Review: Of Fairytales and Magic by Emma Hamm
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“Let the trials begin. She’d been ready to be Queen long before stealing the Autumn Court’s magic.”
The Basics
Title: Of Fairytales and Magic (Of Goblin Kings #5)
Author: Emma Hamm
Published: 2021
Publisher: Emma Hamm
Pages: 198
Format: Hardcover, omnibus edition
Genres: Fiction — Fantasy, Romance, New adult, Fantasy romance, High fantasy
Book Synopsis
Reunited with her father and newly engaged, Freya believes that her days of saving the realm are behind her. Fate, however, has other plans.
Having lost the faith of the old gods, Lark is losing the very magic that made her the Autumn Thief, and once it leaves her body, it will make its way to the most powerful faerie in the Autumn Court, a man unfit to rule. To save the kingdom, Lark devises a plan: Freya will steal the magic from her, thwarting the would-be-tyrant. The magic will also grant Freya immortality, allowing her to live forever with her beloved Goblin King — it’s a prize too tempting to resist.
As Freya soon learns, though, magic taken must be earned, and in the faerie realm, the only way to prove your worth is through a series of deadly trials set by the gods themselves.
My Review & Overall Thoughts
TLDR: A thrilling (and fantastic) conclusion to the Of Goblin Kings series.
I tend to approach series finales, be it books or shows, with apprehension. Will all of the loose ends be tied up, and will each character be given a fitting ending? Or, as is too often the case, will the story’s final installment leave me unsatisfied and underwhelmed? Fortunately for me (and you, fellow reader), Of Fairytales and Magic sticks the landing, delivering a thoroughly satisfying conclusion to the Of Goblin Kings series.
It brings the story full circle, with Freya once again completing trials — only this time, it is her life, not her sister’s, at stake. It beautifully bookends the series, conveying a sense of completion and of coming home. The trials also enhance the plot, imbuing it with action, tension, and danger, which together render the book unputdownable. As the trials progress and the risks add up, you’ll be hard-pressed to do anything but turn page after page, driven by a need to see if Freya will succeed.
Further compelling you to keep reading is the relationship between Freya and Eldridge. Their love story continues to unfold and deepen as new developments arise, and each grows on an individual level. They (somehow) manage to become even more endearing, and you can’t help but root for them and hope they get their happily-ever-after.
As for the secondary characters, the lovable, wise-cracking Arrow returns, supporting Freya on her journey, and new characters are introduced, the most notable of which being the old gods. Each of the three gods is fearsome — some more so than others — but all are equally powerful and not to be trifled with, knowledge Freya attains firsthand.
The gods are also vehicles for world expansion. Through their trials, they introduce you to their realms, with each being eerier than the last. The lands’ unsettling nature, in turn, heightens the sense of unease pervasive throughout the story, strengthening the book’s hold on your attention.
The bedrock of Of Fairytales and Magic and what guarantees that your focus never wavers, though, is Hamm’s writing. She writes in an engaging, approachable manner and ensures that the story never feels either sluggish or hurried.
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The Not-So-Good
Finishing Of Fairytales and Magic was bittersweet. On the one hand, I wholeheartedly enjoyed the book and was glad to know Freya and Eldridge’s fate; on the other hand, I was sad to be done with their story. I could have easily (and quite happily) continued reading about their adventures.
Overall
What a ride it’s been! With the exception of the previous book, which was a letdown, I loved this series; it was pure escapist fun. Every time I cracked open my omnibus edition of the Of Goblin Kings series, I was whisked away from mundane reality to a fantastical realm filled with faeries, goblins, magic, and just the right amount of danger. I envy anyone who has yet to read this series and gets to experience it for the first time — whoever you are, you’re in for a treat!
Have you read Of Fairytales and Magic? If so, share your thoughts with me in the comments section!
