Ever Cursed
Corey Ann Haydu’s feminist fairy tale strikes at the heart of the patriarchy and gives readers a new way to look at fairy tales.
Ever Cursed is told through the perspective of Jane, the eldest princess of Ever, cursed to be Without an essential thing, and Reagan, the witch who cursed Jane, her sisters, and her mother.
Jane, Alice, Nora, Grace, and Eden carry the burden of being punished for a crime they didn’t commit, or even know about. They are each cursed to be Without one thing: the ability to eat, sleep, love, remember, or hope. Their mother, the Queen, is imprisoned, frozen in time in an unbreakable glass box.
But when Eden’s curse sets in on her thirteenth birthday, the princesses are given the opportunity to break the curse, preventing it from becoming a True Spell and dooming the princesses for life. To do this, they must confront Reagan, who might not be the villain they thought, as well as the wickedness plaguing their own kingdom—and family.
Haydu’s decision to switch perspectives between Jane and Reagan was brilliant. Readers were able to understand Reagan’s decision to enact the curse. Any daughter, once hearing the cause of her mother’s pain, would do anything to punish whoever hurt her. Even cast a curse that didn’t exactly do what was intended.
Hearing how Jane was impacted by the curse, and how she looked away from the pain and harm her father was causing, was a compelling part of the book. Many people, men and women both, see atrocities happening, but look away. They think they misunderstood, or they didn’t really see what they did – it can’t possibly be true. Seeing Jane confront her ignorance was a powerful moment. She wasn’t willing to let her father get away with his cruelty any longer. She freed not only herself but the other women in the kingdom of Ever.
I also enjoyed how the fairy tale included LGBT representation, especially when it came to the princesses. Alice was transgender and another of Jane’s sister was a bisexual. We are seeing more fantasy/fairy tales without a heteronormative cast, but it’s always refreshing to see princesses that aren’t just pining after princes.
Ever Cursed is an insightful twist of a fairy tale that explores power, and who wields it. This book teaches us that every woman is a witch, and her magic is powerful.
Ever Cursed Rating: ★★★★
Ever Cursed is told through the perspective of Jane, the eldest princess of Ever, cursed to be Without an essential thing, and Reagan, the witch who cursed Jane, her sisters, and her mother.
Jane, Alice, Nora, Grace, and Eden carry the burden of being punished for a crime they didn’t commit, or even know about. They are each cursed to be Without one thing: the ability to eat, sleep, love, remember, or hope. Their mother, the Queen, is imprisoned, frozen in time in an unbreakable glass box.
But when Eden’s curse sets in on her thirteenth birthday, the princesses are given the opportunity to break the curse, preventing it from becoming a True Spell and dooming the princesses for life. To do this, they must confront Reagan, who might not be the villain they thought, as well as the wickedness plaguing their own kingdom—and family.
Haydu’s decision to switch perspectives between Jane and Reagan was brilliant. Readers were able to understand Reagan’s decision to enact the curse. Any daughter, once hearing the cause of her mother’s pain, would do anything to punish whoever hurt her. Even cast a curse that didn’t exactly do what was intended.
Hearing how Jane was impacted by the curse, and how she looked away from the pain and harm her father was causing, was a compelling part of the book. Many people, men and women both, see atrocities happening, but look away. They think they misunderstood, or they didn’t really see what they did – it can’t possibly be true. Seeing Jane confront her ignorance was a powerful moment. She wasn’t willing to let her father get away with his cruelty any longer. She freed not only herself but the other women in the kingdom of Ever.
I also enjoyed how the fairy tale included LGBT representation, especially when it came to the princesses. Alice was transgender and another of Jane’s sister was a bisexual. We are seeing more fantasy/fairy tales without a heteronormative cast, but it’s always refreshing to see princesses that aren’t just pining after princes.
Ever Cursed is an insightful twist of a fairy tale that explores power, and who wields it. This book teaches us that every woman is a witch, and her magic is powerful.
Ever Cursed Rating: ★★★★