Book Review -- Princess Academy (Module 6)

Fantasy Audiobook

1. Bibliography

Hale, Shannon. PRINCESS ACADEMY. New York: Full Cast Audio, 2007. ISBN 1933322772.

2. Plot Summary

Prejudice, empowerment through education, and finding one’s place in the world are some of the numerous themes in this fantasy story. Motherless Miri lives in a village known for mining and selling of linder rock. She dreams of working in the quarry with her father and sister, mainly because she needs to feel necessary and appreciated in the family unit. Miri, like most other girls in this story, feels the strong inward nudge to prove herself. One day it is announced that all village girls must go to the Princess Academy to be educated and trained in a manner that befits a princess; it has been ordained that the prince will choose one of them for a wife. The villagers have their qualms about this, but it is decided that they must comply with the wishes of those of greater power than themselves. The academy tests the girls’ very spirits, and they find their tutor, Olana, to be strict, even harsh, in her dealings with them. Olana often makes remarks expressing her prejudices toward their humble mountain origins and their probable lack of intellect. Miri regrets leaving behind her (male) childhood friend, Peder, and deals with her conflicting emotions about the possibility of marrying the Prince. The girls are met by tests and disasters and tough decisions, and in the end make important discoveries about themselves.

3. Critical Analysis

The descriptive language and the names of people in the story might make one think of the Alps or some such northern, cold and snowy place. The idea of linder rock, which is an integral part of the trade for Miri’s village on Mount Eskel, is also an integral part of the story. The girls in this story are trying to figure out who they are, and make choices about their lives, which is a universal occupation for most young people of either gender. The interactions of these girls with one another seems fairly typical of girls of that age, although the excessive use of similes and metaphors in their thoughts and speech is a bit distracting. Some characters are not terribly likable in the beginning but become likeable or at least more likeable as they learn and change. The characters have many adventures, and in the beginning this is engaging, but seems to run on somewhat longer than necessary. The intent of the book at many points seems to be to empower girls, but at the same time doling out the standard idea of a prince choosing one of them to be worthy of being his wife, and the competition among the girls to be the chosen one. That could be considered a bit contradictory to a nobler message, especially when considering that many of the girls see this possibility as the potential opportunity to make something of themselves. The audio book is well-done. It utilizes multiple voices for the characters rather than providing one person reading an entire story. In this case, the multiple voices make it seem much livelier, and make approximately eight hours on eight CDs go by without the monotone effect possible from a single voice.

4. Awards and Excerpt(s)

2006 Newbery Honor Book

Publisher’s Weekly review:

“…Princess training is not all it's cracked up to be for spunky Miri in the isolated school overseen by cruel Tutor Olana. But through education-and the realization that she has the common mountain power to communicate wordlessly via magical "quarry-speech"-Miri and the girls eventually gain confidence and knowledge that helps transform their village. Unfortunately, Hale's lighthearted premise and underlying romantic plot bog down in overlong passages about commerce and class, a surprise hostage situation and the specifics of "quarry-speech." The prince's final princess selection hastily and patly wraps things up.”

Hornbook Audio review:

“When Miri spends a year in princess training, she learns surprising things about herself, her family, and her quarry-working community. Miri not only wins the title of academy princess but also transforms her mountain village's entire economy, vanquishes a horde of murderous bandits, and wins the heart of the boy she loves. This full-cast recording of Hale's 2006 Newbery honor book reflects care, with an accomplished narrator and snatches of song that introduce each chapter...“

KLIATT (Audio) review:

“...Although 14-year-old Miri wants to be princess to help her family, she is torn by her growing love for her lifelong friend Peder. Tensions rise when the prince fails to make a selection after the ball, and the princess training extends into a second year. Laura Credidio and the Full Cast family present a successful blend of masculine and feminine voices, lending great variety to the characters. For fans of clever, feisty female heroines and those who relish a touch of fantasy and suspense suitable for family listening.“

5. Connections

This story could be used to discuss the fantasy genre.
This story could be used to discuss the idea of mixing genres such as “fairy tale meets fantasy.”