Book Review: Hero

Author: Alethea Kontis
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Harcourt Books
Series: Woodcutter Sisters # 2

Rough and tumble Saturday Woodcutter thinks she's the only one of her sisters without any magic—until the day she accidentally conjures an ocean in the backyard. With her sword in tow, Saturday sets sail on a pirate ship, only to find herself kidnapped and whisked off to the top of the world. Is Saturday powerful enough to kill the mountain witch who holds her captive and save the world from sure destruction? And, as she wonders grumpily, "Did romance have to be part of the adventure?" As in Enchanted, readers will revel in the fragments of fairy tales that embellish this action-packed story of adventure and, yes, romance!

Natural. Saturday had come to hate the word.

Saturday wrinkled her nose. What type of person was Monday? She’d gone off and married a prince after surviving a hailstorm and sleeping on a pea. Saturday knew nothing of Monday’s life beyond that tale. For the most part, she had grown up without her eldest sister.

Mirror, Mirror, true and clearest,

Please show us our mother dearest.

Everyone obeyed Mama. They didn’t have a choice. That was her gift. Everything Mama said came true, so Mama didn’t talk much except to bark orders to her husband and children.

Saturday Woodcutter is the only Woodcutter sister without magical powers, and to be frankly honest she is tired of being alone. Even with her magical sword, Saturday still feel set apart from the rest of her sisters. Until one day when Saturday accidentally creates an ocean outside of her home and is whisked away on the adventure of her life. She does not anticipate all the many twists and turns that she runs into while on her adventure, but nonetheless she is finally happy to be having an adventure and seeing the world much like her sisters.

Alethea Kontis has such a gift for writing these whimsical fairy tales retellings that are wonderful and remind us why we get hooked by cozy stories like these in the first place. If you loved Sunday, then you are sure to feel the same way about her sister Saturday. What I love most about Alethea’s books is the fact that they are supposed to mirror popular fairytales, but they are still unique enough to stand alone. There are characteristics in each book that point directly towards one particular fairy tale or another, but not just one. There are fairy tale elements infused throughout and each story is different!

Saturday is very different from Sunday, and I actually went into this booking thinking that it would never live up to Enchanted. Boy, was I wrong? Saturday was just as amazing as her sister Sunday, and maybe even stood out more because of her being the oddball in the family with no magical ability. I also felt like Hero was filled with more action and adventure than Enchanted, and while this is not a bad thing, it just fit Saturday and what type of character she was more. However, this is still a fairy tale with a damsel in distress, so of course you know that we must have a romantic element. I will say that it was tastefully done and not too overwhelming! It added a nice little cherry on top of a delicate sundae!

 

***A copy of this book was provided to me by the publishers at Harcourt Books in exchange for my honest review***