Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores, March 2020

“Tea and Sanctuaries” by Hannah Montine

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

This month’s offering falls under the magazine’s category of “Stories for Young People from 4 to 400.” Appropriately, “Tea and Sanctuaries” by Hannah Montine is a lighthearted parody of traditional fairy tales. A young prince avoids marrying the women chosen for him by his royal parents. These intended brides come from familiar stories, such as “Cinderella” and “The Princess and the Pea.” Instead, he secretly marries a very different kind of lady indeed.

Much of the pleasure of reading this brief tale comes from the unexpected nature of the prince’s true love. The author reveals this about halfway through the narrative, rendering the rest of the story somewhat anticlimactic. Overall, this featherweight jape is likely to raise a smile.

Victoria Silverwolf is somewhere between 4 and 400.