YA Review: Once Upon a Marigold

Once Upon a Marigold (Upon a Marigold, 1) by Jean Ferris, October 1, 2002. 272 pages. Published by Harcourt. Source: Library.

Who knew love could be so amazing--and stupefying? Not Christian. He was clueless when he started spying on the royal family through his telescope. He lives in a cave with a troll for a dad, after all. If his dad had only warned him about all that mind-boggling love stuff, maybe things wouldn't be such a mess. But then, maybe, Princess Marigold would be dead.
But Christian wasn't warned. And now that he's fallen for the princess, it's up to him to untwist an odd love triangle--er, rectangle--and foil a scheming queen who wants to take over the kingdom, even if it means bumping off her own daughter.
With echoes of William Goldman's modern classic The Princess Bride, Jean Ferris's hilarious parody of "Once upon a time . . ." overflows with oddball characters and sage observations--and ends with a slapstick happily-ever-after that's full of surprises.

First Sentence:

Edric knew he should head for home.

Once Upon a Marigold was one of my random library selections. While I was expecting a moderately enjoyable read, I was surprised to find myself completely absorbed because Jean Ferris' book turned out to be quite the little gem.

Going into Once Upon a Marigold was somewhat of an adventure because I had never heard of it or the author. That is, until I stumbled upon this book while browsing the shelves at my library. While the kind of old-school cover almost made me walkaway without checking it out, I'm glad I gave this one a chance because the writing and story were truly a wonderful surprise.
    When it come to the story, what really pulled me in would have to be the characters and how their stories intermingled. I loved the build up of the story-line between Christian and Marigold and how they became unlikely friends as the sent pigeon mail to one another. To see their friendship bloom was one of the best parts in the book because it just felt so right. I don't want to go into too many details on what transpired, but it was one of the things that really made this book. The beginning to end of their personal story was such perfection within the book.

So, as I've already shared my enjoyment on the story-line between Marigold and Christian, I would now like to talk about Edric. Edric was an interesting character who at times reminded me of the Dread Pirate Robert's (before Westley took over) and how he always claimed he return him back to his family. While Edric didn't kidnapp the boy, it was more like he wound up with a stray, it was interesting to see how well they bonded with each other became like family to one another. So, as you might guess, I was saddened for Edric when Christian decided that it was time for him to head out on his own. *wipes eyes for poor cave troll*
 
Seriously though, the interactions between that of Edric and Christian and then Marigold and Christian were some of the best moments when it came to reading this book. I just really enjoyed the way Jean Ferris wrote their individual story-lines and how well they all fit together. For me, when the characters have great stories, especially when they intersect with others, is one of the things that always makes for a great read. So, if you/re looking for an incredible read full of great characters then Once Upon a Marigold is the book for you.

As to the writing of Jean Ferris, I thought she did a smashing job with Once Upon a Marigold. I loved the entire world she created and the characters were some of my favorites. I really enjoyed the blend of fantasy, humor, and friendship that was prevalent throughout the entire book.

Final Verdict: Once Upon a Marigold-   A wonderfully balanced book that had the right dash of humor and fantasy. Let's not forget about epic character story-lines that will tug at your heart. Definitely a sweet read that should not be missed.

Once Upon a Marigold earns