I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller Published by Redhook on March 28 2023
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
Pages: 400
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: A lively tale combining family drama and otherworldly fairies, I enjoyed Rowenna Miller’s writing style and her take on the fae.
Coin in the door for a visitor welcome
Bit of old leather for a welcome farewell
–Traditional bargain
The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill was a surprise in many ways. I expected a whimsical historical fantasy, and yes, there are definite moments of whimsy. But the story also deals with some serious subjects, like spousal abuse and the consequences of marrying the wrong person. I also liked the way the author portrayed the fae, which was different from other fairy stories I’ve read. Overall, I thought this was a very good mix of family drama and magical elements, and you can’t beat the heartwarming ending.
The story takes place in the early 1920s. Alaine and Delphine are sisters, living on Prospect Hill, a large plot of land that has been in the family for decades. Alaine lives with her husband Jack and their daughter Emily, and her passion is running the family orchard. When the story begins, Delphine is about to be married to a rich man named Pierce Grafton, and Alaine is sad because her sister will be leaving her childhood home to move to the city, where Pierce runs a glassworks company with his father. Alaine can never imagine leaving Prospect Hill herself, a magical place where humans and fairies live in harmony with each other. As children, the girls were taught by their grandmother Lilibeth how to make fairy bargains, small favors granted by the fae in exchange for trinkets like a scrap of silk cloth or thread, or even something as mundane as parchment paper.
Lilibeth instilled in the girls that bargains are not to be made lightly, though, and she warned them of asking for too much. But the orchard isn’t doing well, and so Alaine decides to ask the fairies for a good harvest in order to avoid financial trouble. But after a successful bargain, Alaine sees other things that need fixing, and her bargains become bigger—and more dangerous. And when Delphine needs help, Alaine finds herself in a little too deep with the fae, tangled up in a bargain that can only bring heartache.
I was fascinated by the idea of fairy bargains, but it was hard to watch Alaine and Delphine become obsessed with getting their heart’s desire. Alaine makes a rather big bargain, for an exceptional crop of cherries and apples in order to save the business, but once she achieves that goal, she can’t stop herself from asking for more—and more. Bargaining is like a drug for her, and even when Jack starts noticing that she’s meddling with things she shouldn’t be, she keeps finding new ways to get what she wants. The reader knows what’s coming, it’s not really a big secret, but eventually the “ask” becomes way too big, and the fairy ends up tricking the girls and taking something precious to them. I wanted to yell at the sisters to stop making bargains, but of course we wouldn’t have a story if they did.
In the midst of all of the magical bargains, we follow Delphine as a new bride, trying to integrate herself into a new home and lifestyle. She’s hoping to make friends quickly and find a purpose in her marriage, but no one is thrilled with Pierce’s choice of a “country” wife, and they rudely snub her. Pierce is too caught up in his glassworks business and political aspirations to spend time with his new wife, so Delphine’s vision of a loving partnership begins to fade. When she makes some social mistakes, Pierce turns mean, and Delphine realizes she’s made a terrible mistake. Some scenes were tough to read, it was so frustrating to see how hard it was for women during the early 1900s. Pierce expects his wife to dedicate her life to his career, even though she longs to become an artist. And as for divorce, it was rare and scandalous at that time, and not something entered into lightly. I loved that Alaine’s life is completely different. She manages the family orchard and even becomes president of the local Agricultural Society, and luckily she has a caring husband who supports her interests.
And lest you think I’ve forgotten about the fairies, well never fear! It takes a while, but about two thirds into the story, the focus abruptly shifts to the realm of the fae, as one of the characters must cross over in order to, well, you’ll have to read the book to find out. We finally get to see the fairies on the other side of the bargains Alaine and Delphine have been making, and Miller infuses her fairy lore with some interesting ideas that I haven’t seen done before. Miller’s fairies are otherworldly and menacing, but there’s also a vulnerability and delicacy to them that I loved. This is the section where the tension really builds, as the stakes are considerably higher, and although I suspected we would get a happy ending, there were definitely some moments that tested that belief.
The author adds snippets of children’s rhymes and traditional fairy bargains at the beginning of each chapter, which was a perfect way to set the tone, adding that bit of whimsy I was talking about, although some of the rhymes also come across as slightly ominous. I also loved the ending, which brings everything full circle. This was my first book by Rowenna Miller, and I look forward to reading more of her work.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
That touch of whimsy sprinkled throughout the story really appeals to me. Glad to hear this was a good one!
It really was!
I love the sound of this book so much. The era, the fairies, the bargains that become bigger and more dangerous each time. I’m also really curious about the fairy lore and how the author has created something a little different from others. These days something unique with fairies is hard to find. Can’t wait to read this for myself!
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I hope you get the chance, Stephanie! I’m very glad I read it:-)
Oh, this does sound good! I think I’ve read too many overly whimsical fairy stories lately and had assumed this would be more of the same, but after reading your review, it’s clear there’s more to the story. The concept of the sisters asking for bigger and bigger bargains is intriguing. Will have to check this out!
There was much more tension than I expected!
I think I’d like this one.
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It was fun, I’m glad I read it.
I love the sound of this. I’m usually a lover of anything fae but I think I probably overdid it a few years ago and so stopped reading books of that sort for a while. Emily Wilde definitely piqued my interest all over again and this sounds so promising.
Lynn 😀
Lynn Williams recently posted…Games for Dead Girls by Jen Williams
This is quite different from Emily Wilde, but very good:-)
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! I really loved Miller’s depiction of the fairies as well, they were really complex and interesting. This was such a cozy and relaxing (overall) story, with plenty of whismy!
It was a nice change of pace for me:-)
Love that cover! And it sounds like a good fantasy. Thanks for sharing!
Lisa Mandina (Lisa Loves Literature) recently posted…Book Blitz with Giveaway: Bookworm by Cookie O’Gorman
I love the cover as well:-)
Wasn’t able to fit this into my reading schedule last month or this month, but it’s definitely on my catch-up list. From your review I think I will enjoy this, love the magical historical types of stories. Might be a perfect one for Wyrd & Wonder!
It would be a good one for W&W!
Your description of the mix between magic and real-life events (in a time period that I always find fascinating) just made this book a “must read” for me. Great review, thanks for sharing! 🙂
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Thank you! I did really like the time period, it’s not one I read a lot from.
This seems indeed like a perfect blend of genres Tammy!
It was also an unexpected blend of genres, which made me enjoy it more:-)
Looks like this was a good introduction to the author. That’s always great to see.
It was! Now I can safely try her other books:-)
Reading your review was a pleasure! I am glad you enjoyed this one!!
Thanks Susy!
I still have yet to read this one…I feel so bad because I love Orbit books…I’ve just fallen a bit behind. Other quick takes on this book have been rather middling and uninspired, so it was nice to see that you seemed to enjoy it (4 stars!).