An Enjoyable But Formulaic Fantasy Lacking That Magic Spark
The story follows a young girl, who is taken from her home in the country to live with her fairy godmother in a city. The girl is forced to do things she never thought possible, like working as a maid and being forced to do chores for people she doesn’t even know. The story quickly becomes dark and twisted, with the girl finding out that she is the daughter of a demon.
Fairy Tale is a story that is divided between two different states. The first 30% or so of the story is slow-burn before changing into a more simplistic and formulaic fantasy tale. While it may have been intentional, the execution of the story can be very much a love/hate affair for many readers.
Charlie Reade is a high school student who uses anachronistic speech and references old movies. His reverence for TCM movies can be waved away though by his reverence for ancient languages, but it’s still a little jarring and several times I found myself having to remember Charlie is only 17.
When Charlie’s mum is killed in a hit-and-run on “that damn bridge”, Charlie grows up with an alcoholic father whom he learns to take care of until he gets sober. This sets up a foundation of sorts for Charlie’s caring nature, as a promise he makes to God is tested in the form of his old next door neighbour Howard Bowditch.
Charlie is a young boy who starts to look after his neighbor, who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Charlie soon learns that his neighbor has a portal that leads to a magical world that is ravaged by the Grey disease. The city also has a haunted sundial that can turn back time. ..
King takes his time to get to the good stuff in this book, letting the suspense build until the final reveal. The prose changes drastically once Charlie reaches this other world and as the pace quickens, so too do the number of contrivances along the way. This makes for a slower-paced read that still has a lot of tension and suspense.
The story feels like it was hastily put together and the ending is unsatisfying. I expected a big twist or lesson in humility but instead, the story just ends.
The book does dedicate its epilogue to trying to wrap everything up, but by then it feels like it’s too late to make amends for such a promising story that flat-lines into mediocrity. ..
Charlie Reade is a compelling protagonist with plenty of flaws and issues that are explored beautifully through the story. His bond with Radar the dog, his father and Howard Bowditch are easily the best parts of the story. The relationship he has with he various residents inside this magical world is less compelling however, as there are an abundance of different players here and none feel all that compelling or fleshed out. ..
The world of King’s horror novels is a rich and magical one, with details and moments that are both brilliantly written and immersive. The opening third of the book is particularly excellent in this regard, with Charlie riding his trike through certain areas which can be nail-biting.
The story is compelling, with beautiful descriptions and enjoyable set pieces. However, it falls short of brilliance next to other King books. This is still a good read, but unlikely to be remembered for years to come. ..
