morebedsidebooks's review
slow-paced
3.0
How to Find a Princess by bestselling American author Alyssa Cole, is the second book in her Runaway Royals series and billed as a queer Anastasia retelling.
The real Anastasia is no fairy tale of course, but a 17-year-old whose life ends with revolution and murder along with her immediate family. But the question of if she could have survived, and those who claimed to be her, has sparked numerous stories in fiction over the course of the 20th century and beyond regardless of the reality. The most famous rendition probably by Marcelle Maurette. Her French play was adapted for English audiences by Guy Bolton in the 1950s, then in turn a Hollywood film, four decades later the 20th century fox animated movie, and in only the last few years back to Broadway. The US overwhelmingly has a thing for this sort of idea, but that ironically probably says more about it.
As for me I was looking for a queer romcom for a little lighter summer reading. The swoony cover caught my eye. Cole’s novel too starts entertainingly, cheeky of US pop culture and is modern. Politics are another element that often inform so many takes on Anastasia. Here segueing a history for the Mediterranean island kingdom of Ibarania among real circumstances both past and present, touching on imperialism, poking fun at monarchy and popular obsession with royals.Cole is also good at showing the interiority of her characters. Building romance with a lot of immediate belligerent sexual tension between Makeda and Beznaria and keeping to a slow burn. (Though after reading the book, I do have the question why no glasses on for the model of Bez on the cover?) The neurodivergent Bez, whose “too-muchness” is often referenced, particularly has a fun line early on in response to a personal question:
“I’m queer. I use the term pan, in part because it captures my puckish nature, but I prefer and have only dated women, with the exception of an unfortunate two-week debacle with my high school best friend Steven.”
But… and it’s a big but…beyond a tale of a lost royalty this story comes off a lot less like the comparison that is used.
I didn’t feel a strong linking with Makeda (being short, possessing a peculiar item of jewelry , interpretation on her name) or Beznaria (from a family with connections to the royals, an investigative agent, who isn’t entirely truthful) to characters or real figures that are a part of the mythos who have come before them. In fact, Cole seems to draw from many princess sources. Additionally, at 400 pages, near eleven hours long, the length greatly eclipses other versions of Anastasia I’ve mentioned. Typically, there is a journey with complications working the characters together with a little time plus forced proximity. Cole has a closer to two-week sea voyage starting in chapter nine which continues for just about the same number of chapters. Yet the choice is only to make a riff about any etiquette or protocol lessons. Which as acknowledged later is detrimental to Makeda who relies on careful plan making, even though her goal is to prove she isn’t royal. Instead, the ruse at play is a fake marriage. A trope I like, I recalled another wlw book featuring fake dating, a boat trip, and the Mediterranean. It too works for Cole’s characters as both have some stuff they need to work out, so a relationship push isn’t a bad development (and this also works into the twist). However, so much focus on this then leaves only two chapters for the royal mystery to really surface again with the pair finally in Ibarania. The mystery is crucial, supposed to be a hook to exploit, just like the hunt is about more than finding the truth. Usually, later sections will also involve some of the most emotionally dramatic scenes or addressing of trauma. But this goes by in a flash giving short shrift to what should be compelling aspects.
Spoiler
any significance of which gets forgotten by the endSo, I completed the book feeling like I would have gotten more enjoyment out of it if the narrative had more intensity to the end. It may be inspired by Anastasia, but Alyssa Cole in drawing from the princess canon has crafted her own more distinctive contemporary queer royal fairytale.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Ableism, and Bullying
Minor: Infidelity, Alcoholism, Addiction, Death, and War
Makeda has a rather toxic parent in her mother.ashleycmms's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Minor: War
TW: Also a story about refugees/people escaping their home countries being in the water (alive, but still can be traumatic for some!) I like both of the MCs so much. But I don’t care about this romance? I don’t know if it’s the location or the pacing? I feel like there’s stuff I love: sapphic love, bnbs, bodyguard~ element, close proximity/one bed trope, etc. But they were pushed together by a circumstance that I feel like they did NOT touch on enough? Like that chunk wrapped up so quickly? And a lot wasn’t addressed really in terms of Makeda’s background? A lot is going on, lol.
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