Sometimes a fox is not a fox, and a man is not what he seems.
When Lachlan, the golden prince of the faeries, is transformed into a fox and banished from the forest on the eve of his mother's funeral, the last creature he expects to seek help from is a human.
But Sorcha Darrow is not so easily enchanted by the wily faerie. It is only after discovering that her father means to marry her to a wealthy Londoner that she decides to help him, by seeking the power of a being even Larchlan is wary of: a kelpie. Sorcha hopes that, in finding one, she may avoid her own dire fate in the process.
With Sorcha's dreams being their only true form of communication, Lachlan has to race against time to break his curse and take his place as king before he's doomed to live as a fox forever.
But someone else is after the throne, and may just use
Sorcha's growing connection to Lachlan to reach it.
PRINCE OF FOXES by H. L. Macfarlane
PUBLISHED: 2019
GENRE: Fantasy > Faerie, Fantasy Romance
MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I adore foxes and I'm as enamoured with the fae now as I was in my childhood - how could I resist this book?
And it simply has to be said, any story that addresses the significance of names in the first few sentences has my vote of confidence no matter what comes next. I blame reading Rumpelstiltskin for my genuine belief that names have magic and power when revealed.
"So they disappeared in one fashion or another, and they only had themselves to blame. They had been warned, after all, and they didn't listen. Never give your real name to a faerie."
This is a tale of magic and mischief, of preserving and admiring the beauty of nature as untouched by human hands. This book is the soul of Scotland wrapped up in Loches and folklore that will entice and beguile. I loved it!
Lachlan is the prince of the fae who, on the cusp of being crowned king, by some traitorous turn of events, finds himself running through the forest in fox form, fated to remain as such until he can break his curse. What he doesn't expect however, is the willing assistance of a human, one he hasn't even successfully managed to enchant. Sorcha comes to him willingly, but she is no fool, and she knows not to give the fae her true name, but then again she is only human...
Though "fairy-tales" and "faerie tales" are popular and some may even say overdone, I found something quirky and refreshing in this novel, as well as familiarity that felt like greeting an old friend. I found themes and characters I recognised to empathise with, and some that were a surprise along the way. Sorcha, for example. She was wilful and fiery and felt very modern in her understanding of herself.
One of my favourite components of this book was the essence of Scottish pride, carried not only on the backs of the fae and the kelpie, but also the human characters. Throughout, the environmental protection of a land so well written with history and culture sang through in a way that felt respectful rather than preachy. I understood what was driving Sorcha's character in her decisions and felt her love of her home in my bones. It's a nod to current issues, cleverly plaited into the story.
This was a quick read with a writing style all of its own that caught my attention.
As the first book in the Bright Spear trilogy, this Prince of Foxes was a brilliant introduction to a new Scottish fairy-tale. It would stand on it's own, but I feel drawn to read more and see where the author will continue to lead us. I believe Sorcha's involvement with the fae is not quite over...
If you have the opportunity to read Prince of Foxes, let me know your thoughts!
Happy Reading,
Zuzu 🖋
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