Review - The Fairest by Sam Burns

Prince Carwyn will be crowned king in just a few days. He’s not really looking forward to it. Even at twenty years old, Carwyn doesn’t feel he’s mature enough to take on the job. His stepfather, the regent, seems to be doing a far better job than Carwyn feels capable of. Carwyn would much rather be spending his time with Gareth. The two were inseparable as children, but as Carwyn took on the tasks of learning to rule after his mother died, Gareth took up the role of huntsman and went off to live in the woods. Carwyn is not the only one with doubts about his abilities. It seems there are others in the castle who would rather see someone else become king.

“The Fairest” is a fairy tale retelling. It’s essentially Snow White with a huntsman instead of seven dwarves. There’s no magic mirror-on-the-wall either, but there is a very gay angle. This is part of a series by the same author, but the books are stand-alone.

The narration alternates between Carwyn and Gareth’s points of view. Both are kind-hearted men who have done what they thought was best for the person they loved, without actually asking what that person wanted. Even with the short length of the book, both characters are developed enough to be likeable and relatable. There aren't any big surprises in the plot, but the writing is still engaging.

“The Fairest” is available from Amazon (commissionable link).