How to Break an Evil Curse

Did not finish at 10%. The book was fairy tale satire along the lines of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles or Heroes Guide to Saving the Kingdom. It did well with being arch, but unlike the other books I mentioned, it did not balance it out with any heart. The characters were good for punchlines, but not interesting as characters. It made everything feel like a joke carried on too long. Getting the balance right in this kind of novel is hard, and this one did not succeed at it.

How to Break an Evil Curse is a light fantasy that pokes fun at some of the stereotypical tropes of “save the princess” stories. Princess Julianna has lived her whole life in a dungeon because a wizard cursed her father's firstborn child to die if ever touched by sunlight. Fed up with her imprisonment, however royally comfortable it might be, she escapes one night through a tunnel she spent half her life digging. Meanwhile, the wizard has finally managed to locate the boy who meets all the requirements to break the curse and is going to do his best to make sure Warren never meets Julianna.

While the style of the novel takes a bit of getting used to, it's a fun read - a bit like the TV show Galavant without the musical numbers. It will appeal to readers looking for a fairy-tale type story with a comedic bent as opposed to serious drama.