Vegetational fatherhood almost reads as a story written in reverse, starting with a ludicrous ending, an then building a story to support it. The story is odd in how it refuses to either fully enter a magical realm, or try to justify the story in the real world as the seven brides of Bluebeard did. Instead it sits awkwardly between both my making frequent hints that stranger things have happened and the narrative could be within the realm of the possible. It seems like all of the standard fairy tale characters are present, the enchanting and silent bride, the worried parent and the curious spouse, but in this version the fantastical ends with the death of the bride, and instead crashes back into reality, causing a very un-fairytale ending of institutionalization.