Bellarosa by Katharina Gerlach

Bellarosa by Katharina Gerlach

Katharina Gerlach’s Bellarosa

“Once upon a time in a world where magic and technology collide with unexpected consequences…”

The sixth book in the series Treasures Untold, Katharina Gerlach’s Bellarosa is a new take on Sleeping Beauty from the point of view of the princess. The heroine takes an active role in her awakening, much different from the usual passive princess tale. The reader gets a new look at what has occurred while she was sleeping and a different point of view from the uninvited fairy. While all the necessary pieces of the story are present, they are only the backdrop for the revelations Gerlach provides.

Bellarosa finds that she can sometimes communicate with people in her dreams, but not under her control. Only a very few, like the young boy being bullied by his older brothers can hear her and answer back. She helps him to escape them, giving him clues he will need later. They build a life-long friendship as she slumbers through the years. He becomes more than a princeling, a strong fighter and a good man. This leads him to have to make a difficult choice.

It’s well worth the read especially for some inverted fairy tale tropes and characters. For one, there’s a robot, and for another, the youngest child becomes the heir, not the eldest, creating a perfect storm for sibling rivalry. Behind the scenes there is the game of politics that exist between any two kingdoms, especially those intended for union by marriage, one that the spell has affected.

The ending has a bit of a twist which makes the story that much more enjoyable. If you like fairy tales, I recommend this one as a quick and relaxing read.

Transparency Notice: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.