The False Princess
Ratings7
Average rating3.3
15
Ratings7
Average rating3.3
Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court. But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection. Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.
Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks. But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.
Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.
Series
1 primary book2 released booksThe False Princess is a 2-book series with 1 primary work first released in 2011 with contributions by Eilis O'Neal.
Reviews with the most likes.
Listening to the audiobook, I was about a third of the way through the book when I realized the protagonist's name is “Sinda” rather than “Cinder” and this isn't the loosest Cinderella adaptation ever. Mandy Williams, the narrator, has a lovely voice and that makes up for the couple things that annoyed me in the story.
Over the course of the story, Sinda experiences and witnesses many levels of society, leading to very well rounded worldbuilding. The plot is satisfyingly complex as well. The male love interest is the typical “fun and popular” type most YA books use. This one is on the likable end of the scale, rather than annoying.
My biggest gripe comes with Sinda's reasons for not confiding in a responsible adult as the story pushes into the final act. She has none. She can't even think of a good reason. I found myself wondering if she was under a geas preventing her from telling anyone (or even leaving a note!) but she's not.
Really enjoyed the story, but I wasn't a big fan of the style of writing. I started skipping entire paragraphs because some didn't seem relevant. A few more rounds through the editing ring and this could have been great.
