Found floating down the river in a basket as a baby, Lilia was raised by a shepherd, but never allowed to be a true part of the family. When Lilia overhears plans to sell her to the miller, she decides it is time to leave the farm behind, and travel upriver in search of her origins. On the way, she is joined by Kai and Karina, the shepherd’s biological children, who run away from home to accompany Lilia. They find more adventure than they bargained for when Kai is enchanted by the Elf King’s daughter, and Lilia and Karina must seek a magical jeweled clasp before two weeks has passed, or risk losing Kai to the elves forever. This delightful adventure is a retelling of The Princess and the Pea, mixed with elements of other folklores, like the Erlking’s daughter, changelings, and the Wild Hunt. It is a story of the enduring love of family, the strength of friendship, and the courage it takes to find oneself. The chapter titles are taken from a pamphlet mentioned in the story, listing the rules a true princess must follow, and readers will have fun noting how the heroine manages to break each rule in the course of the chapter.Readers familiar with some of the fairy tales and folklore that make up this novel may find the story somewhat predictable, but the way in which the many and varying tales are woven together make it a wholly unique story. Even readers who are not as familiar with the original tales will have fun guessing at how the story will resolve, as the author drops little hints and clues throughout the story. Some of the elements of the story—like the falcons—were explained rather quickly, and readers may wish for a bit more detail.This would be a great book to include in a “retold fairy-tales” display, and would also be great for exploring different folklores and mythologies with students. The blend of traditional tales included in this story opens doors for discussions of fairy mythology and Wild Hunt lore across cultures. A True Princess was a fun, easy read, retelling the classic fairytale of The Princess and the Pea. I wasn't wowed by the book-- the characters could have been more fleshed-out and the plot needed a little more depth. My biggest complaint was that I hardly felt connected at all to the protagonist's love interest-- he was absent for most of the book and didn't have enough character development to be all that interesting. I actually found myself wishing that the main male protagonist had turned out to be Lilia's love-interest instead. Flaws nonetheless, I still found A True Princess enjoyable as a light, easy read, and would recommend it to tweens and young teens who like princesses.
What do You think about A True Princess (2011)?
This is a book that touches on the princess and the pea story, but is not exclusively that tale.
—Shakhnoz
too neat and tidy... everything works out without any real feelings of tension.
—Katie26
I enjoyed this original twist on the "Princess and the Pea" fairy tale.
—tdwdlw
Very predictable, but still a fun retelling of a classic story
—faithey13
Read with my 9 year old daughter. We LOVED this book.
—iago
