This is the story of Nalia, a princess who has always felt...awkward. She never felt right in her skin, never regal enough, never pretty enough, never "royal". Early in the book she finds out why: She is not actually the princess. She is a commoner under a powerful spell. She is a stand-in for the real princess who has been raised far away from the castle walls. There was a prophecy that the princess would die before her 16th birthday, so the king and queen made sure their daughter would be safe by sending her away and bringing in a stand-in. If the stand-in dies, no worries. The princess would still be alive somewhere else. Nalia, whose real name, she discovers, is Sinda, is sent to her only living relative, an aunt she has never met, without so much as a thanks. Sinda feels alone, unloved, and unprepared for the new life she will live. Soon she discovers that she has a bit of magic in her, and she returns to the city to figure out how to use it. She is taken in by an eccentric witch and rekindles her friendship with the one person who has always understood her, the Earl's son, Kiernan. While in the city, she finds out that someone has deceived the king and queen, and that the new princess is not the real princess at all. She and Kiernan must journey out to find the truth and stare danger in the face to save the kingdom.
While reading this book, there were some plot lines that were easy - Kiernan as more than a friend, for example. Some of the plot advancements were too neat - I am thinking of the oracle who gave the prophecy on this one. But overall, I really enjoyed the book. I was not expecting the climactic scene to end the way it did, but I was expecting something big. O'Neal has written a great freshman work, and I cannot wait to see what else she has to offer.
I have recommended this book to my princesses of the school - the ones who salivate over Shannon Hale and Gail Carson Levine.
No comments:
Post a Comment