K.A.Laity | Peltzmantel

Peltzmantel
by K.A.Laity

When we are small fairy tales being with, 'Once upon a time' and end at 'happily ever after'. As we get older we discover nothing really works like that, life doesn't start at Once Upon or end at Ever After and the only stories that stop there are ones that no one really believes in.

Peltzmantel starts, as much as any story can, towards the end of one life and the start of another, remaining a small part of the storytellers own long years. It ends, as much as any story can, at a point of hope and renewal, as good a point as any to stop. Although then there are snippetts, short stories, windows into episodes of other lives to follow.

The tale itself is a Cinderella story of sorts, a young princess driven from her land by evil forces, a wise Nanna with a little magic of her own, an old king, a handsome prince and a little body swapping. Kate Laity's work draws on the medieval stories and magic's, not the sanitised tales of today. So in itself the story is fairly familiar and long time fans of fairytales may find much here that feels that way. Well that's the point, old stories retold, re imagined, refreshed, familiarity is part of the charm. We go back to these stories precisely because we know them, but it's always good to find a different telling.

Peltzmantel offers a lot that is new amongst the old story, and the storytelling, both by the wise Nanna and by the author is superb. Rich with detail and imagination, conjouring a sense of place and time and character that entirely transports the reader into a world almost more vivid than our own, certainly more magical. The tale woven is full of tension and possibilty, a familiar tale with a new sense of peril to it and a great deal of trickery.

Pelzmantel is a medieval fairy tale, written for adults, dark, dangerous and unforgiving where happily ever after has no place, but a good start to a new chapter may be possible.