a strange thing to put down instead of a review, but whatever. So onward…this is the other Christmas themed Subterranean Press book I downloaded from Netgalley. By far, the superior one. Firstly, Christmas is only kind of there as a proposed timetable sort of thing, Secondly, this is more along the lines of a proper book, size and story wise.
...more
I swear to God, Tamsyn Muir is one of the best writers of our generation. This was amazing and innovative and perfect. I have so many things to praise but I need to get my thoughts in order. Just. THIS IS PERFECT! Another favorite of the year, I'm in love.
(Also, listening to it in Moira Quirk's voice brought all the feelings back from Gideon and Harrow the Ninth, so thank you for that, Tamsyn and Moira.) ...more
(Also, listening to it in Moira Quirk's voice brought all the feelings back from Gideon and Harrow the Ninth, so thank you for that, Tamsyn and Moira.) ...more
has a touch of diana wynne jones about it that i adored, but also adds mean lesbians with giant swords so really the best of all worlds. funny, smart, and a joy from start to delightful finish.
This book was kind of exactly what I thought it would be and I'm not even mad about it. It was a blast and I had so much fun reading it. You follow Floralinda, a princess who's been trapped at the top of the titular Forty-Flight Tower by a witch as she watches prince after prince fail to ascend all the flights in order to save her. She starts to take matters into her own hands with the help of a feisty fairy named Cobweb.
Obviously, this is a feminist take on the age old damsel-in-distress trope, ...more
Obviously, this is a feminist take on the age old damsel-in-distress trope, ...more
Princess Floralinda has been imprisoned by a witch at the top of a 40-story tower, with a different monster on each of the 39 levels below her. The problem is that none of the princes who come to rescue her manage to make it past the dragon on level 1, and the once-steady stream of princes seems to have petered out, and winter is approaching… So it’s up to Floralinda to find her own way out of the tower. She has to fight, sneak, or trick her way past all 39 monsters, but that’s the sort of thing
...more
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here be me honest musings . . .
The cover drew me in and three things convinced me to read this book:
1. There is a dragon on this cover and the book has a great title;
2. It is a Subterranean Press book and they do great work; and
3. I enjoy unusual fairy tales.
I liked the beginning of this book and other parts of it but did not love it overall. When I requested this, I didn't recognize the aut ...more
The cover drew me in and three things convinced me to read this book:
1. There is a dragon on this cover and the book has a great title;
2. It is a Subterranean Press book and they do great work; and
3. I enjoy unusual fairy tales.
I liked the beginning of this book and other parts of it but did not love it overall. When I requested this, I didn't recognize the aut ...more
"Those are goblin bites on your hands, aren't they? They're quite infected. Goblins are filthy. You'll be dead in a week."
At Floralinda's new bought of tears, the fairy said a bit diffidently, "Cheer up; you might die earlier."
Picture a version of Rapunzel written by Terry Pratchett and you've got a pretty good idea of what this novella is.
Edit 11/30: Going to leave my original review in-tact but I wanted it to edit it to say that this is in-fact available as an ebook as well which is great. I w ...more
At Floralinda's new bought of tears, the fairy said a bit diffidently, "Cheer up; you might die earlier."
Picture a version of Rapunzel written by Terry Pratchett and you've got a pretty good idea of what this novella is.
Edit 11/30: Going to leave my original review in-tact but I wanted it to edit it to say that this is in-fact available as an ebook as well which is great. I w ...more
Oct 01, 2020
Kahlia
marked it as to-read
I sometimes feel like the only person who didn’t like Gideon the Ninth but this sounds awesome so I’ll give Muir a second chance. 🤞
Sep 03, 2020
sofia (sam willows)
marked it as to-read
i think it should be considered a crime the fact that i only found out this existed today. a new novella by none other than TAMSYN MUIR and NO ONE THOUGHT TO TELL ME???????? anyway i need this
i had rly missed the mid-90s princess fantasy wry narrative voice and i am delighted to have it back especially as now it's gay and absolutely dreadful
...more
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
I kept putting off reading this book, because Muir is pretty well known for lesbian necromancers in space. Those books are intense and they take a long, long time to get through. They are complex and they are wild. I was afraid that I would get sucked into this and not be able to read anything else for a week or more. But, when I started reading I finished. It was a really quick read.
The book is deceptively simple. The book ...more
I got an ARC of this book.
I kept putting off reading this book, because Muir is pretty well known for lesbian necromancers in space. Those books are intense and they take a long, long time to get through. They are complex and they are wild. I was afraid that I would get sucked into this and not be able to read anything else for a week or more. But, when I started reading I finished. It was a really quick read.
The book is deceptively simple. The book ...more
i read this on the strength of the review that described it as 'gail carson levine but mean' and truly can think of no better descriptor
4 stars ...more
4 stars ...more
Every day I thank G-d I'm a lesbian!!!!!!!
...more
tamsyn muir i would truly die for you
Floralinda is the love of my life.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes. This in no way influences my review; all words, thoughts, and opinions are my own.
Content notes:(view spoiler)
Ful ...more
Content notes:(view spoiler)
Ful ...more
This was so good.... I’m spiraling.... If you‘re a gay who grew up reading Gail Carson Levine, cried to The Last Unicorn as a child, then cried to Richard Siken’s “Litany in Which Certain Things are Crossed Out” as an adult........this one is for you. Definitely one of my favorite things I have read this year. If I had just one of Tamsyn Muir’s braincells, I would be happy, I think. How does she always manage to write books that cater so specifically to me and my niche interests? The world may n
...more
I enjoyed this novella-it's got the same sort of dark humor that you'd expect from Tamsyn Muir.
Princess Floralinda is imprisoned by a witch at the top of a tower, like witches do. She doesn't get quite the foot traffic of rescuing princes that had been hoped, so in desperation she begins to try to make her way down the tower on her own.
The story follows Floralinda's physical descent and physical transformation through the tower, with the extremely reluctant aid of the fairy Cobweb, who blew into ...more
Princess Floralinda is imprisoned by a witch at the top of a tower, like witches do. She doesn't get quite the foot traffic of rescuing princes that had been hoped, so in desperation she begins to try to make her way down the tower on her own.
The story follows Floralinda's physical descent and physical transformation through the tower, with the extremely reluctant aid of the fairy Cobweb, who blew into ...more
It feels like - everything I was looking for when I was a young queer girl reading The Hobbit and The Last Unicorn - I found here. This book has all of the whimsy and tongue-in-cheek qualities that you look for in one of these *feels like a fairy tale but remix it* books but this time with a healthy dose of Tamsyn Muir's trademark subversion of classic tropes, often making them women, funnier, and (often) queer. The ending of this book had me yelling loudly at midnight and most likely waking up
...more
Ok, so what if you knew you lived by fairy tale logic? And you leaned right into it, for the aesthetic. That’s our witch. A full-on cliché and loving it. She locks Princess Floralinda away in a tower “for the art of the thing.” The princes as well, flocking to the tower and it’s dragon with diamond encrusted scales and treacherous tasks, queueing for their turn at a heroic success or valiant death. After all, there is a princess to rescue, or at least a golden sword to be won if princesses aren’
...more
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TAMSYN MUIR is the bestselling author of the Locked Tomb Trilogy, which begins with Gideon the Ninth, continues with Harrow the Ninth, and concludes with Alecto the Ninth. Her short fiction has been nominated for the Nebula Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, the World Fantasy Award and the Eugie Foster Memorial Award. A Kiwi, she has spent most of her life in Howick, New Zealand, with time living i
...more
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