Author: Sherry Peters
Publisher: Sherry Peters
Rating: WORTHY!
DISCLOSURE: Unlike the majority of reviews in this blog, I've neither bought this book nor borrowed it from the library. This is a "galley" copy ebook, supplied by Net Galley. I'm not receiving (nor will I expect to receive or accept) remuneration for this review. The chance to read a new book is often reward aplenty!
This novel had such an absurd title that I couldn't resist it and I'm happy to report that resistance would have been futile anyway. This novel is adorable. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s perfect, but it is a real charmer that won me over very quickly. Plus, if you like it, then you'll be happy to know it’s the first of a series: the Ballad of Mabel Goldenaxe. I have to say I am not a huge fan of serial novels, but this one was good enough that I'm actually tempted to follow this series!
Mabel is the youngest of a small dwarf family - and no, that's not a tautology. The family is a bunch of dwarfs, and the family size is small: there's only a dozen or so of them. She's the only daughter and it's her first day in the mines. Her family is very supportive. Her father is distinctly over-bearing, but her brothers love her and give her all kinds of encouragement, even though she feels slightly under-dwarfed: she's rather on the slender side, not stout like your ideal dwarf, and her beard is only thin, but hey, she's very young - only 75 years, so there's plenty of time for her to become a real broad and hirsute herself.
Mabel has a knack for mining (she's a dwarf, after all), and on her first day she manages to instinctively find an emerald, which is quite a novelty. Most dwarfs find them, but not on their first day on the job. Naturally she heads to the bar to celebrate with her brothers and friends after the shift is over by downing a gallon or two of good ale. Everything seems perfect, doesn't it?
It’s not.
Mabel's mom, she's long been told, stole the family fortune and fled the mountain when Mabel was but a dwarfling, bringing down disgrace upon the family which they're only just now out-growing. Mabel's so-called best friend, whom she's known since childhood, is actually subtly - and then not-so-subtly - undermining Mabel every chance she gets. Her father seems to be growing ever more obsessed with finding Mabel a mate, and Mabel - bless her little plaited beard - is developing a growing interest in axe-throwing as a sport.
Naturally her father tries to stanch this un-dwarfish activity, but he can hardly hold her back since she's really good at it, and one of her brothers was a champion who supports her ambition to compete in the dwarf games. As if that's not bad enough, Mabel starts developing an interest in another un-dwarf-like activity: going to the movies. It’s bad enough she does that, but these movies have elves in them. Her father barely tolerates this, so how can Mabel possibly tell anyone that she's fallen in love with Aramis - the star of the elver screen?
This story is an adventure story, a mystery, a coming of age, a YA romance, and a bloody good piece of fiction. It’s funny, without being farcical or a parody. It’s moving to see how badly put-upon poor Mabel is, and how resilient she is. It’s inspiring to see how dedicated and loyal she is. And it’s amazing to see such a strong female character come out of what I originally thought was going to be a rather juvenile fantasy.
I'm one hundred percent behind this novel, which was a real pleasure to read.
