This whimsical novel is the first solo young adult project for Alethea Kontis, a student of Orson Scott Card. But don't go into it expecting Ender's Game.
Enchanted follows the story of Sunday, the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter (all named for days of the week), and a frog prince named Rumbold. Weaving folklore and fantasy together with her own original ideas, Kontis (the AlphaOops series) builds a fairytale world populated by familiar characters. The story reads like a Who's Who of once upon a time mashups, with playful references to Jack and the Beanstalk, the Princess and the Pea, Cinderella and many others.
At times, the narrative gets a bit bogged down by the enormous cast of characters. And while the prince was charming as a frog, his personality changes dramatically after he becomes human. The story takes a decidedly sinister turn once Rumbold is free of his enchantment. So although much of the novel would entertain younger readers, the dark magic near the end ages it up.
With a nod to current trends in YA literature, the beautiful cover will certainly attract many readers, and fans of fairy tale retellings will no doubt be enchanted by this dark fantasy. --Sherrie Petersen, children's book reviewer and blogger