Once upon a time, there was a young commoner named Christian, who ran away from home, and was adopted by a kindly, if somewhat eccentric troll named Edric. Together, they lived in Edric’s cave, where Edric plotted to break up the Tooth Fairy’s monopoly, while Christian learned etiquette, manners, Greek myth and much more, and attempted to perfect his various inventions, for which he had a knack. As Christian grew older, he became aware of Princess Marigold, who lived in the nearby castle across the river. One day, he sent a message to her by pigeon, and a secret friendship was born. Then the time came for Christian to go out into the world, so he want to the palace, only to discover a dangerous, wicked plot against the throne, and to risk losing his one love to an arranged marriage. And what happened after that is the stuff of legends.

Once Upon A Marigold bills itself as “part comedy, part love story, part everything-but-the-kitchen-sink,” and it certainly comes close, with mysterious orphans, an evil queen, a cursed princess, a secret plot, hidden identities, dungeons, a giant, a centaur, some pigeons, some wacky inventions, a beautiful kitchen wench, some action, some intrigue, and some Greek myth. It’s sharp and clever and fast-paced, with highly enjoyable characters and a storyline that makes as much sense as any fairy tale, right down to the revelations at dramatic points. Marigold’s sisters (blond triplet princesses, go figure) defy the usual stereotyping by being intelligent, active, brave, and helpful, in strict opposition to the unspoken rule that says any princesses in excess of the featured one should either be evil, stupid, or useless. Marigold herself is likeable and independent, helping to save the day as much as Christian, and the two of them together are adorable and perfect for one another. Once Upon A Marigold is worth checking out, an excellent addition to the growing library of modern fairy tales.