Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 17/09/2022
Cover:
How pretty is this cover?! The gentle, pastel colours work wonderfully with the simple illustration to create a striking design. I also love that we have Charlie and Radar in the design, even though all we get is their outline.
Writing:
As expected from Stephen King’s reputation, his writing style is smooth and easy to follow. The narrative voice is confident and mature as the story is recounted by an older Charlie years later. While I found the world-building intricate and fascinating, the fantasy aspect seemed convoluted. On top of this, various elements within the parallel world are dismissed as part of the magical world. This simplistic explanation was not satisfying and dragged me out of the experience.
You’re only as sick as your secrets
Storyline:
The story begins with a gentle introduction to Charlie and his sad childhood. Charlie’s connection with Mr Bowditch and his dog Radar is then established in a slow-paced, mundane account that takes up about a third of the story. While I was not captivated by this aspect of the story, it did allow me to form an emotional connection with the grumpy older man and his sweet dog. The pace gradually picks up once Charlie enters the parallel world and there is some action. Despite this, I could not bring myself to remain invested in Charlie’s grand quest, as it took far too long to see where the story was heading. By the end, most loose ends are nicely tied without seeming too perfect or forced.
Main character:
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Reade may seem like a typical good kid, but he also has a dark side because of his tragic childhood. However, besides the initial complexity and depth his character gets from this, Charlie experiences little growth during the story. This made it hard for me to connect and relate with him, even though I liked his character.
There’s a dark well in everyone, I think, and it never goes dry. But you drink from it at your peril.
Secondary characters:
The grumpy and suspicious Mr Bowditch took some time to grow on me, but he eventually melted my ice-cold heart. Bowditch’s love for his dog Radar made him even more endearing, and I was impressed by how much personality King infuses into the dog. The remaining secondary characters are mainly from the parallel world. Sadly, I struggled to keep track of the large cast of characters, especially since most are given little depth and are unmemorable.
Romance:
The little romance in this story caught me by surprise as the characters lacked a clear connection. What begins as Charlie’s physical attraction to another character suddenly becomes love with little development shown. I would have preferred not to have this romance, as it adds very little to the story.
It is clear that ‘Fairy Tale‘ is not a story I found very gripping or engaging. Only a handful of the characters were memorable, and I struggled with the slow-paced, expansive storyline. However, I understand why other readers may enjoy this story, especially with the homage made to Grimms and Disney fairy tales. I would recommend The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab for those who love this book.
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[…] the story gradually becomes more intricate and compelling. This increasing complexity reminds me of Fairy Tale by Stephen King, which those who liked this may also […]