What I've Read This Week . . .
On her 16th birthday, October 23, 1936, Her Royal Highness Princess Sophia Margaret Elizabeth Jane Clementine FitzOsborne, of the island kingdom Montmaray receives a new journal from her brother at school in England. She also receives a summons from her Aunt Charlotte, the Princess Royal, to come to England where Sophia and her cousin Veronica will be presented at court, have their Season and get married. Sophia is excited to go but Veronica refuses to leave. She has to hold the family together and keep track of their dwindling finances. Veronica is excited for Sophia to chronicle the history of their tiny nation in her journal (population: 1 mad king, 3 princesses, a prince, a housekeeper and 4 villagers), but Sophia worries she won't have anything interesting to write. She's the plain middle child. Veronica is bookish, her brother Toby is the heir to the throne and her younger sister Henry wants to be a boy. At first Sophia writes about her dream of going to London and making her debut and charming everyone with her poise. She writes about her crush on the housekeeper's son Simon and about her frustrations being the middle child in an eccentric family. Simon arrives from London with news of the Spanish Civil War and bickers with Veronica over what role Montmaray should play in international affairs. It's confusing for Sophia who doesn't understand the difference between Communists, Facists and Socialists or why she should care what is happening outside of her country. Then her life changes forever when two strangers appear flying a flag with an inverted cross and searching for information. As the situation becomes more dangerous, Veronica's composure begins to crumble and Sophia must take the lead or their country and their lives will be in danger. This is a brilliant coming of age story set just before World War II in a fictional island nation off the coast of Spain. Sophia is a good narrator. She's quiet, caring and observant yet she doubts her own abilities until faced with a crisis. All of the characters truly come to life and become flesh and blood before the reader's eyes. The author does an amazing job sharing the history of Montmaray, complete with quirky ancestors. I loved the epic poem which Violet dismisses as nonsense but provides the comic relief in the story. I also loved the literary references from Jane Austen and the Brontes, to Shakespeare and Tennyson. The plot starts slow but halfway through it picks up and doesn't let go until the very end. My only real complaint is Sophia's moments of introspection and speculation on great issues which seem out of character for her and a bit forced.This story will make you laugh and it will break your heart and make you cry before it's over. I highly recommend this book for older teens and adults. I can't wait to read the sequel!
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