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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine


Genre: Fantasy, Youth
Length: 239 pages

Reviewed by: Kelly McKinnan

“Step follows step. Hope follows courage. Set your face towards danger, set your heart on victory.”

Gail Carson Levine is famous for writing young adult fantasy books, such as Ella Enchanted, Fairest, and the Princess Tales series. In The Two Princesses of Bamarre, Adelina, or Addie as she prefers to be called, is a princess of Bamarre, with her sister Meryl. The two of them are complete opposites. Addie is shy and fearful for her own safety and dares not travel far from the castle, while Meryl is bold and adventurous and wishes to destroy monsters and save the land of Bamarre. But Meryl soon comes down with the Gray Death, a horrible disease that is covering the land. Addie is then forced to make a terrible decision. She hates the idea of leaving the castle, but she knows that to save her sister’s life, she has to find the cure.

Gail Carson Levine is one of my favorite authors. Her writing style is fun and unique, and she never ceases to surprise you. It’s not a usual princess story, with a dashing prince charming to come in and save the day; it’s refreshingly different. Levine’s writing flows and keeps you interested throughout the book. Every page is a new adventure. Levine’s characters are far from dull; she gives depth and life to them, so that you can truly understand and get to know them better.

The morality in this book is not overly strong, but for a fantasy book it’s adequate. Addie and Meryl’s sisterly love for each other is clearly shown and very deep throughout the book. Levine puts in the normal fantasy characters (fairies, dragons, sorcerers, etc…), but no dark or black magic is ever mentioned or used. Addie, instead of thinking of herself, puts her sister first and goes to find the cure, despite her fears of leaving home. The people of Bamarre often refer to the book Drualt, which speaks about the life of Bamarre’s hero. They use this book to lift their spirits, and in a way inspire them in making their choices.

I think that many young readers will love this story. With all of its twists and turns, it’s often hard to put down. I’ve read this book many times, and I never seem to get bored of it. This is a wonderful book for anyone who enjoys reading fantasy and adventure. Levine truly knows how to capture young readers’ attention, and over all I think that this one is definitely one of her best.

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