Review: Wings of Starlight

Disney Publishing books tend to be hit or miss for me. When I heard that there would be a prequel to the Disney Fairies movie, Secret of the Wings, focusing on Queen Clarion in her early days and her forbidden relationship with the Lord of Winter, I was immediately intrigued. Wings of Starlight by Allison Saft is everything you could want from a Disney Fairies prequel. It enhances the lore that began in 2005 with Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg by Gail Carson Levine, without contradicting any of the established worldbuilding for Pixie Hollow. This book has been so beloved since its release in February 2025 that it even launched its own webcomic, which provides striking visuals to match the descriptions in the text.

Born from starlight, Princess Clarion is the only governing talent fairy to emerge in Pixie Hollow since Queen Elvina, whose reign is nearing its end. According to the Disney Fairies franchise, every fairy in Pixie Hollow is born with a talent that determines the role she will play for the rest of her existence. As a governing talent, Clarion has a great destiny ahead of her, one that she feels ill-prepared for due to the pressures that come with being a leader. She would prefer to have friends, like Petra, the tinker fairy, and Artemis, the royal guard, instead of issuing commands. When she meets Milori, the Warden of the Winter Woods, she is delighted to finally have someone who treats her as an equal. However, winter is off limits to fairies from the warmer seasons due to the threat it poses to their health, including the risk of freezing their wings and never being able to fly again.

I love the trope of star-crossed lovers, and this book portrays it brilliantly. Clarion takes many risks to visit Milori, such as entrusting Petra with her secret so she can create a special coat that will allow her to survive in the Winter Woods for a brief time. Milori has a great deal of respect for Clarion, as her governing talent makes her the only fairy capable of helping to banish the terrifying Nightmares from the Winter Woods, which are monsters made of children's fear that have been plaguing the fairies for years. Their mutual goal brings them together, and their determination to achieve this goal against all odds solidifies their bond. Milori's devotion to Clarion knows no bounds, making the book both heartwrenching and enchanting.

My favorite thing about Wings of Starlight is the way it builds upon the Disney Fairies lore without breaking it, which can be a problem with Disney spinoffs. Although the Tinker Bell movies never explained where the fairy queen comes from, it makes perfect sense that she would have a rare talent and be born from a different source than other fairies, who are born from a baby's first laugh. The book contains beautiful imagery that aligns perfectly with the rest of the franchise. In a modern twist, it also features a lesbian fairy couple, which is fitting in this world, given that there are more female fairies than "sparrow men," and their kind do not reproduce in the same way as humans.

Overall, Wings of Starlight is a must-read for fans of the Disney Fairies franchise. It forms the framework for Queen Clarion's past, allowing fans of the movies to have a better understanding of where she came from and her silent struggles. Her romance with Milori is beautifully tragic in the vein of nostalgic dark romance movies like Corpse Bride and The Last Unicorn. The book's lovely and descriptive imagery makes it an enchanting read for fans of whimsy and an excellent source for a WebToons adaptation.