This little book (a novella really) is funny and quirky and tongue-in-cheek but also thoughtful between the lines (if that makes sense). It’s like a fairy tale turned halfway inside out, if you will. There’s a king with three sons, two love to hunt and the third is a bit quieter (he always lets the hunted animals escape). One day they’re chasing a mystical white deer through the forest, but when they bring the quarry to bay, instead there’s a lovely maiden standing there. Convinced she is a princess, they take her back to the castle. She’s supposed to set a series of near-impossible tasks for the brother princes to complete, whoever brings her the requested trophy first, will win her hand. But does she even want that? She has a quiet, gentle shy manner, and cannot recall her name. She starts to wonder if she’s just a commoner and won’t be allowed to stay with the prince who marries her, but worst yet is rumor of a story, that she might just be a common deer turned into a woman by a magic trick. Her character reminded me in many ways of Amalthea in The Last Unicorn, and the odd conversations that go in circles with senseless (but delightful) wordplay made me think of Alice in Wonderland. But this story has a character all its own. It gets a little silly and repetitive in places, but I didn’t mind. I liked the ending. ( )

Slightly hit-or-miss fantasy involving a princess that may or may not be a magickal white deer, who commands three royal brothers (two of whom are hunters, one a minstrel-type) to try to break the enchantment over her. Some jokes are well done, some jokes are all right on the first or second telling but rapidly wear out their welcome, and some of the book seems like blatant padding to bring out a short story to a novella. The illustrations by Thurber aren't his best work, but they are interesting. I'm uncertain why HB brought in Freeman to do additional illustrations, unless they thought Thurber's drawings couldn't carry the load (a curious thought). Certainly not for kids, in my view; more likely crafted for certain kinds of adults. ( )