The Princess Revolt

January 15, 2022
An ordinary girl finds extraordinary adventure in this fractured fairy tale. Cia, a 13-year-old White girl, isn't enough for her mother, who persists in overwhelming her with empowering, feminist messaging that leaves Cia feeling inadequate despite her generally good life: decent grades, a great best friend (ridiculously wealthy Indian American Romy), a crush to obsess over, and an amazing little brother. Only Cia hasn't slept at all for 11 days and somehow still feels fine, which leads her to the "baby sleep-whisperer" her mother once took her to, where she learns she's under a spell. Technically it's a counterspell to ensure she never falls for "all that princess nonsense" that is manifesting as experiences that are the (fairly literal) opposite of those of some big-name, Disney-fied princesses like Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Rapunzel, the Little Mermaid, and Belle: In addition to not sleeping, Cia's locker is spilling over with shoes, she's going bald and transforming into a mermaid, and the boy she likes is becoming a beast. Despite the fun premise, this series opener fails to fully deliver; Cia's adult-sounding first-person narration is hard to buy, the heavy-handed authorial messaging sucks the fun from the over-the-top situations, and the Brooklyn setting is so divorced from reality that it reads like the biggest fairy tale of them all. Like the spell at its center: well intentioned but ineffective. (Fantasy. 9-13)

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February 15, 2022
Grades 4-7 This hits the ground running with a fascinating mystery: 13-year-old Cia hasn't slept in 11 days. After some strange happenings and an unsuccessful visit with a pediatrician, Cia looks to the boxes in her attic to search for clues and finds the information of a fortune teller. Cia learns that the person who once helped her with some baby insomnia also slipped her a little anti-princess spell, which is now manifesting in all sorts of magical princess aftereffects: A boy turns into a beast. Cia suddenly has a phenomenal singing voice. Woodland animals attack her on sight. The unpredictability of these side effects make this a fun page-turner, even as the plot takes its time to develop the mystery. It isn't until about halfway through that major discoveries are revealed and readers can begin to guess what might happen next. What would a princess do for her Happily Ever After? Any reader who loves magical adventures and references to classic fairy tales will not want to miss this one.

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April 1, 2022

Gr 4-7-When 13-year-old Cia finds herself no longer needing to sleep, her best friend, Indian American Romy, theorizes that pale-skinned Cia is a vampire. But Cia seeks a better solution and tracks down Madam Fredepia, fortune teller and sleep whisperer. To her astonishment, Cia learns Madam Fredepia placed a fairy-tale counter spell on her when she was an infant. Cia's mother wanted her baby girl to grow up strong and independent, not like a fairy-tale princess. Now all the familiar fairy-tale elements are backfiring on Cia: she is being stalked by a deer, her school locker is full of shoes, and she is losing her hair. After her crush turns into a beast, Cia becomes desperate to break the spell before her friends are injured and a league of irate princesses take her down in order to restore their perpetual Happily Ever Afters. This original spin on modern fairy tales stands out for its delightful voice. Cia's first-person narration, by turns insightful, intelligent and snarky, keeps readers engaged and giggling. However, the story also prompts readers to consider the downside of beloved fairy tales. Do they promote unrealistic standards of beauty? Do they discourage self-reliance in girls? Are they racist? O'Neill leaves readers with enough questions to begin critically examining the tales as old as time while keeping the magic intact. VERDICT Readers will be captivated by Cia's lively voice while discovering that they may wish to view fairy tales through an updated lens. A solid purchase for middle grade collections where fantasy is appreciated.-Nancy Nadig

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