"The Last Fairy Tale"

by Lynette Mejía

"The Last Fairy Tale" gives exactly what the title gives, but in a strange way. You won't find witches who want to eat German children, or a princess who has fallen into a deep slumber by an evil step-mother or queen. Instead, Mejía presents this fairy tale with an old woman giving a story about herself and the royal conflict she gets involved between two fairy princes.

The language in this story is magical in its own way, and as I read I felt I was reading a fairy tale, but I got more from it than a normal one. The images, and the plot are well developed, as well as the old woman. However, the fairies which played an important role weren't as developed as I had hoped. I was craving to understand the dynamic of a royal fairy household, but it was never given. The ending, though predictable, was a good finish to the story.

I would love to read more of Mejía's work, and The Absent Willow Review made a good decision.
You can read the story for yourself here.

3.5 stars