Trick

Plot.

He’s a wicked jester. She’s a righteous princess. It’s forbidden love.

In the Kingdom of Spring, Poet is renowned. He’s young and pretty, a lover of men and women. He performs for the court, kisses like a scoundrel, and mocks with a silver tongue.

Yet allow him this: It’s only the most cunning and manipulative soul who can play the fool.

For beyond the castle walls, Poet guards a secret.

One the Crown would shackle him for. One that he’ll risk everything to protect.

Alas, it will take more than clever words to deceive Princess Briar.

Convinced that he’s juggling lies as well as verse, this righteous nuisance of a girl is determined to expose him.

But not all falsehoods are fiendish. Poet’s secret is delicate, binding the jester and princess in an unlikely alliance—and kindling a breathless attraction, as alluring as it is forbidden.

Review.

January’s #Trashometro, and first book for this year for the monthly codirected column with my adorable scusastavoleggendo (IG)!

For the month of January (I apologize for procrastinating for so long) we chose Trick by Natalia Jester. A particular book on several fronts: first because Poet’s point of view is almost always written in rhyme, second because this book is much more serious than one might think and the author is a manipulative court jester herself, just like his male lead because she played us all.

Reading the plot and looking at the cover we would all think of a trash book and we have invented this column on purpose, to look for books monthly that can entertain you for a few hours or days in a fun way with a little romance, slow burn and enemies to lovers when possible, yet this book having all the principles to have it, it is not at all.

Is there any romance? Yes, there is. Is there any enemies to lovers? Yes, there is. Is it trash? It could, but not because it speaks and places a delicate and important issue such as disability at the center of itself.

Warning the paragraph below contains spoiler. If you don’t want any, go to the after the next paragraph in bold with the wording “Fine Spoiler”

Not just any physical disability such as limping or not having a leg, but an even rarer one to find in books such as Down syndrome or autism. In the book it is not specified, because every form of disability is treated in the same way: whoever owns the trait becomes a form of entertainment, a jester by birth.

Spoiler end

Treated with great sensitivity and sweetness, this theme is the core of the book to which all the rest will rotate.

Starting from the philosophy of disgust, according to which every physical thing repels us and therefore is not socially accepted and according to most it cannot be canceled, but only overcome, the author tries precisely to try this: to find a way to overcome disgust towards what is different, because it scares us. If we can accept that two people of the same sex love each other, why can’t we also accept those who are like fairies, since their parents have given them more magic than they knew they had? Why not love them unconditionally even if they are not blood of our blood?

This book does not find a real solution, but a beginning that starts from itself and from us.

So is this book trash? Absolutely not.

Do I mind it? Even though I was duped, no.

The theme around which it revolves and the way it is treated I find them perfect, the characters that are introduced to us are well done even if, let me tell you: the best ship perhaps would have been with Briar’s best friend. Personal tastes? Maybe, but I think they would have been a more balanced couple, but I understand the choice: being Briar a princess, a symbol to follow, she is the best character who can educate others and change things, since politics – let me say unfortunately – can change the society and its ideas when it is inclined to do so.

For all these motions and the sublime style thanks to the poetics, but which often perhaps goes too far and does not help to keep you focused on the book and you just want to skip some parts to get to something else I give it 3,5 stars.