Never After by Rebecca Lickiss

Released: 2002

Rebecca Lickiss' Never After novel is a fun, fairytale read that incorporates many popular pieces of folklore into one unique story.

Never After centers around an enchanted castle covered with vines and brambles with all of its inhabitants frozen in sleep, including three young princes. A group of characters arrive at the castle to help dis-enchant it; including an arrogant prince, an adventurous princess, and three wizards. Controlling the spell on the castle is an evil godmother and witch who refuses to let the princess kiss the princes to awaken them unless she passes tests to validate her royal status.

I like the classic fantasy approach to Never After in all its tradition; the frog-prince, the magical troll, and the wizard and witch-like elements. What I don't like about the book is the fact that there are no chapters, so it creates a lengthy, run-on experience; however the book is so fun it really isn't too big a deal. On the other hand, the novel is fairly short and requires pure imagination; so I suppose breaks aren't completely necessary to process any mystery-solving or to provide much mental recovery.

Never After will provide you with a fresh break away from any other intense reading experiences. I definitely recommend it for lovers of fantasy!