How To Break an Evil Curse

Gr 7 Up–Cursed by a spell that means certain death if she’s exposed to sunlight, Princess Julianna just wants a piece of freedom from her dingy dungeon. In order to be free from her curse, Julianna must meet and fall in love with a young man of very specific qualities; but as soon as the wizard who cursed her catches wind that such a young man, Warren, exists and is headed for Julianna, he makes it his mission to find and kill Warren. A fractured fairy tale, this novel is fun and modern in its style and prose despite a pseudo-medieval fantasy setting. Full of characters including a soulless twin, a romantic pirate, a sage ghost, and a no-nonsense feminist doctor, this story has something for every reader. Morrison punctuates her prose with charm and humor throughout, sustaining a familiar and rhythmic style accompanied by world-enriching asides in the form of footnotes. Despite its lighthearted tone, the book brings up a number of pressing themes—including an entire subplot involving workers’ unions—for modern readers while carrying a main plot of lively adventure marked by high-stakes risk.