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zanybibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Similar to a fairytale you may have read before. Magic, beautiful birds and a powerful message.
Read my full review on my blog by clicking here!
I liked the story and I am interested to read the next book in this new Fae series.
Read my full review on my blog by clicking here!
I liked the story and I am interested to read the next book in this new Fae series.
sjeckert's review against another edition
4.0
This was a cute little fantasy! Very fun to listen to and with some good themes.
darquedreamer's review against another edition
5.0
“Beauty can be given as easily as a smile, riches with a wave of my hand. But there are deeper forms of magic, and there is a great difference between the beauty that comes from magic and the beauty that is shaped inside the heart.”
The Princess and the Peacock was such an adorable read! It was the epitome of faerie tales! I absolutely adored it and I cannot wait for more in the series!
The tale reminded me a little of The Frog Prince and The Swan Princess. It had a similar moral about what’s on the inside that counts. It was very touching, and though it was obviously predictable, it was just what I look for in a faerie tale.
I loved that in the short amount of time the tale was told, I truly got to know the three main characters, and I absolutely fell in love with them. The setting was beautiful, and the writing was very vivid. For a quick read, it really felt like a fully developed novel.
It was absolutely breathtaking and beautiful. I loved it almost as much as my favorite faerie tale retelling series. It had passion, an amazing moral lesson, magic, love, a touch of danger, and, of course, a satisfying ending. I’d definitely recommend it to faerie tale lovers!
“Even as it marked her face, it hinted that the true beauty lay in her heart.”
Thank you to R&R Book Tours and the author for providing me with this free e-copy in exchange for my honest review and as part of the blog tour.
Quotes are from the book, written by the author.
The Princess and the Peacock was such an adorable read! It was the epitome of faerie tales! I absolutely adored it and I cannot wait for more in the series!
The tale reminded me a little of The Frog Prince and The Swan Princess. It had a similar moral about what’s on the inside that counts. It was very touching, and though it was obviously predictable, it was just what I look for in a faerie tale.
I loved that in the short amount of time the tale was told, I truly got to know the three main characters, and I absolutely fell in love with them. The setting was beautiful, and the writing was very vivid. For a quick read, it really felt like a fully developed novel.
It was absolutely breathtaking and beautiful. I loved it almost as much as my favorite faerie tale retelling series. It had passion, an amazing moral lesson, magic, love, a touch of danger, and, of course, a satisfying ending. I’d definitely recommend it to faerie tale lovers!
“Even as it marked her face, it hinted that the true beauty lay in her heart.”
Thank you to R&R Book Tours and the author for providing me with this free e-copy in exchange for my honest review and as part of the blog tour.
Quotes are from the book, written by the author.
constant2m's review against another edition
5.0
An original fairy tale, with a slight nod to Beauty and the Beast, reminds us that beauty is found within. This was a lovely story, told primarily about three characters. While that may sound simplistic, it actually made it much easier to get to know these characters as well as the backstories of each of them.
Kaipo - the narrator of the story. An orphan and an outcast. He has long loved the princess Mele, but due to an accident that left his face scarred feels unworthy of her great beauty. So he sets off on a quest to find the Fae Queen who may grant his wish to be made beautiful, although what she grants him may not turn out as he expected.
Rahj - Kaipo's adopted brother. Also an orphan. Loved by Kaiyo's father, but never Kaiyo or his mother, Rahj only wants to be part of the family. After the death of both parents, he and Kaiyo grow closer and he helps Kaiyo on his quest. Rahj is truly kind. Although he makes mistakes, he never wants to hurt his brother.
Mele - the princess. Of age to be married and bored to death with suitors who are only beautiful while lacking other redeeming qualities. Due to unusual circumstances, she ends up offering her protection to both Kaiyo and Rahj who learn that her kindness and compassion are even greater than her beauty.
The fairy tale reminds us of the importance of forgiveness, compassion, and above all, the beauty that is found within.
I received a free copy of the audiobook from the author and have reviewed it willingly. The narrator did an amazing job voicing the story and brought all of the characters to life.
Kaipo - the narrator of the story. An orphan and an outcast. He has long loved the princess Mele, but due to an accident that left his face scarred feels unworthy of her great beauty. So he sets off on a quest to find the Fae Queen who may grant his wish to be made beautiful, although what she grants him may not turn out as he expected.
Rahj - Kaipo's adopted brother. Also an orphan. Loved by Kaiyo's father, but never Kaiyo or his mother, Rahj only wants to be part of the family. After the death of both parents, he and Kaiyo grow closer and he helps Kaiyo on his quest. Rahj is truly kind. Although he makes mistakes, he never wants to hurt his brother.
Mele - the princess. Of age to be married and bored to death with suitors who are only beautiful while lacking other redeeming qualities. Due to unusual circumstances, she ends up offering her protection to both Kaiyo and Rahj who learn that her kindness and compassion are even greater than her beauty.
The fairy tale reminds us of the importance of forgiveness, compassion, and above all, the beauty that is found within.
I received a free copy of the audiobook from the author and have reviewed it willingly. The narrator did an amazing job voicing the story and brought all of the characters to life.
thehamsterreads's review against another edition
5.0
This is a wonderful story! I listened to it on Audible and I really liked everything about it. It’s a fairy tale about the nature of beauty. Mele, a beautiful princess searches for a man to wed, but she is not simply looking for the most handsome man. She wants a man with a beautiful heart that can help her bring more beauty to the world by helping others. Kaipo, a man scarred by fire loves the princess, but doesn’t believe she could ever love someone as ugly as him. So he sets off on a dangerous quest to have his wish granted by a Fae Queen. And Rahj, Kaipo’s adopted brother and only friend, who was enslaved and abused as a child, and then rescued by Kaipo’s father, accompanies Kaipo on his journey. Rahj is kind and good hearted, and is willing to do anything to help the man reach his goal.
This story is beautifully written. It’s also very well narrated on the Audible version. I very much enjoyed listening to it! I lost myself in the world C. S. Johnson created. I loved the characters, especially the princess for she is so kind and good. I also loved Kaipo as the peacock. He was so funny and I loved how he would squawk and caw and make all his bird noises in an attempt to make conversation.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves fairy tales!
This story is beautifully written. It’s also very well narrated on the Audible version. I very much enjoyed listening to it! I lost myself in the world C. S. Johnson created. I loved the characters, especially the princess for she is so kind and good. I also loved Kaipo as the peacock. He was so funny and I loved how he would squawk and caw and make all his bird noises in an attempt to make conversation.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves fairy tales!
merieshenanigans's review against another edition
5.0
Read it in one sitting-- such a lovely original fairytale!
kippersforbreakfast's review
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
lostinabookbrb's review against another edition
4.0
I was rather surprised by this book and in the pleasant type of way. First person is not my favorite point of view but it works well with this story. The story is told from Kaipo's point of view beginning when he climbs a mountain to seek a wish from Jaya, the Fae Queen. Jaya answers his wish for beauty by turning him into a peacock. I thought this a creative approach to transformative royalty. Kaipo is not a selfish person but he has trouble seeing his own worth due to the things that have happened to him.
The story, with being a novella, is concise but that doesn't detract from it being written beautifully. It reads a bit like an old time fairy tale which I loved. There isn't much detail as far as the world building but I don't think it's needed.
The characters in the story were fleshed out. I was so happy when the princess, Mele, actually had a personality! She's not bland, she's caring and a bit headstrong. She has her sense of right and wrong and will go for what's right even if that may not be what is expected of her. I also really felt for Kaipo's brother, Rahj. With his past and how he had been treated, he was still kind. It was nice to see that even more than Kaipo's love of Mele, the story centered around Kaipo's relationship with Rahj.
The pacing felt right for this book, too. It managed to tell a complete story without speeding up the story. The reader was allowed to get close to the characters.
I'm excited that this is the first book in what appears to be a series. I'll definitely be checking the rest out.
The story, with being a novella, is concise but that doesn't detract from it being written beautifully. It reads a bit like an old time fairy tale which I loved. There isn't much detail as far as the world building but I don't think it's needed.
The characters in the story were fleshed out. I was so happy when the princess, Mele, actually had a personality! She's not bland, she's caring and a bit headstrong. She has her sense of right and wrong and will go for what's right even if that may not be what is expected of her. I also really felt for Kaipo's brother, Rahj. With his past and how he had been treated, he was still kind. It was nice to see that even more than Kaipo's love of Mele, the story centered around Kaipo's relationship with Rahj.
The pacing felt right for this book, too. It managed to tell a complete story without speeding up the story. The reader was allowed to get close to the characters.
I'm excited that this is the first book in what appears to be a series. I'll definitely be checking the rest out.
crystalmcgough's review
5.0
I’ll be honest, I was fully expecting to give this book four stars. It was a ton of fun, though a strange sort of fanciful tale. But by the end, I was once again head over heals in love with C. S. Johnson’s storytelling. The ending was absolute perfection. I was wondering how the story was going to wrap up so quickly, as a stand alone with only eight chapters, but every piece fell in place just as it should. The Princess and the Peacock is akin to a perfect petite dessert: just the right amount of sweetness, in a small package, which leaves you happy and satisfied, without feeling heavy or still waiting for more.
hlburke's review
4.0
Entertaining original fairy tale. The character is understandably wounded and flawed, and honestly it's kind of just fun to imagine him being a peacock for the whole book, relating in peacockian ways.