Every Bird a Prince: 01/06/23

Every Bird a Prince by Jenn Reese (2022) is an urban fantasy set in Oregon. Eren and her mother live on the edge of a forest where she loves to ride her bike. While out on one of her adventures she rescues a frostbitten bird and becomes their champion against an invasion of Frostfangs.

Besides being a fantasy of icy wolf creatures vs. epic birds and a plucky teenager on her BMX, there's also a plot involving a dance, crushes, and peer pressure. Eren's two BFFs have decided the upcoming school dance will be the time and place to have their first dates.

The one who is most boy crazy has decided the other two should invite their crushes so that they can triple date. While the other friend seems okay with this plan, Eren isn't sure she wants to date anyone. She picks a boy she finds interesting, but isn't attracted to, and he agrees to go to the dance. He and she also become friends and co-champions to fight the Frostfangs.

Finally, on the homefront, Eren's mother has started dating a man who would never meet her exacting standards under normal circumstances. On the fantasy front, the mother's change in personality is clearly the effect of the Frostfangs. It's also a metaphoric look at how domestic abuse can affect a person, even one who had seemed headstrong and on top of things.

The novel also happens to sit on the Road Narrative Spectrum. Eren going against the Frostfangs is a protector, or scarecrow traveler (99). Her route is utopia, the Resplendent Nest which is the principality of the birds (FF). Her route there is an offroad one via the forest trails she rides on her bike (66).

Five stars

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