Frogkisser!

[cornerofmadness]

Frogkisser! by Garth Nix

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Nix has created not so much a retelling of old fairy tales as to take them and hammer together a few of them turning it into something new. Princess Anya is the second daughter, second in line for the kingdom of Trulonia. Her oldest sister is vapid, boy crazy and self centered and honestly almost in a fog about what their step-step father the evil sorcerer Rickard is doing (i.e. trying to take over the kingdom). He's even been turning her princely would-be suitors into frogs to get rid of them and any possible alliances that would bar him taking the throne.

Anya's one human ally in the castle gave her what was left of his anti-transformation spell lip balm only to have her kiss the wrong frog. When it's clear Rickard is about to kill Anya by proxy of sending her to a far distant school where the trip is likely to kill her she embarks on a quest, promising her sister she'd make more of the lip balm, save the prince and help get rid of Rickard.

Her only companion is one of the Royal dogs who talk (but not to Rickard as sorcery makes you cold and unable to hear them), Ardent. Her straightforward quest takes a hard right almost immediately as more transformed people join her quest trading their aid for hers once she makes the lip balm. Along the way she meets the good thieves (Robin Hoodesque) Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and an otter turned half human not to mention all the dangerous things Rickard sends her way.

It's a very good coming of age story for middle grade readers. Anya is smart and self-rescuing. Yes at times a little whiney but she's a young pampered girl sent out into the wilderness alone. I found it entertaining.



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