Fi is a treasure hunter, though she's more concerned with books and history than she is with gold or jewels. She's been working alone now that her ex-partner (and ex-boyfriend) is no longer in her life. When she meets Shane, though, they decide to work together for just one quest, in the hopes of striking rich. What they don't expect is for Fi to prick her finger on the bone spindle, the same one that has kept Prince Briar Rose in a sleeping spell for centuries. Forced to continue to work together, they must save Briar and his ancient slumbering kingdom, even as they try to escape vicious Witch Hunters and the Spindle Witch herself.
I'm a big fan of retellings, although I must admit that I'm not fond of those that seem to take most of their inspiration from the Disney version of events. I was definitely intrigued when I saw not only this book's beautiful, striking cover, but read that it was a sort of "genderbent" take on the fairytale of Sleeping Beauty. Pitched as Indiana Jones meets Sleeping Beauty, it delivers on a basic level with respect to its comparisons, but I found that there was something missing in the heart of this story.
Let's start with our two main characters, Fi and Shane. There's also a third to their little group, the aforementioned Prince Briar Rose, but while he does have a few POV chapters, he mainly serves as a romantic interest to Fi as well as the main motivator of the events unfolding. I never really warmed up to Fi, who, instead of coming across as a lovable hard-ass, struck me as being both selfish and meanspirited (and not in a way that makes you root for her despite it). Shane, on the other hand, immediately captured my heart -- she is a hard-ass, but she's also loyal, dedicated, and a lot of fun. Only at the very climax of the story did I find myself beginning to like Fi.
I must admit that I thought the romance would be between our two leads, but Fi is clearly intended for Briar Rose, and Shane has a love interest of her own, a fascinating girl who goes by Red. I actually ended up enjoying Shane and Red's relationship a lot, but Fi and Briar Rose's interactions lacked a real spark for me. Their banter was sweet and amusing, but their chemistry felt lackluster, and I almost think the narrative would've benefitted from cutting back on the romantic, will-they-won't-they, fighting-destiny dynamic between the two. Fi and Shane's friendship was pleasant enough, but I often found myself wondering why Shane was putting up with Fi's attitude and refusal to allow anyone to help her (it is somewhat explained by things I can't mention without spoiling the story, but I grew tired of it quickly, and Fi's meager explanations for it as well).
The story itself, though, is fun, and if you can overlook the slightly tired tropes (some intended to be subverted, but not quite succeeding), then I think you might find yourself enjoying this tale. I liked the fairytale aspects, and I absolutely loved the settings -- the adventuring is downright exciting, and that alone was enough for me to give this book three stars! Well, that and Shane, I should say. There's not much treasure hunting going on, aside from the first few chapters, but I loved exploring ruins and trying to figure out what was going on with Shane and Fi.
There will be a sequel, something I didn't actually know when I first picked this novel up, and I'll certainly be reading it. There were too many things left unanswered, and I do find myself interested enough in the outcome of Shane and Fi's story to want to continue on with the series. While this debut does contain weaknesses, it also shows some strengths in its creativity and nod to the fantasy quest trope, and I will be looking forward to finding out where on earth Fi and Shane will end up next.
Read it for the dreamlike, fairytale elements, and for Shane: a tough, fun, ax-wielding lesbian!
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