Book Review: The Witch and the Prince By Christopher
Highland
Reviewed by William Pattison
For Horror Bob’s Blog
Ok. So, this review is actually meaningless as a review for
the simple fact that I’m the publisher of said book and thus cannot actually
review it. But the author, Christopher Highland, who is also my apprentice,
insisted I review it and threatened to hold his breath until I agreed…and I
don’t want to see a red-faced Harry Potter look-a-like pass out. That is the
thing of nightmares. Thus, onward I go…I’ve only done one other book review,
The Scarlet Gospels, so hopefully this turns out ok. Damnit, Christopher, I’m a
movie reviewer, not a literary expert!!! Wish me luck...
The Witch and the Prince tells the story of Michael. Michael
is one of those young people who is horribly ignored by those around him. Don’t
get me wrong he does have friends, but they are more just people he hangs with
who constantly forget to make him aware when they are heading out of the school
during lunch hour. At home Michael has to pretty much take care of himself,
which usually means making a meal out of the scraps in the refrigerator. His
parents are almost never home and when they are there they are always fighting.
As for his sister, she is usually gone as well and when she is at home she is in
her own shallow world…
But then something happens to change Michael’s world, he
knocks a baseball through the window of the one house people avoid in his
neighborhood. It is an old supposedly deserted house. Yet, Michael fights off
his fear and goes in to get his baseball. Once inside he finds that it is far
from empty as he had assumed. Down the main staircase strides an old and regal
woman who introduces herself as Rose. Rose decides that Michael must do a bunch
of chores for her in trade for the broken window. After that, she will return
his ball to him. Michael agrees, but he doesn’t realize all that he’s about to
experience because Rose is in fact an ancient witch from the Fay realm and she
has much more in store for Michael than mere helping her to cook and
clean…Nope, Michael is about to take a journey between realms that will change
the path of his life.
Ok, so there is a short synopsis with as few spoilers as I
can give. Now onto the review…
This is definitely a Cinderella story right down to the
Ball, but in this case, it is the Prom. Michael’s story and his world is the
center of this story. In fact, there are only a few scenes that actually take
place in the Fay realm, so don’t expect this to be a Narnia, NeverEnding Story,
or even Pan’s Labyrinth, though that story is very main character-centered. If
I was to compare this story to another I would say more Radio Flyer or more so
would be Isabelle Holland’s The Man Without a Face. Why I say more The Man
Without a Face is because in that book the disfigured ex-teacher becomes the
main character’s mentor and changes the kid’s life, like what happens with
Michael and Rose. With Radio Flyer there are a lot of fantasy elements but the
main story is told with brutal honesty, which is something I do see in Mr.
Highland’s story. Still, the fantasy aspects are there but Mr. Highland uses them
as a counterpoint to events that happen in Michael’s world. For instance, there
is a scene where Michael goes to Thanksgiving dinner at his grandparent’s
house. Mr. Highland shows how this family event comes off forced and full of
false fellowship. Whereas, he counters this with Michael going to a celebration
dinner with Rose in a cabin in the Fay realm with elves, goblins, fairies, and
a giant. In this scene, the fellowship is honest and real and Michael is treated
with much more regard and respect. Rose even asks him to make a toast,
something that would never happen with his family.
This book definitely feels like a book from another age, a
simpler more human age. This is mostly due to the fact that Christopher
Highland is in love with the English language. This book is full of flowing
visuals and poetic flare that you don’t see in this time of rapid pacing,
melodrama, and music video clip visuals. This book was written by a person who
cultured himself in classic literature rather than modern media with its TV and
video style of storytelling. Also, Mr. Highland decided to write this story in
present tense rather than past tense. For myself, I am more used to present
tense being used for scripts, which I consider blueprints of films and plays
rather than books. It took me a few chapters to get past this but I figured I
should mention this for those who might be tense sensitive.
So, in the end, if you are a person who loves books with a
literary flair, strong characterization, that uses both fantasy and the real
world elements to deal with real-life issues. If this sounds good to you then
The Witch and the Prince is the book for you…
Keep on Creepin’, Horror Bob’s Blog
