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A review by thebakersbooks
The Princess Beard by Delilah S. Dawson, Kevin Hearne
5.0
5/5 stars — laughter and life lessons in one absurd, delightful package
What can I say about The Princess Beard that I haven't already said about the first two Tales of Pell? In the series' third installment, Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne again bring their trademark ribald humor and touching moments to a cast of larger-than-life personalities. This is a story with inclusivity and heart baked into every centaur-conjured teacake.
This novel's unusual characters include not only the aforementioned confectionery-summoning centaur and the eponymous bearded princess but a dryad who dreams of becoming a lawyer, a talking bird who captains a pirate ship, and a disenfranchised elf seeking a prophecy. As always, the puns and slapstick are rapid-fire (sometimes literally, with naval battles in the mix), and so are the friendly jabs at franchises from Disney to Starbucks. Most of all, Dawson and Hearne hang a lampshade on every pop culture storyline they've laid eyes on.
Important life lessons get a spot in the rollicking adventure too, but they never feel preachy or out of place. The ripped centaur, initially drowning in toxic masculinity, has opportunities to learn and grow (opportunities that don't require a female love interest's emotional labor, I might add). The law-school-bound dryad weighs her fears against the dangers facing her friends and makes an educated choice. The princess, who loves her beard, confronts the side effects of an unexpected curse. Although any well-told story has bittersweet moments, each Tale of Pell has optimism at its heart. Personally, I like sometimes being able to trust in a happy ending.
The Princess Beard is probably my favorite book in this series because (among other reasons) it emphasized friendship over romance. At least two sets of characters could easily have gone down a romantic route, and I loved that the authors didn't take that path. Romance is great, but not every book needs it! I highly recommend this book to readers who, like me, prefer less romance in their media.
On that note, I also recommend this third Tale of Pell to anyone who loves an action-filled adventure story and is willing to leap headfirst into a side order of wordplay and puns ranging from great to groan-worthy. You don't have to read the other two books to enjoy this one; a few characters from earlier pop back up, but they're mostly cameos or references. If you read and enjoyed those books, though, you'll love this one too!
** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
What can I say about The Princess Beard that I haven't already said about the first two Tales of Pell? In the series' third installment, Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne again bring their trademark ribald humor and touching moments to a cast of larger-than-life personalities. This is a story with inclusivity and heart baked into every centaur-conjured teacake.
This novel's unusual characters include not only the aforementioned confectionery-summoning centaur and the eponymous bearded princess but a dryad who dreams of becoming a lawyer, a talking bird who captains a pirate ship, and a disenfranchised elf seeking a prophecy. As always, the puns and slapstick are rapid-fire (sometimes literally, with naval battles in the mix), and so are the friendly jabs at franchises from Disney to Starbucks. Most of all, Dawson and Hearne hang a lampshade on every pop culture storyline they've laid eyes on.
Important life lessons get a spot in the rollicking adventure too, but they never feel preachy or out of place. The ripped centaur, initially drowning in toxic masculinity, has opportunities to learn and grow (opportunities that don't require a female love interest's emotional labor, I might add). The law-school-bound dryad weighs her fears against the dangers facing her friends and makes an educated choice. The princess, who loves her beard, confronts the side effects of an unexpected curse. Although any well-told story has bittersweet moments, each Tale of Pell has optimism at its heart. Personally, I like sometimes being able to trust in a happy ending.
The Princess Beard is probably my favorite book in this series because (among other reasons) it emphasized friendship over romance. At least two sets of characters could easily have gone down a romantic route, and I loved that the authors didn't take that path. Romance is great, but not every book needs it! I highly recommend this book to readers who, like me, prefer less romance in their media.
On that note, I also recommend this third Tale of Pell to anyone who loves an action-filled adventure story and is willing to leap headfirst into a side order of wordplay and puns ranging from great to groan-worthy. You don't have to read the other two books to enjoy this one; a few characters from earlier pop back up, but they're mostly cameos or references. If you read and enjoyed those books, though, you'll love this one too!
** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. **