Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Titillation the main attraction of this predictable romance.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In order to preserve the empire, Princess Marie will have to marry Leopold, the Crown Prince of Prussia. But Marie's in love with her bodyguard Gill, so she enlists the help of childhood friend Aelwyn to escape the arranged marriage. Aelwyn's inherited the magical abilities and power of her father, Merlin, and agrees to use them to switch places with Marie. Much of the drama centers around the London social season's dazzling balls and glamorous dinner parties in anticipation of the royal wedding. Navigating these rough waters are Isabelle, descended from the overthrown French royal family and Leopold's lover, and Ronan, an American socialite who needs to marry into money in order to save her own family. On the verge of leaving the palace forever, Marie discovers a plot that could mean the end of the monarchy, and she'll have to decide between pursuing her own dreams and accepting the fate she was born into.
Is It Any Good?
With THE RING & THE CROWN, veteran author Melissa de la Cruz presents light fare that will titillate and thrill kids who love romance, dazzling costumes, and courtly intrigue. Otherwise, there's not much on offer here. The narration alternates among the large cast of characters whose voices aren't very distinct and is sometimes confusing, although it gets easier to follow once the characters become more firmly established. It's unfortunate that de la Cruz's alternative timeline, with fantasy elements of Arthurian-based magic, and in spite of some powerful female characters, presents a world of such old-fashioned sexism in which "a wife's job was to placate her husband and learn to hold her tongue."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why romances are so popular. Do they help us understand relationships, or do they create unrealistic expectations?
Young women in this world don't have many opportunities in life except to marry well. Do you think that was true in the real world in the early 1900s? How have opportunities for women changed over the years?
Characters use magic in lots of ways, from winning a battle to changing their appearance. What magical ability do you wish you had? How would you use it?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Disney-Hyperion
- Publication date : April 1, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 384
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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