This prequel written by Mari Mancusi delves into the mysterious past of King Agnarr and Queen Iduna diving deeper into the magical alliance between Arendelle and Northuldra that would leave a lasting legacy on their daughters and the kingdom itself.

Mancusi has a difficult job having to balance sticking with movie canon while fleshing out Agnerr and Iduna’s world so they feel like real people and not fill in the gap characters. She wisely manages this feat by setting most of the story in the past when the couple are teens but hooks the readers attention by having this story be the last conversation between Agnarr and Iduna before their ship sinks.

Secrets have been surrounding the couple most of their life, especially Iduna but in her final moments she is ready to share her full story, showing how fear has been the enemy surrounding them all along starting with the Battle of the Damn.

Mancusi’s descriptions of Iduna’s original home in the Enchanted Forest is brief yet filled with warmth and lush natural imagery and readers get a good sense of Iduna’s curious nature as her friend, the Wind Spirit Gale helps her spy on the visiting Arendellians. We also get a good glimpse at Agnarr slipping away from his duties. It takes only a moment but Mancusi creates a great moment showing how similar the two are so readers are primed to see them together and is bolstered by Iduna’s brave, seconds-made decision to save the life of her enemy when she finds him injured and brings him to the escaping carriage. Leaving her on the other side of the mist and in a new unfamiliar world.

Fear and rumors are quickly spread among the soldiers, permenantly casting the Northuldra in a traitorous evil light which permeates the story as Iduna struggles with hiding who she is and hearing the slander about her people. Nonetheless, she is never ashamed of where she comes from even as she longs for home. Mancusi delivers a good message here as the citizens continue to blame the Northuldra for every problem that arises (from monsters under the bed to chewed up tulips to purple sheep), Agnarr and a few other good people prove themselves above the fear and panic-sometimes- by actually researching and coming to the conclusion its not the Northuldra boogeyman but an actual rational explanation.

Which is a good thing too as attacks aimed at the royal prince start ramping up as he approaches marriagable age arises, threatening their clandestine relationship and Agnarr’s internal battle between love and duty to kingdom. Which nicely segues into another secret involving the royal family and Agnarr’s missing mother.

It all comes to the main message of concealing, not feeling and love being the strongest thing you can fight with and for. It’s a tricky balance as Mancusi shows both sides of the problem as adulthood pushes people to make rational decisions for the bigger picture even if it hurts personally, yet denying your happiness and the person you truly love can lead to further isolation and sadness.

That’s why Agnarr and Iduna’s seemingly forbidden romance is so engaging as Mancusi illustrates their easy friendship and how they feel comfortable with their jokes yet able to speak seriously about their common cause, the mysterious wall of mist, among other things. It makes it all the more impactful to see their pain as duty and society dictates that Agnarr needs to be with a fellow royal, a fact that is like salt rubbed into the wound as Iduna is proposed to by another who throws her crush back in her face when she rejects him.

Iduna, herself, is a lovely protagonist to root for, full of compassion yet practical and fun-loving. She is a self-made woman who made her own luck out of losing everything which is inspiring to see. Although Agnarr has less chapters from his point of view, he is just as engaging when he sometimes babbles too much in an adorkable way, his tiredness with council meetings like any bored teenager, his sense of adventure all balanced with obligation to duty and care for his people. They are just so well-done as individuals so when they get together, you are fully invested in their happiness.

Plus I admire how Mancusi manages to lightly allude to more serious topics like depression and prejudice, trying to get the message across even if she can’t go too deep for a book that will likely be given to young Frozen fans as well as teens.

The supporting characters are well-done too with enough distinction to make them feel real while fufilling their roles in the plot like the regent Petersson who helped protect Iduna as a girl and advises Agnarr. Sometimes his choices are hurtful but they come from good intent which Iduna recognizes as one of those facts when you’re in an precarious situation. Jonah, Iduna’s former mentor and rejectd suitor whose hard work ethic and for-the-people-royals-suck rhetoric exposes his bitterness. The servants Gerda, and Kai whom I love for the reference to the original protagonists to the Snow Queen fairytale and their rooting for Iduna and Agnarr despite the odds. Even Agnarr’s potential bride, Runa is given some depth when it would be too easy to cast her as a mean red herring love interest.

And of course, there’s the characters from the movie like Mattias whose presence is stuck behind the misty wall yet served as an inspiring father figure to Agnarr when his own failed at the duty. Plus the trolls who are still act like those meddling family members that you can’t help but love even as they yell out baby names at you.

Honestly, I think I’m getting at the tip of the iceburg in regards to everything that is going on in this book. But the main point would be that Mancusi draws emotion out of every page, humor, love and palpable sadness for we all know the fate of Agnarr and Iduna at the end. Worse so since they feel even more like warm, kind people, you want them to live.

Fans of the movie are sure to enjoy this insight to the lives of the royal couple with enough Easter egg references to the movie scenes and even some lines to make you smile, provididing great satisfaction for those who love every piece of Frozen lore. Those who are less mega-fans will still enjoy the combination of magical fantasy, court intrigue and first-time romance that manages to stand on its own and immerses readers in their emotions.