SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY
The girls of Mount Eskel have their lives disrupted when an envoy of the king announces that it has been divined by their Priests that the future bride of Danland will come from here. All the girls are forced away from their homes and their work and taken to be trained to be girls worthy of royalty. Among them is Miri, who struggles to find her place with girls who hold grudges, and a teacher that is harsh and unfair.
OUR CAST OF CHARACTERS
Miri is smaller than most girls her age and was not sent to work with the other girls in the mountain village. Because of this, she feels rather useless. When she is sent to the academy she is the odd girl out, as the others know each other better. Her rebellious nature causes trouble and she stubbornly pretends not to care if she is alone. But in reality she longs for friends and to be forgiven. Because of this she is easy to relate to.
Britta didn't grow up in the village and is somewhat a mystery to Miri. She claimed to be able to read before but Miri wonders if she lied about that. Because she seems to struggle along with the other girls.
Katar is rather a teacher's pet and a leader of the girls. She dislikes Miri when she rebels and when she gets attention for learning to read so well. Katar eventually opens up to Miri, and we learn about why she is so disagreeable. Miri even does her a huge favor.
Pedar is Miri's best friend and love interest. Because the majority of the story is spent at the academy he isn't in it a lot. But Hale does a decent job showing his relationship with Miri through flashbacks and conversations they share.
Olana is the teacher for the girls. She is strick and rather harsh, punishing the girls by putting them in a closet or hitting them their hands with a ruler. Eventually, the girls earn her respect.
PACING
The book is not an action book, although there is a portion that is suspense and action, near the climax. Most of the story covers what the girls' learn at the academy, the punishments they endure and the relationships that Miri tries to form. While reading it struck me that long portions of time are covered in the same paragraph. This actually sped the pace of the story. I was eager to learn if Miri would be able to get forgiven, or unharden her heart to ask for forgiveness, herself. And if what Miri learns will truly effect her people.
CHARACTER-DRIVEN
Like most character-driven plots, the story places more time on the forming and breaking of relationships as well as character development. Miri struggles with her loneliness when the girls exclude her. She feels useless being so small and unable to work in the quarry. She doubts Pedar likes her and that her father loves her. She is unsure if she really wants to be a princess. Eventually, she develops a relationship with another girl named Britta, and she grows bold as she acquires knowledge. She eventually becomes a leader and this helps her defeat an unexpected foe.
FORESHADOWING
When Miri goes home and see's her family she realizes her sister wished she could have gone to the academy. This plants a seed that comes to fruition near the end of the story. We learn that Mount Eskel isn't a province, just a territory of Danland. So they don't even have a delegate. This information seems unimportant but actually gives Miri an amazing opportunity to be kind later on. Britta reveals she doesn't feel welcome with her new family but doesn't miss her father or mother. She doesn't explain why. This is the second hint we get that Britta has a secret.
THE CLIMAX
Hale takes a story that is mostly free of action and still gives us a suspense-filled climax. She allows her heroine to fully develop, not only leading the girls' escape but to discover what she wants in life. This clarity allows her to risk her own life.
CONCLUSION
Hale presents not only an original story and likable characters, but a suspenseful climax as well. I give “Princess Academy” four and a half stars.
What do you think? Did you read this book? Agree or disagree with me on any points? Please let me know!
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