Princess Alera has one year to make up her mind about who to marry. She doesn't particularly like the egotistic man her father has selected, and she doesn't really know what to do. She gets to know a young, handsome prisoner almost on a whim, but since he hails from her country's principal enemy, she knows any relationship would be forbidden. Even when it turns out that Nerian is from her country, but was abducted and raised by enemy forces, he's still not a suitable choice for her despite what her heart is telling her.
I don't read a lot of fantasy, especially the fake medieval kind, but this one was all right. The cover doesn't match the content at all (imho!); the hair, the dress, the jewelry are all more nineteenth century than thirteenth or fourteenth or whatever century was being described. The novel seems way too long with far too much superfluous detail, but perhaps that's part of the genre. *shrug* The love story dragged a bit, too. The court intrigue adds some interest, but really Alera's dad, the King, is a chauvinist who wants to bully his daughter into marrying the man he's selected no matter what so he can retire and avoid the war that's sure to erupt any time now. The book ends in a cliff hanger, which I won't spoil here, and there are some mysteries about the enemy country that need explanation, so I do want to read the next installment. Recommended for ages 12 & up.
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1 comment:
I didn't care for this one, sadly. It seem forced and bland to me! I'll probably pass on the sequel but at least I will be able to check out your review if I get too curious!
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