Frogkisser / Garth Nix

Frogkisser

by Garth Nix

copyright 2017

part read July 2024

subadult, fantasy

 rated 5/ 10: readable but only if there's nothing else

I often enjoy "young adult" novels. Even some children's books. But not this one.

The author uses every fairytale trope, nice idea. Except that his characters are constantly referencing and expecting the standard stuff to occur.

The central character is a princess. She seems destined to learn all about becoming a good ruler... after a lot of heavy moralising to the reader.

So far she at least means well. She is loyal and supportive to her rather boring fellow-questers.

Then the princess meets a stupid princess-eating giant, tricks him, trips him. All according to fairytale rules.

As he trips, the giant breaks his hip. And the learning to be good princess just leaves him... leaves him screaming in agony.

Neither the princess nor the author see anything wrong with this.

I give it a few more rather tedious chapters, still no help for the giant, then I stop reading.

Would children know the referenced tropes? An adult would not care.

Nick Lethbridge    /    Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting    /   Problems? Solved.
   ===


Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood