Both smart and smart-aleck, this book by Elliott James is not your average fairy tale, fractured or otherwise. Charming is a family name that comes with a lot of baggage, even when you are currently hiding under an assumed identity. The author takes several current trends and stands them on their heads. Vampires, werewolves, knights, Valkyries, psychics - there isn't much of the supernatural world that is not mentioned, including the first naga I have seen outside an Anita Blake story. John Charming, a.k.a. Trevor Barnes, is a lone wolf - pun very intended. He is the son of a Knight Templar, his mother was bitten shortly before his birth by a werewolf, and he has been alive since before World War II. His attitude comes across plainly in comments like, "Popular young adult novels notwithstanding, vampires only sparkle when they burn."
The novel works for several reasons: it tells an engaging story and has characters that make you care about what will happen to them (even if you are hoping it will be something bad in some cases); it has snarky humor that appeals to those of us who are tired of the current YA love triangle trend and appreciate originality; and there is enough action to keep you turning the pages to see how each crisis works out. Readers who enjoy troubled heroes like Harry Dresden or Libriomancer's Isaac Vainio will find a similar protagonist in John Charming.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through NetGalley.
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