Fairest: Wide Awake Volume I

Author: Bill Willingham
Artists: Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning, Matthew Sturges, Shawn McManus

Title: Fairest: Wide Awake Volume I

Publication: November 27, 2012

Publisher: Vertigo

Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Fairy Tales

Pages: 160

Audience:16 and up

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Source: Purchased

Favorite Quote: "You're an addict. You need stories the way the furrow needs the plow."

Synopsis (from the cover):

They call her Sleeping Beauty, but life's always been ugly for Princess Briar Rose. Cursed at birth by a pissed-off fairy godmother, she wound up acting as a one-woman weapon of mass destruction against the Adversary in the last days of his war against the Free Fables. She won the day, but at the cost of sending herself into a permanent nap from which only true love's kiss can awaken her.

Few would have guessed that it would be Ali Baba Prince of Thieves, who would rise to the challenge- or that he'd be accompanied by an obnoxious, not-quite-a-genie sidekick. But as Briar Rose's true origin is revealed, can this no-longer sleeping beauty and her Prince Charmless escape the cold fury of the Adversary's former right-hand woman--the icily regal Snow Queen?

My thoughts:
 I started collecting the singles for this graphic novel, but then decided to wait for the trade to come out. I really enjoyed the storyline until the last 10 or so pages, which starts a new storyline from out of no where. I was a bit lost through out the entire story because it kept referencing Fables. I understand this novel is a spin off of Fables, but I thought it would be able to hold its own. Apparently, I was wrong. So I have really mixed feelings about the novel. I will want to know what happens so I may wait and check out the next trade to see if I want to continue reading it. Also, my favorite character was Jonah, the bottle imp, and the Snow Queen was pretty cool too. I enjoyed the storyline when background story was not necessary, but when it was it was confusing and irritating. If you have read Fables, then go for Fairest. If you have not read Fables but really want to read Fairest, go for it, but just know you may have to go back and eventually catch up on Fables.