Miri woke to the sleepy bleating of a goat. The world was as dark as eyes closed, but perhaps the goats could smell dawn seeping through the cracks in the house's stone walls.
I decided to reread Princess Academy by Shannon Hale in anticipation of Princess Academy: Palace of Stone. It had been years since I'd read it, and I thought I would only appreciate the new novel more if I took the time to reread the first book. I am SO GLAD I did. This is a lovely fantasy novel!!!
The heroine of Princess Academy is a young girl named Miri. She's the youngest in her family, and much beloved by her father and older sister. So her parting with her family is definitely bittersweet. But sometimes girls don't have a choice in when they leave home, or why they leave home. Miri along with the other girls in her mountain village are compelled to attend a Princess Academy in preparation for a grand ball. It has been foretold that the Prince will marry a young girl from Mount Eskel, and so an academy must be formed to transform that mountain girl into a lady. It will ultimately be the Prince's choice, but all the young girls are potential princesses, all must receive equal training.
Princess Academy is a coming-of-age fantasy novel that delights!!! It's such a joy to spend time with Miri and Britta and some of the other young girls. And Peder is wonderful as well!!! Every glimpse of Peder is worth it! For Peder is the boy whom Miri loves dearly--though she's too afraid to say how much she likes him. Is this a proper-proper romance? I wouldn't say it was. There is something sweet, innocent, pure, and delightful about it.
I loved the characters, the writing, the pacing, and the setting!!! Everything was just about perfect. I definitely recommend this one.
Read The Princess Academy
- If you enjoy children's fantasy novels
- If you are looking for a family-friendly fantasy novel
- If you are a fan of Shannon Hale
© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
2 comments:
This sounds like a wonderful and sweet story. I also like that the protagonist's name is my family's nickname for me :-)
This was the first Shannon Hale novel I read, and I loved it. So good. So sweet. So smart and well written. Thanks for reminding me of it.
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