The False Princess

by Eilis O'Neal Narrated by Mandy Williams

Overview

Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia has led a privileged life at court. But everything changes when she learns, 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, her best friend, Kiernan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sent to live with her only surviving relative, Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks. Then she discovers that long-suppressed, dangerous magic runs through her veins, and she realizes that she will never learn to be just a simple village girl. Sinda returns to the city to seek answers. Instead, she rediscovers the boy who refused to forsake her, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history forever.

An intricately plotted and completely satisfying adventure, The False Princess is both an engaging tale in the tradition of great fantasy novels and a story never told before that will enchant-and surprise-its listeners.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Just after her 16th birthday, the princess of Thorvaldor finds out she is no princess at all, but a peasant girl named Sinda Azaway, switched at birth with the real princess after a prophesy predicted the royal's death; Sinda has ceased to be useful to the king and queen now that the fated birthday of their real daughter has passed. Readers will feel for Sinda, who's immediately exiled from palace life, sent to live with an unknown aunt, and burdened with having lived a lie. Debut novelist O'Neal deftly draws a protagonist to root for as Sinda forges a new identity, comes into her own as a talented wizard, and discovers further royal intrigue. Sinda's sadness and anger feel righteous, never grating, and O'Neal quickly buoys Sinda's new life with her best friend from the palace, Kiernan, who proves his loyalty, and a wonderful teacher in the eccentric Philantha, who takes Sinda in as a wizard's apprentice. Fans of Shannon Hale will enjoy this compelling fantasy, which is filled with magic, political drama, and romance. Ages 10–up. (Jan.)

From the Publisher

"One day after her 16th birthday, Nalia, the Princess of Thorvaldor, learns that she isn't 'Nalia' after all. She is Sinda, a poor peasant who has been used as a decoy to save the true princess. Because of a prophecy that foresaw her death before her 16th birthday, the true Nalia was sent to a convent where she was kept safe. Now, she returns to Thorvaldor, and Sinda is sent to live with her aunt in Treb, where she struggles with her new identity and misses the king and queen, the only parents she ever knew, and Kiernan, her best friend. When a friend betrays her trust, she becomes overwhelmed and magic begins bursting out of her—magic that she didn't know she possessed and can't control. She goes back to Thorvaldor and becomes a scribe to the eccentric Philantha. One night, she watches someone put a spell on Nalia, or the girl who she thought was Nalia. It is the same spell that was repeatedly put on Sinda to hide her true identity during her first 16 years. Could there be another decoy? Who is deceiving the king and queen? The plot line is unpredictable, causing readers to be pulled along with each page turn to find out what will happen next. The thick character descriptions allow for teens to empathize and put themselves in the place of Sinda and the others. The characters are dealing with the angst of change and identity development, so readers can really relate to the issues that come up in this exciting story. Written from Sinda's perspective, this book takes readers on a wild ride of deception, mystery, and young love." —starred, School Library Journal

School Library Journal - School Library Journal Audio

Gr 7 Up—Eilis O'Neal's debut novel (EgmontUSA, 2011) is a fresh princess story with lots of plot complications. Nalia, raised as a princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, learns that she has just been a stand-in to protect the true princess whose life was prophesied to end by her 16th birthday. She is sent to live with an impoverished aunt who really doesn't want her and tries to adjust to her "true" life as Sinda. As a student of a wizard, Sinda learns that she has a talent for magic and that there are still more secrets about the true heir to the throne. This discovery pits her against dangers that magic can't always solve. As her awareness grows of possible treason, many questions are raised. Mandy Williams does a good job of expressing Sinda's many emotions—confusion, pain, anger, longing, impatience, and more. She captures Sinda's cultured voice and refined pronunciations, the sign of many castle elocution lessons, but fails with words that end in "ing," a curious inconsistency in an otherwise strong performance.—Edith Ching, University of Maryland, College Park

JUNE 2011 - AudioFile

Sixteen-year-old Sinda thinks being a princess is all she’s ever known until she learns that she was switched at birth to avoid a dire prophecy. As the story evolves, she discovers that there are two false princesses and that she has magic powers that would help her country if only she could get them under control. Mystery and intrigue, magic and romance follow as a confused Sinda struggles to find her place in the world. Mandy Williams spirits listeners through the imaginative story with a credible portrayal of Sinda’s hopes and frustrations and the perfect fairy-tale voice for making vivid Sinda’s enchanted world. S.W. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170174133
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	01/25/2011
Edition description:	Unabridged

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