Common Sense Note
Parents need to know there is romance and some historical violence in this novel. More importantly the novel deals with body image, societal pressures, magic, and parental death. None of the violence is graphic and the author approaches parental death with sensitivity.
Families can talk about how difficult it is to change your opinion of someone, particularly from bad to good. Ben's opinion of Queen Sophia was negatively influenced by her mother. Have you ever had another person's influence affect your thoughts about someone?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Terreece Clarke
Catherine Murdock joins the ranks of writers who seek to reinvent the fairytale genre with wit, fun, and a dash of feminism. Indeed, Princess Ben is a real girl's princess; she sulks, gets angry, has no time for the foolishness of Queen Sophia's "lessons," and is far from the willowy thin princesses of other stories (the girl likes her treacle tart). She holds her own destiny in her hands, and her evolution from sheltered, indulged child to selfless, proactive ruler gives this tale a modern edge.
Beyond the fantastic heroine, there are so many adventures, surprises, and plot twists that readers won't be able to put the book down. If they can get past the sometimes overly flowery language, readers and parents alike will love Ben's story.
From The Book
"Absolutely." He, too, kissed my cheeks, and with a last exaggerated bow in my direction, he clattered down the stairs.
Wrapping myself in a quilt, I crept to the window. In the courtyard below, Mother frowned as she struggled to fit her own golden princess circlet, for she had little skill at ceremony. With a flourish of trumpets, Uncle Ferdinand appeared at the great entrance to the castle proper, looking every inch the king in his robes of state. Unlike my father, Uncle Ferdinand truly was handsome, tall and lean and solemn.
Plot Summary:
Princess Ben was a plump and content princess with a wonderful family that kept her shielded from the royal court. When her parents and the king die mysteriously, Ben is at the mercy of her aunt, Queen Sophia, and the invading army of a neighboring kingdom.
Related Books:
More Fun and Twisted Fairytales:
The Castle Corona by Sharon Creech
Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
Fairest by Gail Carson Levine
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Reviewed: 06/30/2008
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Sexual ContentA girl searches for suitable suitors, two teens kiss, and two weddings occur. |
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ViolenceHistorical violence with swordfights and the death of three people. An adult whacks a teen's hands with a rod. A person is kicked and yelled at while imprisoned. |
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Social BehaviorMisunderstandings and naughty behavior occur, but those involved eventually realize the error of their ways. The characters experience substantial growth and evolution. |
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Drug/Alcohol/TobaccoPeople drink wine, as was common in the novel's setting. |
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