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***I received this ARC as a gift in exchange for an honest review via the author and Scholastic
The Princess and the Page is a magical mystery that combines an intriguing glimpse into French history with imaginative sleuthing skills fit for any modern day Nancy Drew.
I don’t normally review children’s or middle grade books on my blog, but when I heard that Christina Farley had one coming out, well, she’s one of my go-to authors. Somehow she always manages to put a twist on history, folklore, and culture to make it captivating for any reader, i.e. her Gilded series, which is AMAZING. I am so glad I was given the opportunity to review this book that is sure to be a favorite of any tenacious young girls and boys with a knack for mysteries and a love of writing.
The Princess and the Page is a blend of history, fairy tale, and fantasy. The castle and historical events are real and the author does a wonderful job discussing the history and her own experience visiting the castle at the back of the book. The way the history swirled into the mystery made me ask questions and dive into the history mentioned. I loved the tragic unhappily ever after aspect of Gabrielle and Henry IV. It was gutting and yet, balanced with Keira’s heroic efforts to change the past.
The concept of Word Weavers is awesome. I love the idea of bringing fantasy to life with words and altering history. It truly shows the power words have from the page first and how they resonate into real life, spreading from reader to reader, and everyone the reader came into contact with. Words have power. They can alter perspectives, change lives, and sometimes destroy them. Keira learns this the hard way, she makes mistakes, and puts people in dire situations with her reckless use of her power. Honestly, I thought this was the best part of the book. Teaching kids that what they say, what they write, and how they use their words in every manner has consequences.
The mystery was compelling. Keira uses her Nancy Drew-channeled detective skills to make observations, find clues, and uncover mysteries. She has lists of suspects, thoughts, and ideas that guide the reader and force them to come up with guesses of their own. The story is super interactive.
Characters, down to the fleeting secondaries, have loud and memorable personalities. Bella has so much sass and confidence, it’s remarkable. She’s mature, goal-oriented, and still feels like a little girl with big dreams. Though I have my doubts that any adult would give her that much power with a credit card. Chet is devious, playful, and always getting himself into trouble. He lives for adventure and leaps into danger. He livened up the story and won over my heart.
Some of the plot points were a little oversimplified and resolved quickly, but that may be usual for books geared towards a younger audience.
Overall, the story is didactic, inspires courage, confidence, and never giving up. Keira makes mistakes, she faces challenges, and she continues to fight for her dreams. That’s a heroine anyone can get behind.
CONTINUE THE BOOK TOUR
Magical reading,
Young Adult Book Madness 