Friday, May 25, 2012

Review: Enchanted by Alethea Kontis



Goodreads Summary:
It isn't easy being the rather overlooked and unhappy youngest sibling to sisters named for the other six days of the week. Sunday’s only comfort is writing stories, although what she writes has a terrible tendency to come true.

When Sunday meets an enchanted frog who asks about her stories, the two become friends. Soon that friendship deepens into something magical. One night Sunday kisses her frog goodbye and leaves, not realizing that her love has transformed him back into Rumbold, the crown prince of Arilland—and a man Sunday’s family despises.

The prince returns to his castle, intent on making Sunday fall in love with him as the man he is, not the frog he was. But Sunday is not so easy to woo. How can she feel such a strange, strong attraction for this prince she barely knows? And what twisted secrets lie hidden in his past - and hers?

Enchanted is a delightful retelling of several fairy tales.Not going to tell you which because part of the joy of reading this book is discovering this for yourself. I don't know why, but I really wanted to read this book after seeing the cover. So far, this is one of my favorite YA books released in 2012. I really did feel a lot of sympathy for the main character and thought her family was just wonderful. From her father who collected and told Sunday stories to her Pirate Queen sister. Now, one of my biggest pet peeves is that authors always feel the need to manufacture a romance in YA books. Not just manufacture them, but have the romance and the boy consume and dominate the girl's thoughts. Which, I can tell you from personal experience, is not a good idea- a boy should not be the end all and be all of a young girl's life. However, this was not the case in this book. Of course there was a romance. A very touching and sweet one that blossomed between Sunday and the frog prince. Besides, every fairy tale needs a "happily ever after". But, Sunday seemed to always consider her separate life, and her family, as an important part of who she was and the choices she made.

The book's main weakness was the sections involving the prince. I didn't find him as compelling a character as Sunday and her family. When the prince was featured, I found myself wanting the author to return to Sunday and family.  But, considering that this is a debut novel, this is a very minor criticism. Look forward to reading the next book written by Kontis.


Overall rating: 4 stars
Genre Rating: 4 1/2 wands 


Alethea Kontis's blog






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