Peaflower by Jessica Tanner is one of the novellas in a series of retellings of fairy tales. This time, it’s The Princess and the Pea, or is it? This offering not only retells The Princess and the Pea in a new and refreshing way, but incorporates other fairy tales into its narrative.

Princess Marion Thornhill is on her way to seek help for her kingdom. Her land, Brecker, is being invaded by another kingdom. She is betrothed to a prince in a neighboring realm and hopes to use her influence to have them ally with Brecker. Right from the start, Marion’s efforts are thwarted, and she’s left to fend for herself in the middle of a forest. Fortunately for Marion, she’s not entirely alone as she has a friendly rat named Cleevey McCleverson who is willing to help. Prince Rupert Erlandson, the brother prince to Marion’s betrothed, comes to Marion’s rescue and takes her back to his summer castle. With a daunting prince and a kind princess united, who could stand against them? Events aren’t happily-ever-after yet for Rupert is cursed and Marion is nearly blind. How will they save Becker?

While Peaflower is a novella, it packs in enough plot for a full-length novel. I appreciated the short chapters that simultaneously advances the story along and switches point-of-view. Humor, romance, adversity, all the elements of a good fairy tale are here. And as I hinted at the beginning, the story has elements of other fairytales. I counted at least three others, but there may be more.

Each chapter shifts between one of three narrators: Marion, Cleevey, or Rupert. Rather than distracting, the change-up provides a different take on the narrative. Marion may seem too traditional for this day and age, but her sight disability renders her reliant on others. Rupert has a curse that keeps him from acting on instincts. And Cleevey has both size and language challenges that prevent him from connecting the two lovers. The tale twists and turns in unexpected ways, incorporating other fantasy themes. While The Princess and The Pea plays only a small part in the plot, Peaflower tells its own story of a grand new adventure.

A worthy addition to your collection, Peaflower is for all readers who love a wonderful, clean retelling of a fairy tale. Such a delight to read, I’ll be looking at the others in the Garden series.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQXHRPQR