Once Upon a Changeling (Book) Review

Russ Knight is having a really bad year.

First of all, he’s a social pariah…..and for a guy who once enjoyed a reasonable amount of popularity, that’s a tough thing – especially for your senior year of high school. But, you see, after his girlfriend gave birth at the prom, tried to strangle the baby, and then got locked up in an institution, things got kind of weird. Now, instead of planning for college, hanging out with friends, and playing basketball, he has to hold down a job and graduate high school quick, because now, Russ has a baby to take care of. But, here’s the thing……it’s not his baby.

Once Upon a Changeling is V.J. Chambers newest book, and it is one of the most imaginative things I’ve ever read. It turns everything you’ve ever thought about fairies and friendship and the world as we know it completely on its head. What Chambers does with this book is take just a tiny bit of standard fairy tale and make it modern and completely new….and it is absolutely hilarious.

As you might have guessed from the title, the baby Russ is taking care of might not be the real thing. He wants to do the right thing and get the real baby back, but he needs to know who the real father is to do it. With his (ex)girlfriend in the mental institution, he’s really at square one. At a time when it seems like the only person *not* sleeping with his girlfriend was him, Russ is in sore need of a good friend. Lucky for him, he’s got Marcus and Puck. They might be new to his life, but they are there when he needs them and that’s what counts. Time is running out, and the three of them need to figure out who the father is and rescue the baby…..before it’s too late.

I completely enjoyed every page of Once Upon a Changeling. It’s not a particularly long book, which makes it an easy read in and of itself, but mostly the pages flew by simply because it is so well written. Russ is completely believable as the reluctant hero, and Marcus and Puck stick by him through thick and thin, just like friends are supposed to. What I found the most interesting about the book was Chambers’ take on the world of fairies, and how they interact with our world. There’s enough traditional legend to keep things flowing in a believable way, but she really changes it up in the way she presents them, and that’s what makes it so fun to read. It’s the old fairy tales we all know and love, and a brand new story all at the same time.

Once Upon a Changeling is a hilarious book that practically reads itself. From the reluctantly heroic Russ to the beautiful Puck to the wise cracking changeling, this is a book that will have you hanging on every page. There is suspense, and humor, and fantasy, and it’s all presented in a very approachable way. If you’re looking for a fun read that will have you begging for more, you can’t go wrong with Once Upon a Changeling.