Review: Tangled Sails

Tangled Sails by Annette K. Larsen is the third and final ARC I signed up for in the upcoming Displaced Fairytales series. This book brings together the protagonists from "Rapunzel" and "The Little Mermaid" with a heavier focus on "Rapunzel." It is a heartwarming tale of healing, generosity, and personal growth. As the title implies, the book borrows some elements that are unique to the Disney version of the tale, but the worldbuilding and characters set it apart as an original take.

Lyrielle has been locked in a tower ever since her magic powers manifested when she was a child. Her aunt invited the local villagers to stand at the base of the tower any time they needed healing from her long, magical hair. One day, in an attempt to escape her captivity, she fell through a portal into the ocean of another realm, where she was rescued by a prince named Tavric, who was searching for a mermaid who once rescued him from drowning. In order to pull Lyrielle from a watery grave, Tavric is forced to cut her long hair, removing the source of her power. Now, she must rely on him for guidance on how to live an ordinary life in the outside world.

This book leans more heavily on "Rapunzel" than it does "The Little Mermaid." Though Tavric has a royal fiancée whom his parents want him to form an alliance with, she is never implied to be the woman involved with his near-drowning incident, and has little overall importance to the story. Instead, Tavric is immediately drawn to Lyrielle after learning about her imprisonment in the tower. He is determined to help her find the freedom she deserves now that she has escaped. Through Tavric, Lyrielle realizes how much she was mistreated and finally has an opportunity to heal.

Healing and selflessness are the two biggest themes of this story. Although Lyrielle is an expert at healing physical conditions, she spent most of her life unaware of the mental and emotional strain that this task caused for her. Tavic devotes himself to helping her heal as she, in turn, supports him with the strain of his royal duties and his sick father. These two characters are so selfless that they become needlessly concerned about being burdens on each other, and must learn to accept the kindness of others to become a healthy couple.

Tangled Sails is a heartfelt addition to the Displaced Fairytales series, weaving together elements of "Rapunzel" and "The Little Mermaid" into a beautiful tale of healing, growth, and love. Annette K. Larsen's unique world-building and lovable characters make for a relaxing read that's sure to leave you feeling uplifted. I will be returning to the To Win a Dark Heart series after this review, but be sure to check out the fun combinations from other authors in this series.