C. Rae D’Arc continues her Sleeping Princesses series with the third entry, Little Red and the Lumpy Bed. This series mashes together famous fairytale princesses in a fantasy land known as Somnus. All is well until someone starts poisoning the princesses. The oldest princess, Garnet, administers a potion to slow the poison but a side effect places the victim in a deep sleep. The sleeping princess awakens somewhere in our world, and from there, must find a way home.
The summary above has been the pattern for the first two books. The second book alternated chapters between Somnus and a location on Earth. Watching Sleeping Beauty or Snow White navigate our modern society has been a fun read, but could it last for a third outing? Fortunately, the third book provides enough variety to spice things up.
This novel introduces twins Ruby and Dot. As with some twins, they are jealous of each other, wanting what the other wants, lording over things the other doesn’t have. They “awaken” on Earth at different locations on the west coast of the United States. Dot wakes up deaf while Ruby finds herself blind, although neither are blind nor deaf in Somnus. They have “inhabited” another person’s life and happen to have the same looks, mannerisms, and names as that other person. The majority of the story is the two girls finding each other and learning the customs of this world.
Clearly, Ruby is the little girl from “Little Red Riding Hood” and Dot is the princess from “The Princess and the Pea.” Bringing these characters to life as rivaling fifteen-year-old sisters is ingenious, and their interactions make this book stand out from the first two. The fate of the two characters also differs quite a bit from the pattern of the prior offerings.
Meanwhile, back in Somnus, our gang of awakened princesses and heroes are trying desperately to find the sleeping versions of Dot and Ruby. They run away from old enemies while encountering a new one. This new threat is an epic, wonderfully described water creature. But not all of their adversaries are monsters. A huntsman is on their trail, and he has a surprising secret.
Little Red and the Lumpy Bed continues the Sleeping Princess series with everything the first two had: memorable characters, captivating settings, madcap situations, and a helping of romance. A grand adventure on two worlds, along with a healthy dose of relatable humor, make this fantasy offering one worth reading.