The False Princess

Gr 7 Up—Eilis O'Neal's debut novel (EgmontUSA, 2011) is a fresh princess story with lots of plot complications. Nalia, raised as a princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, learns that she has just been a stand-in to protect the true princess whose life was prophesied to end by her 16th birthday. She is sent to live with an impoverished aunt who really doesn't want her and tries to adjust to her "true" life as Sinda. As a student of a wizard, Sinda learns that she has a talent for magic and that there are still more secrets about the true heir to the throne. This discovery pits her against dangers that magic can't always solve. As her awareness grows of possible treason, many questions are raised. Mandy Williams does a good job of expressing Sinda's many emotions—confusion, pain, anger, longing, impatience, and more. She captures Sinda's cultured voice and refined pronunciations, the sign of many castle elocution lessons, but fails with words that end in "ing," a curious inconsistency in an otherwise strong performance.—Edith Ching, University of Maryland, College Park