The Princess and the Hound (The Hound Saga, #1)

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The Princess and the Hound (The Hound Saga #1)

3.42 of 5 stars 3.42 · rating details · 6,683 ratings · 771 reviews

He is a prince, heir to a kingdom threatened on all sides, possessor of the animal magic, which is forbidden by death in the land he'll rule.
She is a princess from a rival kingdom, the daughter her father never wanted, isolated from true human friendship but inseparable from her hound.
Though they think they have little in common, each possesses a secret that must be hidden...more

Hardcover, 410 pages

Published May 1st 2007 by Eos

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Dec 22, 2011 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Cara by: Ginny

Shelves: 2011, fairy-tales, fantasy, male-protagonist, recommended-to-me

Ms. Harrison was brave to write a story like this. Most fairy tale stories take away the weirdness, but oh no this one keeps it intact, which most of the time does not work but I think it does in this case.

I'd like to debunk something in this review and say this is not a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. While I can see why they have classified it as such, but do not go in thinking this is the case because it will probably disappoint.

Alright for a quick rundown of what it’s about:

Prince Geor...more Ms. Harrison was brave to write a story like this. Most fairy tale stories take away the weirdness, but oh no this one keeps it intact, which most of the time does not work but I think it does in this case.

I'd like to debunk something in this review and say this is not a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. While I can see why they have classified it as such, but do not go in thinking this is the case because it will probably disappoint.

Alright for a quick rundown of what it’s about:

Prince George is going to be the future king of the kingdom. Animal magic is something that is forbidden in this kingdom, but guess who has that gift? Yup George, who is hiding his animal magic at all cost. Now we have the other characters:Princess Beatrice and the hound that will never leave her side. George and Beatrice have been arranged to get married, but of course there is a caveat. There is something holding Beatrice back (other than that they don't exactly get along) and George must figure out what it is. Now, it isn't all laid out for him that easily. He has his own suspicions, and Beatrice is unlike any other young woman he has met. She is fierce, unforgiving, and doesn't have a flowery countenance, but there is something off about her. George will have to use the animal magic he has suppressed all this time to help her, and even help and be true to who he really is.

The strength of the story (at least in my opinion) was George. You see so much development in him. We hear his voice from growing up as an uncertain little boy to the strong young man he has become. He is actually the main character of the story, and he is a key player in helping the princess and the hound. The plot takes it time to get to the meat of the tale. I could feel the darkness, creepiness, and intriguing story being weaved around me. I think why I responded so positively to this story compared to other readers is because it was such a refreshing new style I hadn't encountered before.

My one complaint is how things were wrapped up; it felt fast compared to the beginning of the novel and could have done with a bit more build up. Be forewarned this story will not be an instant favorite for everyone but if you are willing to give it time and allow the tale seep into you it might find yourself, like me, enthralled into the magic.(less)

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Jan 18, 2012 Lacey Louwagie rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: no one . . .

Shelves: youngadult, youngadultfantasy, retelling, fantasy, fairy-tales

This book interested me because it claims to be a "retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story" where "the princess is the beast." But this story had SO little in common with the B&B story that it wasn't really justified being called a retelling. In fact, if I hadn't read that about it, it probably wouldn't have reminded me of B&B at all. And although it's categorized as a "romance," the romantic element took backseat to a lot of unimpressive subplots that didn't tie together well at all...more

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Dec 27, 2008 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, 2008, fantasy, fairytales

Prince George is an only child and heir to the throne of Kendel; as a little boy he spends time with his mother with the horses in the stable, the hounds in the kennels, or the wild animals in the forest. From her he learns the languages of animals, and slowly learns to hide his gift of animal magic as his mother does, and to live in fear of it being discovered - anyone caught using animal magic is burned.

At seventeen, many years after his mother died, George travels to a neighbouring kingdom th...more Prince George is an only child and heir to the throne of Kendel; as a little boy he spends time with his mother with the horses in the stable, the hounds in the kennels, or the wild animals in the forest. From her he learns the languages of animals, and slowly learns to hide his gift of animal magic as his mother does, and to live in fear of it being discovered - anyone caught using animal magic is burned.

At seventeen, many years after his mother died, George travels to a neighbouring kingdom that his own country had been at war for for many years, to meet his betrothed, Princess Beatrice. It is an arranged marriage, and he doesn't expect to feel anything for her. But the princess is not what he expected. With a wild hound always at her side, he finds himself drawn to her cold aloofness, and feels angered at the way she is treated by her father the King and his courtiers.

Yet even with his great gift of animal magic, he doesn't see the princess and her hound clearly, and the secret, when it is revealed, stuns him.

Written in the style of an old-fashioned fairy-tale but with contemporary leanings, The Princess and the Hound is supposedly loosely based on "Beauty and the Beast" - but I confess I never noticed. There is a wild quality to the story that is quite dark, with superstitions, revenge, wild beasts and daunting forests. The fairy-tale style works until the end, which drifts off lazily and seems to lose focus: it would have been more satisfying had it had a headier climax.

I loved the princess though, Beatrice, and the hound, Marit. Theirs was a mystery I worried at and almost had figured out by the time it was revealed - a book I read recently inspired my imagination to look in the right direction, so it wasn't as big a reveal as it might otherwise have been. She's a unique character, Beatrice, and well written, totally believable.

George too is well developed - the story is told from his perspective and so we get insights into his way of thinking which we don't get with anyone else. He grows and matures and is a likeable lad, but not terribly inspiring. Despite his magical gift, he's quite ordinary, more human, than you might expect of a hero. That should make me like him more but I guess I was hoping for something a bit more dramatic.

The thing I enjoyed the most was the animal magic, and the close twining of animals and people. Like fantasy stories that depict a hidden consciousness and even a single-minded cruelty in nature - a human vs. nature dichotomy - stories about the hidden talents of animals are equally as fascinating to me. While this book didn't make as great a connection as The Shape-Changer's Wife, it did quite well at bridging the gap and exploring possibilities. There's to be a sequel as well, The Princess and the Bear.(less)

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May 13, 2012 Monica! rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: how-all-stories-should-begin, barking-counts-as-consent, what-is-this-feeling, i-love-you-for-your-cover, the-sparkles-mean-its-magic, but-wait-theres-more, goodreads-made-me-do-it, read-in-2012, skin-of-a-killer

This book was not what I was expecting. I realized after I set it down that part of my issue was that I kept waiting for the voice to shift over to one of the ladies. The realization that no, George the Prince really was going to narrate the entire thing, threw me a little. Which is bad! Shame on me! Just because a book is called The Princess and the Hound, I automatically assume it will have at least in part a female narrator?! That’s sexism! And I am sorry!

…

Okay, but putting that aside, stra...more

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Jun 26, 2008 Angie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: retellings, ya

Despite the cover (and title), the princess and her hound are not the main characters in this story. The narrative centers instead on a boy named George. Prince George, to be exact. And Prince George possesses a pack of problems. His mother died when he was young, leaving him alone in the world with no siblings to share his grief and a father who knows how to rule a kingdom but understands nothing of how to be a father. On top of which, George has the dubious gift of animal magic. He can speak t...more Despite the cover (and title), the princess and her hound are not the main characters in this story. The narrative centers instead on a boy named George. Prince George, to be exact. And Prince George possesses a pack of problems. His mother died when he was young, leaving him alone in the world with no siblings to share his grief and a father who knows how to rule a kingdom but understands nothing of how to be a father. On top of which, George has the dubious gift of animal magic. He can speak their language and feels most comfortable out in the wild, conversing with the animals, than around humans. Trouble is, animal magic is feared and loathed far and wide in George's world and he quickly determines he must keep his talent a secret if he wishes to live long enough to inherit the throne.

When it comes time for George to do his princely duty and marry to preserve the kingdom, he goes forth to meet his betrothed with a strong sense of duty, if not alacrity, for the task at hand. The Princess Beatrice proves to be a particularly fierce young woman whose life has been as bleak as George's own and who has a few painful secrets of her own to guard, as well as a hound she refuses to be separated from. It's clear to the reader from the moment these two meet that they need each other desperately and would do well to stick together, that is if either of them could see past their own troubles long enough to recognize what's standing right in front of them. Beatrice, however, shows even less interest in the match than George, and the two of them are rarely ever in the same room together long enough to go about the business of getting to know each other. And marriage negotiations aside, there is a truly creepy mystery running throughout the book, to do with a potentially mad doctor moving from kingdom to kingdom bent on revenge.

Yep, it's a recipe for success. And it succeeds...for the most part. I liked the dark, creepy feel that pervaded the majority of the story. This is not a gentle fairy tale, by any means. Characters such as Beatrice's father and the mysterious doctor brought to mind the evil Cabbarus of Westmark fame (never a bad thing), and I liked George's journey from frightened boy to capable ruler. There were a few very poignant scenes, particularly between George and his father, that struck me. I even liked Beatrice, despite how off putting and seemingly lacking in all emotion she was throughout the book. The problem was in the unrealized potential between these two characters who needed each other so badly. Yes, I realize Beatrice's secret made realization a bit difficult on the whole but, when it finally did come out, things wrapped up rather quickly and I couldn't quite buy into the abrupt shift. I felt like they needed more time to cement things between them. And, I will admit, the ramifications of the revelation proved a bit too bizarre even for me to stomach. On the whole, The Princess and the Hound was a complicated and intriguing tale which I felt need a little more refining to smooth out the bumps and cracks along the way.(less)

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Apr 14, 2008 Emily Beeson rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Robin McKinley, Gail Carson Levine

Recommended to Emily by: ltue

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, dark-ya

I thoroughly enjoyed The Princess and the Hound. It is one of those original fairy tales that sweeps you up into a fantasy land of animal magic and princesses.

Prince George shares a deadly secret with his mother. They have the animal magic. Those with animal magic are burned to death because the people fear them. When George's mother dies because of her magic, George tries to supress his, but it almost kills him, too.

As George grows up, he tries to do everything a king-to-be should do. He agree...more

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Mar 25, 2008 Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who likes fairy tales, but also animals, magic, and court intrigue

This books joins some of my favorite fantasy novels reminiscent of fairy tales (although I believe this one is original), and reminds me strongly of Shannon Hale's Goose Girl series in the language, the character driven journey, and the internal struggle of the characters. This book gets points from me for being about the prince, rather than the princess, and therefore joins the ranks of the select few great fairy tale books with a male protagonist (joining Sean Stewart's Nobody's Son, Patricia ...more

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Dec 26, 2007 Bonnie Gayle rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of fairy tale style fantasy

Shelves: fantasy-sf, reviewed, library-books

This book ended up being different from what I expected, mainly because, despite the title, the p.o.v. is from a Prince, and not the Princess or the Hound.

NOTE: Don't read further if you haven't read the book, because it is impossible to summarize without giving away more than the jacket description does. So, if you want to read it entirely unspoiled, don't read on!

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Prince George has grown up with a loving, sweet mother, who is different from those around her: she can talk with animals. Prin...more This book ended up being different from what I expected, mainly because, despite the title, the p.o.v. is from a Prince, and not the Princess or the Hound.

NOTE: Don't read further if you haven't read the book, because it is impossible to summarize without giving away more than the jacket description does. So, if you want to read it entirely unspoiled, don't read on!

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Prince George has grown up with a loving, sweet mother, who is different from those around her: she can talk with animals. Prince George discovers that he can talk with animals as well, and the 2 of them spend a blissful few years in their own bubble, despite the fact that animal magic, as their power is known, is banned in fear, and those discovered with it are burned. Because of this, no one knows of their power. When Prince George is young, though, something happens to his mother, which leaves him alone and lonely in the castle, and denying his animal magic, even to himself.

And, in such a way, Prince George grows up. When he is 17, he becomes betrothed to Princess Beatrice, from the kingdom to the south, who he has never met. When he meets her, he finds her to be incredibly cold to everyone around her, except to her beloved hound. The princess and the hound have an unusually tight connection, despite the fact that he can tell she does not have animal magic.

Soon, Prince George discovers that she is someone that he can love, someone who can accept him for who he is, and someone who needs his power as much as he needs hers...but, for any of that to happen, he is going to have to embrace his animal magic. Something he hasn't done in a long time.

A lot of my enjoyment was tampered by the poor editing my library's 1st edition copy had. Not only were there several glaring typos (for example, he takes a walk in the word instead of the wood), there were also a few things that just plain contradicted themselves: George as a child, hearing an owl telling his sad life story, which keeps him up, becomes several times later in the book, "the story his mother told him about the owl". Sir Stephen releases a dove, that later has never been released, and so on. Also, several things were not as fleshed out as they should have been. For example, why did the King never change the laws about animal magic, himself? (MAJOR SPOILER: And, why did the Princess and the hound become so close in a year's time if their situation was forced on them as a way of revenge?) These problems made the book feel like something that could have been much better, had more thought and time been put into it's editing. Hopefully, later editions will have those problems worked out!

Overall, it's a unique fairy tale, from a male's perspective (which is unique in itself), darker than usual, but it would have been better with editing.(less)

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Mar 15, 2010 Helen rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book really took me by surprise and I loved it far more than I thought I would. I was expecting an average book that would be enjoyable but wouldn't make much impressions on me but I was wrong. I was expecting it to be narrated by the princess, but George was an unexpected but a very interesting person to see through the eyes of. The story is told in a gentle but very down to earth manner resulting in a deep, mature novel. The summary on the book and the title are very misleading, making it...more

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Mar 13, 2009 Allison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fantasy

This book is a liar. It is not really about a Princess or a Hound. It is about a boy named George, who is a Prince with Animal Magic. That type of magic is forbidden in his kindgom, and this book is about the different struggles the characters go through to each hide parts of themselves from the world that are deemed "unacceptable."

Even though this book is not told by, or really about a Princess or a Hound, I still really liked it, and had a hard time putting it down. So... I guess is was a goo...more

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Aug 01, 2008 Kim rated it 2 of 5 stars

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

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Jan 24, 2013 Angie rated it 4 of 5 stars

A very interesting fairy tale---I really liked how different this was than what I expected. First, I expected it to be about a princess and a hound---which, in a way it was---but it was mostly about a prince, Prince George, and how he grew from a scared young man to a capable and strong leader---worthy to be king.

I was swept away with Prince George as he too, was trying to discover the mysteries surrounding is betrothed, Beatrice, who was from a neighboring kingdom. She was cold and blunt, but s...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Emily Rachelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I pulled this book off my shelves. I almost put it back and chose a book I knew I loved; but I told myself I'd paid for it and therefore ought to read it, if only to know whether I liked it.

The Princess and the Hound was nothing I expected. For one, it is about a prince whose life is deeply affected by the titular characters, rather than about those characters themselves. For another, the story centers around a fantasy world full of forbidden magic and lives that are separated by centuries yet s...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Brenda Anderson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sigh. I am on page 334 of 410, and I just cannot bring myself to finish this book despite its charms. Prince George grows up hiding his animal magic, a feared ability that results in being burned at the stake if one is caught using it in the kingdom of Kendel. When George’s mother, the queen, was alive, she also hid her animal gifts – the ability to talk to animals, the ability to work spells in regards to animals – and her beloved King Davit helped her. An old legend tells of a King Richon who...more Sigh. I am on page 334 of 410, and I just cannot bring myself to finish this book despite its charms. Prince George grows up hiding his animal magic, a feared ability that results in being burned at the stake if one is caught using it in the kingdom of Kendel. When George’s mother, the queen, was alive, she also hid her animal gifts – the ability to talk to animals, the ability to work spells in regards to animals – and her beloved King Davit helped her. An old legend tells of a King Richon who turned into a bear, and the story interweaves around various sightings of the bear, one such sighting killing the queen, George’s mother. George swears off animal magic past the point of his mother’s death and grows up to become a responsible prince.

The kingdom had once been at war with the ferocious kingdom of Sarrey, but an arranged marriage between George and Sarrey’s princess Beatrice helps seal the formed truce. Beatrice has a hound – thus the title of the book – that follows her everywhere. It turns out that Prince George sees Princess Beatrice’s dreams of her mistreatment by her warring father, and George falls in love with her because of what he sees. Romance happens, etc. Then (spoiler), the reader finds out that the hound is the princess and the princess is the hound – their spirits were switched by a nefarious doctor of varying names who wants revenge for a misdeed done him some time ago. The doctor is also poisoning George’s father whereas he moves from kingdom to kingdom exacting his revenge.

So, Prince George and some of King Davit’s men begin a hunt for the doctor to seek out an antidote to save King Davit from the poison and a method of switching the hound back to the princess and the princess back to the hound so George and the real Princess Beatrice can marry. The doctor is found, and he lacks an antidote for King Davit, and the only clue he can give Prince George is that the hound/princess spell could be broken once a woman could love an animal and an animal could love a man.

Conveniently, such a situation is available. This part is a bit confusing, but George, the hound, and Princess Beatrice (who is really the hound) seek out the part-man bear. The dog has to admit she loves George, and then the princess has to admit she loves the bear. I thought that the princess simply had to have a fondness for the dog and then the dog who was a princess had to love George. Either way, the princess is turned back into a princess and the hound becomes a hound again and must live with the bear forever for reasons that are unclear at this point.

Princess Beatrice is upset she will lose her hound to the bear ‘s care in the woods. This is the part where I lost interest. The book is cute at points, but also somewhat winding in its plot. Still, some kids will love it, which kids are adorable.
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Sep 30, 2012 Victoria George rated it 2 of 5 stars

Okay, I actually really enjoyed this book until **SPOILER ALERT** the women changed places. And here's why: Princess Beatrice, once returned to her human form, is still going by the hound's name Merit? I don't understand. If my friend and I switched places and switched back, I wouldn't go by her name; I'd go by my own. Beatrice's whole kingdom knows her as Princess Beatrice. Why would she not go by the name she's had since birth?

And one more thing: When Prince George first meets human-Merit and...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: x-series-bk-1, x-2007s, ya-baby-ya, gorgeous-covers, did-not-finish-or-skimmed

Since I didn't make it all that far, there isn't too much to say. My wonderful friend gave this to me. She didn't like it, but she thought it might be more my cup of tea than hers and, being a dear, gave it to me. ♥

Unfortunately, our taste in tea runs pretty similar, and I didn't really care for this book much, either. The title is a tad misleading, as the story isn't narrated by a princess at all, but a prince. Who hates hounds. He thinks they're stupid.

Well. I think he's stupid. No, really, I...more

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May 23, 2012 Kimberly rated it 4 of 5 stars

I met the author at an event for my children's school. I really like fairy tale-esque books and decided to give this book a try.

I thought this story was very original. I had no idea what was going to happen. It is not a re telling of an old story. Rather a unique story that was waiting to be told.

I found the characters were easy to like. Even the "evil" people were easy to relate too. I really enjoy that in a book, especially one with an element of fantasy. I appreciate that people, even those...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Camille rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found this book really great. It had an interesting plot and the twists throughout totally caught me off guard. They were brilliant! I adored spending time getting to know these characters and understanding how they felt. There was great character development and the characters themselves were much like real people. It was a fun read that made me want to read the next book. *SPOILER* That being said, there were some things I would have changed just a little, like the trust he puts in the man w...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Three and a half stars. I could have loved this book, but there were enough plot elements that bothered me that I was not satisfied at the end.

Unlike a lot of reviewers, I actually loved the beginning. I loved the prince's story from childhood to adulthood. I thought he was a very well-developed character. I enjoyed the evolution of his relationship with his father. I felt his mother's fear when trying to keep her son's secret to protect his life.

Even when Prince George went to meet Beatrice t...more Three and a half stars. I could have loved this book, but there were enough plot elements that bothered me that I was not satisfied at the end.

Unlike a lot of reviewers, I actually loved the beginning. I loved the prince's story from childhood to adulthood. I thought he was a very well-developed character. I enjoyed the evolution of his relationship with his father. I felt his mother's fear when trying to keep her son's secret to protect his life.

Even when Prince George went to meet Beatrice the first time, I thought it was handled well. The storyline had promise.

The things I did not like about it:

1.) The climax of the story--the scene that is supposed to resolve all their problems--the magic that changes Beatrice/Marit back into a princess/hound was just plain strange and even yuck. I was confused in a Did-what-I think-happen-just-happen? sort of way. A hound battles/mates with a magical bear and then the princess gets her body back? What??? The entire "animal magic" storyline lost it's appeal for me right there and then.

2.) After Marit is changed back into a princess, she still has no personality, even though the author occasionally makes her lips quiver or shows her hesitating before speaking in an attempt to make her seem...what? Human? Endearing? Instead, she comes off cold and dull. I think the only reason Prince George fell in love with her is because a) he has not met any other young, eligible women, clearly, and b) he feels sorry for her, which would never, ever happen in real life. A nice prince fall in love with a cold, stiff, dull woman who longs for her dog more than him? Wouldn't happen. Sorry. I think a good sequel would be that ten years down the road, Marit dies from some disease, maybe lyme disease since they spend so much time out in the woods, and then George meets the real love of his life, someone with warmth and a sense of humor.

3.) Why-oh-why did the princess decide to keep the name "Marit" instead of "Beatrice"? She has only used the name for one year when she was a hound. Why did she not go back to her real name? Even if she liked Marit better, it was her dog name. For just a year. All of her life previous to it, she was Beatrice. Wierd. Then George starts calling his betrothed Marit when the entire kingdom knew he was marrying Beatrice, so they are confused...it's just wierd. Probably no one else is as bothered by this as I am, but there you have it.

I kind of feel like the book started off strong, peaked about 1/2 way through, and then gradually declined. It's a shame because the writing style was enjoyable and some of the characters--though not the princess--were well-developed and likeable. (less)

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Jun 03, 2011 Amanda rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: nobody!

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Look out, people who like this book, because I have venom to spew at it!

This book gets one lousy star for being good enough to want to finish the story, but bad enough that one star is almost too much. Let me put it this way. I was INCREDIBLY disappointed with this book. Why? Because it had SO much potential. I had begun to care about the characters and was very intrigued for a long time. The story is actually told from the perspective of the "Prince" and, in my opinion, should have a title wit...more

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May 24, 2011 Vicky rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The title of this book is deceptive as the entire book is about Prince George, not the princess or her hound. In fact, we don’t even get to meet them until well over half-way through the book, and then it is only through George’s eyes. I can only assume she was trying to reel in the young male readers, but that’s not going to happen with either the title, or the story.

George is the crown prince of Kendel. In this country, anyone caught with animal magic – someone who can speak the language of an...more

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Feb 05, 2011 cecilia rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Princess And The Hound is a pleasant fairy tale, though a little slow-paced compared to recently-read Graceling and ICE. The tagline said: "Beauty and the Beast retold - but the Beast is a woman," but do not be fooled. This is so much more - if not, completely different - than any Beauty and the Beast story that I have read. The story actually revolved around George as he came to terms with his kingly responsibilities, the impending marriage, and animal magic. Beatrice and her hound only aid...more

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May 11, 2010 Klerine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Despite the title, the Princess and the Hound is not in the point-of-view of either characters, but rather an uncertain prince by the name of George. The book begins with a story of the feared animal magic, and leads to the life of Prince George.

We see George from his earliest years as he grows up, losing his mother, discovering his gifts and trying to fulfil his duties as heir apparent. When George turns 17, I think, he visit the princess of a rival kingdom, whom he is to marry, and thus begins...more Despite the title, the Princess and the Hound is not in the point-of-view of either characters, but rather an uncertain prince by the name of George. The book begins with a story of the feared animal magic, and leads to the life of Prince George.

We see George from his earliest years as he grows up, losing his mother, discovering his gifts and trying to fulfil his duties as heir apparent. When George turns 17, I think, he visit the princess of a rival kingdom, whom he is to marry, and thus begins an adventure and shocking revelations, a one of which revovles around Princess Beatrice's companion, a mysterious hound.

I borrowed this book a few days ago on spotting the author's name. I knew she had written Mira,Mirror , which was an absolutely wonderful read about the mirror from Snow White, and how she reminiscs about her adopted sister, the Wicked Queen while befriending two girls and tranforming their lives.

Enough about the other book then. This novel was quite interesting and easy enough for a comfortable read. I loved the innovative tales told in the story, of people and animals. The plot was gripping enough to make me read through the book at one go. Its overall, a nice book, for an afternoon. Unfortunately, its lacks quite a few things. Although classified as a romance, there is nothing much as the few "sweet guestures" ended up looking rather gross, to be crudely honest.

Also, there was much description of everyday life, which seemed to make the story a little misty, vague. I found myself completely shocked, however, by the secret of Beatrice and Marit, the "hound". Which is quite sad for me as a person whose prided herself on unravelling many plots (in books) before they're revealed.

so that was a good twist to the story. Overall, the characters are likeable enough, even the evil ones, I can say, and though far from perfect, with a few unexpected twists, I certainly recommend all to try it. Though I should say, I personally wouldn't buy it for sure, but go library.=D

There, my first attempt at a review here, hope it was serious enough!!

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Aug 30, 2009 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-favorites

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

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Aug 08, 2009 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fantasy

I really enjoyed this book. It is supposedly a fairy tale retold - but it's no fairy tale I've ever heard before. It's a story about animal magic, a prince who is trying to figure out who he is, and a princess and hound who are inseparable.

The first book I read by Mette Harrison was Mira Mirror and it was also about magic and I enjoyed it. But there was no romance in that book. This book had a nice, subtle romance and it was told from the prince's perspective, which I really enjoyed. You don't...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 13-25

George has always been different, but with a difference unwanted in a future king, or in anyone in the kingdom. Animal magic, it is called, and which he has denied in an effort to keep himself safe. Beatrice is a princess from a rival kingdom, and always has her hound at her side. In an effort to keep the peace between the two kingdoms, George and Beatrice find their destines intertwining, with a marriage between them looming. But can they find love with each other, when each has their secrets?

T...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Josephine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fun-books

I might have read this book a little to fast because some of it was confusing to me. I did enjoy it, but it was one of those books that starts out kind of slow and long winded and then suddenly ends abruptly. The ending was like the author was just bored of writing and suddenly it ended leaving some parts undone.
The personalities of the princess and her hound I felt were confusing and inconsistent and I thought the prince was a little too long suffering. I thought the king and the prince were mi...more

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Apr 22, 2010 Devon Albino rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book has a round about way of sucking... now don't get me wrong i was looking forward to reading a modern fairy tale but the book was...not anything like was expecting and lost me quite a few times.

The story seems to jump around with out really focusing on anything...it doesn't really have a set/main conflict it has what I have decided to dub undressed conflicts. (for those who don't know undressed was a tv show on mtv during the show up to four stories would be going on at once not really...more

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Jul 29, 2009 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, kid-friendly

This was a book that I'd seen at bookstores and not been particularly interested in reading. However, when I came across it at the library I decided to give it a chance, and found it quite enjoyable. The story has the feel of an old-fashioned fairy tale, complete with princes & princesses, castles, magic, and people who have been enchanted into animal forms. The main character is Prince George, who has been born with the ability to speak to animals in a kingdom where magic is outlawed. Thoug...more

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Dec 10, 2010 Miriam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

I really liked the plot premise of this book. The "animal-magic" was intriguing, as was the theme of humans being transformed into animals. The development of this magic was so interesting to me, which is mostly why I gave the book a 3.
Unfortunately the book falls short of its potential, first because the characters were boring (especially the hero prince, who had a lot of past hurts but hardly any spice of wickedness to make him human) and second because the plot development disappointed me....more

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About Mette Ivie Harrison

My name is pronounced "Metty" like my mother's "Betty." It is Danish, and we were all named after ancestors. I guess by the time they got to number nine (out of eleven), it was getting tricky. So I got the funny Danish name no one knew how to prounounce. In Denmark, it should be "meta" like "metaphysical." It's from the Greek for "pearl." And no, it's not short for anything. Not even Mediterannean...more

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The Princess and the Bear (The Hound Saga, #2)

The Princess and the Snowbird (The Hound Saga, #3)

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“You will find yourself, as he did. But that will not mean it is easy. There are few things easy in life that are worth the doing.” — 14 people liked it

“George stared at the dove. What would she say if she could speak to him? What would she wish for, for her father? For she, too, had been harmed by a man who had meant to show his utmost love for her.
It made George wonder why love was suppose to be such a wonderful thing. As far as he could tell, love was just another excuse for causing pain.” — 11 people liked it

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The Princess and the Hound (The Hound Saga #1)

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