When did I last post some Story the Fourth content? Ages ago, right?
This is a review by Jenny Prater, who also finds my absolute favourite subplot and characters her absolute favourite!
The Snow Queen: Story the Fourth: The Prince and Princess
Andersen's characters describe the princess of this land, and exceedingly clever young woman who’s read every newspaper ever written. The princess wished to marry, someone both handsome and clever, and many suitors came. On the first two days, all the suitors were too star-struck to say anything to impress the princess. But on the third day, a young man came who was handsome and clever and charming, and he won her heart and her hand.
He is handsome and clever, with bright eyes and long hair, poor clothing, and new boots that creak, and he arrived at the palace carrying something on his back, which may have been a knapsack.
... to the palace, ... girlfriend, who lives inside. They take her up a back stairway to the princess’ bedroom, where she and the new prince are sleeping, in two separate beds. ... the prince, who wakes, and turns, ...
... are given a position in the court as a reward ..., but warned not to sneak anyone else into the royal bedroom in the middle of the night. ... is given the prince’s bed to sleep in, and the next morning, a new pair of boots, a muff, and a coach and escort to continue her search ...
There’s just a lot going on in this section. I love the story of the prince and princess, and the little detail that she’s read every newspaper ever written, which I leaned into heavily for my interpretation of the character (in her retelling, Shards of Glass; an isekai where Gerda and Kai are from our world, but the Prince and Princess, the Robber Girl, the Snow Queen, etc. are from fairytale kingdoms, and Gerda's quest takes place in these kingdoms). I love the detail of dreams following people through the palace, ... I love that this is the first section where we really see other characters being kind to ..., and helpful. ... her confidence that he’s worthy of marrying a princess, and that he’ll welcome her with open arms, even though he hasn’t exactly been nice lately. It’s just a good section.
The Snow Queen: Story the Fifth: The Little Robber Girl
This section opens with Gerda’s coach being attacked by robbers, and all the men the princess sent with her being murdered—a somewhat jarring turn of events, since there’s no real violence in the story before or since.
They reach the robbers’ home, a dilapidated castle ...
The Snow Queen: Story the Seventh: Of the Palace of the Snow Queen and What Happened There at Last
They meet the robber girl, who’s set off on her own, and she tells them that the prince and princess are travelling, ... (Jenny Prater does not say the word "honeymoon" but we both are implying it!)
+++++++
Surely Jenny Prater and I, like the Prince and Princess, are kindred spirits - at least when it comes to fairytales/subplots. Too many fans adore the Robber Maiden/Girl (although I have nothing against her, she is simply not my favourite), while the Prince and Princess are never shown enough love by the fandom. Glad to see someone else who shares my taste in characters (and subplots)!
I would also like to know more people who prefer not only Story the Fourth/the Prince and Princess, but also my favourite Greek myth, Salmacis and Hermaphroditus. Since childhood, these stories and characters have resonated with me, due to my loneliness and extroversion and being an autistic only child who had adults instead of peers as friends. Both the Clever Princess and Salmacis showed me, and still show me, that I could find an intellectual equal, a kindred spirit, maybe The One, if I looked and insisted hard enough - and voilà, there are Uttam (though he lives an ocean apart), Marc, Enric (both of them in the Castellón Province, but due to my circumstances I see them once in a blue moon, and we mostly contact through social media), Liza (now living in Valencia with a lovely girlfriend - we chat on Instagram), and Ana Garcés (who sometimes answers on the phone)! Praise Social Media too!
