I thought the cover of this one was really fun, but the punk rock part of the storyline was very short, and the unicorn’s accessories far fewer. That part comes about near the end of the book, where Phoebe and Marigold are at yet another summer camp and putting on a musical performance. Phoebe and a new friend Stevie play some actual punk music, whereas Sue and Marigold just want to smash things! A much greater portion of the book was taken up by ongoing interactions with an alternate-universe Phoebe + unicorn pair, via a magic portal. Their alternate personas are supposed to be evil– but they’re not really. Which says something deep that I just didn’t quite get.
I like all the little snippet parts better. Such as when they meet a very dorky, unattractive unicorn named Prince Aspirational Arrogance who is very full of himself (the complete opposite of Lord Splendid Humility) but it’s funny. Later Phoebe worries that her book report on a graphic novel won’t count because Dakota says “those aren’t real books,” but happily her teacher is a fan of the same series! Phoebe and Dakota get lead parts in the school play together- but end up arguing on stage (and the star role is a snail which somehow inspires Marigold). Phoebe tries to understand why she procrastinates and sometimes can’t focus. She and Marigold meet another male unicorn- one even more self-centered than Marigold is. The unicorn tells Phoebe another fable, how the clouds are selfish unicorns blocking the sun. They pretend to be princesses wielding swords together, arguing who gets to save an imaginary kingdom. And more!
Borrowed from the public library.
