The Prince and the Troll

Faraway collection

By: Rainbow Rowell

Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman

Length: 46 mins

Publisher's summary

A charming everyman and a mysterious something-under-the-bridge cross paths in a short fairy tale by the number one New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park and the Simon Snow series.

It’s fate when a man accidentally drops his phone off the bridge. It’s fortune when it’s retrieved by a friendly shape sloshing in the muck underneath. From that day forward, as they share a coffee every morning, an unlikely friendship blooms. Considering the reality for the man above, where life seems perfect, and that of the sharp-witted creature below, how forever after can a happy ending be?

The Prince and the Troll is part of Faraway, a collection of retold fairy tales that take the happily-ever-after in daring new directions. Whether read or listened to in one sitting, prepare to be charmed, moved, enlightened, and frightened all over again.

©2020 Rainbow Rowell (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved

Loved This

This was a great combination of some of my favorite things. I love Rainbow Rowell and I love fairytales. This one hits you hard.

This was great

I really love the short story. I have read all of Rainbow Rowell’s books, and this seems like a short, but sweet version of her writing.

short and sweet

This is short and sweet with great inflection on the narration. It was an entertaining way to pass time.

A caffeine charged fairytale

Quite an interesting short story. I loved the connection that the prince and the troll forged over daily coffees. But, the story was so darn sad!!!!! I was fully prepared for a little HEA and didn’t get it! 😭

What’s it all mean?

On the surface it’s an adult fairy tale about a “prince” who lives on The Road, taking advantage of the good life. He meets a female troll under a bridge when he accidentally drops his phone. A friendship ensues, in which he brings her Starbucks every day and they talk. The story has iota of symbolism, and it’s difficult to know how to interpret it. My take is that the road represents the path of technology, with its benefits and “small prices to pay” for the benefits. There are ever present crows, watching your every move, fits of craziness, and an ominous wizard running it all. If you fall down on the road, you are thrown off. If took this as an indictment of social media, and the lack of privacy in our society. The troll represents the earth that is suffering because of all the progress. I could be off base, but I think the author wanted to leave it open to interpretation. Worth a read or a listen.

a really good story

A unexpected story about a man and a troll who fall in love. He never understands what is is to be a troll, but loves her company all the same. I liked it a lot.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spoiler Warning...

It’s a super cute story, and I didn’t know this, but apparently I need an HEA because now I’m sad

Love a retelling

Rainbow Rowell (author) and Rebecca Lowman (narrator) are such a great match and I enjoyed this retelling.

so sweet 🥰

oh how I wish there was more of this story, such a beautiful fairytale

Not quite a prince, a troll, and a tragedy

A charming and attractive young man, whose name we eventually learn in Adam, is walking to work when he accidentally drops his phone off the bridge. It's retrieved for him by a friendly troll--a friendly female troll. From that point on, they meet every day for coffee, which he picks up at the nearest Starbucks.

Over the course of their conversations, we learn, gradually, that the river is drying up, that there is no rain, and that somehow the Road, the magnificent Road, may be responsible for this. And Adam, it seems, works on the Road. He's one of the people responsible for keeping it safe, and smooth, with good signage.

The river dying up is obviously not good for the troll, or other trolls, or the plants that grow along it.

The Road, it seems, is not good for any living things.

As I was listening to this, the story didn't quite work for me. Yet now, as I'm writing about it, the complexities of the story, which I did notice as I listened, are seeming more compelling. What that means exactly, I have no idea.

Overall, though, an interesting story, even if not perfect.

I bought this audiobook.