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katie0528's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A childhood favorite of mine I revisted and I was pleasantly surprised to find it still held up. After royal priests devine the future bride of the prince will be found in the remote mountain territory of Mount Eskel, a royal academy is set up to teach illiterate, rural mountain girls of eligible age into potential princesses. Miri, a bright, outspoken girl who has longed to work in the village's quarry, finds herself sent to the academy and swept up in the competition and comradery of the academy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
noellegrace8's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I read this a long time ago in middle school, and I remember thinking even then that it deserved its Newberry Honor Award. Perhaps I'm biased, though, because this is basically a cold-weather & mild-fantasy version of Appalachian folklore/culture. I think that's why I love it - I'm from West Virginia and don't often see books that portray love for small-scale, simple life borne of tradition. This book is great at doing just that. It gives me nostalgia and a sense of home even though the setting and people are different enough from my own home.
Character-wise, I love me a lost, oblivious ENTP finding their strength and healing, and that's just what Miri is. She's a loveable character with plenty to offer her little side of the world (and maybe even beyond those borders). She's inspiring and works toward bettering herself always.
Plot-wise, how could a person not love this little story? It's one of those ones that seems to pull on traditional "princess"/monarchy rules but manages to make it completely fresh. It is a bit juvenile in some areas, but I can't dock anything off of its star rating for that, because it is clearly middle-grade fiction. It's *supposed* to have some silly dialogue, lack of proper interpersonal communication in relationships, cut-and-dry motivations and developments, and a 14-year-old kid who is somehow more intelligent than her village elders. Lol. Altogether, such a worthwhile read.
I don't factor audiobook performance into the overall star rating of a book, but I give this cast a general 3/5 ⭐ for their narration. Honestly, this sounded a lot like free LibriVox recordings. The performers were void of emotion, except when they were swinging the opposite way and had too much, cheesy emotion in their tones. And these supposedly teenage characters sounded like 8- to 12-year-olds. It was just... not good. Additionally, why did they keep saying pay-der instead of pete-er?? I never imagined that, just because it was spelled with a D instead of a T, it would be pronounced any differently...
Character-wise, I love me a lost, oblivious ENTP finding their strength and healing, and that's just what Miri is. She's a loveable character with plenty to offer her little side of the world (and maybe even beyond those borders). She's inspiring and works toward bettering herself always.
Plot-wise, how could a person not love this little story? It's one of those ones that seems to pull on traditional "princess"/monarchy rules but manages to make it completely fresh. It is a bit juvenile in some areas, but I can't dock anything off of its star rating for that, because it is clearly middle-grade fiction. It's *supposed* to have some silly dialogue, lack of proper interpersonal communication in relationships, cut-and-dry motivations and developments, and a 14-year-old kid who is somehow more intelligent than her village elders. Lol. Altogether, such a worthwhile read.
I don't factor audiobook performance into the overall star rating of a book, but I give this cast a general 3/5 ⭐ for their narration. Honestly, this sounded a lot like free LibriVox recordings. The performers were void of emotion, except when they were swinging the opposite way and had too much, cheesy emotion in their tones. And these supposedly teenage characters sounded like 8- to 12-year-olds. It was just... not good. Additionally, why did they keep saying pay-der instead of pete-er?? I never imagined that, just because it was spelled with a D instead of a T, it would be pronounced any differently...
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Colonisation
ieatbooks_'s review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It’s a nice middle grade fantasy book :) I read it for the first time as an adult and I definitely would’ve enjoyed it as a kid
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse and Kidnapping
the_paper's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse and Death of parent
rokinjaguar's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is one of my favorite books. The characters are written with nuance and personality, flaws and growth, relationships and history. Quarry speech is really fun and interesting, and I love that Miri finds a purpose that’s truly hers. :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement and Death
khi33's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
For fans of Ella Enchanted, this novel wraps you in a warm embrace of the mountainous city of Eskel. Miri, a young woman from the village, learns over the course of the book where her heart truly lies. It is a wonderful story I plan on reading again.
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
meganpbennett's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Another book that's rather difficult to rate. Miri, the daughter of miners, attends the Princess Academy, where the Prince will chose his bride after the ball that ends the school year. There, she learns all about life beyond the mines, and uses that knowledge to improve her family and her community.
It's hard to rate because it doesn't end the way I expected it to end, and I'm not sure if I like how it ends.
It's hard to rate because it doesn't end the way I expected it to end, and I'm not sure if I like how it ends.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Confinement
Moderate: Physical abuse, Violence, Vomit, and Kidnapping
Minor: Death of parent
rini's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Confinement, Physical abuse, and Vomit
Minor: Death of parent
erniedresser's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Violence, and Vomit
Minor: Kidnapping and Death of parent