A review by scheu
A Princess of Roumania by Paul Park

4.0

Although I can see why this book has such a low rating, it certainly doesn't deserve it. If I came into it with a lot of expectations (since the publishers marketed it as though it were some kind of romantic YA fantasy), I'd rate it low too. It's basically a 400+-page prelude to the next book. Half of the narrative doesn't involve the main characters. The pace is positively glacial. However, the premise and the world of the novel (an alternate Romania) are both really fascinating and they kept the downsides from being huge deterrents. Instead of romantic, the story is grubby and deceptive. It also makes me want to go back and read the other two books in the Celestis trilogy. Well, the whole trilogy really.

So ignore that low rating, it's worth it.