Palace of Mirrors

Palace of Mirrors Margaret Peterson Haddix

Cecelia has spent her whole life training to be a princess, because she is the true princess, hidden from her enemies, waiting until she can take her rightful throne. She spends a lot of time daydreaming about the reward she'll give the commoner who's been pretending to be the princess for her all this time.

When Cecelia finally sets out to the capitol to claim her throne, she finds Princess Desmia has spent her whole life being warned of pretenders to the throne. In fact, she has an entire dungeon full of girls who claim to be the real princess, who have stories exactly like Cecelia's.

Desmia and Cecelia live in Suala, the kingdom that Fridesia is at war with in Just Ella (And Ella makes an appearance here). Luckily Desmia's not a bad person and has Ella counseling her an they quickly realize that while the girls in the dungeon can't all the real princess, there are larger forces at work here.

I liked this one. Cecelia really annoyed me throughout most of the book-- she was a bit mentally spoiled. She didn't have a lot of material goods, but believing she was the true princess, she was more than a little high and mighty. I really liked Harper (crush on him!)

I don't think that court intrigue is Haddix's strong point (at least, not what I've seen with Just Ella and Palace of Mirrors) but I did enjoy both books, this one more than Just Ella.

Book Provided by... my local library

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Just Ella

Just Ella Margaret Peterson Haddix

When happily ever after isn't all it's cracked up to be...

Ella thought her life was made the day the prince came and slipped that glass slipper on her foot. She was leaving her Step-Evil's house forever, no longer an abused servant.

But life in the castle is confining. She's not allowed to see the sun, or hear unpleasant things. She has to be mean to the servants because "that's what they're there for." She can't even properly talk to her fiance. And everyone would rather believe that she has magical powers, or a fairy godmother, than the truth about how she got to the ball in the first place.

She took control of her life once, but she's not sure if she can do it again.

A really interesting and fun look at what might have happened next. The royal life isn't as magical once you're on the inside, when you know what lies just outside the castle walls. I also really liked the twist on the original story.

The writing and characterization didn't blow me away, but I did really like the plot and ideas on what happily ever after might actually look like.

A great book for fans of fairy tale things and of girls saving themselves.

Book Provided by... my local library

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