After a decade since the last “Tinker Bell” movie came out, Disney has brought back Pixie Hollow with the book “Wings of Starlight” by Allison Saft, released Feb. 4. The new book tells the origin story of Queen Clarion and Lord Milori. Despite only appearing together in “Secrets of the Wings” for about 15 seconds, fans have long gushed about the couple and hoped for a deeper glimpse into the story of how the queen and the Lord of Winter fell in love.
As the future queen of Pixie Hollow, Clarion is eager to understand the world she will rule. Yet, she constantly doubts herself as she hopes to live up to the standards set by the current queen Elvina. When monsters cross into the warmer seasons from the Winter Woods a month before her coronation, Clarion meets Milori, the Warden of the North. The two form an unlikely alliance to put an end to the creatures terrorizing Pixie Hollow, but as they grow closer, Clarion struggles with choosing between her duty as the next queen and her heart.
“Wings of Starlight” can only be described as devastatingly beautiful, crafting a wonderful story with the most gut-wrenching ending — one readers unfortunately knew was coming. As a novel published by Disney, the story includes many fairytale-esque tropes, with monsters as the antagonists and a fairy princess who becomes the ruler she wants to be by leading with her heart. Even if the plot is predictable, the story is magical — just like the original movies.
Reading this book felt like being a kid again. The writing felt nostalgic and every bit as magical as the “Tinker Bell” movies were. Saft did an incredible job of keeping this world alive, making it practically jump from the pages — almost as if the readers were in Pixie Hollow themselves.
Getting to know the characters was also fun to read, especially Clarion. She is a deeply complex character who constantly puts pressure on herself to live up to Elvina’s expectations and standards. Clarion has so much love for the people of Pixie Hollow, including the winter fairies, even if she doesn’t know much about them. She fiercely wants to do what is right and protect all of her subjects. It was incredible to read about Clarion’s growth as she becomes the fairy and queen she wants to be through her new experiences.
The dynamic between Clarion, her best friend Petra and her guard Artemis is very entertaining, especially as the three grow closer together and begin to rely on each other. Their relationship is scattered throughout the book, and those friendships are what really push Clarion to save Pixie Hollow. Readers recognize her dedication to her friends early on, hinting that this is what will make her a good queen.
The biggest relationship dynamic is the romance between Clarion and Milori. The two go from reluctant allies to head over heels in love, forming a relationship that is to die for. They complement each other well, both carrying the heavy burden of being rulers and the same guilt for what has happened to their subjects. Their relationship is the highlight of this novel as they grow closer and begin to depend on each other.
This novel meets all expectations that readers had for Clarion and Milori’s story. It is magical, heartbreaking, bittersweet and incredibly nostalgic, with fans reminiscing about the movies that came out when they were young. Reading this novel feels like stepping into Pixie Hollow itself, watching the plot unfold and empathizing with both the characters’ struggles and triumphs. Fans have been waiting for “Wings of Starlight” for a long time, and it was better than what anyone could have imagined. Hopefully there will be more to come from the “Tinker Bell” universe — not just for Clarion and Milori but also for other characters from the original movies as well.
Jocelyn Cosgrove is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the winter 2025 quarter. She can be reached at jmcosgro@uci.edu.
Edited by Corinna Chin and Logan Heine