THE DONKEY PRINCE

by Angela Carter ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1970

Angela Carter (Miss Z., the Dark Young Lady, p. 551, J-203) has a debonair manner compounded of elegance and earthiness and her rendering of the frog-prince motif is, to put it baldly, classy. It's also a field day for the ladies, between the Queen who adopts the baby donkey as her heir, backed by the King out of respect for ""his wife's strength of mind,"" and grubby little Daisy who, in helping Prince Bruno retrieve the magic apple from the Wild Men, demonstrates what she's always saying: ""A working girl learns a thing or two."" One way or another, she and Hlajki the Wild Man (""All the Wild names were full of flinty, uncomfortable j's and k's"") also go through fire and water for Bruno, freeing him of enchantment. Seeing The Future foretold in a mirror instead of seeing it happen is disappointing, and there are moments when the wordplay gets out of hand (e.g. Hlajki, drowning, to Bruno: ""Good night, sweet Prince""); there are moments, too, when you wish Mr. Keith would stick to the subject and forego the swirls and patterns and steamy vapors. Still and all, there's sorcery in the story-telling.

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1970

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1970

Categories: FICTION