Faerie Fruit

A village is threatened by a heritage it forgot long ago in this charming, but overlong, fairy tale. Berrie-on-the-Wyn was once famous for its orchards, but the trees haven’t produced fruit in generations. When “miraculous” fruits start appearing on once-empty branches, most villagers can’t resist the temptation, but each person who consumes a fruit is irrevocably changed: a sick woman is healed, an alcoholic stops drinking, a talkative man is silenced, and the village slowly disappears into Faerie. A strange, fey piper warns villagers not to meddle, but human help will be key as the piper tries to fix a supernatural mix-up. English draws on familiar fairy tale elements—magical seeds and fruit, enchanted shoes, adventurous villagers, and large helpings of wit and whimsy—to tell her story. There’s little surprise in the plot, but readers who enjoy the old-fashioned language of classic fairy tales will be pleased with this one. [em](BookLife) [/em]