Review: Princess of Curses & Croaks

I received an ARC of Princess of Curses & Croaks by Victoria Benty, which is the second book in the Seasons of Magic series. Although I didn't read the other books, I don't feel that I missed anything important. I understood and enjoyed the references to "Cinderella," which from the first book, Princess of Cinders & Secrets. Princess of Curses & Croaks is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice and "The Frog Prince." Though magic is a large part of the story as a whole, the book is about 90% Pride and Prejudice and 10% "The Frog Prince."


Lyranore is a castle chambermaid who believes she is meant for bigger and better things. She receives a proposal from her long-time boyfriend that she begrudgingly accepts, but feels he isn't good enough for her. When Prince Thomas rescues her niece from drowning, she slowly grows closer to him and starts taking magic lessons under his tutelage. During the time they spend together, she realizes that her preconceived notions of royalty being selfish and arrogant may have been unfounded.

The Pride and Prejudice spin works surprisingly well in a fairy tale setting and encompasses a larger portion of this book than "The Frog Prince." My favorite part was how the story of "Cinderella" paralleled the sister from Pride and Prejudice that Mr. Darcy sabotaged. In this book, Prince Thom claims that his brother is wasting resources by sending palace staff to travel to the home of every maiden in the kingdom to try on the glass slipper. I had never looked at it that way before!

Lyra is not the most relatable heroine, but her misplaced pride works well for a Pride and Prejudice retelling. The setting is on the darker side for a fairy tale world. It takes place in a kingdom where many of its citizens have fallen victim to a deadly plague, including Lyra's niece, whom she is determined to save. The magic system seems to be derived from genetics. Some characters are born with more mana than others, and only the wealthy can afford the education to learn how to use it.

Overall, Princess of Curses & Croaks is a unique fairy tale take on a Jane Austen classic with just a dash of "The Frog Prince" mixed in for flavor. It introduces a type of protagonist not often seen in fairy tale retellings, which rarely feature maids as heroines. The setting is fully fleshed out, and the magic system reminded me of the anime Ascendance of a Bookworm. I'd recommend this book to fans of Jane Austen and fantasy settings.
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