IN SHORT: This clean young adult book is a romantic mix of fairy tales.

REVIEW

When Friday Woodcutter stumbles upon seven sleeping brothers in an abandoned tower of her sister’s palace, she uncovers a sinister family curse and a romance she didn’t expect. 

Tristan and his brothers are cursed to be swans by day. Their only chance of breaking the curse lies in a series of impossible tasks their sister must complete.

Friday doesn’t have strong magic, and what magic she can wield is through needle and thread alone. But she’s determined to help Tristan’s sister complete her tasks and break the spell once and for all — before it’s too late.

Alethea Kontis once again takes what could be a formulaic retelling and veers in a dramatically unexpected direction. While Dearest is mainly a Six Swans retelling, it also features elements of The Goose Girl, along with subtle nods toward Peter Pan and Swan Lake.

Of all the Woodcutter Sister stories, Dearest is definitely the most romantic. While it embraces the insta-love trope, it also features elements that will certainly appeal to the happily-ever-after fairy tale lovers. 

RATING

Rated: Mild, for two uses of mild language and one use of moderate language. In several scenes, a magical transformation reveals men unclothed. In once such scene, a girl walks in on a roomful of naked men. Violence includes some blood and death, and a story is told of the murder of many children.

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