9. Legacy

I received this book recommendation from a friend. We constantly trade names of novels we like, although more often than not, our opinions differ. I lean towards historical fiction or realistic fiction, while she has a propensity for sci-fi and fantasy. Yet we can most certainly find common ground on one theme: princesses. Be it the glamorous palaces, the noble knights, or the lush countrysides, there's just something about princess stories that transcends age. From the 12 Dancing Princesses to Rapunzel, I've always had a soft spot for these tales of adventure and royalty. 

I am impressed. I read the book knowing that a fifteen-year-old had written it, so I was wary. But I was pleasantly surprised, as I encountered mature writing with an intricate plot and excellent variety in sentence structures. Mostly, the characters were developed wonderfully, and their relationships with the protagonist seemed realistic. There are some exceptions, such as the king and queen, who appear stilted and not fully developed. As for the protagonist, Alera is a little tiresome. Her pushover personality and propensity for tears takes her down a notch in my regard. I would have liked for her to exhibit more backbone and simply do more. At times, she seemed unimportant to the plot (other than the obvious romantic aspect of the story), as she just sat and watched others. Another issue I have is with the excessive detail. There are superfluous sentences describing every inch of the palace: what is on the walls, where each room is, what is room is for. The author also tends to ramble on during her descriptions of clothing. There are awkward paragraphs thrust into the story that pause the plot to focus on the beading of the gown and the sparkle of the tiara. It seems that every major event brings a change in clothing and a vivid description of it. All that criticism aside, I acknowledge that Kluver is a talented teen and her novel is fun to read. The plot in itself is excellent; it is intriguing and surprising. There is a steady pace that allows for suspense but doesn't blur into boredom. The story is exciting and engaging, so the novel was worth reading.