A review by mariebrunelm
The Willful Princess and the Piebald Prince by Robin Hobb

dark emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

 Are you sometimes frustrated not to know more about a fictional world you enjoy? Robin Hobb has the solution for you. In the Tawny Man Trilogy, without spoiling you, characters often refer to the legendary figure of the Piebald Prince, without his story being told in full. Ten years after the publication of the last tome, Fool's Fate, the author released this two-fold novella, The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince, exploring the history behind the folk tale. And while the Prince is the one most alluded to in Tawny Man, his story begins with a wilful princess whose fate is told in the first half of this little book adorned with beautiful illustrations in black and white by Jackie Morris.
You won't be surprised to know I love this addition to Hobb's worldbuilding. She tells these two stories in an oral tone quite different from what she has accustomed her readers, with the rhythm of a minstrel and sprinkled warnings by the narrator. Thanks to this little-known volume, we get to know more about the story of the Six Duchies and its people, and although you can very well enjoy Tawny Man without knowing about The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince, I highly recommend you pick this one up either before or after the trilogy to make the pleasure last that little bit longer.
Rep : lesbian MC, character with a disfigurement.
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