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Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula

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Princess Decomposia is overworked and under appreciated, doing not only her job but that of her father as well. The king never quite feels well enough to execute his duties, so the princess is always left scurrying, running behind, and buried under paperwork. Luckily, she makes a good hire, friend, and helpmate in Count Spatula; With this charming vampire-chef by her side, our protagonist is guaranteed success! Like Mr. Woodhouse from Jane Austen’s Emma, King Wulfrun is seemingly so paranoid about his own and others' health that he is nearly helpless. He is against eating decadent foods and engaging in taxing behaviors on the grounds that they might damage the health. And, just like her Austenian counterpart, Princess Decomposia takes on the roles of caretaker and head of state, as Wulfrun is ostensibly incapable of taking care of King or kingdom. However, unlike Emma, this princess sees through her father’s ruse and outs him as a being “nothing but a selfish old fraud” who enjoys the benefits of being king without bearing the burden of the responsibilities. In short, Decomposia is the Emma that we all desperately wanted Miss Woodhouse to be. This delightful text is a fun read in its own right but would also pair nicely with Austen’s seminal work, proving quite well suited to an upper-level literature curriculum. CHRISTINA E. TAYLOR

  • Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula by Andi Watson
  • Middle Grade
  • FirstSecond
  • 161 pp.
  • Published 2015
  • ISBN 978-1626721494
  • $14.99
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