The Prince and the Troll

Faraway collection

By: Rainbow Rowell

Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman

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.

so sweet 🥰

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

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.

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! 😭

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.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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.

Very Strange

This short little book was very strange. It wasn’t good but it wasn’t bad either. The performance was excellent, which is probably the only reason that I kept listening. The writing is also very good, but the subject matter was just odd. It was also very melancholy and probably not what people expect when they think of a fairy tale.