How to Summon a Fairy Godmother
What if Cinderella—here named Beatrice—were a self-serving, conniving brat? And what if her stepsister—here named Theodosia—were the one who deserved a happy ending? If that sounds like your jam, this fun (if slight) tale is for you.
Our story begins where fairy tales usually end—after the wedding. Beatrice is living in a gorgeous castle, ruling the land, and her prince husband adores her. Her life is—seemingly—flawless. Back at the family home, her younger stepsister, Theodosia, has been left behind with a bad temper and an even worse reputation. Her other sister is a bitchy nitwit and her mother an even worse parent than Lady Tremaine. Theo muddles along, nursing her grudge against Bea and hoping that something grand might happen to her when, much to Theo’s horror, her mother promises her to a nasty, ancient, controlling Duke. None of Theo’s schemes to escape the marriage work, so on a desperate whim—using instructions she finds in Bea’s old room—she summons her very own fairy godmother.
As anyone who’s ever read about fairies knows, the folk give nothing for free. So when Cecily—the gorgeous, witty, and clever fairy who appears—offers to help Theo avoid her impending doom wedding, she demands payment: Theo must complete three tasks of Cecily’s choosing, each designed to make Theo a kinder, better person.
Theo, however, is pretty awful. She’s defensive, cutting, and quick to judge and so self-involved and self-loathing that she lashes out at anyone who tries to get close. She spends far too much of the book attacking whoever happens to be nearby—and since she’s both brilliant and mean, her tirades are savage. One scene involving a child is especially hard to take, and even late in the story I still found her too nasty for my tastes.
The bargain Theo makes is binding: if she fails to complete the tasks, her life is forfeit. Cecily does provide assistance, though—two familiars, the surly, gorgeous Kaz and the snarky, gorgeous (and gay) Phineas, help Theo navigate the magical world. The tasks are far more complicated than Theo expects (as are Cecily’s motives), and it’s dangerous to be human in the enchanted lands. Theo blunders into all kinds of trouble—some of it quite funny—and to her surprise, finds herself happy for the first time. Fairies, it turns out, are much fonder of her than humans are, especially one named Locklan, who spends much of his time telling Theo how beautiful and sexy she is.
This is a fun, easy read. I enjoyed watching Theo solve each task, and though the world-building is thin, the individual fairies and magical creatures are vividly drawn. What worked least for me was Theo’s supposed growth into a better person. Mayo can be overly preachy, and she seems far more tolerant of Theo’s nasty put downs than was I. I also wished for more romance. There’s no happy ending, and the story simply stops, clearly setting up the next book.
I wouldn’t call it memorable, but I enjoyed it—and I’ll pick up the sequel. Here’s hoping that next time, Theo finally becomes a woman I can root for.