I don’t remember much about the Enchanted Forest Chronicles from when I read them as they were published in the 90s, but I know I loved them and thought they were both revolutionary and hilarious. Let’s talk about how they hold up.
The first in the series, chronologically, is Dealing with Dragons, by Patricia C. Wrede.
Cimorene is life goals. She is sharp, funny, sure of herself, and no-nonsense. In a different novel, she’d be running a Fortune 500 company, and she brings that same energy to her life as a princess. She’s not just bored with princess life, she’s over it. So, she assesses her options and decides her best bet is to go live with the dragons.
She’s lucky enough to find her place as the princess to Kazul, a female dragon who is exactly the right match for Cimorene. She is happy to have a princess who is actually useful and willing to make treats like cherries jubilee and Cimorene flourishes in the freedom of the dragon’s world. Now, if she can only fend off the intrepid heroes come to save her from her chosen fate.
This is Shrek without the cynical tones, and it predates it by a decade. The characters are sharp and funny and snarky without being mean, and the dangers aren’t underwhelming, as often happens in middle grade books. The plot moves along without ever bogging down, and the world feels expansive but not overwhelming.
This is everything a middle grade fairy tale fantasy should be, and I’m sure helped found the genre. What a lovely foundation Ms. Wrede gave us to build on.
4 1/2 Dragons-and-Princesses-With-Sense Stars
