Review: Falling for the Pirate

Among the ARCs I've read so far in To Win a Dark Heart, Falling for the Pirate by Nicki Chapelway was the most surprising. This book subverted all my expectations of this multi-author series of dual villainous fairy tale retellings and gave me something I rarely see in this genre. It reads like a modern isekai show, in which the protagonists are regular people who are reborn as fictitious characters in a story they are somewhat familiar with. In this case, it happens to be a story that one of them wrote. This is a plot frequently used in anime, most recently with last season's The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess, but I don't see it as often in fairy tale retellings, and especially wasn't expecting it from this series, which already contains several unique features.

Vera is a struggling screenwriter who just sold an edgy version of "The Little Mermaid" that crosses over with Peter Pan in the trend-setting style of Once Upon a Time. Vera's screenplay was meant to be a Wicked-inspired tragedy from the perspective of Moira, the sea witch, whose greed causes her untimely downfall. When she wrote it, she thought it was profound and poetic until she woke up in Moira's body and realized she had no desire to live out the story she created. To make matters more awkward, her producer, James, wakes up in the same fictitious world in the body of Captain Hook, Moira's love interest. The two are surrounded by familiar, yet unfamiliar, icons and must navigate their way through the dangers of the fractured fairy tale screenplay before it's too late.

What I enjoyed most about this book is that it doesn't take itself seriously at all. Vera and James constantly break the fourth wall, acting like regular people while everyone around them is living out a pre-determined script. Their modern perspectives provide a fresh take on this dark fairy tale world, and their antics to avoid suffering the tragic fate of the irreverent plot bring them closer together. Writers often fantasize about living out the story they created, and this book teaches them to be careful what they wish for in the most hilarious way. It also introduces some modern ideology into the timeless tales that inspired it, giving the male lead some queer characteristics, and poking fun at the extremely popular trend of fractured fairy tale retellings.

Granted, there are parts of this book that don't always make sense, but that just adds to the fun of it. The original Little Mermaid character and her prince are two-dimensional archetypes that Vera later realizes she should have put more thought into. Instead of the mermaid being sacrificed at the end of her screenplay, it is the sea witch, the greedy protagonist in need of a redemption arc. There are many layers to this book, which can get confusing to readers who are looking for something deeper than a fluffy romcom. There's the original stories of "The Little Mermaid" and Peter Pan, the Once Upon a Time-style screenplay that turns these stories into a new one from a different perspective, and the overarching narrative story of Vera and James, who just want to avoid their tragic endings and go home. It all blends together into a wacky isekai comedy.

Falling for the Pirate is a surprisingly irreverent take on fairy tale retellings, with a healthy dose of humor and heart. Nicki Chapelway's unique blend of modern sensibilities and classic storytelling makes for a refreshing read that's more interested in having fun than taking itself too seriously. It is likely the most unique entry in To Win a Dark Heart, swapping out the brooding, misunderstood villains in favor of relatable modern perspectives.  If you're looking for a lighthearted, entertaining romance with a dash of wit and creativity, this is the book for you.