A review by amandabethrose
The Princess of Thornwood Drive by Khalia Moreau

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

 I love a good dual narrative book, and the spin Khalia Moreau put on this style was fascinating. The story follows two sisters. One, Laine, is the only whole surviving member of her family. Her parents were killed in the same car accident that left her sister, Alyssa, severely disabled, unable to care for herself, and nearly unable to communicate save a few garbled words here and there. She is barely holding it together in the real world, struggling to pay bills, coordinate her sister's care, and preserve her own mental health. Alyssa is trapped in a fantasy world where she thinks herself the younger princess of a kingdom where her parents are trapped in the Dark Forest and danger from a shadowy villain lurks.

The fantasy elements felt almost childish at times, but childish in the way that felt realistic to the imagination of a nineteen year old girl trapped inside her mind. It was the kind of flowery, escapism that felt real. The magic of her world bled over just enough to make you wonder - was the 'real world' completely free from the mysterious and the magical after all?

My one caveat to this book is that there should absolutely be a trigger warning for sexual assault of a disabled character. It is non-graphic and tastefully written, but putting the pieces together was still shocking and felt very, very dark.

With that in mind, I did otherwise find the story to be captivating and I could see it being made into a really compelling film or short series. The alternating POV from reality and fantasy would make for some amazing visuals! 
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