A review by themoonphoenix
The Encanto's Daughter by Melissa de la Cruz

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The Encanto’s Daughter is a YA Story with Filipino mythology, it’s a fun and fast-paced story with the elements of royalty, mystery, and magic. 

MJ is the princess of the kingdom of Encanto, but she lives in the human world incognito, when her father and king of the magical kingdom die, she has to move and learn about the kingdom, and what better way to do it than to attend high school. 

The kingdom and several of her companions do not accept her, she is mestizo, and she did not grow up with them, but MJ will show what she is capable of, fake it until you make it!  She is worried that her powers have not appeared and there is something wrong with her kingdom, maybe, just maybe, the king was murdered instead of having a natural death…

It's YA, younger than adult, and very entertaining, MJ struggles with her identity, she is not a human, but when she arrives in Encanto, she does not feel part of the kingdom either, she has a lot to learn, she is not familiar with the culture and that her school companions being against her does not help much, the good thing is that she will make friends who will help her, to know more about the kingdom and discover her magic, because if she does not have powers before she is 18, she will not be able to be a queen.

I liked the magic system, I'm not familiar with Filipino folklore so I don't know how much it is present, but in general, I liked the magic elements and the world building, is easy to follow and interesting. The fact that it is set in a school makes the plot feel younger, it is the typical school where there are mean girls and exams that you need to pass. 

MJ is very busy, between learning about the country, studying for school and solving mysteries, she has a very busy few months, the good thing is that she will make friends, who will help her There is romance too, which started a little like an enemy to lovers but after talking and resolving their misunderstanding is sweet.

Overall, it's light, its fun, and fast-paced, with a good balance between magic and mystery, perfect for someone who likes something easy, with diverse magic. It's the first part of a duology, so it ends with a kind of cliffhanger.