A review by maiakobabe
A Hidden Magic by Vivian Vande Velde

adventurous fast-paced

2.75

I've had this book on my shelf for ages, picked up at a used bookstore because of fond memories of other Velde books (Dragon's Bait and Heir Apparent made a big impression on me as a pre-teen). Unfortunately, I think I waited too long to read this, as it's a bit too simplistic for my tastes as an adult reader. It's a very short fairy-tale like story about a princess, Jennifer, who is fairly average in every way, who has to rescue a handsome but stupid prince from a curse. Jennifer and a sorcerer named Norman talk their way out of trouble with a witch, a giant, a dragon, an evil fairy and a jinni. The somewhat predicable story is enlivened by gorgeous line art illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman.