A review by emilyusuallyreading
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
3.0
What I Liked
I enjoyed the fact that Galen can knit. Not only can he knit, but he's talented at knitting and weaving together clothes. No matter how corny it might be, I also enjoyed his gallantry and chivalry. When he's half-starved, he gives his only food to an elderly woman. When he's shivering cold, he gives away his cloak to someone colder. Galen may be a little two-dimensional, but he's attractive regardless.
What I Didn't Like
This is a children's story, and not one that adults can read and necessarily enjoy too much. While I understand that Princess of the Midnight Ball is the retelling of a simple folktale. However, I expect a re-telling to add new depth, and instead the attempt fell flat for me.
The characters were either evil or gallant, cruel or perfect. Rose, her sisters, Galen, and even Rose's father the king were all simply wonderful characters who never had any flaws. None of them were judgmental, none were embittered or even prone to making mistakes. They were perfect, beautiful people living in a perfect, unfortunately enchanted life.
Even the end to this novel is so simple that it removes whatever ominous terror that King Under Stone represents. Defeat is so easy and you can see this from the first pages of the story.
I gave this three stars because it wasn't terrible, but it was dull for me to get through and I wasn't overly impressed.
I enjoyed the fact that Galen can knit. Not only can he knit, but he's talented at knitting and weaving together clothes. No matter how corny it might be, I also enjoyed his gallantry and chivalry. When he's half-starved, he gives his only food to an elderly woman. When he's shivering cold, he gives away his cloak to someone colder. Galen may be a little two-dimensional, but he's attractive regardless.
What I Didn't Like
This is a children's story, and not one that adults can read and necessarily enjoy too much. While I understand that Princess of the Midnight Ball is the retelling of a simple folktale. However, I expect a re-telling to add new depth, and instead the attempt fell flat for me.
The characters were either evil or gallant, cruel or perfect. Rose, her sisters, Galen, and even Rose's father the king were all simply wonderful characters who never had any flaws. None of them were judgmental, none were embittered or even prone to making mistakes. They were perfect, beautiful people living in a perfect, unfortunately enchanted life.
Even the end to this novel is so simple that it removes whatever ominous terror that King Under Stone represents. Defeat is so easy and you can see this from the first pages of the story.
I gave this three stars because it wasn't terrible, but it was dull for me to get through and I wasn't overly impressed.