Books › Half Upon a Time (Half Upon a Time #1)
Half Upon a Time (Half Upon a Time #1)
400 pages
A hilarious, fast-paced romp that turns classic fairy tales upside down with sarcastic heroes and clever meta-twists.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like stepping into a fairy tale that has been delightfully scrambled and served with a generous side of sarcasm. The narrative moves at a brisk, energetic clip, pulling you through a whimsical yet slightly dangerous world where every classic trope is ripe for subversion. The prose is snappy and dialogue-driven, keeping the mood lighthearted even when the stakes get surprisingly high. It is an experience defined by playful irreverence, as reluctant heroes bicker their way toward genuine friendship and self-discovery. Perfect for readers who devour clever, meta-fictional adventures, this story offers a propulsive, laugh-out-loud journey that proves happily-ever-afters are much more fun when you have to break a few rules to get there.
- Mood
- lighthearted
- adventurous
- whimsical
- energetic
- Tone
- humorous
- wry
- playful
- irreverent
- earnest
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- finding one's own path · subverting expectations · unlikely friendships · legacy and family expectations
- The writing
- Snappy, dialogue-heavy, and laced with clever meta-humor that winks at classic fairy tale tropes.
- The arc
- Moves from reluctant, cynical obligation to genuine camaraderie and heroic self-discovery.
- Who it's for
- Middle-grade readers who love action-packed quests, sarcastic protagonists, and twisting familiar stories into something new.
Content notes
- mild fantasy violence
- kidnapping
- missing parents
About the book
Life’s no fairy tale for Jack. After all, his father's been missing ever since that incident with the beanstalk and the giant, and his grandfather keeps pushing him to get out and find a princess to rescue. Who'd want to rescue a snobby, entitled princess anyway? Especially one that falls out of the sky wearing a shirt that says "Punk Princess," and still denies she's royalty. In fact, May doesn't even believe in magic. Yeah, what's that about? May does need help though--a huntsman is chasing her, her grandmother has been kidnapped, and Jack thinks it’s all because of the Wicked Queen... mostly because May’s grandmother might just be the long-lost Snow White. Jack and May's thrillingly hilarious adventure combines all the classic stories—fractured as a broken magic mirror—into the first of an epic new series of novels for the ages.
Description from Open Library.
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