Review
An old king is gravely ill and his three sons are determined to find the cure. The eldest two don’t have the purest motives and so it eventually falls to the youngest to find the elusive water of life. This is a fairly standard hero quest variety fairy tale and I can’t say the story is anything outstanding. Plus I’d be lying if I didn’t say it felt a little stiff and hokey at times, but if you enjoy traditional fairy tales this one is enjoyable. I personally really liked it.
As always, the illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman are the standout for me. Her intricate and romantic style is perfectly suited for fairy tales. I’m always expecting to come across some book where she just decided to ‘phone it in’, so to speak, but it hasn’t happened yet. She clearly had incredibly high standards for herself and this book is no exception. The image of the old king on his death bead surrounded by tapestries and stained glass is unbelievable! Also the illustration featuring a group of cursed princes sitting silently around a table is splendidly spooky.
As always, the illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman are the standout for me. Her intricate and romantic style is perfectly suited for fairy tales. I’m always expecting to come across some book where she just decided to ‘phone it in’, so to speak, but it hasn’t happened yet. She clearly had incredibly high standards for herself and this book is no exception. The image of the old king on his death bead surrounded by tapestries and stained glass is unbelievable! Also the illustration featuring a group of cursed princes sitting silently around a table is splendidly spooky.
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