In most fariy tales the plot is all downhill once the girl finds her prince. This is the exact opposite in The Unhandsome Prince. John Moore’s fantasy novel is one part satire, one part parody with a cast of eclectic characters and a good dose of ADD. The plot revolves around Prince Hal, Caroline, the beautiful village girl who broke the spell and Emily, the daughter of the deceased sorceress who cursed Hal, making for one odd love triangle.
Caroline, a strikingly beautiful and clever village girl frees Prince Hal from his curse only to discover he is neither handsome nor princely. At least, not in a stereotypical prince-like way. He’s sweet and smart and cute…in a dorky kind of way. He’s also unappreciated and, despite being well liked, disrespected in his kingdom. Caroline demands she receive what she earned – a handsome, royal husband or else legal matters will be filed against Emily, who only wants her sorceress apprenticeship to begin.
In case you hadn’t noticed, this is not a typical fairy tale.
Moore’s novel is a light, quick read that will, more often than not, have the reader smiling. Still, it falls short in many areas. It seems in many spots Moore is so focused on parody that he crosses over into pure silliness, and not in a good way. Some of the character relationships seem forced; the characters sometimes appear to have ADD and the sexual innuendo/ discussions seem like last minute toss-ins to spice up the novel while failing to do so. Oh, and did I mention Rumpelstiltskin’s a Jew facing Anti-Semitic persecution?
The Unhandsome Prince is an enjoyable read if the reader takes it with a grain of salt. This is not classic literature nor is it deep on any level but it is fun and a nice literary escape. The characters, for the most part, develop along the way and the reader will find themselves invested in the outcome. I’m giving this book 3 1/2 stars because, while I enjoyed it, it’s not going to end up on my “keeper” shelf.
