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Princess #3
Red Hood's Revenge
The assassin known as Red Riding Hood has a new target: Sleeping Beauty.
Humans and fairies have fought for generations to control the desert land of Arathea, home of Talia Malak-el-Dahshat, better known as Sleeping Beauty. For the first time since escaping the brambles, Talia returns to a home now ruled by her enemies, where Talia is under sentence of death. A sentence the assassin Roudette, the Lady of the Red Hood, is eager to carry out.
With Snow White and Danielle (Cinderella) at her side, Talia finds herself at the heart of the conflict between human and fairy, and targeted by an ancient threat that will soon ravage all of Arathea. Talia’s allies are few, but there are those who would rally behind their rightful princess. Talia didn’t intend to start a civil war, but she may have no choice.
Assuming Roudette doesn’t kill her, first.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2010
26 people are currently reading
1610 people want to read
About the author
Jim C. Hines
95 books2,392 followersJim C. Hines began his writing career with a trilogy about the irrepressible Jig the goblin, which actor and author Wil Wheaton described as "too f***ing cool for words." He went on to deconstruct fairy tales in his four-book Princess series, made all the world's literature a grimoire in the Magic ex Libris series, and explored the heroic side of spacecraft sanitation in his Janitors of the Post Apocalypse trilogy. His short fiction has appeared in more than fifty magazines and anthologies. Jim has been outspoken about topics like sexism and harassment, and was the editor of the Invisible series—three collections of personal essays about representation in sf/f. He received the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 2012. Jim currently lives in mid-Michigan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
February 7, 2017
Oh, man, I loved this one. It’s the best book in the series so far, and it follows the best character in the series. Spoilers for books one and two unavoidable in the paragraphs to follow.
Talia Malak-el-Dahshat, aka Sleeping Beauty, is by far the most conflicted and complicated character in this series, and it’s her fairy-tale past we get to dive into this time. Talia carries around the emotional trauma of her past and wears it like armor. Talia’s time as a fairy-tale princess is a cruel joke–even in the world of the story, her experiences have been reduced to a romanticized story: The most beautiful, athletic, graceful princess in the world, cursed to sleep for one hundred years, sought after by hundreds of princes, whose sleep brought about massive changes in her country’s political system, and the uprising of the fairies, who was woken by a handsome prince and married him.
But even if the tales stop there, Talia’s life doesn’t. And the tales certainly don’t mention how her wonderful prince raped her as she slept, and that she wasn’t awoken by a kiss, but by the pangs of labor as her twin children were born. They don’t mention how she murdered her rapist, after being forced to marry him, and escaped to take refuge in another kingdom, abandoning her homeland to be ruled by the people who killed her entire family, and who are now raising her children to hate her.
Oh, man, you guys. That is some meaty shit to work with, and Hines works it for all he’s worth. Talia finally confronting her past is a wonderful reading experience, and the way he has her react, taking back her power and re-writing the story so that the injustices done to her are made plain is just genius. I mean, the original story treats her rape as ROMANTIC.
I also loved loved loved what he did with the Arabian inspired fairy-tale world that she comes from. The desert setting is so evocative, and the way Talia navigates it like a boss is so much fun, reclaiming her power and moving on from all that trauma that happened to her.
Also,
Plus, there’s this whole thing with Red Hood, who in Hines’ world is a famous assassin bent on avenging the deaths of her family at the hands of the fairies when she was a child. She and Talia make a fantastic team, and the way her storyline wraps up is pretty much awesome, even if it’s kind of sad at the same time.
This book was awesome. It totally makes up for how lackluster book two was, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the final book.
Talia Malak-el-Dahshat, aka Sleeping Beauty, is by far the most conflicted and complicated character in this series, and it’s her fairy-tale past we get to dive into this time. Talia carries around the emotional trauma of her past and wears it like armor. Talia’s time as a fairy-tale princess is a cruel joke–even in the world of the story, her experiences have been reduced to a romanticized story: The most beautiful, athletic, graceful princess in the world, cursed to sleep for one hundred years, sought after by hundreds of princes, whose sleep brought about massive changes in her country’s political system, and the uprising of the fairies, who was woken by a handsome prince and married him.
But even if the tales stop there, Talia’s life doesn’t. And the tales certainly don’t mention how her wonderful prince raped her as she slept, and that she wasn’t awoken by a kiss, but by the pangs of labor as her twin children were born. They don’t mention how she murdered her rapist, after being forced to marry him, and escaped to take refuge in another kingdom, abandoning her homeland to be ruled by the people who killed her entire family, and who are now raising her children to hate her.
Oh, man, you guys. That is some meaty shit to work with, and Hines works it for all he’s worth. Talia finally confronting her past is a wonderful reading experience, and the way he has her react, taking back her power and re-writing the story so that the injustices done to her are made plain is just genius. I mean, the original story treats her rape as ROMANTIC.
I also loved loved loved what he did with the Arabian inspired fairy-tale world that she comes from. The desert setting is so evocative, and the way Talia navigates it like a boss is so much fun, reclaiming her power and moving on from all that trauma that happened to her.
Also,
Plus, there’s this whole thing with Red Hood, who in Hines’ world is a famous assassin bent on avenging the deaths of her family at the hands of the fairies when she was a child. She and Talia make a fantastic team, and the way her storyline wraps up is pretty much awesome, even if it’s kind of sad at the same time.
This book was awesome. It totally makes up for how lackluster book two was, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the final book.
May 22, 2013
Jim C. Hines's Princess series is just thoroughly enjoyable light fantasy. Not brilliant or radically inventive, but it's perfect comfort reading. The third book in the series gets a little bit further away from the "Disney Princess" tropes and more into Hines's own world, even if it is a very recognizable medieval fantasy world with all the usual genre staples. But he does a lot more with the different kinds of fairies, and this time Danielle (aka Cinderella), Snow (White), and Talia (aka Sleeping Beauty) go to Talia's homeland of Arathea, which is a vaguely Thousand-and-One-Nights-ish sort of place.
This time, the antagonist is Little Red Riding Hood. Or as she's better known, the Lady of the Red Hood, the most feared assassin in the world. As with previous installments, Hines reinvents and inverts the old fairy tales while making the "real" story plausibly something that could have given rise to the fairy tale version. Of course it's always the darker fairy tale versions he's working with. Here, Roudette is a shapechanging assassin whose goal is vengeance, and as in previous books, the true Big Bad is not revealed until after our heroines have worked their way through several red herrings.
This is really Talia's book. The plot is mostly about Talia and her homeland. We meet characters only vaguely referenced in previous books, and of course since Talia is a superhuman warrior with fairy gifts and Roudette is a superhuman warrior with a magical cape, we know there will be epic smackdown chickfights. There is also romance, political intrigue, and some very touching moments in the final chapters.
There are character arcs working their way through this series, such as the ongoing tension between Talia, who is in love with Snow, and Snow, who loves Talia as a friend but isn't quite sure what to do about her attraction. So far Hines is handling the lesbian characters in a nuanced and realistic way, neither making it a Great Big Issue overshadowing all character interactions nor reducing it to a quirky "diversity" checkbox.
It's a good read if you like fantasy that's right on the mid-line between light & comic and dark & serious, with that ever-elusive set of "strong female protagonists" handling problems politically, socially, romantically, and with the occasional judicious decapitation with a magic sword.
This time, the antagonist is Little Red Riding Hood. Or as she's better known, the Lady of the Red Hood, the most feared assassin in the world. As with previous installments, Hines reinvents and inverts the old fairy tales while making the "real" story plausibly something that could have given rise to the fairy tale version. Of course it's always the darker fairy tale versions he's working with. Here, Roudette is a shapechanging assassin whose goal is vengeance, and as in previous books, the true Big Bad is not revealed until after our heroines have worked their way through several red herrings.
This is really Talia's book. The plot is mostly about Talia and her homeland. We meet characters only vaguely referenced in previous books, and of course since Talia is a superhuman warrior with fairy gifts and Roudette is a superhuman warrior with a magical cape, we know there will be epic smackdown chickfights. There is also romance, political intrigue, and some very touching moments in the final chapters.
There are character arcs working their way through this series, such as the ongoing tension between Talia, who is in love with Snow, and Snow, who loves Talia as a friend but isn't quite sure what to do about her attraction. So far Hines is handling the lesbian characters in a nuanced and realistic way, neither making it a Great Big Issue overshadowing all character interactions nor reducing it to a quirky "diversity" checkbox.
It's a good read if you like fantasy that's right on the mid-line between light & comic and dark & serious, with that ever-elusive set of "strong female protagonists" handling problems politically, socially, romantically, and with the occasional judicious decapitation with a magic sword.
August 28, 2024
Ich kenne keines der anderen Bücher der Serie und es hat dennoch Sinn ergeben und war leicht zu folgen. Irgendwo zwischen 3 u 4 sternen, aber für die fürchterliche Cover Art der deutschen Version runde ich gerne ab...
August 4, 2010
You have many Princesses in literature and movies. There's Princess Leia who got to shot people; there's Belle who got a library; there's Princess Moonbeam, who got to (okay, I can't remember what Moonbeam got, but she got something). There's Eowyn who got Faramir, but more importantly got RESPECT AND UNDERSTANDING!
Who wouldn't want to be a princess?
After all,princess get clothes that look heavy, they get to wear shoes that look painful, they get talking animals (so how they eat meat, I don't understand), they get to watch their biological father blow up thier home and record collection, they get cursed, they get husbands who are charming but not sincere, they are looked at as a food source, dragons want to roast them, man save them and except sex, even if the princess is in love with someone else (even if the knight is supposedly in love with some one. Her beauty made me do it is a very old excuse after all).
I only want to be a princess, if it is in the tradition of Jim C. Hines.
This installment is good and gives the reader a good dose of Talia, who perhaps is most mysterious of the the three princesses. Her character gets more development, and we find more of her back story. This isn't to say that there aren't developments for Danielle and Snow, but Talia is center stage.
The action starts with what looks to be an attempt on the life of Danielle and quickly progesses to trip to Talia's home. Hines should get a huge amount of respect for his handling of rape (Talia is from Talia, the Sun and the Moon) and for truly thinking about the effect of fairy curses. Too often fairy curses and gifts are seen as blessings in disguise or just blessings, Hines takes a more realstic approach.
Hines' treatment of Red Riding Hood is well done and different from his treatment in Red's Tale / Lobo's Tale.
What I really like is how each of three (four if you count Hood) women is strong in a totally different way. Danielle who is the princess close to a Disney princess is wonderful because her philosphey is shown simply as different than Talia's. I loved, really loved, the way Danielle defeated the Wild Hunt. Snow is somewhat like a Jedi struggling with the dark side, but without the lightsaber and written millons of times better than anything Lucas turned out; Talia is more than just a ninja, Xena knock off; having many complex levels. I also really like that the amount of friendship that Hines shows in these books. Too often women are seen either just talking about men or backstabbing each other (women writers are just as bad as men writers in this regard), none of that here. True, Danielle mentions her husband and child, but it is not the center of conversation, more a facet of her character.
Hines also touches, briefly, but it is there on the current issues and concerns of the West with Shia (Shi'a, Shira) law. He changes it, of course, into fairy and human law. It should be noted, however, that Talia's culture is drawn from Muslim culture and the culture is treated with respect by Hines. While there is conflict over religion, Hines also illustrates more acceptance for behavior than in other cultures, like Snow's.
Who wouldn't want to be a princess?
After all,princess get clothes that look heavy, they get to wear shoes that look painful, they get talking animals (so how they eat meat, I don't understand), they get to watch their biological father blow up thier home and record collection, they get cursed, they get husbands who are charming but not sincere, they are looked at as a food source, dragons want to roast them, man save them and except sex, even if the princess is in love with someone else (even if the knight is supposedly in love with some one. Her beauty made me do it is a very old excuse after all).
I only want to be a princess, if it is in the tradition of Jim C. Hines.
This installment is good and gives the reader a good dose of Talia, who perhaps is most mysterious of the the three princesses. Her character gets more development, and we find more of her back story. This isn't to say that there aren't developments for Danielle and Snow, but Talia is center stage.
The action starts with what looks to be an attempt on the life of Danielle and quickly progesses to trip to Talia's home. Hines should get a huge amount of respect for his handling of rape (Talia is from Talia, the Sun and the Moon) and for truly thinking about the effect of fairy curses. Too often fairy curses and gifts are seen as blessings in disguise or just blessings, Hines takes a more realstic approach.
Hines' treatment of Red Riding Hood is well done and different from his treatment in Red's Tale / Lobo's Tale.
What I really like is how each of three (four if you count Hood) women is strong in a totally different way. Danielle who is the princess close to a Disney princess is wonderful because her philosphey is shown simply as different than Talia's. I loved, really loved, the way Danielle defeated the Wild Hunt. Snow is somewhat like a Jedi struggling with the dark side, but without the lightsaber and written millons of times better than anything Lucas turned out; Talia is more than just a ninja, Xena knock off; having many complex levels. I also really like that the amount of friendship that Hines shows in these books. Too often women are seen either just talking about men or backstabbing each other (women writers are just as bad as men writers in this regard), none of that here. True, Danielle mentions her husband and child, but it is not the center of conversation, more a facet of her character.
Hines also touches, briefly, but it is there on the current issues and concerns of the West with Shia (Shi'a, Shira) law. He changes it, of course, into fairy and human law. It should be noted, however, that Talia's culture is drawn from Muslim culture and the culture is treated with respect by Hines. While there is conflict over religion, Hines also illustrates more acceptance for behavior than in other cultures, like Snow's.
June 4, 2016
You can't see me, but I'm shaking my head at how good this series is. It's so much fun and while reading, I can't help speculating, hoping, shipping, and getting emotional over the characters and events that occur. I've thrown myself into each book of the series so far because I just can't resist them! I think about them all the time. I've literally fallen asleep daydreaming about the characters more than once. They've pulled me away from video games and comic books with how deeply immersive and emotionally investing they are.
The story has a strong part to play in that. It's always a grand adventure worthy of fantasy epics, and the ladies struggle against odds that make you worry about them, and rightfully so as they do get hurt. From the first page to the last page, strong writing keeps you drawn in. But on top of having a great story, the characters really are the stars of the show.
I've always been a "characters first" kind of media consumer. In anything, I look for strong characters who will keep me interested. If little happens in a plot, but the characters are good enough to hold my attention, I'm going to give the book a good rating because I enjoyed reading it. Characters are the lifeblood of any narrative, for me personally. And wow. The characters in the Princess series really do pull their weight. Each characters feels distinct, with their own personality and motives. And when they interact, it's a delight. They bicker and banter the way only people who are comfortable with each other and know each other well would, without fear of an argument causing irreparable damage to their relationships. They support and complement each other, with implicit loyalty that comes not only from how much they've been through together, but also from their genuine love for each other as people. It shows in the little exchanges as well as the broader, more impactful exchanges. For example, Snow sees a baby dragon and wants to buy it, but Talia tries to stop her, asking who'll take care of it, and you can just tell the answer is Talia will. There's so much life and chemistry between the leading ladies that I fall even more deeply in love with every chapter.
Okay, okay. So what's this book, specifically, about?
The assassin, Red Hood (as in Little Red Riding Hood) comes to Lorindar to kill Talia, but obviously our heroes stop her. They get dragged through a portal into Talia's homeland, Arathea, where they find the kingdom in a sore state, being run by corrupt fairies, and try to stop it. Meanwhile, the queen of the country is using the Wild Hunt to search for Talia (she wants her dead for killing her son; it's a long story). Meanwhile, there's some tension within the trio that's carried over from stuff that happened in the last book.
Compared to The Stepsister Scheme and The Mermaid's Madness (books #1 and #2 respectively), I didn't enjoy this read quite as much. But considering what the group is going through in context, it's understandably a more serious tone. And I mean, who can compete with pirates? But this is still awesome.
I don't want to go into too much detail because it'll spoil the previous books if you haven't read them yet, but trust me, you'll have a great time.
Right! That's it! So, onto the fourth and final book then? ...Well... You know when something is so good you don't want it to end? That's me right now. The Snow Queen's Shadow concludes the series and I don't want to say goodbye to these ladies! Who can say when I'll meet new characters I'll grow so attached to? But even if I do find other books, they can't replace these ones. They won't have their dynamics. I'm going to miss them. So. Badly. And that's why I'm reluctant to start...
RARRRGH.
4.5/5 stars
The story has a strong part to play in that. It's always a grand adventure worthy of fantasy epics, and the ladies struggle against odds that make you worry about them, and rightfully so as they do get hurt. From the first page to the last page, strong writing keeps you drawn in. But on top of having a great story, the characters really are the stars of the show.
I've always been a "characters first" kind of media consumer. In anything, I look for strong characters who will keep me interested. If little happens in a plot, but the characters are good enough to hold my attention, I'm going to give the book a good rating because I enjoyed reading it. Characters are the lifeblood of any narrative, for me personally. And wow. The characters in the Princess series really do pull their weight. Each characters feels distinct, with their own personality and motives. And when they interact, it's a delight. They bicker and banter the way only people who are comfortable with each other and know each other well would, without fear of an argument causing irreparable damage to their relationships. They support and complement each other, with implicit loyalty that comes not only from how much they've been through together, but also from their genuine love for each other as people. It shows in the little exchanges as well as the broader, more impactful exchanges. For example, Snow sees a baby dragon and wants to buy it, but Talia tries to stop her, asking who'll take care of it, and you can just tell the answer is Talia will. There's so much life and chemistry between the leading ladies that I fall even more deeply in love with every chapter.
Okay, okay. So what's this book, specifically, about?
The assassin, Red Hood (as in Little Red Riding Hood) comes to Lorindar to kill Talia, but obviously our heroes stop her. They get dragged through a portal into Talia's homeland, Arathea, where they find the kingdom in a sore state, being run by corrupt fairies, and try to stop it. Meanwhile, the queen of the country is using the Wild Hunt to search for Talia (she wants her dead for killing her son; it's a long story). Meanwhile, there's some tension within the trio that's carried over from stuff that happened in the last book.
Compared to The Stepsister Scheme and The Mermaid's Madness (books #1 and #2 respectively), I didn't enjoy this read quite as much. But considering what the group is going through in context, it's understandably a more serious tone. And I mean, who can compete with pirates? But this is still awesome.
I don't want to go into too much detail because it'll spoil the previous books if you haven't read them yet, but trust me, you'll have a great time.
Right! That's it! So, onto the fourth and final book then? ...Well... You know when something is so good you don't want it to end? That's me right now. The Snow Queen's Shadow concludes the series and I don't want to say goodbye to these ladies! Who can say when I'll meet new characters I'll grow so attached to? But even if I do find other books, they can't replace these ones. They won't have their dynamics. I'm going to miss them. So. Badly. And that's why I'm reluctant to start...
RARRRGH.
4.5/5 stars
July 30, 2010
Red Hood's Revenge is the third book in Jim C. Hines' Princess series and I have to say that it is by far the best. In fact, I think it's the best book Jim has written to date.
The main idea is that Little Red Riding Hood isn't as innocent as you might think and has become the Lady of the Red Hood, one of the kingdom's best assassins. She has been bested in the past only once by Talia (Sleeping Beauty) when she made an attempt on Queen Bea's life. Now, Red Hood had returned to the kingdom of Lorindar, ostensibly in an attempt to kill Danielle (Cinderella) but with perhaps the added benefit that she'll get to face off against Talia again. Who has hired her and why is a mystery that must be solved, even as they attempt to keep Danielle and Talia alive.
If I say anything more, I'll ruin one of the twists and turns that the plot takes throughout the novel, so I'll shut up now. Suffice it say that the plot centers more around Red Hood and Talia--and specifically Talia--and that it is the most solid and focused plot that Jim Hines has written to date, which is why I enjoyed the book so much. The main idea was clear, the plotting and characters strong and focused, and we delved into a different part of this world that was both interesting and different and brought out a tremendous amount of Talia's past and the "real" story behind Sleeping Beauty. And this is why I think I liked this book better than the first two: it's focus was on one of the three main characters. The first book, The Stepsister Scheme, was focused on Danielle, but wasn't really that in depth about her back story. And the second book, The Mermaid's Madness, wasn't really about any of the three characters. But this book not only involved Talia, but the main plot was also deeply entwined with Talia's back story, and THAT is what hooked me and kept me interested. It was well thought out, and the twists came at the perfect moments.
The issues I had with the book were incredibly small. First, I'm not sure it should have been called Red Hood's Revenge, since the focus was so much on Talia instead of the Lady of the Red Hood. The Red Hood was the catalyst for the events revolving around Talia, and she certainly had a significant role to play in those events, but in the end the book was more about Talia than her or her revenge. So the title is slightly misleading. Again, a minor quibble that didn't detract from the book at all.
My second extremely minor quibble is with the one chapter that dealt with the battle before the castle. I simply wanted the battle to have been more . . . visceral I guess. More emotionally involving. There is a lot of heightening of tensions leading up to the battle, with attempts to forstall it and such, so when the battle inevitably began I felt it didn't have quite the weight that it we'd been lead to believe it would have. I think this is because the three main characters weren't involved in the battle itself much (except for Talia at the beginning), so Hines kept the focus on them instead, but I still felt the battle was glossed over a little too much. An extremely minor quibble that only affected that one chapter.
Overall, an excellent book, interesting and involving and with a strong, tight plot that kept me reading. Bravo, Jim! I look forward to the next installment.
The main idea is that Little Red Riding Hood isn't as innocent as you might think and has become the Lady of the Red Hood, one of the kingdom's best assassins. She has been bested in the past only once by Talia (Sleeping Beauty) when she made an attempt on Queen Bea's life. Now, Red Hood had returned to the kingdom of Lorindar, ostensibly in an attempt to kill Danielle (Cinderella) but with perhaps the added benefit that she'll get to face off against Talia again. Who has hired her and why is a mystery that must be solved, even as they attempt to keep Danielle and Talia alive.
If I say anything more, I'll ruin one of the twists and turns that the plot takes throughout the novel, so I'll shut up now. Suffice it say that the plot centers more around Red Hood and Talia--and specifically Talia--and that it is the most solid and focused plot that Jim Hines has written to date, which is why I enjoyed the book so much. The main idea was clear, the plotting and characters strong and focused, and we delved into a different part of this world that was both interesting and different and brought out a tremendous amount of Talia's past and the "real" story behind Sleeping Beauty. And this is why I think I liked this book better than the first two: it's focus was on one of the three main characters. The first book, The Stepsister Scheme, was focused on Danielle, but wasn't really that in depth about her back story. And the second book, The Mermaid's Madness, wasn't really about any of the three characters. But this book not only involved Talia, but the main plot was also deeply entwined with Talia's back story, and THAT is what hooked me and kept me interested. It was well thought out, and the twists came at the perfect moments.
The issues I had with the book were incredibly small. First, I'm not sure it should have been called Red Hood's Revenge, since the focus was so much on Talia instead of the Lady of the Red Hood. The Red Hood was the catalyst for the events revolving around Talia, and she certainly had a significant role to play in those events, but in the end the book was more about Talia than her or her revenge. So the title is slightly misleading. Again, a minor quibble that didn't detract from the book at all.
My second extremely minor quibble is with the one chapter that dealt with the battle before the castle. I simply wanted the battle to have been more . . . visceral I guess. More emotionally involving. There is a lot of heightening of tensions leading up to the battle, with attempts to forstall it and such, so when the battle inevitably began I felt it didn't have quite the weight that it we'd been lead to believe it would have. I think this is because the three main characters weren't involved in the battle itself much (except for Talia at the beginning), so Hines kept the focus on them instead, but I still felt the battle was glossed over a little too much. An extremely minor quibble that only affected that one chapter.
Overall, an excellent book, interesting and involving and with a strong, tight plot that kept me reading. Bravo, Jim! I look forward to the next installment.
July 8, 2010
Jim C. Hines continues to surprise me. While the first two books in his Princess series were strong, this one was even better.
Having created the scenario whereby Talia, Snow, and Danielle work for Queen Beatrice as her equivalent of Charlie's Angels in The Stepsister Scheme and complicated their relationship in The Mermaid's Madness, Hines sets out to settle some of their history in book three.
As the book opens, things have been stable for about a year, but that stability won't last long. A package is delivered for Danielle (aka Cinderella). It contains a note and a toe--the note is from Roudette (the noted assassin also known as Little Red Riding Hood) and the toe belonged to Charlotte, one of Danielle's stepsisters. Roudette wants to meet with Danielle, alone, or Charlotte will die. Talia--and everyone else--knows this is a trap. Roudette must have a contract on Danielle, and there's no way that they're going to allow the meeting. Talia has tangled with Roudette before, and she knows exactly how dangerous this assassin can be.
And, that, in a nutshell, is precisely the problem. Roudette doesn't want Danielle; she wants Talia. Talia's (former) in-laws have finally decided to take action against her, and it will take all three princesses to save the life of their friend and her former kingdom from the return of her curse . . .
This is an excellent series, and I recommend it highly for those interested in fairy tales and those that like adventure fantasy in general.
Having created the scenario whereby Talia, Snow, and Danielle work for Queen Beatrice as her equivalent of Charlie's Angels in The Stepsister Scheme and complicated their relationship in The Mermaid's Madness, Hines sets out to settle some of their history in book three.
As the book opens, things have been stable for about a year, but that stability won't last long. A package is delivered for Danielle (aka Cinderella). It contains a note and a toe--the note is from Roudette (the noted assassin also known as Little Red Riding Hood) and the toe belonged to Charlotte, one of Danielle's stepsisters. Roudette wants to meet with Danielle, alone, or Charlotte will die. Talia--and everyone else--knows this is a trap. Roudette must have a contract on Danielle, and there's no way that they're going to allow the meeting. Talia has tangled with Roudette before, and she knows exactly how dangerous this assassin can be.
And, that, in a nutshell, is precisely the problem. Roudette doesn't want Danielle; she wants Talia. Talia's (former) in-laws have finally decided to take action against her, and it will take all three princesses to save the life of their friend and her former kingdom from the return of her curse . . .
This is an excellent series, and I recommend it highly for those interested in fairy tales and those that like adventure fantasy in general.
April 4, 2011
[5/10] : I'm a big fan of Jig the Goblin books, but this series just isn't working for me. The concept of fairytale revisionism is interesting and has potential, but the execution while competent left me cold about all the characters. I would have prefered a comic approach in the style of Christopher Moore instead of this high drama and heroic intensity. I'm also feeling that each book in this Princess series is a little less than its predecessor.
September 2, 2024
I randomly found this book when we moved. I have no memory of where it came from and didn’t know it was the third in a series. I didn’t mean to read it, I was just flipping through, then I got invested, you know how it is.
October 9, 2014
This is a good read. It did not hold my interest as the prior 2 did.
September 13, 2017
I enjoyed this one a lot more than The Mermaid's Madness. Don't get me wrong: TMM was good and fun, but at times I felt the plot was dragging. Here, in Red Hood's Revenge, I didn't find myself getting bored, and thoroughly enjoyed the twists in the plot.
Most of all, I loved Talia's growth, learning more of her backstory. Whereas Mermaid's Madness shown the spotlight on Snow a bit more, here it was the Talia show, and I was so happy for it. Her country, which is heavily inspired by Arab and Middle-Eastern countries, is accepting of same-sex romance and couples than Lorindar and other countries, which is wonderful.
This is a fun series. I've been listening to them on audio book at work, and the narrator is fantastic; she does a lovely job of giving characters voices without being obnoxious, which can be hard to do. Looking forward to jumping right into the last book!
Most of all, I loved Talia's growth, learning more of her backstory. Whereas Mermaid's Madness shown the spotlight on Snow a bit more, here it was the Talia show, and I was so happy for it. Her country, which is heavily inspired by Arab and Middle-Eastern countries, is accepting of same-sex romance and couples than Lorindar and other countries, which is wonderful.
This is a fun series. I've been listening to them on audio book at work, and the narrator is fantastic; she does a lovely job of giving characters voices without being obnoxious, which can be hard to do. Looking forward to jumping right into the last book!
September 21, 2017
This was the best Princess book yet. This series is seriously underrated.
All the fairy tale hype in the last years and no one talks about Hines.
He's a male author but writes great female characters and he has a lot of them. Warriors with fierce hearts but personal codes of honor, leaders who raised from rags to riches but stayed kind, sorcerers, queens, treacherous fearies, bloodthirsty assassins.
I'm so so sorry that only the first installment got translated to Czech because the people around the world deserve to have access to Princesses.
All the fairy tale hype in the last years and no one talks about Hines.
He's a male author but writes great female characters and he has a lot of them. Warriors with fierce hearts but personal codes of honor, leaders who raised from rags to riches but stayed kind, sorcerers, queens, treacherous fearies, bloodthirsty assassins.
I'm so so sorry that only the first installment got translated to Czech because the people around the world deserve to have access to Princesses.
February 9, 2016
While I didn't find 'Red Hood's Revenge' to be as enjoyable as its two previous instalments, it is still very good. Excellent worldbuilding, mythology and history on Arathea, the Arabic-influenced homeland of Princess Talia (Sleeping Beauty). The writing of different perspectives from each of the characters, describing what they are thinking and feeling, is also wonderfully done.
More magical power, more political power, more deceptive and dangerous fae, more fae rules made to be broken, and a lot more revelations about the sleeping curse that was placed on Talia. Her story – as a rape victim, a wanted killer by the royals who engineered the murder of her family, and as a princess of a home taken from her by force - is a tragic one.
Talia is not yet free of her past, or her impending fate. For her fairy tale, like everyone else’s, has no ever after.
'Red Hood's Revenge' starts off simple enough – the child snatcher Rumpelstilzchen gets a vignette. Then it gets rather convoluted and confusing around the middle and end, with too many villains and dark creatures (the political angle doesn't really help matters - fantasy stories are meant to be fun overall).
Red Riding Hood herself - Roudette (great name) - is an awesome character. Little Red as an assassin? Brilliant! She is a stone-cold, remorseless killer who matches Talia in combat skills. As will become clear later this isn't the only thing they have in common. Roudette carries a war hammer, and her red cape protects her from any magic, and when flipped on its wolf skin side it transforms her into a wolf. Genius!
However, she does take a backseat along with the other action princesses Danielle (Cinderella) and Snow (White) during the middle when she joins the main girl group in Arathea, where an overall sinister plan for a fairy takeover has already started. It is war between humans and fairies - and humans with themselves; the same goes for fairies. Deception is everywhere, and the usually distrustful and stoic Talia must find someone familiar, someone who will offer comfort and support to her in her old home.
It is time for her to return to Arathea after eight years, to take on a role as queen and lead an army. But is it an elaborate trap, a hundred years in the making?
Roudette's backstory, as it turns out, isn't that interesting or original, and very little is mentioned of it. But this is Talia's story, paralleled with Roudette’s as it is, and so her history comes first.
Danielle is her usual sweet, saintly and trusting self, who helps out a lot and has some funny lines. Her son Jakob is two now and Queen Beatrice (who barely appears in this book) is dying, so she has an awful lot going on for her in preparation to become the future queen of Lorindar; much like Talia’s situation in Arathea. Danielle has gotten better at diplomacy and leadership, coming a long way from 'The Stepsister Scheme'. She shows promise as a queen in 'Red Hood's Revenge', which is good.
I was a little disappointed with Snow - I was expecting to see more of her dark side, and more consequences of her casting too many spells after the events of 'The Mermaid's Madness'. But the most we get in 'Red Hood's Revenge' are her headaches, the result of a fractured skull inflicted from her previous adventure. Snow is still sassy, flirty, thoughtless and funny; meaning, harmless. Though there’ll likely be more character development and backstory from her in the next instalment, 'The Snow Queen's Shadow'.
As well as a complicated political plot (with sprinklings of creative ideas), I feel there is less sisterly compassion and friendship between the princesses in ‘Red Hood’s Revenge’, given how much of a temper and killing mood everyone is in. However, I really like the relationships Talia has with her old friends in Arathea, including the one with her lover, Faziya. Their passion, distinct personalities, and connection - past and present - are beautifully written. They will clearly die for each other. I can't wait to see how Talia and Faziya will hold up together in the next adventure, especially concerning Talia's feelings for Snow, who is now coming to realise just how much Talia means to her...
There is also surprisingly less action in this instalment than in the last two in the 'Princess' series, and more exposition and travelling around à la ‘The Lord of the Rings’. The positives outweigh the negatives, though, as the character development - especially Talia’s - is organic and flows with the multiple story threads.
Spell-rific, dramatic, diverse and well-thought-out, ‘Red Hood’s Revenge’ is a treat. So long as one’s patient.
All that's left is 'The Snow Queen's Shadow', the fourth and final book in the fantastical fairy tale ‘Princess’ series. I am super excited.
Final Score: 3.5/5
More magical power, more political power, more deceptive and dangerous fae, more fae rules made to be broken, and a lot more revelations about the sleeping curse that was placed on Talia. Her story – as a rape victim, a wanted killer by the royals who engineered the murder of her family, and as a princess of a home taken from her by force - is a tragic one.
Talia is not yet free of her past, or her impending fate. For her fairy tale, like everyone else’s, has no ever after.
'Red Hood's Revenge' starts off simple enough – the child snatcher Rumpelstilzchen gets a vignette. Then it gets rather convoluted and confusing around the middle and end, with too many villains and dark creatures (the political angle doesn't really help matters - fantasy stories are meant to be fun overall).
Red Riding Hood herself - Roudette (great name) - is an awesome character. Little Red as an assassin? Brilliant! She is a stone-cold, remorseless killer who matches Talia in combat skills. As will become clear later this isn't the only thing they have in common. Roudette carries a war hammer, and her red cape protects her from any magic, and when flipped on its wolf skin side it transforms her into a wolf. Genius!
However, she does take a backseat along with the other action princesses Danielle (Cinderella) and Snow (White) during the middle when she joins the main girl group in Arathea, where an overall sinister plan for a fairy takeover has already started. It is war between humans and fairies - and humans with themselves; the same goes for fairies. Deception is everywhere, and the usually distrustful and stoic Talia must find someone familiar, someone who will offer comfort and support to her in her old home.
It is time for her to return to Arathea after eight years, to take on a role as queen and lead an army. But is it an elaborate trap, a hundred years in the making?
Roudette's backstory, as it turns out, isn't that interesting or original, and very little is mentioned of it. But this is Talia's story, paralleled with Roudette’s as it is, and so her history comes first.
Danielle is her usual sweet, saintly and trusting self, who helps out a lot and has some funny lines. Her son Jakob is two now and Queen Beatrice (who barely appears in this book) is dying, so she has an awful lot going on for her in preparation to become the future queen of Lorindar; much like Talia’s situation in Arathea. Danielle has gotten better at diplomacy and leadership, coming a long way from 'The Stepsister Scheme'. She shows promise as a queen in 'Red Hood's Revenge', which is good.
I was a little disappointed with Snow - I was expecting to see more of her dark side, and more consequences of her casting too many spells after the events of 'The Mermaid's Madness'. But the most we get in 'Red Hood's Revenge' are her headaches, the result of a fractured skull inflicted from her previous adventure. Snow is still sassy, flirty, thoughtless and funny; meaning, harmless. Though there’ll likely be more character development and backstory from her in the next instalment, 'The Snow Queen's Shadow'.
As well as a complicated political plot (with sprinklings of creative ideas), I feel there is less sisterly compassion and friendship between the princesses in ‘Red Hood’s Revenge’, given how much of a temper and killing mood everyone is in. However, I really like the relationships Talia has with her old friends in Arathea, including the one with her lover, Faziya. Their passion, distinct personalities, and connection - past and present - are beautifully written. They will clearly die for each other. I can't wait to see how Talia and Faziya will hold up together in the next adventure, especially concerning Talia's feelings for Snow, who is now coming to realise just how much Talia means to her...
There is also surprisingly less action in this instalment than in the last two in the 'Princess' series, and more exposition and travelling around à la ‘The Lord of the Rings’. The positives outweigh the negatives, though, as the character development - especially Talia’s - is organic and flows with the multiple story threads.
Spell-rific, dramatic, diverse and well-thought-out, ‘Red Hood’s Revenge’ is a treat. So long as one’s patient.
All that's left is 'The Snow Queen's Shadow', the fourth and final book in the fantastical fairy tale ‘Princess’ series. I am super excited.
Final Score: 3.5/5
June 20, 2018
(Realistic rating: 4.25, maybe? Definitely a little over 4. THERE'S SO MUCH GOOD HERE.)
I still think The Stepsister Scheme is my favorite of this series, but this one is a really close second; the worldbuilding here is so, so intricate (what a cool and sinister take on the fairies' motivation for cursing Sleeping Beauty!! what an awful magical world has emerged as a result!!), and it's so much fun to see where Talia came from and the people in her past that shaped her. (And, of course, to see her with an actual love interest!! Faziya is SO GREAT.) Not to mention the creativity of the take on Red Riding Hood, of course-- what a good, good backstory, and such a cool spin on how many subversions will usually blend Red and the wolf to some extent.
I love the variety of the fairies, and the deeper look we get at Talia's backstory, and -- as usual -- how twisty and unexpected the plot is. It definitely gets a little dense at times (I wish some of the fairy mythos/magic was explained better??), and it's a little difficult to follow the trail of our heroines' journey since they keep going from place to place, and I miss the focus on Danielle that the other books have a little more, and while it's very realistic to show the lingering results of Snow's injury on her ability to do magic, I have to admit it does make for a slightly less entertaining read! And, of course, the end is so very bittersweet (with so many unanswered questions about the twins!!), with things left a little too up in the air for my liking. But it's such an engaging read, intense and unique and entertaining, and I'm so very fond of it start to finish.
I still think The Stepsister Scheme is my favorite of this series, but this one is a really close second; the worldbuilding here is so, so intricate (what a cool and sinister take on the fairies' motivation for cursing Sleeping Beauty!! what an awful magical world has emerged as a result!!), and it's so much fun to see where Talia came from and the people in her past that shaped her. (And, of course, to see her with an actual love interest!! Faziya is SO GREAT.) Not to mention the creativity of the take on Red Riding Hood, of course-- what a good, good backstory, and such a cool spin on how many subversions will usually blend Red and the wolf to some extent.
I love the variety of the fairies, and the deeper look we get at Talia's backstory, and -- as usual -- how twisty and unexpected the plot is. It definitely gets a little dense at times (I wish some of the fairy mythos/magic was explained better??), and it's a little difficult to follow the trail of our heroines' journey since they keep going from place to place, and I miss the focus on Danielle that the other books have a little more, and while it's very realistic to show the lingering results of Snow's injury on her ability to do magic, I have to admit it does make for a slightly less entertaining read! And, of course, the end is so very bittersweet (with so many unanswered questions about the twins!!), with things left a little too up in the air for my liking. But it's such an engaging read, intense and unique and entertaining, and I'm so very fond of it start to finish.
September 26, 2016
I think that this was my favorite book of the series so far. The pacing was great. I would pick it up to read a few pages, and find myself simply unable to stop. There was so much happening that I would just get drawn into the story immediately. I read the entire book over the weekend, despite not really spending a ton of time reading at all. It just moved so quickly.
I also really enjoyed the setting of Arathea. This is Talia's home country, and I definitely think it's the most interesting setting that we've seen in the series. I am a big fan of the way that the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale was twisted in the making of Talia's story, and the twisting continues here. The hedge was probably my favorite detail. It just had that perfectly macabre feel to it. Also, the expansion of the fairies was perfect. I loved that it got into the mythology of the fairies in this world, as well as the political and religious impact that they have.
I also liked how we got more depth to Talia's character. She's been pretty closed off for most of the previous two books, so it was great to see such a new side to her. It made me much more fond of her than I had been previously. I liked seeing all of the people from her past, and I'm very intrigued to see where her character is going to go in the final book of the series. I feel like she's definitely going to see some real growth.
I'm really looking forward to finishing this series in the near future.
I also really enjoyed the setting of Arathea. This is Talia's home country, and I definitely think it's the most interesting setting that we've seen in the series. I am a big fan of the way that the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale was twisted in the making of Talia's story, and the twisting continues here. The hedge was probably my favorite detail. It just had that perfectly macabre feel to it. Also, the expansion of the fairies was perfect. I loved that it got into the mythology of the fairies in this world, as well as the political and religious impact that they have.
I also liked how we got more depth to Talia's character. She's been pretty closed off for most of the previous two books, so it was great to see such a new side to her. It made me much more fond of her than I had been previously. I liked seeing all of the people from her past, and I'm very intrigued to see where her character is going to go in the final book of the series. I feel like she's definitely going to see some real growth.
I'm really looking forward to finishing this series in the near future.
June 18, 2011
Alluded to in a previous book, the tale of Little Red Riding Hood is definitely not a fairy tale: the Lady of the Red Hood is a powerful assassin, and only Talia--a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty--is known to have faced her and lived. So when they have to work together to face some demons of the past, neither is particularly happy.
As with the other Princess Tales stories, this one takes traditional fairy tales and turns them on their heads. And as with the other stories, this one involves a lot of butt-kicking and magic from all the princesses, including Danielle (Cinderella) and Snow (White).
While it's a good story, this one of all three (so far) books lacks a lot of character development. It's essentially 300+ stories of adventure, but it feels flat. There's little emotional investment; compared to the previous books it was hard to get worked up about the danger the characters were constantly in. The ending scenes (which cannot be specifically commented upon unless I want to mark for spoilers) were likely meant to be touching, but again there was no emotional connection between reader and characters.
Which isn't to say this won't please people, old fans or new, but it's a better choice for people already familiar with the characters.
As with the other Princess Tales stories, this one takes traditional fairy tales and turns them on their heads. And as with the other stories, this one involves a lot of butt-kicking and magic from all the princesses, including Danielle (Cinderella) and Snow (White).
While it's a good story, this one of all three (so far) books lacks a lot of character development. It's essentially 300+ stories of adventure, but it feels flat. There's little emotional investment; compared to the previous books it was hard to get worked up about the danger the characters were constantly in. The ending scenes (which cannot be specifically commented upon unless I want to mark for spoilers) were likely meant to be touching, but again there was no emotional connection between reader and characters.
Which isn't to say this won't please people, old fans or new, but it's a better choice for people already familiar with the characters.
November 2, 2015
The princesses' adventures continue in a new land with lots of new enemies to fight.
The good:
- a deadly assassin whose motives and loyalties are unclear makes things interesting
- further development of Talia, Danielle, and Snow and their relationships to each other
- deeper delving into Talia's backstory
- a lesbian love interest for Talia is introduced (finally!)
The bad:
- wasted opportunity to explore Arathea and see more of Talia's culture and people (the country is largely populated by fairies and the humans are mostly characterised as fairy worshippers so apart from meeting the Kha'iida there wasn't much to learn)
- the author's continuous avoidance of naming what Prince Jihab did to Talia as rape
- still no explanation of how or why Danielle is able to make animals obey her
- the Wild Hunt's fate remains unresolved, making the title of the book questionable since destroying the hunters was all Roudette ever wanted (maybe this is addressed in the next book though)
The good:
- a deadly assassin whose motives and loyalties are unclear makes things interesting
- further development of Talia, Danielle, and Snow and their relationships to each other
- deeper delving into Talia's backstory
- a lesbian love interest for Talia is introduced (finally!)
The bad:
- wasted opportunity to explore Arathea and see more of Talia's culture and people (the country is largely populated by fairies and the humans are mostly characterised as fairy worshippers so apart from meeting the Kha'iida there wasn't much to learn)
- the author's continuous avoidance of naming what Prince Jihab did to Talia as rape
- still no explanation of how or why Danielle is able to make animals obey her
- the Wild Hunt's fate remains unresolved, making the title of the book questionable since destroying the hunters was all Roudette ever wanted (maybe this is addressed in the next book though)
June 10, 2016
In this one Roudette aka Red Riding comes after . See Red is an assassin, and Talia did have her share of...troubles in the homeland.
So it's up to Talia aka Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Snow White to stop her.
There is dangers, murder and fairies gone bad (but then some would say they are always bad, many would so in fact).
I really meant to make it short, and could have ended it there, but it feels so short...so a few more words?
A very light fantasy. Feisty heroines that take matters in their own hands, and does not let any princes save them. A fun read
So it's up to Talia aka Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Snow White to stop her.
There is dangers, murder and fairies gone bad (but then some would say they are always bad, many would so in fact).
I really meant to make it short, and could have ended it there, but it feels so short...so a few more words?
A very light fantasy. Feisty heroines that take matters in their own hands, and does not let any princes save them. A fun read
June 19, 2019
Quick thoughts: Incredible. The dark take on Red Hood is inspired, the book is filled with complex characters and a nuanced plot, and we get to fully explore the past of one of our protagonists. My favorite in the series thus far (with one book to go unread) and it holds up wonderfully the second time through.
June 10, 2014
I couldn't make it through this book. I'd heard good things, but it was worse than the previous two. I got about halfway through, about page 150ish, and had to get a different book. I have high hopes for his goblin series though.
February 18, 2016
I finished this, but didn't really enjoy it. It wasn't so bad that it stopped me from getting through it, but it wasn't good. I did not enjoy the writing style, and I didn't actually like any of the characters, who came across as two-dimensional without any real warmth.
July 9, 2010
Wonderful...dark and fun....much love for Jim and these perfect books!
August 6, 2010
this is not a book for people younger than 25. i bought it and read it thinking it would be a book i would enjoy. i was sadly disappointed.
September 2, 2010
Abandoned about 1/3 through. Not a bad conceit but too "chick-lit" for me; not enough real grit.
June 8, 2013
Love the twist on traditional fairy tales!
May 12, 2019
I jumped back into the Princess book by Jim C. Hines again this week, this time Red Hood’s Revenge. Hines continues to weave a believable fantasy world, where consequences from past actions are still affecting these characters. We saw that in the last book where you see Cinderella is still dealing with the past abuse from her step-family, and we see it in this one with Snow’s continued head injury.
This fairy tale is based off of Little Red Riding Hood and also Sleeping Beauty. While we met Talia in the first book, you only got the bare bones of her tale. Her story is far more fleshed out with a visit to her homeland and facing the consequences of what she did 8 years ago. Roudette, the Lady of the Red Hood is also introduced in this story, and you learn what really happened to her to make her the assassin you meet now. The queen of Talia’s homeland has caught up with her. Roudette is sent as the assassin to kill Talia for the queen’s revenge. However, Roudette’s story twists and turns and surprise after surprise shows up as they move closer to the source of the corruption in her land.
Danielle, Snow, Talia and Roudette are all amazing a usual. Danielle is growing into her role as a princess and future queen, learning from Queen Beatrice who is on her final path thanks to the events of the last book. Snow continues to deal with her physical situation, the head wound, and her emotional one, learning that Talia loves her. Talia, meanwhile, is thrown into the maelstrom of her past, complicated by Roudette.
One of the great things about this series is the diversity. Talia is noted as being different, but tells Danielle bluntly she is from a different land where they have different standards of beauty. This is accepted and they move on rather than focusing on it. Talia and Snow’s relationship is strained not because they are two women, but rather because Snow always considered Talia a friend, not a lover. Talia’s further relationships in this volume are also not commented on by anyone, but simply accepted and acknowledged without judgement or criticism.
This is a good entry in this series. One of the only things that tripped me up is while Talia is an interesting character, she is not the one I relate to out of the three, so it was harder for me to want to finish it. Of course, the climax wouldn’t let me put it down, but to get there was more effort for me than the previous two books. Still, I don’t regret reading it and am still looking forward to the next volume!
This fairy tale is based off of Little Red Riding Hood and also Sleeping Beauty. While we met Talia in the first book, you only got the bare bones of her tale. Her story is far more fleshed out with a visit to her homeland and facing the consequences of what she did 8 years ago. Roudette, the Lady of the Red Hood is also introduced in this story, and you learn what really happened to her to make her the assassin you meet now. The queen of Talia’s homeland has caught up with her. Roudette is sent as the assassin to kill Talia for the queen’s revenge. However, Roudette’s story twists and turns and surprise after surprise shows up as they move closer to the source of the corruption in her land.
Danielle, Snow, Talia and Roudette are all amazing a usual. Danielle is growing into her role as a princess and future queen, learning from Queen Beatrice who is on her final path thanks to the events of the last book. Snow continues to deal with her physical situation, the head wound, and her emotional one, learning that Talia loves her. Talia, meanwhile, is thrown into the maelstrom of her past, complicated by Roudette.
One of the great things about this series is the diversity. Talia is noted as being different, but tells Danielle bluntly she is from a different land where they have different standards of beauty. This is accepted and they move on rather than focusing on it. Talia and Snow’s relationship is strained not because they are two women, but rather because Snow always considered Talia a friend, not a lover. Talia’s further relationships in this volume are also not commented on by anyone, but simply accepted and acknowledged without judgement or criticism.
This is a good entry in this series. One of the only things that tripped me up is while Talia is an interesting character, she is not the one I relate to out of the three, so it was harder for me to want to finish it. Of course, the climax wouldn’t let me put it down, but to get there was more effort for me than the previous two books. Still, I don’t regret reading it and am still looking forward to the next volume!
August 25, 2018
68 points/100 (3.5/5 stars)
Alert: LGBT themes
Red Riding Hood, Roudette, feared assassin. When she comes after Talia, Snow, and Danielle and takes them back to Talia's homeland, they know there is more to this than a simple assassination. The usurpers to Talia's throne have finally found her.
Red Hood's Revenge was a lot different than the first two books. It didn't take half the book to start to find where it wanted to go. It found it and went there. It was also a lot better book than the first two, and I enjoyed it. That might be because I really, really love fae, and this was a fae filled book.
This is Talia's book. It was also about Roudette/Red Riding Hood, but it didn't spend nearly as much time on her as it did on Talia. She was like a background character, almost. This was almost entirely about Talia, and Danielle was barely in it at all! Talia had her not so happily ever after, and now she has to deal with the consequences. And the pain.
We aren't close to what we have found to be home. We have to rely on Talia for the narration, because Danielle doesn't even understand the language. It is interesting to be so far from help, they have to rely on themselves. It also gives Jim C. Hines an excuse to build his middle eastern area for his Sleeping Beauty story. There is a lot of new things that rely on things in reality to show a new part of the world.
The story isn't really life or death. Well, it is and it isn't. It isn't as present as in The Mermaid's Madness. Yet, they could probably easily die in this book if this was that kind of story. Yet, it was a much more serious story. They didn't have as much random side fun in this one. Everyone had their serious faces on. It was nice.
This was a fae story. I always like the Wild Hunt, and this was a very solid take on the hunt. It is also a story of how the Fae took over a part of the world, and made the humans answer to them. This is a very interesting fae story that is contained in a fairy tale. I could have really done well with this story on its own, without the characters from this series and more serious. Because, I love fae a lot.
An interesting addition to the series, and now I have an idea of where the last book is going, too. It really was better than the first two.
For more reviews in this series and others, check out keikii eats books!
Alert: LGBT themes
Red Riding Hood, Roudette, feared assassin. When she comes after Talia, Snow, and Danielle and takes them back to Talia's homeland, they know there is more to this than a simple assassination. The usurpers to Talia's throne have finally found her.
Red Hood's Revenge was a lot different than the first two books. It didn't take half the book to start to find where it wanted to go. It found it and went there. It was also a lot better book than the first two, and I enjoyed it. That might be because I really, really love fae, and this was a fae filled book.
This is Talia's book. It was also about Roudette/Red Riding Hood, but it didn't spend nearly as much time on her as it did on Talia. She was like a background character, almost. This was almost entirely about Talia, and Danielle was barely in it at all! Talia had her not so happily ever after, and now she has to deal with the consequences. And the pain.
We aren't close to what we have found to be home. We have to rely on Talia for the narration, because Danielle doesn't even understand the language. It is interesting to be so far from help, they have to rely on themselves. It also gives Jim C. Hines an excuse to build his middle eastern area for his Sleeping Beauty story. There is a lot of new things that rely on things in reality to show a new part of the world.
The story isn't really life or death. Well, it is and it isn't. It isn't as present as in The Mermaid's Madness. Yet, they could probably easily die in this book if this was that kind of story. Yet, it was a much more serious story. They didn't have as much random side fun in this one. Everyone had their serious faces on. It was nice.
This was a fae story. I always like the Wild Hunt, and this was a very solid take on the hunt. It is also a story of how the Fae took over a part of the world, and made the humans answer to them. This is a very interesting fae story that is contained in a fairy tale. I could have really done well with this story on its own, without the characters from this series and more serious. Because, I love fae a lot.
An interesting addition to the series, and now I have an idea of where the last book is going, too. It really was better than the first two.
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November 13, 2015
Jim C. Hines ist ein Vorbild. Er ist ein Vorbild, weil er sich aktiv und mutig mit einem Thema auseinander setzt, das am liebsten tot geschwiegen und ignoriert wird: Vergewaltigung. Er ist geschulter Krisenberater, schrieb Artikel und Essays und veranstaltete jahrelang Kurse. Er betrieb Aufklärung und Sensibilisierung, bot Betroffenen Unterstützung, Schutz und Hilfe jeglicher Art an und lernte die Täter kennen. Auf seiner Website können interessierte LeserInnen einige seiner Artikel einsehen (HIER). Ich habe mir die Mühe gemacht, sie alle zu lesen. Seitdem ist er meiner Meinung nach nicht nur ein Vorbild, sondern auch ein Held des Alltags. Weil er hinsieht. Weil er gegen dieselben widerwärtigen Vergewaltigungsmythen kämpft, über die ich selbst auch schon geschrieben habe. Und weil er sich traut, das Thema Vergewaltigung auch in seiner Fantasy-Reihe Die Todesengel sensibel auf den Tisch zu bringen.
Als die Lady von der Roten Kappe ist sie im ganzen Land bekannt. Jeder kennt ihre Geschichte: als kleines Mädchen wollte sie ihre Großmutter im Wald besuchen, kam vom Wege ab, wurde vom Wolf bedroht und in letzter Minute vom Jäger gerettet. Ganz so ist es jedoch nicht gewesen. Jetzt ist Roudette die Jägerin – eine Assassine, eine Auftragsmörderin. Eines Tages sendet sie Danielle Whiteshore, Prinzessin von Lorindar und landläufig Aschenputtel genannt, eine Botschaft. Sie lädt Danielle dazu ein, der Ermordung ihrer Stiefschwester Charlotte beizuwohnen. Sofort befindet sich der Palast in heller Aufregung, denn die Einladung ist ganz offensichtlich eine Falle. Gemeinsam mit ihren Freundinnen Talia und Schnee entscheidet Danielle, kein Risiko einzugehen. Stattdessen wollen sich Talia und Schnee mit Roudette treffen. Doch die Lady von der Roten Kappe überlässt nichts dem Zufall. Die Einladung ist eine Falle – allerdings nicht für Danielle, sondern für die einzige Frau, die je einen Kampf mit ihr überlebte: Talia.
In „Rotkäppchens Rache“ beleuchtet Jim C. Hines die für mich interessanteste Figur seiner Reihe Die Todesengel genauer: Talia Malak-el-Dahshat, niemand geringes als Dornröschen. Die Geschichte führt die Leser_innen in Talias Heimat Arathea, einen Wüstenstaat im Süden, in dem Menschen und Elfen so eng mit einander leben wie nirgends sonst. Die Elfen waren es, die Talia verfluchten, ihr Schönheit, Eleganz und Anmut verliehen. Sie sind es auch, die nun ihren Tod wünschen und deswegen Roudette alias Rotkäppchen anheuerten.
Ich gebe zu, durch den Titel hätte ich erwartet, dass Roudette wesentlich mehr im Fokus steht. Ihre Biografie interessierte mich brennend; meine Neugier wurde durch die Konzentration auf Talia leider nicht vollständig befriedigt. Ich kenne nun zwar den groben Verlauf ihres Lebens und weiß, wie es dazu kam, dass sie eine Attentäterin wurde, aber ein paar meiner Meinung nach wichtige, interessante Details bleiben im Dunkeln. Trotzdem gefiel mir das, was ich von Roudette kennenlernte und erfuhr, wahnsinnig gut. Ich finde ihre ungezähmte, animalische Wildheit sehr beeindruckend; sie lebt außerhalb jeglicher Regeln und Konventionen. Intelligent und zielgerichtet verfolgt sie seit dem Tag, an dem sie ihre Großmutter besuchte, einen Plan, der tatsächlich viel mit einem Rachemotiv zu tun hat, jedoch nicht nur. Sie ist bereit, Kompromisse einzugehen, selbst wenn ihr diese überhaupt nicht gefallen. Obwohl sie keine besonders umgängliche Frau ist, mag ich sie sehr, fast so sehr wie Talia.
Talia ist einer der stärksten Charaktere, die mir je in der Literatur begegnet sind, sowohl persönlich als auch bezüglich ihrer Konstruktion. Jim C. Hines bewies unheimlich viel Mut, indem er für ihre Biografie die populäre „Dornröschen“-Version mit der unbekannteren Version „Sonne, Mond und Thalia“ von Giambattista Basiles kombinierte, ein paar eigene Aspekte hinzufügte und dem Endergebnis einen äußerst realistischen Anstrich gab. Talia ist dank Hines‘ Mut eine Figur, die Dinge erleben musste, für die es keine Worte gibt, aber nicht von ihnen definiert wird. Ihre Vergangenheit ist ein Teil von ihr und natürlich beeinflusst sie subtil ihre Entscheidungen, aber Talia ist trotzdem noch Talia. Ich habe nicht viel mit ihr gemeinsam und kann mir nicht mal ansatzweise vorstellen, was sie durchmachen musste – und doch konnte ich mich hervorragend in sie hineinversetzen. Ich liebe Jim C. Hines für die brillante, nachvollziehbare und intime Darstellung seiner Protagonistin, denn so ließ er mich begreifen, dass sehr viel mehr in Talia steckt, als es auf den ersten Blick den Anschein hat.
Schwieriger fand ich es, die Elfenpolitik in Arathea auseinander zu halten. Diese ist einfach nur kompliziert und undurchsichtig. Wer jetzt wo wie viel Macht und Einfluss besitzt und warum – ich denke, ich habe es immer noch nicht begriffen. Das Elfenvolk lebt in einem kleinlichen, verschachtelten System von Gefälligkeiten und Verpflichtungen. Das passt zwar sehr gut zum Charakter der Elfen in Jim C. Hines‘ Universum, ich bin jedoch der Meinung, dass er sich an dieser Stelle verzettelte. Diese verwirrende politische Situation war eher anstrengend als unterhaltsam.
Ich fand „Rotkäppchens Rache“ besser als den Vorgänger Die Fiese Meerjungfrau, für eine höhere Bewertung reichte es aber dennoch nicht. Wieder sind Jim C. Hines die Rahmenbedingungen seiner Geschichte besser gelungen als die Geschichte selbst. Es gefiel mir, Arathea zu besuchen und ich liebe Hines‘ bunte, runde Charaktere, doch die Handlung empfand ich als etwas schwerfällig, wenn auch im Ansatz kreativ und interessant. Trotz dessen würde ich nicht zögern, euch „Rotkäppchens Rache“ zu empfehlen, eben weil die Charaktere so außergewöhnlich detailliert und frei von Klischees gestaltet sind, dass es einfach Spaß macht, sie zu begleiten. Wer hätte gedacht, dass Märchenfiguren so viel zu bieten haben.
October 13, 2019
On the cover of this book, there’s a quote from the Green Man Review that is very accurate. It says that this book (or possibly the whole “Princess” series) “…brilliantly remixes fairy-tale elements with a modern action/adventure sensibility, as if the Brothers Grimm had been allowed to watch a ‘Charlie’s Angels’ marathon.” That’s what you get: three powerful women trained in the marital arts and magic fighting fairies, demons, and evil in general. There’s lots of sly remarks and funny asides, but basically, this is an action/adventure novel. And it’s fluff. Nothing about it is great, but there’s a lot of good stuff in it. I once tried to read the first novel in the series for Book Club, and put it down. It was too much fluff. I gave this third entry in the series a better effort because it was nominated for a Gaylactic Spectrum Award in 2011. I didn’t love it, but I liked it.
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Come visit my blog for the full review…
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November 30, 2016
I was feeling like a could use a good female power / women kicking butt story, so I picked up the third Princess book. It was fun to finally get a back story on Talia. I like her character a lot, especially now that she's more multi-dimensional.
The story was a little unnecessarily long; I sometimes found myself thinking that I didn't really care who picked up the unconscious person's head and who get their feet. I also had a lot of trouble unraveling the governmental / creation details of Arathea, and it wasn't until at least 2/3 of the way into the book that I figured out who was a fairy, who was human, and who worked for/served whom.
Overall, a fun read and I looked forward to every moment I got to spend with the book. I really hope Hines decides to write more of this series, because I only have one left on my shelf and I'll be disappointed when it's over!
The story was a little unnecessarily long; I sometimes found myself thinking that I didn't really care who picked up the unconscious person's head and who get their feet. I also had a lot of trouble unraveling the governmental / creation details of Arathea, and it wasn't until at least 2/3 of the way into the book that I figured out who was a fairy, who was human, and who worked for/served whom.
Overall, a fun read and I looked forward to every moment I got to spend with the book. I really hope Hines decides to write more of this series, because I only have one left on my shelf and I'll be disappointed when it's over!
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