10-14)Ĭhainani works an elaborate sea change akin to Gregory Maguire’s Wicked (1995), though he leaves the waters muddied.Įvery four years, two children, one regarded as particularly nice and the other particularly nasty, are snatched from the village of Gavaldon by the shadowy School Master to attend the divided titular school.

The author ably joins the practitioners of the contemporary fairy tale, suggesting that those fairy tales and their happily-ever-afters are not always better than reality. While the plot may seem hectic at times, in the end readers will find that each character and plot twist has a purpose. Baker’s characters are intriguing, easy to relate to and entirely three-dimensional. Not only does the spirited Annie save her family, she winds up discovering herself along the way.

When the classic “sleeping beauty” curse is cast on Gwennie, Annie, along with Liam, a footman and friend, sets out on a journey into the forest to find the prince that will save the day.

Princess Annabelle’s older sister, Gwendolyn, is given the magical gift of beauty while Annie has been made impervious to magic of all kinds, a gift that proves to be quite valuable in the end, though Annie can’t help but feel like the plain little sister next to Gwennie’s overwhelming beauty. A clever twist on a selection of fairy tales from “Sleeping Beauty” to “Rapunzel” shines a realistic light on these classics, questioning whether magic is always a good thing.

The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker