The romance aspect of the book is very sweet, though the run-up to the resolution felt a bit drawn-out. “Well, that doesn’t sound right,” Bethany said, hands on her hips. “I think that’s a different quest.” Lila dropped her sack, the contents clanging. “I think we need to wake her from an eternal slumber.” Bethany asked. The language is contemporary but the writing is also so self-aware that the characters even refer to romance and fantasy tropes and famous fairytales in their own story. (But follows many others.) Just like with Miracle Workers, this is more like watching LARPers enact an extended fantasy sequence or listening to gamers in an MMORPG than reading a period/fantasy book. So This Is Ever After upends many of the expectations that are typical of this kind of story. (I might also throw in a *touch* of The Princess Bride.) The characters were my favorite part of the book the whole cast is charming, lovable, and hilarious. ‘King Arthur meets Simon Snow’ is also a good way to describe the premise, and Arek himself. The language they use and the attitudes they have are so completely incongruous with the world they are in, and that just made it all the funnier.
That they felt so contemporary despite living in a world that could have existed a thousand years ago made them easily relatable. That has the exact same ‘Modern-style Characters in an Old-style World’ feel and the same deadpan parodic comedy style.
I think the best point of reference for understanding the tone of this book is Season 2 of Miracle Workers (Dark Ages), the TBS show with Daniel Radcliffe.
This was charming and sweet and just really fun.
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