Colleen Mondor Reviews The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller

The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill, Rowenna Miller (Redhook 978-0-3163-7847-5, $18.99, tpb, 416pp) April 2023. Cover by Lisa Marie Pompilio.

The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill is a straightforward “don’t make a bad deal with the Fae or it will come back to bite you” kind of novel. Author Rowenna Miller blends a historical fiction about two sisters struggling with sibling conflict alongside a tale of the Fae at their tricky best. (This goes far beyond ‘‘Don’t eat anything in Faerie.) There is also a serious plot development concerning domestic violence, which is disturb­ing but true to life and propels the negotiations with the Fae into high gear. Altogether, it’s a solid effort that doesn’t bring many surprises but is an enjoyable read of the faerie genre.

Alaine and Delphine grew up in Prospect Hill on property that was acquired through a long ago deal with the Fae. Alaine loves the family farm although she and her husband are struggling to hold onto it financially. (Not a surprise that a bit of Faerie luck is sought to keep things going.) Delphine, the younger sister, is engaged to a wealthy man whose money could save the farm, but that’s not an easy topic to broach. And then there is all the history between Alaine and Del­phine, years of misunderstanding, which is not unusual between siblings who might love each other but don’t necessarily have a lot in common. It’s only when the situation between Delphine and her husband becomes desperate that she can turn to Alaine, and all the possibilities that Faerie luck offer become too appealing to resist.

The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill has some dark themes (the subtle and insidious manipulations within Delphine’s marriage are quite disturbing) but overall the book is as you would expect. The denizens of Faerie are glam­orous liars and yet the sisters (especially Alaine) refuse to accept how treacherous any relationship can be with them. Sometimes you have to learn by doing, and that is the case here. For readers enchanted by such engagements, another peek at how Faerie operates will be a pleasure.

This review and more like it in the July 2023 issue of Locus.

While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time or recurring donation. We rely on reader donations to keep the magazine and site going, and would like to keep the site paywall free, but WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT to continue quality coverage of the science fiction and fantasy field.

©Locus Magazine. Copyrighted material may not be republished without permission of LSFF.