Princess Academy
in journal
by Shannon Hale
i loved this author’s first book, wasn’t as crazy about the sequel, and with this third book, i think i’ve finally figured out why. first off, i really enjoyed this book (though her goose girl remains my favorite – it’s very excellent) but there seemed to be passages that were just so very YA in the least engaging/smart/interesting ways and then just as i would be getting frustrated, there would come another passage that would read like magic or wisdom, or maybe something of the two. it’ll be interesting to see how this author progresses in her writing – will one side shrink as the other grows, or will there constantly be this mishmash, which i grew to really enjoy in its unpredictability?
anyhow, the story itself is a good one, with some nice twists, though somewhat predictable as in who ends up with whom. the villagers and their world is very believable and rich. the story also teaches a good story of tolerance and acceptance without being too preachy or simplistic.
