FAIRY GODMOTHER

Cinderella’s fairy godmother takes center stage in this series opener.

Renée Dubois, a young governess in the kingdom of Aurelais, believes in fairies—she owes her life to one who rescued her in childhood from the fire that killed her parents. After rescuing a young charge who shares her passion for the magical beings, Renée needs a second, rule-breaking fairy rescue herself. And this one, by making her a “part-fairy,” changes her life forever: She’ll remain young while in Faerie Province but will age rapidly as soon as she returns to the human world. Unfazed by her snooty fairy critics, Renée cultivates a gift for magical gardening, develops a crush on the fairy queen’s nephew, Tresor, and is mentored by dorm housemother and professional fairy godmother Nelley, who recognizes her as prime godmother material. Renée’s thrilled to attend the Summer Solstice Ball with Tresor, but when an ailing Nelley begs her to step in as backup godmother, Renée must leave the ball on an urgent mission that returns the narrative to familiar “Cinderella” territory. This slow-paced story is unfortunately weighed down by a cumbersome backstory, generic characters, tired tropes, and low stakes. Faerie Province—its dorms, classrooms, rules, and assignments described in flowery detail—suggests a beautifully decorated (and overprotective) boarding school. Human characters are cued white.

A sugary treat for patient readers who are fans of faerie and all things Disney.