Review Detail

4.5 stars

I love fairy tales. I love them as originals and retellings in just about every setting, as long as they're written well, of course. I fell in love with Enchanted, the first book in this series, last year. I was definitely ready to hang out with the Woodcutter family again in Hero.

I do have to say that this second book definitely has a different feel to it than the first one did. It is a little more serious and the ending was more open. Of course, that just means I am highly anticipating the next book even more. :)

It took me a little bit to remember who each of Saturday's sisters and brothers were. We see or hear about all of them at one point or another. Even though I didn't remember specifics, I didn't mind because I enjoyed getting to know them again. Most of the times when they appeared in the story were for very short periods of time, but Alethea did such a great job in conveying each of their characters really well in those small moments. This story is really all about Saturday, as it should be.

Saturday is such a great character! She is struggling with figuring out her place in the world and who exactly she is. Her life drastically changed after her sister saved the kingdom in the last book. She's not sure how she fits in this new world and she's tired of being treated as the little sister. I loved that she isn't dramatic, but rather sarcastic. She finds out that she is much more than she thought she was. I also really loved Peregrine! He is a little awkward under the circumstances in some ways, although he has become used to his skin after wearing it for so long. It was a little weird with him dressing as a girl and having Saturday be the tougher one (I like my guys touch and protective), but it still works. He has a role he must play and he is willing to do it in order to survive. The interactions between these two were fabulous! I loved how Saturday didn't want anything to do with him and how he got under her skin. I loved Saturday's thoughts here:

To Saturday, falling in love was a nonsense never hoped for. Love and marriage and family would mean the end of her adventuring. She had only just begun to live her life outside the towerhouse. So far, that life had been full of swords and witches and life-or-death decisions. Kissing had no place there.
And yet, Saturday couldn't bring to mind a tale about Jack in which he's banished evil or bested a beast without winning the heart of some girl in the end. Saturday sighed. Did romance have to be a part of the adventure? It just seemed so unnecessary and distracting.
(p. 151-152)

I loved the plot! It was unexpected in many ways and entertaining. I love how Alethea continues to include pieces and references to other fairy tales. She is quite creative. The story felt to me like it should - like a girl thrown into an adventure that she really has no control over, but chooses to be the hero even if she doesn't think she is one.

If you enjoy reading fairy tales or a very creative twist on them, then definitely pick this up!

Content: Clean (There are a few references to the characters being unclothed and a few mild swear words, but nothing that would make this not clean.)
Source: From tour host/NetGalley, which did not affect my review in any way.