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Palace of Stone (Princess Academy #2)

by Shannon Hale (Goodreads Author)

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 4,888 ratings · 1,184 reviews

Coming down from the mountain to a new life in the city is a thrill to Miri. She and her princess academy friends have been brought to Asland to help the future princess Britta prepare for her wedding.There, Miri also has a chance to attend school-at the Queen's Castle. But as Miri befriends students who seem sophisticated and exciting she also learns that they have some f...more

Hardcover, 323 pages

Published August 21st 2012 by Bloomsbury USA

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Sep 17, 2012 Mitch rated it 3 of 5 stars

Miri and Princess Academy grow up in this sequel, and I'm not sure I really like it. Part of the charm of the original Princess Academy is the innocence of the characters, these simple mountain girls being exposed to the extravagance of royalty and court life for the first time yet finding inner strength in their own simplicity, and while Miri does grow as a character here, it's just not the same. A good book but without what made the original great.

According to Shannon Hale, the keyword here is...more Miri and Princess Academy grow up in this sequel, and I'm not sure I really like it. Part of the charm of the original Princess Academy is the innocence of the characters, these simple mountain girls being exposed to the extravagance of royalty and court life for the first time yet finding inner strength in their own simplicity, and while Miri does grow as a character here, it's just not the same. A good book but without what made the original great.

According to Shannon Hale, the keyword here is revolution so I expected a lot of changes in the wind. Some of them are good, like Miri finding Asland not to be the shining city by the sea she's always dreamed of from poor, isolated Mount Eskel, but some not so much, like the massive amount of politics that's thrown into the story. I have the feeling Hale took a lot of inspiration from Les Miserables for this sequel, from the discontented masses of urban poor on the streets of Asland to the whispers of plans to overthrow the king in salons around the city, it all makes Palace of Stone a very different book from Princess Academy, a far more mature book. And that's one of my problems, Miri isn't Cosette, the way she goes around the city and things she does here just felt completely alien to her character from the first book, like she's swept up and deposited in a story that's not her own.

And for a sequel, I'm disappointed by all the returning characters except Britta. Every one of the girls who made such a huge impression in the first book, Katar, Gerti, Esa, Frid, Liana, and Bena, they all felt like they're here in name only. Princess Academy had little parts that made each of the girls feel individual, interesting, and unique, there isn’t anything here like that and I really miss it. I miss Katar as the dissatisfied girl with the chip on her shoulder, I miss Frid and her strength despite the amputated arm, I miss vain Liana, gentle Esa, little Gerti. Britta's the only returning character who gets much to do, and at least she shows the trust and respect she earns from Miri in the first book isn't misplaced. But Peder, somehow, like the girls, he's in the story without really being in the story, I just didn't feel the connection between him and Miri as I did before, even if he steps in at the right times for her.

As for new character Timon, yeah, I know Hale has a tough balancing job, he can't be way better than Peder, but he can't be much worse either. It works at first just because the story requires Miri to spend time with Timon while Peder's off doing his own thing, but the resolution between Miri and Timon I felt really weak. And Miri herself, yeah she grows as a character and learns something about the kings, the history, the politics of Danland. But in Princess Academy, her growth is only part of the story, her community of Mount Eskel also grows. Palace of Stone, maybe because the story is so familiar to me already, I didn't feel the same way about what happens with the royal family, with Asland, with Danland.

I think I would've liked Palace of Stone way more if it wasn't the sequel to Princess Academy. It's just too different of a book from the original, without any of the charm, and the changed tone and writing style felt very jarring. I guess Palace of Stone is a good book, just not a good sequel for Princess Academy.(less)

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Mar 14, 2013 Hadley||SixImpossibleThings rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-am-speechless-at-how-amazing-it-i

This book deserves ten stars-- no, one hundred!!

Ohhh... Oooh... Okay, a question for myself; WHY DO I HAVE TO READ SO FAST?!
I just got this last night! I read for, oh, twenty minutes, then finished it this morning!! Aaaa!

Okay, I LOVE this book. I adore it. I'm going to reread it today. No doubt about it.

SPOILERS

I hated Timon. I despised him for the entire book. That lying, annoying boy who tried to take Peder's place?! I don't think so.
Thank you, Shannon Hale, for making sure that it was Miri a...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Bella Grace rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kick-ass-heroine, not-good-not-bad, young-adult, review-d, so-disappointing, romance-y, childhood-memories, fantasy-worlds, swoon-worthy-hero, mffft-okay, makes-me-smile

3.5 Stars Pretty great, but not the usual Shannon Hale amazing-ness that a reader usually revels in.

BEFORE READING...

Me: Looks at Shannon’s Hale author page.
Finds out there's a book after The Princess Academy?!?!
Shrieks like a banshee, jumps up and down, does a jig.
Then looks at release date and finds out that book is coming out in August.

WTF?

AFTER READING...

I love Shannon Hale to the death. So much that I no speak English good. Which happen lot in days now.

I was so proud of Princess Academy - i...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Phoebe Andamo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: love, dystopian, ebooks

I really love the Princess Academy. So I was surprised and happy to know that it has a sequel. As I started to read Palace of Stone, I felt giddy but I got disappointed--only at first.

I love Peder and he was one of the reasons why I've grown to love Peeta of the Hunger Games. I see them a bit the same. And as I read this book, I saw some resemblances: 1) Miri was like Katniss, 2)Peder was like Peeta, 3) Timon was like Gale, 4) the dystopian setting, 5) the shoeless were the citizens of the dist...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Kaethe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, age-middle-grade, education, fantasy, feminism, fiction, friendship, history, libraries, medicine, mythology, philosophy, politics, romance, social-issues, strong-smart-female-protagonist

A princess has been selected from the back-of-beyond. A selection of young women are chosen to accompany her to the city and be her ladies-in-waiting. Revolution ensues.

Honestly, I was kind of blown away. How many writers include ethics, rhetoric, and an array of social issues in their fantasy? There's much to ponder, but the reader is kind of loathe to dwell because the story moves along and you want to go with it. But I anticipate that six months from now I'll still be thinking about this stuf...more

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Jan 14, 2013 Rosalba rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: princess-like

I think I liked this second installment even more than I did the first. It was a pleasure to return to Miri, the same smart, knowledge- thirsty, plucky girl I met in Princess Academy. O nly now, she is torn between two places: her small, rural but beloved Mount Eskel,and big city Asland, with its great advantages. Also, a new love interest approaches:Timon, who's a noble but hopes Miri will be the spark which ignites the great change in Danland. There's also Peder, of course, but he's often too...more I think I liked this second installment even more than I did the first. It was a pleasure to return to Miri, the same smart, knowledge- thirsty, plucky girl I met in Princess Academy. O nly now, she is torn between two places: her small, rural but beloved Mount Eskel,and big city Asland, with its great advantages. Also, a new love interest approaches:Timon, who's a noble but hopes Miri will be the spark which ignites the great change in Danland. There's also Peder, of course, but he's often too busy with his carving apprenticeship to catch up with her, and has not yet proposed! What will Miri choose: Mount Eskel or Asland, Peder or Timon, remaining faithful to the crown and, consequently, to her friend Britta or the Revolution which might save her home and bring justice?
Thoughts on the Book: From HERE on, there will be spoilers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. I was very happy with the where-to stay solution, I felt as torn as Miri did for those two places. What a good way for it to end!
2. I knew Miri was going to chose Peder all along, but I found he didn't get any better. I loved him in the first book, but here, he, I don't know, was kind of inmature. Everytime Miri tried to talk to him of important matters on what was brewing up he always goofed around instead of taking it seriously. And his excuse for not having proposed to Miri! The whole time I thought he hadn't asked her because he felt she was too much for him, or perhaps he was carving an engagement ring, I don't know. Instead, he just thought it wasn't important! The thought never crossed his mind! I had to laugh, that was " so like a man" , as Miss Cornelia from the Anne books would say. He was exasperating! Timon, on the other hand, cared about important matters, and he was very romantic: to have repeated year just to know Miri! And the way he loved her even before he knew her! But I agree he was selfish and did not understand so many things...I'm glad Miri ended up with Peder, he's nice, I just wished he wouldn't act like a little kid.
3. I know politics is not everybody's cup of tea but I liked the way Shannon Hale made them easy to understand. Also how she handled Ethics and Rethoric.
4. The queen was hilarious!
5. Who would I choose, the prisoner or the painting? Both. (less)

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Aug 20, 2012 Taffy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 14, 2013 Linnea added it

Shelves: wishlist

I cannot wait till this comes out!! The first one was amazing and now there is going to be a sequel!!!!!

If you can't tell.. I AM EXCITED!!!

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Jun 17, 2012 Gretchen Alice rated it 5 of 5 stars

I didn't think that I needed a sequel to Princess Academy, but it turns out that I absolutely did. I felt right back at home in the world of Miri and her fellow academy girls, this time in the big city. Effortlessly combining brains and beauty, Palace of Stone is an excellent primer to politics and ethical reasoning. I was left reeling at the end, wishing I could have stayed there forever. This book is also awesomely feminist--I can't wait to read this to my daughters one day. Once more, Shannon...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-catalog, 2012, disappointing

(Dramatic Gasp) A sequel! Sequel, sequel, sequel, SEQUEL!!!! HOORAY!!!!!!

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Oct 07, 2012 Claire added it

Shelves: 2012-grade-5

I can't wait to read it!!!!!!!! (p.s. I like the first book!)

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Jan 09, 2013 Dawn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Princess Academy is my favorite Shannon Hale book and has been for a long time. I was curious to see whether Hale could write a sequel to match it after she left the story as a single book for so long. I am impressed that she did! It was different, but quite good in it's own way, I thought. It's nice watching characters you care about continue to grow and develop. Peder was just dense, but fortunately Miri was not! Lots of politics and echoes of the French Revolution. I was impressed by the way...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Aliceinwonder added it

What's up with the cover?

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Nov 18, 2012 Madame Butterfly rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic book! I liked how it sorta mirrored the French Revolution but was a completely made up story! I totally did not see that coming! It was a fresh, new idea! It totally lived up to the stantard of 'Princess Academy'.

I adored the writing! It was smooth and fluid with lovely metaphors and mind blowing similes! Shannon Hale thinks up THE BEST SIMILIES in the WHOLE WORLD!!!! How do you do it! Really fantastic!

The characters were good too, I didn't really like it how all the girls w...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Kenna~Turn on the Light~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: can-t-stop-reading, 2012-reads, favorites

Oh boy, this book was amazing!
At the beginning, I don't know. I guess that it was just super boring and didn't catch my interest at all, or maybe it was because of Timon. At one point, I really had to put the book down to remind myself that it will all turn out well soon. Ha! I love all of the letters that Miri sent to her sister, it was really cute! And, as usual, I loved all the little songs at the beginning of each chapter!
I thought that Britta was so brave! I mean, in the first book I didn...more

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May 10, 2013 Tia Jones rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: good-books

My daughter got this a while back and it just sat on her bookshelf despite the fact that she had loved the first one. I kept waiting for her to read it so that *I* could read it, and I waited and waited and waited. I finally said, if you don't start reading that in the next week I'm taking it and reading it myself. Fine she says.

AS SOON AS I start reading it she tries to take it from me! Oh hell naw.

The fact that Hale was able to write a book that is completely understandable and easy to read f...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Makayla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hello book readers! I Promise in this review there will be no spoilers (promise!!)

THE ROMANCE- I absolutely loved the romance in this book! Peder is so cute to her, and his romance is not mushy and cheesy! I absolutely HATE it when books have instant mushy romance, IT'S ANNOYING!!!!!! I loved how much he cared for Miri, and how hard he worked to impress her. The romance was clean amazing romance, and that's how it should be.....right? I think the romance is just right for young readers, just pe...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Note: This review contains unavoidable spoilers for Book One in the Princess Academy series, but no spoilers for this second book.

Despite the perhaps misleading reference to princesses in the title, the girls in the “Princess Academy” series, while fictional, still present some of the best role models for young girls you can find in children’s books. These are girls who are determined to made a difference with their lives, and do so!

I loved the first book in this series, Princess Academy. You d...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Niki rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: nobody

Recommended to Niki by: nobody

Okay. I really really liked the first book. It was one of my favourite books growing up so I was really excited to read this one. I had my hopes up and...well, this was horrible. First off, I thought that quarry speech was kind of cool in the first book. In the second it didn't feel like quarry speech anymore. Miri's quarry speech got transformed into some kind of superhuman power.

(view spoiler)...more Okay. I really really liked the first book. It was one of my favourite books growing up so I was really excited to read this one. I had my hopes up and...well, this was horrible. First off, I thought that quarry speech was kind of cool in the first book. In the second it didn't feel like quarry speech anymore. Miri's quarry speech got transformed into some kind of superhuman power.

(view spoiler)

Then also Miri's friends didn't really play a big part in this book. And Britta, don't get me started on her. Britta may have done things that helped salvage the royal family but the things that she did could not have caused the people to like her. It didn't make sense.

(view spoiler)

Timon. I think you're supposed to hate Timon but he was the only character I actually liked in the book. He had a purpose, a plan and he executed it well. I don't remember if he genuinely liked Miri or if it was fake. I think it was real and if that's the case then it's a major flaw. In this book, Miri is not likeable or noticeable. If it was fake then, go Timon! (view spoiler)

There were so many really illogical things in this book that either didn't make sense or was too out there to really work. And Miri isn't smart anymore. She gets tricked again and again by almost every new person she meets. Her friends aren't funny anymore. They just sit around and wait for Britta's wedding to come along. Miri does and says a whole bunch of really immature things and everyone seems to think that she's so smart and witty . The whole plot felt like a jumble of random things happening one after another and then the author just magically makes sure it all works. There is no logic to the plot. There were so many wrong things in this book that I can't even begin to list them. And I won't waste my time doing that either.

I do like the rest of Shannon Hale's books. I've read most of them and I really enjoyed them so it's not that I don't like the author. I love her books.(less)

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Feb 15, 2013 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a fun book! Spoilers: Hale did a great job at showing Mira's growth and conflicting changes with her letters, thoughts about the painting in the Queens Academy, and how she loves the idea of a revolution, only to find out that it is a lot more complex than it seems.

My only other fault to find was that the other characters didn't seem to grow with her. Surely, being in such a new place was amazing for Peder as well? Did he grow and learn anything besides carving? He seemed kind of absen...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: middle school and up

Shelves: 2013

Yay! Shannon Hale is back to writing fantastic adolescent literature! I think I may have enjoyed this sequel more than the first, but they are both so good! "Palace of Stone" has comforting familiarity to the first book, but it is still very different. This one is more "global" in that it touches on political and social class themes. The ethics questions posed in an academic setting as well as how they are manifested within the story makes for great discussions!

It gets five stars because:
1) It...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 4 of 5 stars

Amazing in a quite different way than the first. So much to process here, so much to think about. The political intrigue, the reactions of all the mountain girl's to court & city life, the role of royalty, the system of education... not to mention Miri's coming-of-age and the romance.

For example, think about her varying reactions to the painting of the maid pouring milk at the school. It's true that great art is partly a reflection of our self, and subject to individual interpretation. And b...more Amazing in a quite different way than the first. So much to process here, so much to think about. The political intrigue, the reactions of all the mountain girl's to court & city life, the role of royalty, the system of education... not to mention Miri's coming-of-age and the romance.

For example, think about her varying reactions to the painting of the maid pouring milk at the school. It's true that great art is partly a reflection of our self, and subject to individual interpretation. And between hints like those, and the letters home (journal by proxy), we do see the inner Miri, beyond the persona she presents and beyond the behaviors and beliefs she admits to in public.

Think about Lady Sisela, and what we learn about her, and how our feelings about her change. Hale could have shared more of her story with us, to help us, but there's enough to ponder despite how little of her we actually see.

(Gummonth, otoh, remains to me a complete mystery. Not happy with that.)

Try to think about Peder and Britta, and why they both seem so immature and, actually, under-developed. Ok, this one is harder for me. I'm not sure if Hale sketched them the way she did on purpose, to make a point, or if it's a weakness of the book that they are annoyingly shallow. Until I figure it out, this remains a four-star book, not five.

I think my favorite theme is that of Truth. Please, would you mention in the comments the quote from Doter (?) as I've lost the marker for it and can't find the exact words (something about gut and something else agreeing)? We can compare that to ideas we know about Truth from outside the book, like "History is written by the winners" and other quotes we could find right on this website. We can also ponder what Miri learns from her research: "What other truths would one day be revealed about old stories? History was as hard to hold as a wet fish."

Well, to sum. this would have been a five star book if it were longer - if characters were more developed, and political strategies more thoroughly described, and there were more little episodes and events to support all the excitement and themes.

But anything that includes all I've described above, plus the principles of Rhetoric and Ethics and Diplomacy, and the Mountain Girls telling the story of Bandit Attack, and the metaphor of the (view spoiler), so beautifully told, deserves no less than four stars.

You know what I just realized? If this would encourage more girls to go into politics and international relations, we might have a rosier future. More estrogen and relatively less testosterone at treaty tables would be a Good Thing.(less)

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Jan 25, 2013 Keilah R rated it 5 of 5 stars

By: Shannon Hale
Fantasy
Finished 1-22-13
323 pages

The novel "Palace of Stone" is the sequel to the book "Princess Academy." In the book, the main character, Miri, travels to Asland for a year, to help her best friend, Britta, get ready for her royal wedding. Miri attends a school called the Queen's Castle, so she can teach her mountain people back home everything she can learn. At the academy, she meets a boy named Timon, who is one of the people wanting a revolution against the crown for overtaxi...more By: Shannon Hale
Fantasy
Finished 1-22-13
323 pages

The novel "Palace of Stone" is the sequel to the book "Princess Academy." In the book, the main character, Miri, travels to Asland for a year, to help her best friend, Britta, get ready for her royal wedding. Miri attends a school called the Queen's Castle, so she can teach her mountain people back home everything she can learn. At the academy, she meets a boy named Timon, who is one of the people wanting a revolution against the crown for overtaxing the poor. Many commoners are in favor of the revolution, including Miri's new friends. She is torn between loyalty to Britta, the queen to be, and wanting to help the poor. When danger comes to Miri and her friends, she must find a way to save those she loves. Will she find a solution, or will everything fall apart?

I gave this book 5/5 stars because I loved it. One reason I liked it so much was because you can read and understand all of the emotions Miri is going through. You can feel how she is torn between her old love, Peder, and her new friend, Timon. For example, she first dances with Timon at the ball and enjoys it a lot, but then she dances with Peder and the two laugh together and also have fun. She doesn't know which one she likes more. The book is full of big decisions Miri has to face and it's good to see how she is processing all of the problems that come her way. Another reason I enjoyed this novel was because it contains real life dilemmas, as well as creative elements of fantasy. For example, the revolution is something that happens all of the time in our world, with people rebelling against the government. Although this is the main problem, Shannon Hale also comes up with the creative idea of quarry-speech, where Miri and her mountain girl friends can communicate silently, using memories. This could never happen in real life, but plays an important role in the turnout of the story. The author does a perfect job of combining everyday life conflicts, with fantasy to create a very interesting and enjoyable book. Overall, the novel, "Palace of Stone" is a wonderful book that I would recommend to fantasy lovers and readers who liked "Princess Academy."
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Jan 19, 2013 Mattie rated it 4 of 5 stars

It is often said that literature is about trouble. Trouble can be conflict over what place to call your home, what is right versus what is wrong, your desire versus the desire of others, whom to love, etc. In Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale, there is much trouble in the life of the protagonist, Miri.
Traveling to the bustling and opulent capitol seems to be a wonderful adventure to Miri. She is shocked, however, at the arrogance of the royals and how Miri and her friends are treated as inferiors....more It is often said that literature is about trouble. Trouble can be conflict over what place to call your home, what is right versus what is wrong, your desire versus the desire of others, whom to love, etc. In Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale, there is much trouble in the life of the protagonist, Miri.
Traveling to the bustling and opulent capitol seems to be a wonderful adventure to Miri. She is shocked, however, at the arrogance of the royals and how Miri and her friends are treated as inferiors. The grandeur of the palace and the capitol imply to Miri that no one experiences any suffering. However, she soon learns that she is wrong when she learns of the stirrings of a rebellion. It turns out that while the royalty lives in utter extravagance, the commoners are starving. Miri can relate to their desperation, as she went hungry for much of her childhood. While studying at a school in the capitol, Miri meets a boy, Timon, who is eager to help the rebellion and overthrow the monarchy. He persuades Miri it is fighting for the common good, and Miri feels good to help bring about change. But Miri is still fiercely devoted to her dear friend from Mount Eskel, Britta, who is engaged to the prince. By helping the rebellion, Miri worries that she will put Britta in danger. Miri also faces a multitude of other problems; Timon would like to marry her but she still feels in love with Peder, and as her visit comes to a close and her journey back home draws nearer, Miri questions whether she wants to leave the vast amount of knowledge and opportunities in the capitol. It seems there will be no easy solution or “best of both worlds” for Miri’s problems, especially when a derogatory pamphlet about Britta is published that uses many of Miri’s words. It turns out that Timon had copied some of the text from an essay Miri had written, exposing that Britta was not truly from Mount Eskel. While Miri’s essay ended up praising Britta, Timon infused the pamphlet with mean comments. This ultimately persuades Miri that Timon is not the right man for her, and she and Peder become engaged.
When the wedding day of Britta and the prince arrives, angry mobs surround the carriages. Fortunately, Britta has an opportunity to show off her good character when she saves a boy from being crushed by a carriage. Not only do the people see the goodness of their princess to be, they also see that she took off her shoes to rescue the boy (the commoners are referred to as the “shoeless” because they are so poor). When the group retreats inside the walls of the palace, there are several assassination attempts on Britta, but Miri is able to defend her. Realizing that change must come and fast, Miri and her friends propose new laws and changes that would be kinder and fairer to the commoners. The laws are approved, the people rejoice, and Britta and the prince are married (Miri also decides to spend a little more time in the capitol to get more knowledge, but knows she will return home when the time is right).
This novel was an enjoyable read, filled with adventure and suspense. As readers, we love the story of the common person changing the world for the better, which is exactly what we get with Miri. The story also incorporates the ever popular love rivalry and the conflict of home versus big lights, big stardom. Readers love all these threads in a novel, and Palace of Stone has all of them. It also seems as though readers are currently craving rebellion and revolution—can the deprived rise up and defeat the deprivers? Indeed, it is probably conflict that is exhibited most strongly in this novel, and more specifically, the struggle to do what is right. Readers can feel the mixed emotions of Miri as she internally debates whether to participate in the rebellion, whether to return home, and whether to marry Timon. As in many situations in life, there is no clear answer for Miri, and only through trial and error does she learn what is right and what is wrong.
Miri’s trial and error becomes a journey that the rest of us take too. As humans, we all face trouble and we all have conflicts, so we empathize with characters that have their own problems and ideally, those who overcome them. Overall, the book provides a solid array of conflict combined with triumph that makes it an enjoyable read.
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Jan 17, 2013 Alison rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read the first Princess Academy book shortly after it came out. There was no shiny medal on the cover then, but when I'd finished, I decided it deserved one. The Newbery Committee and I thought alike that year.
This book had some high expectations to live up to, then, and in most aspects it matched up to its predecessor. Shannon Hale's writing is as lyrical as ever. Her ending was exciting, astonishing and completely satisfying, all at the same time. I did, however, find some of the plotting t...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Kyra rated it 2 of 5 stars

The first book, Princess Academy, was stellar. Seriously, I loved it, and it might have even been my favorite childhood book.
So imagine my excitement to hear that Hale wrote another book-A Sequel To Princess Academy, the Award-Winning Novel for Young Adults!-that could satisfy my intense need for something to read. (I'd gone a whole three days without any new material, and was ready to kill something for a new novel.)
This book, however, was nothing like its brilliant counterpart.
The plot seemed...more

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Jan 10, 2013 Dlora rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, lds-author, youth

Wonderful. As marvelous--maybe even better --than the first book Princess Academy. Hale writes beautifully and her characters are delightful and realistically drawn. The story is reminiscent of the tensions and issues of the French Revolution. Miri, the back country girl from Mt. Eskel, is being introduced to the scintillating world of nobility and royalty as well as the mind-opening chance to acquire knowledge at the Queen's Palace. As she is introduced to a new widening world of knowledge, she...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Esther Shaindel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Full review on Reader's Dialogue: http://readersdialogue.blogspot.com/2...

Miri, as we already know, is a strong, opinionated character. It's great to see her falter in her opinions, to really have to stop and grapple with things. She has that same can-do attitude as in the first book, but nothing is as clear-cut as it was back then. And she realizes more and more that her actions can have devastating or liberating effects - sometimes both, and she has to know which one is more important.

I love t...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: animals, bullies, community, cultural-identity, families, fantasy, friendship, travel

Thank goodness for Shannon Hale and her delightful books. In this follow up to The Princess Academy, Britta is set to marry the prince, the boy she has loved all her life, and several of the girls from Mount Eskel have been invited to help her prepare for the wedding. But things in the capital are not running smoothly, and the king seems unaware of how poor his subjects are. As he demands more tributes, the seeds of revolution are planted, and Miri is unwillingly caught up in the plots to discre...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Heba rated it 5 of 5 stars

the romance was so unique! better than a fairy tale, more realistic than a fairy tale! Peder and Miri are amazing together, and seem to already be playing the supporting roles of husband and wife even before they admit their feelings to each other. I love the slow, true romance that they have-- it's real because they don't jump into anything, they start out as friends and slowly progress to expressing their love for each other.
My FAVORITE part was when Miri laughed and Peder kissed her, to her s...more

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Does Miri get married to Peder?	6	44	Jan 24, 2013 02:21pm
LOVE this book-- But I don't like some parts of it... SPOILERS	10	58	Dec 27, 2012 08:42pm
Does Miri get married to Peder?	5	46	Nov 22, 2012 07:52pm
Young Adult Book ...: Princess Academy-Palace of Stone book 2	2	21	Jun 03, 2012 04:27pm

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Young Adult > Teen

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Young Adult > Young Adult Fantasy

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About Shannon Hale

Shannon Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of six young adult novels: the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy, multiple award winner Book of a Thousand Days, and the highly acclaimed Books of Bayern series. She has written three books for adults, including the upcoming Midnight in Austenland (Jan. 2012), companion book to Austenland. She co-wrote the hit graphic novel Rapunzel's Reveng...more

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The Goose Girl (The Books of Bayern, #1)

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Trivia About Palace of Stone

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Quotes from Palace of Stone

“No small thing, a bee's sting
When it enters the heart
Not so benign, the growing vine
When it tears stone apart” — 18 people liked it

“My ma says a rock lasts forever, but people don’t, and that’s what makes them more precious.” — 15 people liked it

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Palace of Stone (Princess Academy #2)

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