The Beggar Prince: A King Thrushbeard Retelling

by Kate Stradling

An unwilling suitor. A mocking princess. A marriage they both abhor.

Diplomacy and a demanding mother send Thorben of Hauke to a neighboring kingdom, there to present himself as candidate for marriage to their princess. Beautiful Leonie of Elisia is famous for insulting every suitor she receives, and Thorben banks on her dismissing him as well—which she does, with vicious aplomb.

This time, though, her ridicule proves her father’s breaking point. The King of Elisia vows that Leonie will marry a beggar, and Thorben departs inwardly applauding the punishment… until a terrible storm deposits him tattered and bedraggled at the castle’s kitchen door. Before he can weasel out of his mishap—or even pull rank—the marriage is done.

But what’s legal in Elisia might not be in Hauke. Disguised as a beggar, Thorben leads Leonie home to secure an annulment.

If he’s lucky, he’ll get it without revealing his true identity… and before losing his heart to his exquisite but sharp-tongued bride.

The Beggar Prince , a retelling of King Thrushbeard, is book 2 of Once Upon A Prince , a multi-author series of clean fairy tale retellings. Each standalone story features a swoony prince fighting for his happily ever after.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Retellings, Fairy Tales, Fairy Tale Retellings, Clean Romance, Young Adult

222 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2023

Reviews

[Kati *☆･ﾟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*** stars


I usually don’t do YA romances but “King Thrushbeard” (König Drosselbart, Brothers Grimm) is probably my favorite fairytale of all times so I had to jump at this retelling immediately, especially as I’ve never seen another one around.


I think this story had the potential to make it a modern, funny, kinda sassy rom-com with a lot of heart. That were at least my hopes for it. Instead, to me, it felt rather bland and boring for the most part. Overall it was nice to revisit my favorite fairytale but except for a few different takings on things it brought nothing really new or exciting to the table.

What I truly liked tho was the reason the author came up with as to why the king’s daughter was mocking all her suiters and driving them away. In the end I think this book is much more enjoyable for readers who don’t know the original story already.


*Part of the “Once Upon A Prince” multi-author series (12 books)

[Celestria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ½ stars 🌟

I'd never heard of this fairytale before and this was really different from any other retelling I've read, so I really enjoyed it. I did look up the original tale to compare the two and I think what the author did was interesting and I liked the reveal at the end. Even though I did really enjoy my time with this story, I don't think the Princess had a good excuse for being so nasty to everyone at the beginning, so that's why I'm only giving it 3 ½ stars.

[Abigail McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot! There were moments where I wanted to shake both protagonists (luckily, there were side characters to do that for me) but I had so much fun reading it. Definitely a unique take on a somewhat odd tale, and I did love how everything unfolded in the end. 4 stars from me!

[Elisabeth Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

EDIT: my dear husband got me a paperback copy of this for my birthday so I reread it in one sitting and loved it even more. A truly delightful magic-less fantasy retelling.


I binged this in one night because KATE STRADLING of course I’m going to binge it in one night.

Listen, I adore her other King Thrushbeard retelling (Maid and Minstrel). But this was even better somehow? As always, Stradling’s writing is beautiful and easy to read. Her characters in this—the dutiful Prince Thorben, who REALLY didn’t mean for this to happen!; the enigmatic Princess Leonie, who you can’t help but love; the less-than-helpful Berthold—are lifelike and delightful. Even if you don’t like King Thrushbeard, you should read this.

I received an ARC of this, but the opinions are firmly my own.

[Tricia Mingerink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is now the third King Thrushbeard retelling Kate Stradling has written, and yet it is still just as unique and amazing as all her previous ones! I think she could write a hundred King Thrushbeard retelling, and I would reach each one because they would be great!

Thorben annoyed me at first. He had his reasons, but he was not very compassionate with Leonie right at first. But he won me over, and by the end, he and Leonie were so adorable together! I LOVED the twist about Leonie's secret! It made so much sense once it was revealed! I was beginning to suspect, but I didn't understand fully until the reveal. It was really well done!

[Christina Baehr · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent even if you don’t like the original tale

If you like wholesome, respectful slowburn romance, fairy tale retellings, or non-magical fantasy with beautifully written characters, this is a lovely book to spend a few hours in.

I have never really clicked with the original fairy tale King Thrushbeard (I always feel much too sorry for the Princess), but I gave this a chance because Kate Stradling has such a way with characters. I’m so glad I did! As soon as Leonie appeared, I was hooked. I could see at once that she wasn’t going to be the stock-character ‘shrew’ I was expecting and I just had to find out how it would turn out. I ended up devouring the entire book in an evening.

I was so impressed that she turned this story into such a wholesome sweet romance, in which the characters had to learn to be vulnerable with each other, and the Thrushbeard character had to face up to his own mistakes and flaws and realise how biased and selfish he had been not to see the perilousness of Leonie’s situation.

A clever late twist in the story elevated it for me to 5 star status. I would also recommend this for YA readers.

[Suzannah Rowntree]

I'm a simple woman. I see Kate Stradling writing her third King Thrushbeard retelling, I one-click.

THE BEGGAR PRINCE delighted me by retelling a fairytale (for which I've always had a sneaking fondness) exclusively from the perspective of the male lead. Soon-to-be-King Thorben of Hauke is, by a series of perplexing events, landed in an unwilling marriage to a princess who hates him, in the guise of a beggar. The story unfolds from there as Tor gradually learns to look past his own hurt feelings to a young woman with vulnerabilities and wounds he barely understands.

As in MAID & MINSTREL, Stradling has chosen to retell the story with a fundamentally sympathetic heroine and a male lead who has a lot to learn. It really isn't often that you get this sort of arranged-marriage story being told exclusively from the perspective of the male lead, and I loved all the ways this turned the old fairytale on its head: the story now revolves around Tor's attempts to understand the mysterious princess, rather than her attempts to understand the all-powerful husband she has been forced to marry. Tor is the one doing the emotional labour of compromise and understanding. It's peculiarly cathartic, especially for a tale that started out as Humiliation For Uppity Women.

I do think, looking back, that for me MAID & MINSTREL does have the edge on this one: it's hard to beat that book's strengths in terms of Mutually Pining Idiots To Lovers. But both are excellent retellings and I'll treasure both of them.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Stradling never disappoints. Full review to come later on!

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars ✨

YA Retelling

An unwilling suitor. A mocking princess. A marriage they both abhor.

This was a fun, quick and clean read. I really enjoyed it! In the beginning the names kinda confused me, so it took a minute to understand who was who. Once I got a hang of them, it was smooth sailing and enjoyable. It was such a quick read that I feel like more depth could have been added to the story- but for what it was, I can’t complain.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has been on my radar ever since it was announced and I don't care that I didn't reserve the funds to actually buy it. I just need to have the paperbacks as soon as they are available. After finishing the Unlucky Prince I got incredibly curious about this book and I since I couldn't wait any longer I decided to just dive in right away.

This book is chaotic and all over the place in the best possible way. I don't think it's possible to explain this book and to tell you exactly why I loved it so much. I just know that I've been laughing out loud so often! Both these characters made such a mess of everything and watching them digging even deeper graves was strangely enough really entertaining.

Almost everything that happens in this book happens by accident. The characters come up with an idea, that idea has consequences they couldn't foresee, they have to come up with a solution to fix the consequences and that solution comes with its own consequences and so on. And of course, some things might have been prevented if the prince had just been honest. But what's the fun in that?

I have to admit that our princess seemed a little too forgiving in the end. If it had been me I would have been a little less happy with all of it and yet it also did fit her as a character. In the beginning it seemed she would be quite hard to like. But during the story she showed her true colors and I understood perfectly why the prince was slowly falling for her.

I can't wait to meet the next prince in the series!

[Selina Gonzalez]

Like many fairy tales, King Thrushbeard is...odd and somewhat inexplicable with, to my mind, somewhat confusing and questionable morals. I haven't read a retelling of it before and was very curious how this take on the tale would redeem...both leads, truly. 😆 And Stradling did manage it, even with sticking fairly close to the original tale! The prince/king's growth and releasing of his pride were done well (and I liked it wasn't just a "superior man tames the shrew" tale), and the twist toward the end that explained the Laughing Princess's odd behavior was honestly so clever. Engaging (enough so I almost didn't notice there's no magic or fantastical elements, which usually I miss when not present) with a cute ending.

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! I love a King Thrushbeard! And the fact that Kate Stradling has written another one is a gift!

This might be my new favorite. I think it’s the perspective it’s told in. I love Tor’s relationship with his friends and how they all ended up in the mess. Leonie. I love that she tried so hard to do what needed to be done. It was fun reading this tale from a different angle.

Read for the King Thrushbeard retelling, arranged marriage, mistaken identity, and redemptive arc.

Thanks to the author for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

I like it! I enjoy this fairytale and thought this version was good. I enjoyed that the entire story is told from Tor’s point of view. I liked Tor quite a bit. I didn’t love our heroine as much, but did like the unique reason why she behaved the way she did. I just think their relationship could have been developed a little more. But overall it was a well written and enjoyable storyline.


Content Rated G
Clean, mild kissing. No language or violence

[Stephanie Ricker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more than I did, alas; I had been looking forward to a new Stradling book. She keeps tackling REALLY hard fairy tales to adapt, though! The plot elements of this felt so contrived that I was constantly distracted by why in the world people were jumping through all of these strange decision-making hoops. The romance had promise, and I enjoyed the unusual direction she went in for explaining why Leonie treats people the way she does, but there was so little chemistry between the characters that the romance ultimately felt underdeveloped. I know the author was trying to keep this clean, but zero acknowledgement of the awkwardness or even physical circumstances of two people sharing a house or a haystack to sleep in just doesn't seem realistic. Give me *some* kind of spark!

[Book of the Universe · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Żałuję, że jest taka krótka i ma tylko perspektywę księcia (choć rozumiem dlaczego). Mimo to historia miała potencjał na dłuższą książkę! Aczkolwiek i tak jestem zadowolona z tego, co otrzymałam, gdyż był to pierwszy ciekawy retelling Króla Drozobrodego - autorka czerpała z baśni i świetnie wykorzystała do tego własny pomysł związany z księżniczką.

[Annette Gura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute retelling!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great King Thrushbeard retelling. I wasn't familiar with this story, but I absolutely love it! Be kind to everyone. Never judge. I love the meaning of this story. Always be humble. Very sweet caring Prince. The princess tries to be perfect, but you can instantly see it's a facade. I recommend this book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars

[Cindaren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read a ton of clean romance anymore but I will read anything Kate Stradling writes and this was as delightful as her writing always is.

[librarian.of.rivendell · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book by Kate Stradling.
My first time reading King Thrushbeard.
And what a first!

The beggar prince was epic!
The concept of the story reminded me of Puss in Boots and the Marquis of Carabas which I grew up reading.

Kate Stradling has an elegant style combined with lively characters that gripped me from beginning to end.

The story was lovely with lots of tension, a bit of mystery and delicate romance I appreciated. All in all, a very nice read I recommend!

Content: some kissing at moments of tension but non descript and brief.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a playful retelling of King Thrushbeard, following fairly closely to the original story by the Brothers Grimm.

I liked some of the family twists to the story and the princess’s horror at discovering the truth. “Did you enjoy watching as I failed at everything?” she demanded. I know I did!

We end up liking all the characters by the end, well, except of course, the real villains.

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything Kate Stradling writes is excellent, this book was no exception.

Content: clean

[Lisa Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mission complete! The Beggar Prince by Kate Stradling was the final book I had to review from the Once Upon a Prince series of fairy tale retellings completing my quest to finish this series by the end of the summer. This book is a retelling of "King Thrushbeard," which was a great choice for a series focusing on male fairy tale protagonists since the male lead in this story takes more of an active role than in some of the other stories this series has covered. Still, the source material has some questionable elements including a husband who lies to his wife about his identity and a spoiled princess with an overly controlling father. Although this book is primarily a beat-for-beat retelling of the original fairy tale, it does a good job of humanizing both characters and handles the controversial aspects of the story with grace. If you're looking for an in-depth and accurate adaptation of "King Thrushbeard," this book is an excellent choice.

Thorben is a stressed-out prince who is busy planning his upcoming coronation as King. When he receives an invitation to be a suitor to the spoiled Princess Leonie, the last thing on his mind is marrying her. However, Leonie proves herself to be such a difficult match that her father insists on marrying her off to the next beggar who arrives at the castle. When Thorben shows up seeking shelter on a stormy night, he is mistaken for a beggar and plunged into marriage with Leonie. Embarrassed about his bedraggled state, he decides to keep up the charade of a beggar until he can get his marriage annulled, hopefully without Leonie learning his true identity. He finds a small hut and puts the unfortunate princess to work, discovering that she has few viable skills for their new lifestyle.

In comparison to the other books in this series, this one is mid-range. Though it doesn't alternate between Tor and Leonie's perspectives, there is enough information to know what Leonie is thinking most of the time, and the major decisions in the story rely primarily on Tor. The one improvement that the book adds to the fairy tale is an explanation as to why Leonie never recognizes Tor after spending so much time with him just because he grew a beard. I don't want to spoil it, but it is a common enough disability that I found it relatable in my own life. Thorben eventually discovers Leonie's secret, and the two rely on each other to the point that an annulment starts to seem more inconvenient than it's worth.

I enjoyed this book for the most part, but the lack of conflict prevents it from being one of the best in the series. It follows the fairy tale so closely that there is nothing new or unexpected to keep readers invested in this particular adaptation. Although there is an antagonist, he is warded off so easily that I was expecting him to turn up again later, but he doesn't. The ending is so rushed that there is a lot more these two could have overcome together before everything was resolved such as spending more time to deal with the mistrust in their relationship. If Tor hadn't kept putting off telling Leonie the truth about his identity, the book could have ended even faster. When Leonie ultimately learns the truth, she seems a bit too forgiving.

The Beggar Prince by Kate Stradling is a solid addition to the Once Upon a Prince series, offering a faithful retelling of "King Thrushbeard" with some tasteful tweaks to humanize the characters. While it may not be the strongest entry in the series due to its lack of conflict and rushed ending, it still provides an enjoyable read for fans of fairy tale retellings. Thorben and Leonie's story is a sweet and relatable exploration of growth, trust, and acceptance, even if it doesn't break new ground. Overall, this book is a great choice for those looking for a straightforward adaptation of "King Thrushbeard" with some pleasant character development

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

King Thrushbeard is a tough fairy tale to adapt for a modern audience, and this story largely succeeds. The original tale is about humiliating a haughty princess by forcing her to live in poverty until she's learned not to think herself above everyone, but modern adaptations have the time to explore everyone's motivations.
Soon-to-be King Thorben of Hauck (his coronation is in mere weeks) is sent by his overbearing mother to a neighboring kingdom to present himself as a suitor to beautiful Princess Leonie. Leonie is known for mocking her suitors and giving them insulting nicknames, and Thorben is counting on being rejected because he doesn't particularly want to marry her--but the nickname she brands him with, "Thrushbeard," still stings. He's shocked when Leonie's father promises her to the next beggar who comes to the palace door, since Leonie won't have any of her noble suitors, but thinks it has nothing further to do with him. Until a prank instigated by his younger brother lands him at the castle door in rags and he finds himself married to Leonie before he quite knows what happened. If they can make it back to Hauck, he might be able to secure an annulment, but in the meantime he's determined to keep his real identity hidden because as little as Leonie wants to be married to a poor beggar, he's sure she wants even less to be married to King Thorben. But as they get to know each other and he starts to discover the real reasons behind her keeping everyone at arm's length, he wonders if annulment is really the right answer for either of them.

[Crystan M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun fairy tale retelling. At first, I was inclined to dislike both main characters, but Kate Stradling over the course of this novelette was able to show growth in the characters and teach both them and the readers some important lessons. I also appreciated the disability representation that is a further reminder that you never know what another person is going through.

[Tyrean · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Take of Compassion

While Prince Tor dislikes how the princess calls him Thrushbeard, could there be a reason for her acidic wit? In this fairy tale retelling, compassion is key.

[Jannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very sweet
And a bit funny
And a bit contrived
But very enjoyable nevertheless

[Chrisanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last by Stradling that I can access. And that's okay because I need something a bit more substantial. To be honest, I've been drowning my feelings in fiction, and it's time for me to be an adult again and go back to watching my circus instead of pawning off my desire for an ordered life on the books I read.

The cover tries to sell this as a different sort of tale than her other fairytale retellings(swoony boy is actually quite nondescript). But the book fits in with her other short retellings nicely. I like the character growth and the twist (didn't see that coming). I love how the twist fit. It didn't seem like a push to be inclusive. It just was, and I'd love more stories like this. Still had one or two tiny gaps in plot points but, again, something that I'd be comfortable with my kids reading. Stradling knows how to pare down plot and prose.

I'm sad to be ending this journey but it really is time for me to make my main course nutritional. My brain can't survive on dessert.

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this no-spice retelling of the fairy tale King Thrushbeard, a prince gearing up to become king in the wake of his father's death visits a nearby kingdom. The princess is known for her rude nicknames for suitors. When her father has had enough of her uncouth behavior, he swears that the next beggar to come to his door will be wedded to her. A rainstorm after a hike leads the prince and his companions to take shelter at the first door to accept them. This is, of course, the door to the castle kitchen. The wedding is shoddy and probably not legal, but the next day the prince and the erstwhile princess are out on their own.

I enjoyed seeing this story from the prince's perspective. The way he treated the princess humbled her, but not in a Taming of the Shrew way. The author carefully shows that the princess isn't just rude because she's a spoiled princess. She has face blindness, which makes her nicknames key to her knowing who she's talking with. Her reluctance to marry and lose the home where she knows the voices and attire of those around her makes sense in a way not present in the original.
I highly recommend this to readers looking for a male perspective written by a woman that comes across as men having real feelings and friendships with other men and fans of fairy tale retellings that improve on the originals.

[One Last Petal Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorben is only weeks away from his coronation as king of Hauke, so he plans one last hunting trip with his friends. On the way, he has to make an appearance before the princess of Elisia who is being forced to choose a husband. After she mocks everyone from noble to almost-king, her father declares he’ll chose for her: the next beggar who comes to the castle.
Unfortunately for Thorben, a sudden storm deposits him, wet and bedraggled, on the castle doorstep. Before he can say anything, he and Leonie are married. Now he’s got to get home and get the marriage annulled before his coronation. Oh, and keep his identity a secret from Leonie.
The only problem is… he’s falling for her.
This story was such a delight! Thorben was a sweetheart, but not a pushover, while Leonie had her reasons for being standoffish. And oh my goodness, when we finally learn the truth behind her actions… I felt so bad for her!
Even though the story only encompassed a couple of weeks, the romance grew in believable ways as these two got to know each other. It was lovely to see Leonie come out of her shell and trust someone, while Thorben’s eyes were opened to a world beyond what he’s always known.
A delightful tale of arranged marriage, hidden identities, and tending wounds. Even for a world without magic, Stradling has evoked the fairy tale essence beloved of retellings. I can’t wait to read more stories set in the Twelve Kingdoms!

5 Roses
A couple of sweet kisses (Married couple sharing a room, not a bed)
No swearing
Minor injuries

[Sara Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was laughing when I saw one of my friends finished this in a day. Then I went and finished it in a day as well. Kate's books are simply that good.

As the third King Thrushbeard retelling she has written, I wondered how she could make this stand out. Well, I didn't have to wonder long. Every character was delightful and engaging, well, maybe not the dullard, but he made his own issues. Tor was fantastic as a king and as a beggar. The princess was fun, even when she was being difficult, and even more delightfully difficult to figure out. Her distaste for the nobility and nuns does make sense in the end, but until then it feels completely bizarre...and beautifully consistent.

The love story was quite believable, all things considered. I especially appreciated that it didn't go smoothly, moving more like flat lines and leaps, sometimes up, sometimes down, and always delightful.

This is an excellent addition to the Once Upon a Prince multi-author series and evidence of Kate's beautiful storytelling. I received an ARC and have reviewed it gladly and freely.