Review: Prince of Chandeliers

I consider Gina Marinello-Sweeney a good friend, so I was over the moon for her when her fairy tale novel, Prince of Chandeliers launched earlier this month. She graciously offered me a review copy, which I immediately devoured. This book is not a fairy tale retelling in the traditional sense, but as she describes it in her author's notes, it is a love letter to fairy tales. There are many elements from classic tales peppered throughout the story, along with some original fantasy archetypes, lore, and characters. Overall, the book's primary focus is on beautiful, whimsical imagery and poetic language more than any specific tale.

Linetta is a lost princess, but not in the sense that she was estranged from her royal heritage. Instead, she is physically lost and lacks memories from the last four years of her life. She finds herself in a mystical, dream-like forest that leads her to a glowing castle constructed entirely of chandeliers. There, she meets Cornelius, a shape-shifting jester, and Daemyth, a prince who is cursed to only be able to communicate for an hour per day. The rest of the time, he speaks in a code that consists of complicated mathematical equations. This is something I would have loved to see in action, as I would have found the senseless numerical dialogue quite humorous, but sadly, he avoids Linetta for most of the time that he cannot communicate normally, allowing her time to explore the castle and get to know Cornelius more.

The language of this book reveals a lot about the author, who is passionate about poetry, whimsy, and elegance. There are many lavish descriptions of the enchanting environment that Linetta finds herself in, making the first half of the book reminiscent of a grown-up Alice in Wonderland. Since the first half of the book was mostly poetry and world exploration, it picked up for me more in the second half, when the real drama started. Before that point, the conflict and backstory were only referenced in dialogue during the hour that Daethys was able to communicate with Linetta. In the climactic third act, alliances are questioned and stakes are raised, initiating an exciting romantic journey reminiscent of "East of the Sun and West of the Moon."

The one thing I would have liked to see more of in this book is the romance between Linetta and Daethys. Although the whimsical world and imaginative lore were fully developed and explained, I struggled to see the bond form between the couple during the hour a day that they were able to communicate. In fact, there were some points in which Linetta seemed to have more chemistry with Cornelius. I acknowledge that fairy tale princesses have a tendency to fall in love quickly, but it still seemed that there was a certain element missing in Linetta's love story. Perhaps this could have been resolved by seeing her struggle more to communicate with Daethys during his cursed hours because she could not bear to be apart from him.

Prince of Chandeliers is a beautifully written, whimsical tale that will transport readers to a world of wonder. Gina Marinello-Sweeney's masterful use of language and imaginative world-building create an enchanting escape from reality, especially in the second half where the drama and romance unfold. While the romance between Linetta and Daemyth may not have fully blossomed for me, the unique magical elements and character dynamics make this book a delightful addition to the fairy tale genre. If you're a fan of poetic language, lush settings, and classic fairy tale vibes, Prince of Chandeliers is definitely worth a read.