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katykelly 's review for:
The Ordinary Princess
by M.M. Kaye
What a refreshingly contemporary feel to this princess-needs-a-husband story.
In true fairytale style, the seventh princess is blessed with gifts by a host of fairies, but as her father fears, it goes wrong and one slightly bitter fairy 'blesses' her with ordinariness.
So no golden curls, stunning beauty and sublime grace for Princess Amethyst Alexandra Augusta Araminta Adelaide Aurelia Anne. Her dark hair and freckles make Amy (no ordinary princess can be called anything else) stop every suitor from pursuing her. She decides to run away and make her own life, away from boring princes and a confined life.
A life in the forest is bliss, but eventually Amy realises she will need some money, and must find work.
The story is great, Amy is a wonderful role model - she's not going to accept her royal position and an easy life, she's a hard worker when needed, she's funny and smart and quite adorable. In her work as a kitchen maid, she meets a man-of-all-work and they start to enjoy each other's company.
What a great story to show young girls that a princess's privileged life is not necessarily something to aspire to, that an equal relationship is a healthy and long-lasting one, that working for a living can bring its own rewards, that beauty is something intrinsic to a person, not just about skin, teeth and hair.
The writing is chatty and easy to follow, one you could read aloud to a five-year-old or for an older child to easily read for themselves.
It's one I've only heard of recently and wish I'd read at the age of 8 or 9, it's definitely one I would want children today still discovering, there is nothing old-fashioned about the writing. The illustrations (new Puffin version) are a little quaint looking, but still suited the story nicely, giving it a fairy-tale feel.
Under-valued classic.
In true fairytale style, the seventh princess is blessed with gifts by a host of fairies, but as her father fears, it goes wrong and one slightly bitter fairy 'blesses' her with ordinariness.
So no golden curls, stunning beauty and sublime grace for Princess Amethyst Alexandra Augusta Araminta Adelaide Aurelia Anne. Her dark hair and freckles make Amy (no ordinary princess can be called anything else) stop every suitor from pursuing her. She decides to run away and make her own life, away from boring princes and a confined life.
A life in the forest is bliss, but eventually Amy realises she will need some money, and must find work.
The story is great, Amy is a wonderful role model - she's not going to accept her royal position and an easy life, she's a hard worker when needed, she's funny and smart and quite adorable. In her work as a kitchen maid, she meets a man-of-all-work and they start to enjoy each other's company.
What a great story to show young girls that a princess's privileged life is not necessarily something to aspire to, that an equal relationship is a healthy and long-lasting one, that working for a living can bring its own rewards, that beauty is something intrinsic to a person, not just about skin, teeth and hair.
The writing is chatty and easy to follow, one you could read aloud to a five-year-old or for an older child to easily read for themselves.
It's one I've only heard of recently and wish I'd read at the age of 8 or 9, it's definitely one I would want children today still discovering, there is nothing old-fashioned about the writing. The illustrations (new Puffin version) are a little quaint looking, but still suited the story nicely, giving it a fairy-tale feel.
Under-valued classic.