eBook Review: The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal

Synopsis:

Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court.  But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection.  Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks.  But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.

Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.

A dazzling first novel, The False Princess is an engrossing fantasy full of mystery, action, and romance.

***

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal told a great story about a girl, who had previously known as Princess Nalia of Thorvaldor, whose original name was Sinda. After her sixteenth birthday, her fate of being a princess changed in sudden. She was no longer a graceful princess like she had been before. She was just a girl of a weaver who was living in such a village far from the palace. Her secret mission of being taken as the replacement of the real princess was to prevent the death of the real princess Nalia as being stated in the oracle's prophecy. After she -Sinda- was being sent away, she was replaced by another girl who was pronounced as the real princess Nalia. 

"We hid the princess away so that she would be safe until after her sixteenth birthday. And we replaced her with another baby, a false princess. You." (King, Chapter 1)

The false princess, who was known as Sinda Azaway afterwards, found out that she had something powerful inside her body and soul. She had magical power she had not known when she had been being the princess. She had to manage her magical power right away. So, she went to the wizard college to be one of the students there. But, she was not a noble and she had not enough money. So, she was taken by Philantha, a master of wizards, as her scribe.

One day, when Sinda went to the palace to meet her best friend Kiernan, who was the son of Earl of Rithia, she found out that someone was casting magic spell over Nalia, the Princess of Thorvaldor. At that time, Sinda realize that Princess Nalia, who was staying in the palace recently, was not the real Nalia. Her name was Orianne and she was just fake as Sinda was. Sinda by Kiernan's help tried to figure out what happened to the real Nalia and who was casting magic spell upon the second-false princess.

Surprisingly, Orianne was driven by someone who was casting magic spell upon her. The person behind her was very powerful and about to take the revenge over the King and Queen. The throne was in danger as soon as the King, who was already dying, passed away. The real princess Nalia was living out of sight. Sinda had to find her before it was too late and told the people that the princess in the palace was not the real princess as same as herself before. But, Sinda had never noticed that her enemy was not only powerful but also poisonous. Meanwhile, she also had to struggle for her love with Kiernan who simply would not able to marry an ordinary girl-a girl, who was not a noble, like her.

~o~

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal is a great novel I have ever read. This novel is a combination of adventure, kingdom life, wizard, magical power, and betrayal. This novel contains such a mysterious part as well. I really like how the author writes the story and tries to amuse the readers. I like how the author brilliantly writes about the oracle and prophecy which I hardly find in the other books, except those which take ancient kingdom setting. It is brilliant!

The characters involving in this novel are various. Each character gets almost the same proportion inside the storyline, except Tyr, a boy who became a friend of Sinda in Treb-where her aunt was living. The character of Sinda is amusing. She is a clever and tough girl in her sixteenth years old. She has magical power which makes her different from the other character. Instead of Sinda, another character I give much attention to is Kiernan. Kiernan is a tough boy and smart thinker. I think he has no afraid of anything. He is the savior of Sinda's life, Nalia's life, and other people who may get in danger. He is so lovely as well. 

The setting of the novel is so much exciting. I hope I could explore more about the places where Sinda and Kiernan spend their adventure in. I like how the author tells about the setting in the story. It is very easy to understand, though. Meanwhile, the plot of this story is easy to follow. Even though, sometimes I find several misses in the plot. I hope this is only my mistake, LOL. 

The ending of this novel is so lovely. It makes me hold my breath for seconds. The execution of the ending is very smooth but firm and sturdy. It makes me feel that this novel really worth reading. Further, the end of the story leads me understand that the last prophecy given to Sinda is going to be true. Even though, to figure it out I have to guess what will happen in the end of the chapter since the prophecy comes like a quest. And voila!! I find the clear answer in the last chapter.

"A triangle, set in a storm. One of its sides crumbled and fell away, leaving only two." (Chapter 23)

The language is so much understandable. For me as an foreign language speaker (non-English speaker), this book is very easy to read. I almost get the whole words used in the story. Only several words I have to consult my dictionary to figure out the proper meaning. The diction and the sentences are chained smoothly like a river flow.

Over all, I can say that The False Princess is a novel worth reading. The story is not monotonous. You can find a lot of surprises inside the storyline. Further, you may found a smooth twist as well which can make you say, "ohhh,, I do not think it should be like this!" I really recommend you reading it, especially those who like a story which takes the setting in ancient and classic kingdom over the rainbow and something involving magical power, wizard, and mystery.

"It's easiest, of course, to cast a spell on yourself. You know yourself, inside and out, even if you don't know that you do. It's other people, of course, always other people who make it hard, because you don't know them, not the way you know yourself." (Philantha, Chapter 23)

The Book's Information

Title: The False Princess

Author: Eilis O'Neal

Publisher: Egmont USA

Edition: I/eBook English Version

Published: 2011

Pages: 336 pages (24 Chapters)

ISBN: 978-1-60684-242-3

Genre: Young-Adult Fiction

My rating: 4 out of 5 crowns

~Happy Reading~
xoxoxo