I'm at about 35% done with no desire to read it to completion seeing as I'm having trouble finding a plot. The language and phrasing is very Tolkienesque, which I adore, but the novel itself seems to go absolutely nowhere. It's like the author is just writing down things that are happening in the day-to-day life of Aric and Albaric - there's no actual intriguing story here. If I do happen to pick this book up again and finish it, I will leave a review on GR and my blog talking about it as a whole - right now, I'm getting my Masters in Education and co-teaching full-time - so I don't have any extra hours to spare reading a book that hasn't hooked me a third of the way in.

I absolutely love love love this book! There are some stories that read like a fairytale that doesn't really sell, this was not like that at all. You are immediately drawn in to the world with a serious situation that tugs at your compassion. The protagonist, Aric, is a seventeen year old Prince whom isn't anything like you would expect and holds on to his greatest qualities even as his father tests him left and right. He stays so completely to his character that you find yourself on his side no matter the outcome and wish him the best in all things that come his way. A true embodiment of what little girls dream princes should be. His brother, Albaric, is a bit of a mystery and ethereal in his beauty but he also faces a lot of trials and doesn't always succeed in being kind hearted as his first is seen by saving their father. But it's kinda hard to give up everything and the one you love doesn't remember you and furthermore sees you as a threat. It's hard to stay to one's own moral high ground under such circumstances. There is so much emotional connection between the characters that it's hard to go into significant detail, you would really have to read the book to understand. I also love the idea of the main antagonist is a ring. It's impossible to sway it or possess it in any kind of way. It has its own agenda and it changes people like night goes to day. This really was an amazing read. I absolutely love a book that the words read so smoothly that I feel it's like seducing me.

I am highly disappointed with The Oddling Prince. I'm sum it up: nothing major was happening. It felt like I had to read several chapters in order to see progress happen in this book. I did love the bond between the characters, but other than that, it was bland. The world building was weak, and average...it had fae elements, but nothing that made me want to continue on.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review, all opinions are my own.

Historically the fey are nothing but trouble for humankind. In this case, the fey started the trouble, but didn't necessarily end it. Why do the fey always cause problems? Because they're immortal and we're not is the simple answer. Maybe the more complex answer is that they can't really understand love. So, the moral is when the fey fall in love, mortal better watch out. The whole time while reading The Oddling Prince, I felt like I was hearing a dream while underwater. In other words, it's strange, but I liked it.

It has a mystical quality from the very beginning when we realize the king is dying not because of a war, assassin or other plague, but from a ring on his hand - a ring that won't come off and we can guess that's because it's from another place, the fairyland.

I love to talk about characters in books, because the most interesting setting will still cause us to yawn if we don't have someone to read about. I guess we're fundamentally egocentric and want to read about ourselves in a book by identifying with the characters.

The two young men are different from one another, but fully accepting of each other. Aric, the protagonist, has been raised to be the heir. He feels unprepared to carry on the role with the demise of his father imminent. When he sees a supernatural event, which brings him a young man - obviously someone more than from this world because he is too beautiful - Aric must decide if he should allow the stranger to see his ailing father. The stranger frees the king from the vice-like hold the ring has held over him, but  the king of Calidon doesn't know who the young man is and dismisses him from his mind. Aric, on the other hand, feels profoundly grateful and seeks out this misplaced youth. He learns that Albaric and he have a strong connection, and he would be willing to die to preserve his life. What could cause such an intense reaction?

Warning!!! Big Spoiler Alert - do not read this short paragraph if you want a surprise!!! -----------I enjoyed their relationship, because they are willing to try to understand each other and express loyalty to each other as brothers. There was nothing sexual in their relationship. It is a very simple relationship, but complicated by their raging father, the king of Calidon. Both brothers are completely transparent and honest. The one is worldly and the other is naive.

Spoiler alert is finished.

The queen also recognizes the value that Albaric brings to the kingdom. Not only has he saved Calidon, the king, but he supports Aric as the heir. He proves his loyalty time and again without expecting a reward, but hopes that the king will remember him. The king of Calidon is obtuse and refuses to acknowledge Albaric and his goodness, but instead, sees him as a threat to his son. The king not only sees Albaric as a threat, but also other shadows and ghosts from the past - including his own son, Aric, as a potential enemy. The madness that shapes the king of Calidon defines this book as being different than other tales about fairies. If the father had just accepted and loved Albaric for all the good he had done the story would have been flat.

It is more of a psychological fantasy than an action fantasy. There are action scenes, arrows and swords, political maneuvering, but I think these are all overshadowed by the psychological exploration of characters between Aric, Albaric and the king of Calidon.

It's very small complaint, but I thought the word "troth" was over used. Springer uses some beautiful language that adds to the other-wordly feel. Just too much troth for me.

Aric does mention casually that he could visit the girls in the kitchen to fulfill his desires as needed. There isn't really much more than that in a sexual nature in the book.

I ended up liking this book and recommend it.

Not gonna lie, this book was terrible in my opinion. It was soooo superficial, no emotions, a strange plot, strange characters and nothing I ever could relate to. The style was a super strange combination between 16th century or so and a normal narrating style which I really didn't like. The whole story was face paced but super superficial and I just didn't like anything about this. The relationship between the brothers was so awkward?? I mean?? You two just know each other since like two days but he already says things like "I love my brother"... "I couldn't live without him"?? This book just wasn't for me.

I have read other works by this author and enjoyed them, but this just didn't work for me, unfortunately.

-- I received a free e-review copy of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. --

What happens if a mysterious fairy prince suddenly shows up in a human realm and claims to be the king's son? This is the question Nancy Springer addresses in this novel, when Albaric shows up just in time to save his father's life. A central theme is the relationship between the two princes, which is interesting, as well as the complicated relationship with their respective parents. What I really enjoyed is the way this actually does read like a medieval romance in it's style and content.
However, the story seems to stay on the surface of things, and would have done better in a novella form rather than a full length novel. It drags at times, and the tale progresses slowly.

I found the writing style difficult to read and comprehend at times. There were really no characters I could identify with, not that it is something necessary to have in a book. The pace was pretty slow for my taste, that could just be because of the writing style. Also I found the relationship between Albaric and Aric quite odd and off putting at times.

The Oddling Prince started as a foreign novel. The writing style is completely different from the ones I read and it is narrated through a 3rd person in the old English language. The introduction was hard to pick up. I was shaking my head and dragging myself to finish it because I kept on staring at the word “whence” repeatedly. The book sure has it’s own magic too, what I did like about is the writing style grows on you. It sticks. I don’t know but it does. It will be enough to get you until the end.

The plot a.k.a the part it confuses me; it was so brief, The Oddling Prince is a character-driven plot. (Still brief,) But I say it as, it’s all over the place, it doesn’t show where it should mainly focus in, it shows more of the journey of the two siblings’ journey. After Albaric saved king Bardic from his imminent death, the king was never been the same. Then it connects with the king Bardic’s past from his own family experiences. And that it didn’t showcase much of the mythical magic touch I was looking for only shown literally in the end. POOF!

The setting a.k.a what confuses me too. It wasn’t that insane of a world building it has its highs and lows. There were flashes of vivid setting they’re but aside from those it wasn’t that specified much.

The characters: We have seventeen-year-old Aric, he’s way too transparent, his thoughts in every chapter was clear as day. I sure know that everyone would grow to love. Albaric a tad enigmatic of character that too will draw you in. But the brotherly chemistry between Aric and Albaric was both familiar and peculiarly off. It appears too intense then it isn’t and hurried. Whom I admire most is Marissa! Portrayed as a fourteen-year-old who’s wiser beyond her age. She’s candid and completely unapologetic character. A kind of woman they truly needed.

The Oddling Prince isn’t a knock your socks off amazing read but I sure liked the values of it.

I am so excited that finally we have a male protaganist in YA! Aric's father is lying on his deathbed with a ring on his finger that nobody can get off of him. Lucky for him the fae come to save his life! This book was so good. I want to read everything by the author! This is so hard to review without giving it away but I will say this. If you don't read this you will regret it. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this.

IWhile I liked the story well enough with her interpretation of the fey, the setting of ancient Scotland, and the idea of ring which totally reminds me the lord of the rings. I had issues with the writing style and language, which was often whimsical and at times a bit awkward for me to understand, I also had a hard time keeping the characters straight in my head and had issue remembers who was who.

Overall, there are many elements I liked about this new story , but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. I didn't find myself invested in the either of the leading characters but i kept trying. Having been a fan of Nancy's past offerings i was a tad bit disappointed....but then again, maybe i was just expecting more from her.

I received this eARC from Tachyon Publications on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My review below is honest and the views are completely my own.

Despite the synopsis being up my alley, The Oddling Prince wasn't what I expected it to be. The writing style and purple prose wasn’t for me and kept me from getting into the plot. If you like flowery wording, you might have an easier time with this one!

As a big fan of LGBT+ books, I must admit I was disappointed that Aric and Albric were brothers, considering the love-at-first-sight that Aric talked about incessantly. The bromance felt more like a romance, and could have been toned down because of the nature of their bond. I'm all for bromance, like in Michael Sullivan's Riyria Revelations, but I felt as thought this was dangled in front of me and yanked away despite finding out they were brothers within the first few chapters.

Though the book reads like a fairy tale, it felt rushed. The connection for me just wasn't there with this book.

I received a free e-copy of this book from NetGalley for review purposes.

I have apparently never read any Nancy Springer before, and what a pity, because this book was wonderfully beautiful in all the best ways. Her writing reminds me of a combination of Dahlov Ipcar (A Dark Horn Blowing) with a dash of Peter Beagle. No, there were no unicorns in this book, but the utter dreaminess of the story took me back to The Last Unicorn.

In this story, Prince Aric of Calidon (at one point there seems to have been a typo of Caldor and it made me giggle a bit) is about to lose his father the king, Bardaric, to the power of a supposedly evil ring. No one knows where the ring came from or why it is wasting him. As the moment of his death arrives, a man blazing white shows up at the castle and, amid a huge spectacle, saves the king's life. He reveals himself to be Albaric, the half-fey son of the king, conceived while the king had been held prisoner by the queen of Elfland. Bardaric doesn't remember this because the queen sent him back to the moment she had stolen him, with the ring she had placed on his hand. The king refuses to accept Albaric as his son, instead choosing to believe he is a "fetch," or evil fey thing come to steal his own son and possibly the throne.

Aric, on the other hand, immediately and intensely loves his new half-brother. The two share a connection almost unbelievable, but it is so real that neither can deny they are brothers and bound to one another. Meanwhile, King Bardaric grows ever more distrustful and sinister. The brothers must find a way to return him to himself, a previously generous and good king, before he kills everyone around him. Intertwined with this story is the legend of the White King, the one who will come and restore the kingdom to peace. Bardaric is more and more afraid of someone, anyone trying to steal his throne that he even begins to loathe his own son.

I enjoyed the story, the pacing, and the characterization. At times the relationship between Aric and Albaric was a bit over-the-top, and I pretty much saw something of what was coming at the end as soon as the White King was mentioned. But this is absolutely a fey story - it draws you in slowly, entrances you as if you're in a dream, and then knocks you over the head with how beautifully it's written.

Highly recommended for fantasy readers of all ages - especially those who love the dreamy quality of Peter Beagle and others. I loved every minute of this and plan to add more Nancy Springer to my (constantly growing) TBR pile.

Thoroughly enjoyed this old-school fantasy novel.! It's probably been ten years since I've read a Nancy Springer book, but I always liked her books and figured this would be no exception, and I was right. It's narrated by a prince whose father is on his deathbed, poisoned by a magical ring no one can remove. The king is saved by an ethereal young man who claims to be his son by the faerie queen. While the two princes bond over their shared father, the king himself is suspicious and disturbed.

The plot is engagingly complex without being overwhelming, and the characters are well drawn. Springer combines familiar elements into an original, entertaining story.

Thank you for the arc netgalley <3

I really enjoyed the first half but from around 55% it was a struggle to get through. I loved the setting and the brotherhood aspect, it was so refreshing it not being a romance novel

Things I didn’t like- fey! I’m just to old for fairytale type YA now but even when I was a young adult I really didn’t enjoy it much then either. I also didn’t like that old English fairytale style of writing, it’s 2018! If I wanted to read that kind of style I’d pick up some Shakespeare...

The story wasn’t terrible and I’m sure lots of people would love it but the writing style just put me off massively. Glad this was just under 300 pages or I may have DNFed it

I really struggled with wanting to like this book. I love the passion and vision that went into the long descriptions, but found them tiring after a while rather than alluring. It didn’t draw me in as I wish it would have. I did enjoy the character development, but again found it muddled under long, drawn out descriptions. This could likely be a matter of different styles and tastes. I also struggled to see this as fitting into the young adult market considering the level of reading that goes into a book like this. Overall, I wanted to like this one, but it wasn’t for me.

This book wasn't for me, sadly. The writing style was very confusing to me. A lot of times I had to go back and reread a passage because I realized I read it wrong or didn't understand what was going on. This made my reading slow, and after a while it became frustrating to me.
Another thing that made me stop reading was the relationship between Aric and Albaric. For me it felt like Aric was in love with Albaric from the moment he saw him, it didn't feel like a brotherly relationship to me at all.

It is said that the Elfqueen Theena was en evil ruler and all, but Albaric said that she fell in love with the King from the moment he put that ring on and wasn't eveli anymore. Then WHY does she still force him to sleep with her? And why is that seen as a normal thing? At that point she's not supposed to be evil at all.

I decided to DNF this book around 30%, I wasn't enjoying myself.

I obtained a complementary copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Oddling Prince tells the tale of Aric, a young prince whose father (the King of Calidon) lays dying from an inexplicable curse. When a stranger called Albaric comes into Aric’s life and miraculously breaks the curse, Aric finds himself instantly attached to the new comer. But Albaric is not of this world, he is the fruit of the unrequited love between Queen Theena of Elfland and the King, and therefore Aric’s half-brother.
This is a beautifully written historical fiction (historical in the sense that the story is set in the past, but all characters are fictional) mixed with elements of magic and fantasy.
It is the tale of a stranger who has come to a new land, renounced his origins and is now trying to fit in and be accepted into the mortal realm. It is something that I can oddly relate to as someone who has moved away from their mother country and is trying to find their place in a different one.
The brotherly love and mutual understanding between Aric and Albaric is beautiful and I feel like, as an only child myself, should someone have come into my life declaring to be my sibling, I would have welcomed them with open arms in the same way that Aric does Albaric.
The only person that Albaric cannot seem to please is the King himself, his father, who has no recollection of ever being involved with the Queen of Elfland (because he was under a spell) and completely rejects Albaric, seeing him as an intruder come to usurp his throne. The character of the King is interesting because the more the story goes on, the crazier he gets and he starts seeing conspiracy theories everywhere. He also starts making crazy and dangerous decisions and because he is the King and has all the power, no one can stop him. Funnily enough, this reminded me of Trump: another idiot in a position of power who thinks he can do all he wants because he is on top of everyone else. Although, unlike Trump, the King does regain his senses in the end and love wins.
I really enjoyed this book: the writing is beautiful, the story is consistent and it does transport you back to times past. Oddly enough, I had never heard of Nancy Springer before, but I will be making sure to check out some of her other books as she has written loads! This is definitely an author that I will remember.

I really thought I was going to love this book, but more than anything I just was a little disappointed. It was really good at first, the writing style was so unique, but it really slowed down and very little was happening.

There was just so much potential with how the story started but I really had pacing issues with it. I also just have to point out the lack of world-building in the book too, it really could have used some more thought and maybe a sequel could fix the missing elements (I'd maybe consider trying a sequel tbh if it was better paced!)

Thank you to Net Galley & Tachyon Publications for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was drawn to this one because of the stunning cover and I was super excited to read a story that wasn’t 2 guys fighting over a girl, a bromance if you will. Sadly it wasn’t a bromance it was a strange obsession that felt on the verge of a romantic relationship but the author didn’t want to go there. I honestly might have enjoyed that story more. The relationship between Aric and Albaric felt forced from the beginning and although their connection is explained it never felt natural.

I was NOT a fan of the King. Although his nasty attitude is explained I never felt the “greatness” that is talked about throughout the book.

I did enjoy the 2 main ladies were my favorite part. The Queen and Marissa who is a ball of strength and joy. The Queen does her best to support her husband while also being there for her son and his “friend” (I out that in quotes to not give anything away). Again the relationship between Marissa and Aric felt forced to move the story forward I loved their interactions.

The style of writing did not bother me as much as I thought it would however it did slow me down at times.

In the end, this one was not for me but I would recommend it to readers who enjoy similar stories.