Once Upon a Marigold

Once Upon a Marigold

Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris is a romance fairytale with a dash of comedy. The plot of this fairytale story is about a selfish Queen who wants everything to be her way, and will get rid of anyone she needs to, to have it that way. Edric also known as Ed, was a troll and is a hunter and lives alone with his two dogs. One day when he is hunting, his dogs started barking at a bush. "Hello?" Ed called. A handsome little boy with big brown eyes and tousled brown hair stuck his head out of the bush. His name was Christian, and he was six years old. Christian said he had run away from home because he didn't want to live with his parents anymore. Ed took Christian to his cave and raised him because even if Christian wanted to go home he didn't even know where he lived. Christian was very interested in inventing and told Ed he could maybe invent something to help him hunt.

Eleven years later Christian would sit on a rock outside his cave and watch the castle through his telescope. He would watch three golden haired triplets and their younger brown haired sister. They were princesses and only the older ones acted like it. He realized that no one would talk to the younger girl, no one especially would touch her.except her father, King Swithbert. Yet he found her prettier than her sister's. One day Christian was watching the youngest girl and sent a message to her and she replied to his question and also gave her name. It was Marigold. They messaged each other back and forth for awhile. One message Marigold sends to Christian told a big secret she had been keeping. Almost everyone knows this secret. Marigold also talks about her mean mother, Queen Olympia. She always wants Marigold to wear her crown and be more lady-like. She is even trying to arrange a marriage for Marigold. That Marigold doesn't even want.

But what Marigold, King Swithbert, and Christian don't know is that Queen Olympia is plotting to get rid of King Swithbert and Marigold so she can have the thrown all to herself. She gets King Swithbert sick and then gives him "medicine" which is really a potion that is making him more sick. But Queen Olympia doesn't realize how smart Swithbert really is. He starts to get suspicous and secretly starts to put the medicine in a plant. He notices that he starts to feel better as the plant is dying. As for Marigold, she tries to marry her off to a prince so she can move away and isn't in charge of that kingdom anymore. Luckily Christian is helping Marigold be unattractive so none of the princes want to marry her. Unfortunately one prince likes Marigold, but Marigold doesn't like him back because she likes Christian . But Olympia approves of him so they start to plan the wedding. Marigold is trying all she can to get out of this wedding.

When Christian finds out what Olympia is plotting he and Ed tried to stop her on the day of Marigold's wedding but in the process he gets him and Ed locked up in the castle dungeon. Can him and Ed escape and stop the wedding? In the end a huge secret is revealed.

I really liked this book because it has a good plot and an amazing ending. Fairytale stories are one of my favorites. This kind of fairytale book is a little different than the originals and I think that's what made me like it so much. This book is very well written and I give this book an A. Can't wait to read the sequel.