Princess Ever After
By Connie Glynn
Reviewed by Lucille Rose
Princess Ever After is the fifth and final instalment of the Rosewood Chronicles. It begins with Lottie, who is the princess portman – hired to act as a member of the royal family to protect their true identity. She is still reeling after her separation from her best friends Ellie and Jamie. Jamie has since been taken in by his evil father, not knowing the deep, dark secret he keeps about Jamie’s mother. Ellie, now revealed to be the real princess of Mordova, has to decide if she’ll be the perfect royal or true to herself, all while harbouring the heartbreak of parting with her true love. Meanwhile, Jamie is determined to take back what was stolen from his father and gain revenge for what Ellie’s family did to him, even if that means leaving behind his friends. Lottie is desperate to save Jamie from his father’s clutches before he enacts his plan to take back the throne, but to do that she needs to reunite Jamie with his mother’s ring and the message it possesses. This multiple point-of-view story follows the eccentric main characters as they fight for their happy endings. But the question is, will they win them?
A popular theme in many young adult fantasy books is the twisted fairytale, where an author takes a classic story like Snow White or Cinderella and puts their own spin on It. I have read many of these books, but Princess Ever After had a unique way of applying this to their plot. The contrast between the modern world and its fantasy aspects made the book more intriguing, especially reading it from three perspectives.
Each character had a unique mindset, allowing me to witness the plot unfolding in several ways. Every character had a determined path that left no room for dull moments but was involved enough with each other that there was no confusion.
It was definitely a fun read, my favourite scenes were at the start where each character had a birthday. Each perspective had a different emotion as they thought about their past, and what was to come. It set up the story and created a mood that let the reader know how much was coming.
My favourite character was Lottie. Even after being separated from her friends, she never stopped fighting for them, despite the trouble it had and would bring her. Lottie was warm and kind but didn’t let anyone mistake her kindness for weakness. Strength and intelligence aren’t traits usually given to feminine characters, which is another reason I enjoyed her so much.
This book left me on the edge of my seat, waiting impatiently to witness the ending of an amazing series. I would recommend this book to 11–12-year-olds who enjoy a good fairytale and lots of adventure. 3\5 stars.
Lucille Rose is a StoryLinks Junior Reviewer
