The Two Princesses of Bamarre
by Gail Carson Levine
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 2047)
Read in August, 2008
This is a story of the two princesses of Bamarre, Meryl and Addie. Meryl has dreams of ridding the kingdom of dragons, specters, and ogres. Addie is just the opposite. She is fearful of everything, especially spiders and depends on her older sister for courage. When the mysterious illness, Gray Death, takes Meryl, Addie becomes determined to find the unknown cure by leaving the kingdom all alone. Rhys, a sorcerer, outfits her with a magical cloak and a tablecloth that produces food on demand. Ot...more
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There is nothing terribly remarkable about this book, yet it is a pleasant read. Although the characters are undeveloped, they are likeable. The plot is predictable, yet still somewhat entertaining. Addie is a shy princess who,when her stronger sister, Meryl becomes ill with the Grey Sickness must venture out into the unknown to face dragons, griphons and spiders in order to find a cure. There is no doubt from the very beginning how the book will end, yet Levine's writing style has a way of i...more
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recommends it for:
12 And Up
Cute and funny (like all of Gail Carson Levine's books! :D)!!
Gail Carson Levine here creates a fairy tale of her own and gives it a characteristic grrrl-power twist. Twelve-year-old Addie admires her older sister Meryl, who aspires to rid the kingdom of Bamarre of gryphons, specters, and ogres. Addie, on the other hand, is fearful even of spiders and depends on Meryl for courage and protection. Waving her sword Bloodbiter, the older girl declaims in the garden from the heroic epic of Drualt ...more
Gail Carson Levine here creates a fairy tale of her own and gives it a characteristic grrrl-power twist. Twelve-year-old Addie admires her older sister Meryl, who aspires to rid the kingdom of Bamarre of gryphons, specters, and ogres. Addie, on the other hand, is fearful even of spiders and depends on Meryl for courage and protection. Waving her sword Bloodbiter, the older girl declaims in the garden from the heroic epic of Drualt ...more
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Read in February, 2008
recommends it for:
mostly girls
Sisters Meryl and Addie are as different as the sun and the moon, but they are very close. Meryl is fair and brave, she dreams of facing a monster in battle. Addie is timid and shy, she dreams of safety. All their lives, the two princesses have acted out the trauma of the Gray Death that has ravaged their kingdom for centuries. Addie always being the sick one and needing Meryl for help. But when Meryl falls ill with the Gray Death, Addie sets out the find the cure, with the help of a nurse, an e...more
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Read in August, 2008
This book is really good so far....I think Addie is in love with Rhys, or will be soon. It's purty obvious. :)
*Update* I finished it. I basically knew from the beginning that Rhys and Addie liked each other... But there were a few surprises. I didn't expect Meryl to turn into a fairy. I knew she wouldn't DIE, but I also knew she wouldn't just be cured and everything work out great; that'd be too easy. So I wasn't sure how Ms. Levine would pull that one off, but she did, and it was well-done. I...more
*Update* I finished it. I basically knew from the beginning that Rhys and Addie liked each other... But there were a few surprises. I didn't expect Meryl to turn into a fairy. I knew she wouldn't DIE, but I also knew she wouldn't just be cured and everything work out great; that'd be too easy. So I wasn't sure how Ms. Levine would pull that one off, but she did, and it was well-done. I...more
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recommended to Caitlin by:
Santa (Got this book at christmas)
recommends it for: Anyone who loves princesses
recommends it for: Anyone who loves princesses
Summary: When a plague strikes Bamarre, Princess Addie must save her sister. Brave and adventurous, Princess Meryl dreams of fighting dragons and protecting the kingdom of Bamarre. Shy and fearful, Princess Addie is content to stay within the safety of the castle walls. The one thing that the sisters share is their unwavering love for each other. The tables are turned, however, when the Gray Death leaves Meryl fatally ill. To save her sister, meek Princess Addie must find the courage to set out ...more
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Read in May, 2008
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Read in August, 2008
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recommends it for:
anyone
I loved this book!!! It moved me to tears, how the shy Princess Addie searched for a cure to the notoriously malignant, Grey Death. And not because she wanted to have epic tales added to her name, like Adrian in the famous Drualt tales. No, it was to save her older sister, Meryl, who used to say that she would be the one: famous among bards and the commonsfolk of Bamarre. But, when Meryl catches the Grey Death and loses her Hope, it is Addie who is filled with it, as she braves the depths of Bam...more
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Read in June, 2008
Wow, I just love Gail Carson Levine. When my daughter and I have discussed just what a princess should be, we've described Ella (...Enchanted) and Addie, one of the two princesses in this book, not the Disneyfied versions of the responsibilities of royalty (i.e. none, except lookin' pretty and singin' with animals). These are girls one can relate to, and aspire to emulate. But, they're not so far out of reach, because of their insecurities and foibles. Addie's world is complex, full of dange...more
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recommends it for:
teenage and pre-teen girls
I have to say I am a huge fan of Gail Carson Levine's books. Every one that I have read have proved to be amazing. This was my favorite out of all of her works. It's about two princesses--one was adventurous and the other (who happens to be the main character) not so much. One day the adventurous one catches a sickness that's said to be impossible to cure, but the main character sets out on a quest to find one despite the odds. It's a race against time however. If she cannot find the cure in tim...more
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Read in January, 2001
recommends it for:
girl fantasy fans
I loved this story, about how timid Princess Addie is the one who must face her fears, fight dragons, and travel the kingdom to find a cure for her brave sister Meryl. I love girl power stuff, and I love the message that true bravery is when you do the things you are scared to do, not NOT being scared to start with.
The only thing I didn't like was the ending, where Meryl for some reason isn't Addie's sister any more, since she's a fairy or something. What the heck? Way to ruin a good ending, ...more
The only thing I didn't like was the ending, where Meryl for some reason isn't Addie's sister any more, since she's a fairy or something. What the heck? Way to ruin a good ending, ...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommended to Liz by:
Paigerecommends it for: dragon, fairy, adventure lovers
I did enjoy the relationship between these two sisters. I'm definitely an Addie. I enjoyed how all the characters were well defined. This book really had me wanting to give the King a good kick though! It was fun to go along on the adventure. I think I would've done the ending a bit different though. If you plan on reading this book, you probably should be warned that this does have a bittersweet ending. I think if Levine was more positive about the ending, then I would've been more posit...more
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Read in August, 2008
recommended to Kelsey by:
Jenni Call
I just can't get enough books about princesses right now, I guess I didn't read enough of them when I was little. There is nothing totally remarkable about this book, but it is a very enjoyable read. I liked the girl power twist on the fairy tale and will defiantly have Macey read this when she gets old enough. I'm glad that Gail Carson Levine doesn't make the princesses in her stories like most of the Disney ones. Princesses should be just like Addie (in this book) and Ella from Ella Enchan...more
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Read in January, 2006
recommends it for:
Everyone wanting to find true courage
This is one of my favorite books. I loved it so much that as soon as I finished it once I had to read it again right away. I think it is a wonderful story with a great heroine. I loved everything about the book except the very end. I was rather dissapionted, but at the same time I loved it. Everything that the heroine went through is torn about and she finds herself in, probably the hardest situation that she had yet faced. I think this a brilliant piece of work about true courage, hope, love, a...more
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Read in April, 2008
Gail Carson Levine is a very talented writer. She has the ability to weave the history of a people in a fine story without taking away from the story, leaving you to feel totally at home in the magical land she has created.
This is a touching story of two princesses, one who desires adventure and brave deeds and the other, gentle sister who is afraid of nearly everything. This was a great adventure with a lot of heart and well-written characters. I thoroughly enjoy this author.
This is a touching story of two princesses, one who desires adventure and brave deeds and the other, gentle sister who is afraid of nearly everything. This was a great adventure with a lot of heart and well-written characters. I thoroughly enjoy this author.
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Read in July, 2007
The main character, Addie, was supposed to be timid but she didn't come across so. The ending was a little confusing, and the resolution was predictable. It did make me think about timid vs shy vs quiet. Outwardly the actions are similar, but internal thought is very different. This character seemed jumpy and her fear of spiders seemed almost too gimicky. It was a cute story but not one of Levine's best.
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Read in July, 2008
recommends it for:
everyone
Levine's books never cease to amaze me. He story line is different from other fairy tale books, and sometimes you think you know the direction the plot will go, but it never follows that way. This is an enchanting book of the development of the most important kind of courage, the non-physical kind. Both sisters grow to be much more brave, mature girls in each of their own way. It's delightful.
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Read in October, 2006
Read in a single sitting at the airport in Madrid, Spain. My least favorite of all the GCL books I've read, though it was still quite good. I very much liked the emphasis on girl power, and especially the focus on how being brave is very different from not being afraid.
The ending was a bit awkward, and I'm not sure about the 12-year-old princess marrying a hundred year old wizard, either.
The ending was a bit awkward, and I'm not sure about the 12-year-old princess marrying a hundred year old wizard, either.
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I've read this book more than once. Okay, more than four times. I love this book, its one of my first good read. It opened my eyes to different types of books. Instead of Girly princess and girls trying to make it through high school. Its a book that openes your eyes to magical world. It has all kids of magic such as, Faries, dragons,magical waterfalls, and so on. Its a really good book.
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book data (includes all editions)
avg rating (all editions): 4.09 (2047 ratings) avg rating (this edition): 4.12 (202 ratings) number of reviews: 260popular shelves
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quote
"He -it- was a specter! I stepped back, stunned. "
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