Wednesday, May 30, 2012

"My career as a swindler and a charlatan"

Oooh, I like clever books like Fortune's Folly by Deva Fagan.  Fortunata's father is a shoemaker, but ever since his wife died, he's been making the ugliest shoes imaginable and selling very few.  Fortunata tries to support them by learning the tricks of telling fortunes; by looking for just the right clues (a scar, a type of fabric) she's able to suggest things that are likely to come true.  She is soon required to predict the future for the shy, stuttering Prince Leonato, who's searching for a princess to become his wife.  She comes up with an idea that's fairly far-fetched, and then learns that the fortune must come true, or her father will be put to death.  Readers will notice subtle references to multiple fairy tales (such as Rapunzel and Cinderella), and even though the ending isn't difficult to predict, the pathway to the end takes some unexpected turns.  Part adventure and part romance...this is a fun one!

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