Annotation:
All
of her life, Nalia, heir to the throne in the kingdom of Thorvaldor, has been
preparing to become queen some day. Shortly after her sixteenth birthday,
however, she is stunned to learn the truth: she is not a princess, but rather a
stand-in to protect the real Nalia who was sent away for protection after a
prophesy warned of her murder. Now Nalia has returned, and the false princess,
whose real name is Sinda, is sent away from the palace to make her own way in
the world.
Personal
thoughts: I love a good fairy tale, so it was easy for me to like The False Princess with all of its
magic, sword-fighting, princesses, and adventure. It’s not difficult to
understand why this novel has received the accolades it has: it is well-written,
very age-appropriate, and entertaining. I would have no trouble recommending
this title to tween or teen girls who are in the mood for something with a
medieval flavor. I look forward to seeing what else Eilis O’Neal publishes in
the future.
Plot
summary: The prospect of becoming queen someday has always frightened
Nalia, heir to the throne of the kingdom of Thorvaldor. Having spent her life
in the lush palace in the capital city of Vivaskari, Nalia feels more
comfortable in the library enjoying a good book or with her best friend,
Kiernan, than learning the skills necessary to be a proper princess. Shortly
after her sixteenth birthday, however, Nalia’s life changes forever when she
learns the truth: she is not a princess, but only a stand-in meant to keep the
real Nalia safe from a prophesy that warned of a possible murder attempt on the
real princess before she turned sixteen. Now the true heir to the throne is
returning, and there is no need for the false Nalia, who also learns that her
real name is Sinda, an orphan who’s only living relative is an aunt who works
as a dyer in the nearby village of Treb. Forced to leave the only home she has
ever known, and Kiernan, Sinda moves to Treb and discovers that her royal
education does little to help her get by in life as a commoner. Fortunately,
Sinda makes another startling discovery: her real mother, like many in the
kingdom of Thorvaldor, was sorceress, and Sinda herself has magical powers.
Determined to reunite with Kiernan and make a name for herself beyond the title
of false princess, Sinda returns to Vivaskari and begins to apprentice with
Philantha, a kind but eccentric sorceress. What Sinda doesn’t expect upon
returning to her old town, however, is that there might be more to the story of
her former life as princess than she realized.
Review: The False Princess, the
first novel written by author Eilis O’Neal, is perfect for readers with fond
childhood memories of fairy tales who want to read something with a bit more
romance, action, and adventure. Set in the magical land of Thorvaldor, one of
the biggest strengths of the story is the author’s skills at world-building. A
lot of creativity is evident in her creation of place names, the history of the
kingdom, and the mythology of the characters and events. A lot of factors play
a role in the plot, but the effort taken to make the reader understand and care
about Sinda, Kiernan and the Thorvaldor monarchy is very well concealed. The
story is constructed effortlessly, making for a smooth, easily enjoyed fantasy
adventure. The character of Sinda is likable and relatable, particularly after
she is given the heave-ho once the true Nalia returns to the palace. Readers
will sympathize with what she is going through and her actions, both good and
bad, work well in the context of her experiences. The supporting characters are
also very well-written, including Sinda’s best friend Kiernan and the goofy but
lovable sorceress Philantha. Overall, there is much to enjoy in The False Princess and it would be
highly recommendable to tween and teen girls who want a more age-appropriate
fairy tale than Cinderella.
Genre: Fantasy
Reading
level: Grade 6+
Similar
titles: Entwined by Heather
Dixon, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, The Pledge by Kimberly Derting.
Themes: Royalty, prophesy, conspiracy, magic, wizards,
sorcery, loyalty.
Awards/Reviews:
2011 YALSA Teen’s Top Ten Awards nominee, 2012 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults
selection, 2011 ABC New Voices selection, 2011 ABC Best Books for Children
selection, starred review from School
Library Journal, positive review from Publishers
Weekly.
Series
Information: N/A
Discussion
questions:
-
How would you have felt if you were Nalia when
she learned she wasn’t the true princess?- Why do you think Sinda’s Aunt Varil was so hard on her?
- Do you think it was wise for Sinda to return to Vivaskari? Why or why not?
- How does Sinda’s efforts to get into the Wizard College similar to students in today’s society trying to get into a university? Were there other parallels in the novel to our society?
- Do you think the spell Sinda cast on Kiernan was the right thing to do? Why or why not?
- Do you think Mika will be able to do what she promised in regards to improving things in Thorvaldor?
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