The literary world is currently saturated with fairytale retellings. They come in many shapes and forms, whether it be inspired by, a twisted tale, or gender bent to name a few. Ever Cursed brings a uniqueness to this genre that is so pure and utterly unexpected. It is a beautifully rhapsodic tale that spins the traditional elements found in fairytales on their feminist heads.
Ever Cursed is the story of the Princesses of Ever. These five sisters are beloved by their Kingdom and their father, The Good King. They are also cursed. Each sister has been cursed to live Without one essential thing, to eat, sleep, love, remember, or hope. For the last five years, on their thirteenth birthdays the curse afflicts another sister. On the day of the youngest Princess’ thirteenth birthday, they are given one chance to break the curse but all is not as it seems and Jane, the eldest Princess, must put her trust in her enemy but discovers along the way that all is not as it seems.
I want to put it in very early on, as does author Corey Ann Haydu, that this book has elements that may be triggering for some readers. These include sexual assault and eating disorders. If any of these things are known triggers for you, I urge you to consider this before reading both the book and this review with care, being mindful of what content is safe and comfortable for you. I will say that Haydu includes these elements, particularly sexual assault, with class and purpose and uses her platform to call them out.
The story is told from alternating points of view which is a writing style I adore. This gives the reader the perspective of Princess Jane and Reagan, the young witch that cursed her. Throughout each woman’s chapters, the reader is given insight into life within the palace and in the kingdom of Ever. The beginning of the book focuses on building the layered world and at times felt a bit slow, but as you read further, you realise that the author has poetically sowed the seeds of this world and your detailed knowledge of the land and its people really come into play.
The magic system within Ever Cursed is very unique and in my humble opinion, brilliant. I am not a fan when a magic user can wave their hands or wand and conjure a spell without any form of payment or consequence. In this story, for every spell a witch casts, a permanent skirt appears around their waist. Each skirt is a direct reflection of the type and strength of the spell it correlates to. The greater the spell, the heavier the skirt and the more the witch is weighed down by it. This physical manifestation of their magic is a constant reminder and such a poetic representation of the magic.
Ever Cursed is filled with incredibly strong and powerful women across a range of ages. It is a fairytale like no other because these women aren’t looking for the man to save them from their predicament. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Jane and Reagan are determined to break the curse together and throughout that journey to do that they learn some shocking truths about their own families and the people of Ever. These two main characters are supported by a host of passionate and powerful women. It was truly wonderful to see such an amazing cast supporting these two young women.
Haydu uses this book to call out many things. She uses the Princes from the other kingdoms and their vile behaviours and attitudes toward the Princesses to make commentary on the social treatment of young women. Their entitlement and sense of sense and power is on full display at the birthday celebration with each Prince claiming a Princess, any Princess really, in her cursed state and willing them to remain that way for the rest of their lives, despite the fact they are immensely unhappy and on the verge of death. These Prinelings are contrasted perfectly by Abbott Shine, a male feminist fighting for what is right and for a better Ever. This is where the trigger warning around sexual assault comes into play. The King is a self-entitled man who believes that his predatory actions against the women in his castle are just and that the women he preyed on wanted his advances. This call out by Haydu is refreshing and a perfect example of the vast landscape YA fiction can tackle. Consent is a huge topic of relevance in the YA reading bracket and Haydu broaches this with class and passion. Despite the Kings atrocious behaviour there is one redeeming feature to his character. His acceptance and love for his transgender daughter Princess Alice is a beautiful inclusion along with his attitude of his daughters loving who they choose.
Overall, there is a lot going on emotionally in this book. It is filled with social commentary about the society we live in and the inequality surrounding women. Haydu brazenly and unapologetically shines a feminist light on the flaws of society and it is a beautiful thing to behold. The inclusion of both strong female characters and allied male characters is something I haven’t seen in other works before and it is such a breath of fresh air.
Ever Cursed is packed full of heavy topics. It is a story of family, loss, sacrifice, and pain but also love, strength, and the power that can be achieved when you fight for a common goal. This book was inspiring, refreshing and such a wonderful reading experience.
Ever Cursed is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of July 28th 2020.
Will you be picking up Ever Cursed? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Damsel meets A Heart in a Body in the World in this incisive and lyrical feminist fairy tale about a princess determined to save her sisters from a curse, even if it means allying herself with the very witch who cast it.
The Princesses of Ever are beloved by the kingdom and their father, the King. They are cherished, admired.
Cursed.
Jane, Alice, Nora, Grace, and Eden carry the burden of being punished for a crime they did not commit, or even know about. They are each cursed to be Without one essential thing—the ability to eat, sleep, love, remember, or hope. And their mother, the Queen, is imprisoned, frozen in time in an unbreakable glass box.
But when Eden’s curse sets in on her thirteenth birthday, the princesses are given the opportunity to break the curse, preventing it from becoming a True Spell and dooming the princesses for life. To do this, they must confront the one who cast the spell—Reagan, a young witch who might not be the villain they thought—as well as the wickedness plaguing their own kingdom…and family.
Told through the eyes of Reagan and Jane—the witch and the bewitched—this insightful twist of a fairy tale explores power in a patriarchal kingdom not unlike our own.
