Sarah Addison Allen weaves reality with the slightest tinge of fantasy in this whimsical novel that is her second offering after Garden Spells .

Allen’s prose is simple yet real and Garden Spells was a spellbinding read. The Sugar Queen looks set to follow-up on and top the praise that came with Allen’s first book.

In The Sugar Queen, Allen tells a tale that is as sweet as its title. But as sweet as the story is, what lie beneath the delicate prose are issues of self-confidence and escapism. These are real issues thrust into Allen’s fictional fantasy world, where they are no less problematic for the characters in the book.

27-year-old Josey has been made to feel less than what she is for most of her life. She represses the insecurity and guilt that has been haunting her since she was a tiny spoilt brat showered with candy – moonpies and pecan rolls, Mallo Cups and “boxes upon boxes of Little Debbie snack cakes”.

Allen describes Josey through the character’s own eyes. It is a description that outlines the protagonist perfectly, has albeit with an awkward kind of pain behind her that’ll endear her to you at once.

“She’d never be the beauty her mother was, or have the personality of her late father. She was pale and plain and just this side of plump, and she accepted that. But food was a comfort. It filled in the hollow spaces. And it felt good to hide it, because then she could enjoy it alone without worrying what others thought, or about letting her mother down.”

Della Lee is a woman who has seen better days. While reading the book, you’ll realize that Della Lee was once beautiful, but the years of rough living had taken their toll on her. A waitress at a greasy burger joint in the sleepy fictional town of Bald Slope that this story is set in, Della Lee is a brash, fast-talking character. Although Josey initially sees her as a shady character and regards her with animosity, she later epitomises everything Josey wants to be, yet shies from being.

Slowly, the two women (who are as different as they come) form a relationship that sees Josey stepping out from her shell and Della Lee staying with her and fulfilling a heartfelt desire. Along the way, Josey is introduced to Chloe, a woman facing problems of her own that even her magical gift of having books which she needs suddenly appear cannot help her with.

In The Sugar Queen, Josey discovers that she has more than what she thinks she has; Della Lee realises that she also is capable of being unselfish; and Chloe finds forgiveness in her heart for a loved one.

The medley of other characters that flesh out the rest of Josey’s world offer a delightful insight into the life that the protagonist leads. They are the supporting cast, but are no less important as each of them have their own stories.

The Sugar Queen is a delightful read for any reader who loves her share of fantasy set in the real world. The beauty of this book is that the magic that it contains is just so subtle and innocuous that you’ll be duped into thinking for a moment that Allen’s fictional world is as real as our own.

UrbanWire gives The Sugar Queen 4 out of 5 stars

The Sugar Queen will be available at all major bookstores from May 2008.