This is another of those books that are difficult to place exactly.
It is a fairy story and contains some tropes with which even the youngest reader
is familiar: the prince trapped in an animal’s body, an icy queen enchanting a
weakened male, the young maiden – who happens here to be called Rose, so could
remind us of Rose Red or Briar Rose, – choosing
to go back to the home of the beast. Yet love is explored in great detail so it
may suit the more emotionally mature reader.
There is no sex but Rose does share a bed with an at the time unknown
male. Might it yet appeal to young adults?
In traditional fairy stories, characters are rarely
named. We do discover The Troll Queen’s
name towards the end of the story but throughout the book she is mainly known
as the Troll Queen. The prince himself has lost his name and only marries Rose
when he finds it again. However, Rose and her siblings and parents are named
and so are some of the other trolls.
We are close to several of the characters as Edith Patoou
gives them strong voices. Chapters are
recited variously by Rose, her father, her brother Neddy, the White Bear (Charles)
and the Troll Queen. Thus she creates believable and rounded characters with
whom we can empathise. Yes, even the
Troll Queen has some of our sympathy because she is just a woman in love.
There is quite a feminist theme here. Rose is the strong
character and goes on her adventure. Neddy
is a warm person but is only able to
help a little. The White Bear is drugged
and succumbs to the charms of the Troll Queen. On her journey Rose is helped
more by three women than by any of the men who try to help. Father, a talented map-maker, is somewhat under
the thumb of his superstitious wife Eugenia.
It’s possibly a fluent
reader book but also suitable for adults. The characters are rounded and believable.
The pace is enticing. Chapters are short,
making it easy to read. Yet it’s a hefty volume, some 472 pages long.
It is beautifully
written and very engaging.
