Book Review: The False Princess by Eilis O' Neal

The False Princess
By Eilis O' Neal
Published Date: January 25th, 2011
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Format: Paperback, 319 pages
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Goodreads Summary: Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court.  But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection.  Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks.  But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.

Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.

A dazzling first novel, The False Princess is an engrossing fantasy full of mystery, action, and romance.

Cindy's Review: This book wasn't as bad as I expected it. At first, I thought it was a sequel or something to The False Prince, but it turns out it's from a whole different. Even though, I kinda like the False Prince better, this was actually an awesome story.

The main character is a girl named Nalia and she is the crowned princess, that is, until she was sixteen. When she was sixteen, her parents, or the queen and the king, told her she was  fake, just someone to keep the real princess safe and sound. 

The next thing Nalia knows, she is being sent to a village where her only relative, her aunt lives. There she gets played on by village boys and she really misses her best friend, a duke's son, Kiernan and the palace life. Then, Nalia decides to go back to the capital city when she discovers her magical powers. She goes to a magic school and became an apprentice to the schoolmaster, Philiantha. 

Nalia makes up with Kiernan again after their fight, and Nalia finally meets Orianne, the real princess. One night, when Nalia was visiting Kiernan, she found out that Orianne is not acutally the real princess. Then, Nalia and Kiernan goes on a search of whose behind it and where the real princess is located at.

This is really not bad at all. I find everything just right. There's the right amount of romance. There's the right amount of problem, adventure, love, etc. I really liked it :)

Rate: (1-10) 8

Quote Reactions:

"I should be crying...."

It's funny how she should be crying and I'm the only one crying here. 

"Not all prophecies come true."

Last time I checked, they all come true.

"If you can't be a princess, then you'll be a savior of a princess."

Wow. Determined. LOL

"You're nothing, a nobody. A fake, meant only to be replaced by the real thing."

Ouch. Double ouch. Man. That gotta hurt. 

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Vocabulary:

1. conduit

con·duit/ˈkänd(y)o͞oit/

Noun:

A channel for conveying water or other fluid: "a conduit for conveying water to the power plant".

A tube or trough for protecting electric wiring: "the gas pipe should not be close to any electrical conduit".

2. mirth

mirth/mərTH/

Noun:

Amusement, esp. as expressed in laughter: "his six-foot frame shook with mirth".

3. rapturous

rap·tur·ous/ˈrapCHərəs/

Adjective:

Characterized by, feeling, or expressing great pleasure or enthusiasm: "he was greeted with rapturous applause".

4.  unorthodox 

un·or·tho·dox/ˌənˈôrTHəˌdäks/

Adjective:

Contrary to what is usual, traditional, or accepted; not orthodox.

5. erratic

er·rat·ic/iˈratik/

Adjective:

Not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable.

Noun:

A rock or boulder that differs from the surrounding rock and is believed to have been brought from a distance by glacial action.

6. levity

lev·i·ty/ˈlevətē/

Noun:

Humor or frivolity, esp. the treatment of a serious matter with humor or in a manner lacking due respect.

7. apothecary

a·poth·e·car·y/əˈpäTHiˌkerē/

Noun:

A person who prepared and sold medicines and drugs

8. blasphemy

blas·phe·my/ˈblasfəmē/

Noun:

The act or offense of speaking sacrilegiously about God or sacred things; profane talk.

9. coerced

coercedpast participle, past tense of co·erce (Verb)

Verb:

Persuade (an unwilling person) to do something by using force or threats.

Obtain (something) by such means.

10. vendetta

ven·det·ta/venˈdetə/

Noun:

A blood feud in which the family of a murdered person seeks vengeance on 
the murderer or the murderer's family.

A prolonged bitter quarrel with or campaign against someone.

Happy Reading~