Gothel and the Maiden Prince by W.R. Gingell

Fairytale Retelling. 131 Pages. 4 Stars

Synopsis: 

Deep in the forest, far from the light, a sorceress with magic of the blackest kind keeps prisoner the princess she stole away years ago. From time to time, a prince will come to challenge her, but by and large, life is peaceful for Gothel.

And that’s just the way she likes it.

She’s not prepared for the earnest young prince who seems more determined to talk her to death than challenge her to a duel of magic; nor, having tricked him into a battle of questions, is she expecting him to show more interest in her than the tower-bound princess.

And Gothel is certainly not prepared to give up any of her power to keep him around, though she might be prepared to answer just a few more questions…

Gothel and the Maiden Prince is one of twelve short novels in A Villain’s Ever After, a collection of standalone stories featuring villainous twists on some of your favourite classic fairytales. Read the series in any order for magical adventures . . . and fall in love with villains as you’ve never seen them before. Who said villains can’t have happily-ever-afters?

My Review: 

Still chugging away through the series! Making progress!

I was intrigued about this one because I’ve heard a lot about Gingell’s work, but never read anything by her. I also found the idea of the prince falling in love with the Gothel figure intriguing.

I’ll say it was a cute story. Neither my favorite nor least favorite in the series so far. It faced some of the normal issues I see in novella projects with pacing and the inability to truly flesh characters and plots out, but even so, Gingell did manage to create a mystery that I sought to unravel. I wanted to know more and figure out what was really going on. The question of what was really going on in the tower and why Gothel had done what she had drove the story for me.

I also really appreciated how Gingell handled a couple of tough topics. She touched on both child abuse and sexual abuse without being explicit or graphic. Nothing on scene. But even as part of a character’s backstory, she handled it delicately and with respect. I liked how everything wasn’t necessarily fixed at the end of the story and how one of the characters reacted and treated the victim with the cognizant understanding of how someone wrestling with trauma should. It really endeared me to see how that character handled the situation.

Speaking of characters, Gothel and Lucien were an interesting pair. I’d have loved to see a little more of how the magic in this world worked, but again, novellas kind of constrain that ability. I never really quite felt like I got my footing in the world. And I never quite felt like I got my head around Gothel either. I mean, I did. But she just felt so abrasive and not as nuanced as I would have liked. I did like her though. I liked her honesty and even that she was blunt (as I am XD). I liked her protective nature and the reason behind how things unfolded in her story were satisfying. Perhaps I just didn’t love how irritable she was, though I understand why. I don’t know. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe with more room, I could have seen a smoother understanding or transition between the internal and external pieces of her. Not sure.

And Lucien was fun. I liked how curious and genuine he was. He kind of reminded me of a puppy dog. He seemed a bit aloof and soft in some ways. I think from him I’d have liked to see maybe a little more agency or decisiveness. I’m not sure about him either. I liked him the best of the characters. His mind was fun to watch spin. I wish we could have gotten inside his head more and seen some of the though process behind his questions in the True Bargain. I did like that we saw multiple perspectives and I think Gingell pulled the switches off between the povs in a clear, effective way.

The story itself felt a little…like an ambling walk in the woods at times. But again, the mystery was what really drew me in. I also liked the cute ending. I liked how the magic system worked and the head that Gothel’s arc came to and the trust she learned to place and the dedication Lucien had to Gothel’s cause. Those little moments where his kindness and nobility showed through shone brightly.

Content: again, thematically, the story did touch on some heavier topics, but in a very respectful way. There’s no swearing and a sweet, clean romance. I’d say the book is probably okay for 16ish, depending on your comfort level with the sensitive topics (backstory element, off screen, very lightly touched on, but a central part of the plot and characters who react to the backstory).

More: 

A Villain’s Ever After Book 1 is The Beast and the Enchantress (3 Stars)

Book 2 is The Sultan and the Storyteller (4 Stars)

Book 3 is Bluebeard and the Outlaw (5 Stars)

Book 4 is The Stepsister and the Slipper (4 Stars)

Book 5 is The Goblin and the Dancer (4 Stars)

Book 6 is Hansel and the Gingerbread Queen (5 Stars)

Book 7 is The Dark King and the Eternal Dance (4 Stars)

Book 8 is Gothel and the Maiden Prince (4 Stars)

Book 9 is The Sorcerer and the Swan Princess (3 Stars)

Book 10 is The Baker and the Wolf (4 Stars)

Book 11 is The Prince and the Sea Witch (5 Stars)

Book 12 is Carabosse and the Spindle Spell (5 Stars)

Check out Goodreads for the full reviews and more info on each story. These are standalone and do not need to be read in order.

On GraceBought

If you missed my thoughts on the previous books in the series, check them out below!

The Beast and the Enchantress, The Sultan and the Storyteller, Bluebeard and the Outlaw, The Stepsister and the Slipper, The Goblin and the Dancer, Hansel and the Gingerbread Queen, and The Dark King and the Eternal Dance