Sugar Apple Fairy Tale is well, very sugary. It is in all respects a simple shoujo fairy tale, but unlike many, not one outside the realm of realism or avoidant of violence.
A naive but determined girl named Ann is trying to deal with her mother's very recent passing. She aspires to be a skilled sugar-sculpture craftswoman like her mother, and now on her own in the world, sets out to reach a yearly festival so she can enter a completion. The road there is very dangerous, so she reluctantly, and against the humanitarian morals she has been taught, purchases a warrior fairy named Shall Fen Shall as a slave to be her bodyguard.
Hence the conflict. It focuses mainly on Ann trying to make her dream come true along with her trying to understand fairies and their treatment in society, along with the fairy she had purchased.
Over time they build a subtle and reluctant friendship as they try to deal with their own emotional conflicts. One with Ann seeking companionship and trying to understand Shall, and Shall slowly opening up to humans(although not forgiving them) after all he's been through, and is still subjected to.
I felt the story should have delved deeper into the fairies struggles, (but that's a little much to ask of ten chapters) which leads to my problem with the plot twist. I cannot say I was impressed with it, nor that I didn't see it coming. The story didn't really need a villain beyond examining the general subjugation and societal roles of the fairies.
The ending wrapped up all of Ann's conflicts nicely, and she found her own self as an artist through her love of the fairies, but also felt kind of unfinished. Although, it was adapted from a novel, so it's probably not then whole story. (I'd like to see her someday become an abolitionist for fairies's rights.) xD
The art is very clean and clear, the designs pretty.
Well, overall I've rated it 'good' at a 7. It was a sweet and enjoyable read.
