The latest Twisted Tale is here and asks “What if Tiana made a deal that changed everything?”
New Twisted Tale writer, Farrah Rochon starts dramatically enough with the climatic scene in the catacombs as Tiana crushes the talisman in front of Dr. Facilier. Well, she was about to crush it when the Shadow Man offers the one thing she wants most.

You might think it’s the restaurant as he did but Tiana is much better than that. She’ll earn her restaurant fair and square. Rochon does a lovely job in displaying Tiana’s strong ethics and respect for herself right in the first chapter. But then Dr. Facilier offers the big ace in his sleeve, he can bring her Dad back.

It’s too tempting, seeing her beloved father again and living the rest of his years out as he was supposed to, how could she not want that. That and a little persuasive blackmail and Tiana shakes the poor sinner’s hand.

Now a year, she and her father have their supper club and Naveen no longer remembers who she is (it was an additional clause to the spell even though it hurts Tiana’s heart to see him). But the universe is all about symmetry. With Mardi Gras season beginning again, Dr. Facilier is switching up the deal and Tiana realizes that she’s truly stuck under his thumb.

As a Louisiana native herself, Rochon does a wonderful job infusing the setting with vivid description of the streets and quarters, describing the delicious cuisine and sharing other traditions specific to the colored community in N’awlins.

This also applies to the magical aspects of the novel as she shares the Haitian origins of Vodou which are inherently good coming down from generations of ancestors and Dr. Facilier’s type of power is manufactured cons and darkness. I really admire how his scenes always have a slithering aura of creepiness, I could just imagine the shadows creeping up behind me.

Since there are several chapters from his point of view, Rochon gives a bit of sympathetic backstory but makes clear that it does not excuse him. Facilier’s choice to abandon the old ways to seek easy shortcuts because he feels like he “deserves” the power as he steps on others makes him as dark as his friends from the other side.

Tiana still struggles with her independence and learning to rely on others but in this case it is more than understandable considering the guidelines set by her deal with Dr. Facilier that she can’t tell anyone. Even so, she’s a bit ashamed to as she knows how shifty he is.

But this is also a lesson in letting go as Tiana struggles to let go of believing that she has to handle everything, let go of the reins, let go of the past hurt, let go of what she thinks is the universe’s black and whiteness to realize it is so much more powerful and vast than that. It’s always fascinating when a protagonist must deal with the consequences of their greatest wishes and Rochon takes full advantage of this here.

Naveen may have lost his memory of the previous year but he has a sweet friendship with Charlotte who decides to keep looking for a foreign Duke and inexplicable attraction to Tiana. He feels drawn to her though he doesn’t realize why and is disheartened with how she avoids him. He also keeps his newfound resolve to be a hardworking man, struggling to find his talent and a way he can be of use to others. It’s a solid storyline even though it’s a bit of retread from the movie. Even so, I enjoyed seeing him begin to recognize his privilege and how birth station can affect the opportunities of those under him.

Rochon also does an excellent job in bringing the Tiana-Naveen romance in a deja vú sense. I’ll admit I didn’t feel the spark in the movie as it felt like every rom com childish playboy learns from hard working woman. But here I appreciated their romance a bit more. I mean, Rochon makes Naveen charming and oh my he is charming! Tiana doesn’t only encourage him to be a better man but I see why Tiana likes him, he makes her put her hair down and enjoy life. They balance each other.

Charlotte is also here too and shows why she is such a good friend even if she is oblivious at times. Unlike the movie, Rochon is able to go into the racism of the time period even if she isn’t able to say it by name. It’s not The Hate U Give level but Tiana and Charlotte do have a serious talk about the differences in their lives and how much harder she has to work because the color of her skin prevents so many opportunities.

Overall, it’s a great addition to the series and let’s readers have more adventures in the colorful city of New Orleans with one of the strongest Disney princesses around.

4 beignets!