Review: Fairest Hunter

I won a paperback copy of Fairest Hunter by MK Felix for this month's Fairytale Summer. It was very exciting because I wasn't expecting to win anything. I don't usually read physical books, but this one was beautiful with lots of black and white character artwork between chapters. This book is a gender-bent retelling of "Snow White" and Robin Hood. I have to give the author props for creativity. Not only did she combine two unlikely stories, but by gender-bending both protagonists, she's created a work of fiction that is wholly unique to the fairy tale retelling genre.

In Fairest Hunter, Lady Rowena takes on the role of both Robin Hood and the Huntsman from "Snow White," two characters that are typically portrayed as male. She is hired to assassinate Prince Alvor, one of her dearest childhood friends. The king believes that Rowena will assassinate anyone he asks her to without question, thanks to the mind-controlling powers of his magic mirror, but Rowena has light magic of her own that she uses in secret to protect the people of the kingdom. Her band of merry men, who are named after the traditional characters from Robin Hood lore, help her to fight against the king's tyranny and keep the prince safely in hiding while taking on dual roles as the seven dwarfs.

Ordinarily, I'm not a huge fan of hardboiled heroines, but Rowena won me over with her unwavering sense of justice. She takes full advantage of her role as the king's assassin by safely hiding away his victims and making him believe that they are dead so he won't try to find them. Her hidden feminine side comes out later in the book when she infiltrates a ball. She was such a unique and multifaceted character that she sometimes overshadowed the more passive Prince Alvor, who had all the traits of a traditional Snow White. The dual-POV format helped readers get to know him even though Rowena's actions progressed more of the story.

MK Felix created a rich and believable world with a soft magic system peppered throughout the book. Rowena's light magic plays a crucial role in allowing her to protect her kingdom against the tyrannical king, and the king's wicked magic renders Prince Alvor powerless to stop him. The forests where the merry men roam feel like a real place and give off Renaissance Faire vibes. The concept of combining Robin Hood with "Snow White" is fresh and original. It works well in this context by giving so many characters dual roles from both stories. Maid Marian is present as well, but she ends up with a different love interest than in the legends.

Fairest Hunter is a thrilling journey through familiar tales presented in an original way. It has a strong modern heroine with an unerring sense of justice and an unlikely prince who takes on a more submissive role than commonly seen in stories like this. The artwork in the physical copy is stunning and helps to enhance the friends-to-lovers romance throughout. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a unique twist on classic stories with a strong sense of adventure.