If I said, "Fairy Godmother," what would come to mind? An old lady singing "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo"? If so, have I got news for you! The magical beings in Amy S. Nearine's Daisy Shannon and the Fairy Godmother Council take the archetype and bend it on its ear in delightful ways. Even the protagonist in the tale is atypical, being 54 years old and slightly overweight.
Having lost everything, including her mother, partner of 30+ years, cat, job, and home, Daisy Shannon is shocked to find that she has a fairy godmother, a being who not only shows up but who also warns the widow that her life is in danger. Introducing the middle-aged woman to a whole new world she never imagined could be real, Fairy Godmother Evangeline helps Daisy Shannon prepare for the upcoming battle for her life and even her very soul.
I'm not usually a fan of the fantasy genre, but I adore fairy tales for adults, so I was all in with Daisy Shannon and the Fairy Godmother Council, and it definitely did the genre justice. There was plenty of action and magic, but they were well balanced with suspense, mystery, and intrigue as well. I do wish the battles had been a little longer and described more in depth, though; the final battle, in particular, really left me wanting more. Still, I was on the edge of my seat for much of the book, so I found it to be a captivating read overall. At times, I even hid behind my hands, peeking through my fingers like a small child. The world building was also spot on, and I could picture the tale being a film but more akin to Snow White: A Tale Of Terror than Disney's 1937 animated production. Nearine's creativity in explaining certain things also left me awestruck and nodding my head, thinking that some explanations totally made sense.
The cast in this tome was large, so I had to keep referring to players' descriptions, but no one was wasted, so I didn't mind. In addition, the antagonists were sufficiently evil, while the protagonists had enough idiosyncrasies to make them as realistic as fictional beings could be. In addition to Daisy Shannon and Evangeline, I especially liked Brownies (author's capitalization) Marigold and Fen as well as historian Thorne. Sapphyrus, a wyvern, also found a soft spot in my heart, as did Godmothers Freya and Bronwyn. Minor character Rhain also had my full attention when he appeared. Daisy Shannon's habit of cursing like a sailor got a little annoying at times, but I also accepted that as just one of her foibles. And Evangeline was full of surprises that kept me guessing.
As immersive as this book was, though, it was not without its flaws. The editing, for example, was found wanting, for the fantasy was full of punctuation errors, issues with verb tenses, problems with plural usage, and missteps with capitalization in addition to a few other typographical mishaps. Additionally, I noted one possible contradiction in the telling, and I finished the adventure with a few too many questions in my head. I strongly urge Ms. Nearine to have the novel professionally edited and put out another edition, so it can be Grade A all around. There is a sequel in the works, so I urge her to have that narrative edited too. As it stands, I am rating Daisy Shannon and the Fairy Godmother Council 3 out of 4 stars due to the aforementioned issues.
As noted above, Daisy Shannon has a potty mouth, and the fiction includes many graphic battles, so readers should beware. In addition, Harry and Robin are a gay couple, and other homosexual couples are mentioned, but there are no actual sexual situations. I have no hesitation in recommending Daisy Shannon and the Fairy Godmother Council to fans of adult (or even children's) fairy tales, readers who enjoy fantasies in general, and bibliophiles with a soft spot for souls who are down on their luck.
- Daisy Shannon and the Fairy Godmother CouncilShe had been reading mythology and fantasy books since she was a little girl and now, at fifty-four she has discovered that some of the things she thought were only fantasy were actually real.
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Daisy Shannon and the Fairy Godmother Council
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