It's not perfect, but it comes pretty darn close.

I'm generally not too fond of retellings, but I am glad to have taken a chance on this little gem.

I loved the twist. Or rather, it showed the fairytale in the new quite disturbing light. My thoughts, in no particular order :
- The whole thing must have been thoroughly traumatic for many persons, human and not. Nevermind the intentions.
- Magic in the hands of a lunatic is terrifying indeed.
- Be careful what you wish for (and where, and preferably not out loud - you never know who/what might be listening).
- NEVER EVER skip the fine print and be VERY thorough in your understanding.
- Gods are to be feared, though perhaps not for the normal reasons.

RECOMMENDED ( )

I purchased this book to add to our "Read Aloud" collection for the next year of reading. Honestly, I really loved the cover. This was our families first experience with a retelling of a fairytale. The synopsis of The Rat Prince was very intriguing to us, which helped in choosing this family first in this kind of story.

I don't think there is a better choice for our first experience with fairy tale retellings! This book was AMAZINGLY entertaining from beginning to the very last sentence. The Rat Prince was such a delight that we plan on reading it many times over. The characters were so well developed, especially Char and Swiss, that half the time I forget that we were reading about rats.

There was adventure, magic, love, horror, and so many surprises. The kids made me reread a part in the book three times because our minds could not wrap around what Prince Geoffrey had done to Quintilius Porter!

I would recommend this book to both children as well as adults, as it truly is a wonderful read. The fact that my reluctant readers were screaming for more says a lot ( )

Prince Char, the sovereign ruler of the Northern Rat Realm, encompassing the northern half of the human city of Glassevale, together with the Lady Rose de Lancastyr, known to posterity as Cinderella, alternately narrate this immensely engaging revisionist retelling of the classic fairy-tale. Reduced to the role of a servant in her own home by her evil stepmother Wilhemina, Rose bides her time, determined to protect her vulnerable father, whose wits have begun to wander, and whom she fears is in danger. Char, whose murine people have a long history with the Lancastyr family, and are now in danger from the same Wilhemina, does his best to aid Rose in her difficulties. The Rat Prince is motivated by more than just a sense of sharing a common foe however, as becomes clear when the goddess Ashiira turns him into a human man, and he accompanies Rose to Prince Godfrey's great ball. Can Char protect the human he has come to love, not just from the machinations of her evil stepmother, but from the other dangers as well? Even if he succeeds, what future is there for a rat who loves a human lady, when he is destined to return to his natural state at midnight...?

Entertaining, engrossing, and ultimately heartwarming, The Rat Prince is an auspicious debut from first-time author Bridget Hodder, transforming a well-known tale into something altogether more appealing. This is the story, not of finding a prince, but of finding love, of finding one's equal. Rose is a Cinderella whose sweetness and submission are a sign, not of defeat, or of acceptance of injustice, but rather of strength and endurance, and of the intelligence necessary to look past immediate personal suffering toward a long-term goal. I found the entire cast of characters engaging, but Rose and Char were (appropriately enough) my favorites, and I was rooting for them from the beginning. Char's perspective, in particular, was immensely entertaining, and I appreciated his rat's-eye view of human affairs, and the way that some of his views changed when he was transformed into a human himself. In some ways, I was reminded to Kate DiCamillo's marvelous The Tale of Despereaux (high praise, indeed!), which also featured a rodent in love with a human. This was an immensely enjoyable read, one that fairy-tale fans and young romantics will be sure to enjoy. For myself, I will hope that the author has more books forthcoming... ( )