Princess Academy

by Shannon Hale

book data

12,107 ratings, 4.13 average rating, 2,822 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		37%
4		41%
3		17%
2		2%
1		0%

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published

April 17th 2007 (first published 2005) by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books

binding

Paperback, 336 pages

literary awards

Newbery Honor Book

isbn

1599900734 (isbn13: 9781599900735)

description

Miri lives on a mountain where for generations her ancestors have quarried stone and lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have...more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 15,013)

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11/10/07

Beth rated it:

Read in May, 2007

So the latest books I’ve read … I haven’t exactly enjoyed. I mean, I do finish them and everything, so they must have been okay, but it’s not like I was ever reaching for my book multiple times a day, binging on pages. I’ve kind of missed that.

But all that changed with Princess Academy! Seriously — I loved this book.

(I should probably only admit this through the relative anonymity of the Internet. Seriously … Princess Academy? What am I, eleven?! Oh well.) ...more

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06/29/07

HT Goodwill rated it:

bookshelves: children_and_adolescents

Read in June, 2007

recommends it for: Women and girls from the age of adolescence and up, those who enjoy adolescent fiction

Overall, the book was well written and appropriate for a young adolescent audience. It was certainly not written for someone in my demographic!

I enjoyed a number of aspects of this book and also a few disappointements. Specifically,

1) The resolution of the primary conflict (who gets to be the princess) felt too much like a plot-device (I can't say more without giving away the ending) that the author threw into the story to avoid a painful conflict between the characters...more

Like this review? yes (5 people liked it)

3 comments

02/08/08

S rated it:

(review of isbn 1582349932)

bookshelves: young-adult

Read in February, 2008

recommends it for: Middle School girls

An interesting title that I chose because my twelve year old refused to let me read the copy she'd borrowed from her BFF.

This Newbery Honor book is the tale of Miri Larendaughter, misunderstood and misunderstanding, a girl who loves her mountain home and family, harvesters of a rare, marble like rock called Linder.

A prophecy is made that the Prince's future wife will come from their home, and all the girls from 13 to 17 are rounded up and forced to go to school under an a...more

Like this review? yes (3 people liked it)

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04/14/09

Dana rated it:

I love Shannon Hale - and get sucked right in to her books from the beginning. This book is certainly no exception.

I'm trying to remember though - I have read a book similar to Shannon Hale's style - it was about a girl stuck up in a tower with her maiden. Does this book sound familiar to any of you? If so, can you remind me of the author? I'd like to check out more of those books.

Nevermind...I just found it. It's called Book of a Thousand Days and yes, it is writt...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

2 comments

11/07/08

E. M. rated it:

(review of isbn 1582349932)

bookshelves: 2008-11, fantasy, ya-childrens_lit

Read in November, 2008

I think this may be my favorite Shannon Hale book.

The writing style is very much like her other YA books (Goose Girl, Enna Burning, & River Secrets). Also it shares the "speaking" theme.

What I love most about Princess Academy is the growth the characters experience. Miri began as a scrawny quarry girl who didn't know her place in the world. She developed into a brave, intellegent girl who knows her heart. The road of growth is deep in plot and emotion whic...more

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

2 comments

03/12/08

Heathercrow rated it:

Read in April, 2008

This book was such fun. Who hasn't dreamt about being a princess at least once in their life? I loved the characters and it was just a sweet story. I am looking forward to reading more of Shanon Hale's books.

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03/30/08

Kyra rated it:

bookshelves: really-good-books--

recommends it for: Everyone looking for a great book!!!!!!

This book is really seriously a great one!! I love how there is so much to the story and how you never want to put it down!!!

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

3 comments

04/22/08

Anna rated it:

Read in November, 2007

I LOVED this book. The title makes it sound more like a fantasy fairy tale, but the book is so far from it.

Like this review? yes (2 people liked it)

2 comments

10/14/08

Juli rated it:

Read in October, 2008

recommended to Juli by: Katie O'Neill
recommends it for: fans of nontraditional fairy tales (or, you know, anyone who can read.)

The main character is Miri (named for a moutain flower), who lives in the poor mountains of a rich kingdom. None of the mountain people can read or write, and their only source of income is a product of the mountain itself, which they have to mine, and they're dependent on traders who come from the lowlands with basic goods to swap for the precious mountain stone. The king's priests determine that the prince's future bride will come from Miri's mountain village, so all the eligible young girls...more

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09/23/08

Sylvia rated it:

bookshelves: fiction

Read in October, 2008

Kisahnya simple, tentang gadis gunung yang berhayal menjadi putri pilihan pangeran. Sebenaranya sudah banyak kisah-kisah putri dan pangeran dengan versi yang berbeda-beda, namun entah kenapa cerita fantasy seperti ini masih saja menarik hati saya untuk membacanya.

Kisah berawal dengan mendeskripsikan kehidupan di sebuah desa terpencil di kaki gunung Eskel. Satu-satunya mata pencarian penduduk desa itu adalah mencari batu Linder yang digunakan untuk mendirikan bangunan-bangunan di kota...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

13 comments

03/26/08

Nola rated it:

bookshelves: fiction---fantasy

Read in May, 2008

recommended to Nola by: Sesika
recommends it for: Young adults, girls

After hearing a number of people recommend Shannon Hale's The Princess Academy, I couldn't resist trying it out myself. I found it to be a delightful read, perfect for children and young adults, and rather engaging even for us 'big people.' More than your average fairy-tale, the novel creates a protagonist that exceeds the usual boundries.
The premise of the novel is fairy-tale typical. When the priests of Danland determine that the prince's bride will come from the slopes of Mt. Eskel, a...more After hearing a number of people recommend Shannon Hale's The Princess Academy, I couldn't resist trying it out myself. I found it to be a delightful read, perfect for children and young adults, and rather engaging even for us 'big people.' More than your average fairy-tale, the novel creates a protagonist that exceeds the usual boundries.
The premise of the novel is fairy-tale typical. When the priests of Danland determine that the prince's bride will come from the slopes of Mt. Eskel, an academy is set up to permit potential brides to learn the knowledge and manners of the court. Young Miri is one of the twenty girls taken from the quarry-rich village down the mountain. As she learns more about life beyond what she has yet experienced, she finds herself struggling with her desire to marry the prince. She wants to help her family to have a better life, but she also loves her home and does not wish to leave. When bandits capture the school, Miri must use not only her book knowledge but also the knowledge she has gained about herself to rescue herself and her friends.
Although the novel has a fairy-tale premise, Hale goes beyond the simple story and creates three dimensional characters that are both realistic and engaging. The headmistress appears cruel and overly harsh, but by the end of the novel we recognize her motivation. Miri's desire to "marry the prince" and leave he rhumble home is both typical and human, but she also struggles with her love of Mt. Eskel. And though the motivations of one of the more spiteful girls is rather psychologically typical - bad childhood and all that - it is also presented in a credible light that makes it not completely trite.
What I most enjoyed about this novel, however, was the way that Miri uses the knowledge gleaned from the academy not just to acquire a husband, but instead to improve life for her village and her family. Through her studies and desire to read, she finds that the villagers have long been cheated, and uses that information to improve life for all. When she realizes that her older sister and the boys (and even the parents!) also wish to learn, she sets up an academy in her village so all can study. In doing so, she teaches young readers that even children have power to apply what they learn, if they but seek it; that knowledge and study both have real-world applications and can make life better now instead of just 'after graduation.' The young women are empowered by their mind and by exploring and expanding on their natural gifts and talents, and these are the things that really matter.
In short, rather than just being a fairy tale where the prince is astounded by beauty, The Princess Academy encourages young adults - especially young women, who are the most likely target audience - to apply themselves and to seek benefits from that application now rather than later. Between this premise and the engaging and excellent writing style that makes the story live in the reader's mind, this is a book I would recommend to anyone.(less)

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03/19/08

bookbutterfly rated it:

bookshelves: all-time-favorites, books-i-own, fairy-tale-retellings, fantasy, newberys, reviews-on-blog, to-reread

Read in December, 2007

recommended to bookbutterfly by: Amazon.com
recommends it for: those who are trying to discover who they really are—whether a preteen, teenager, or adult

Everyone who has been or is a teenager has to admit it: one of the most trial times of your life is in your mid- and early teens. If you think about it, these are the times when you have the most conflicts in your life--those with family, friends, neighbors, and probably the greatest, with yourself. Young adult fiction writer Shannon Hale takes a look at these same conflicts. Though the main character of the novel Princess Academy lived in an entirely fictional, made-up time and place, she faces...more

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10/01/07

Jessica rated it:

Read in September, 2007

Literary academics love to debate definitions. When did the Victorian era of literature really start? To which nation should an ex patriot’s writing be accredited? What is young adult fiction? Stephenie Meyer, one of the most recently popular young adult authors, noted her opinion that young adult books merely have young adult protagonists, while adult books have adult protagonists. That may be true, but YA plots also usually involve some kind of bildungsroman.

Princess Academy is n...more Literary academics love to debate definitions. When did the Victorian era of literature really start? To which nation should an ex patriot’s writing be accredited? What is young adult fiction? Stephenie Meyer, one of the most recently popular young adult authors, noted her opinion that young adult books merely have young adult protagonists, while adult books have adult protagonists. That may be true, but YA plots also usually involve some kind of bildungsroman.

Princess Academy is no exception. This Newberry Honor Book follows the coming-of-age of its protagonist, Miri, as well as several of her acquaintances. Motherless Miri lives on Mount Eskel in a small mining community quite separate from the rest of the kingdom of which it is a part, Danland. Though everyone in the village except the very young and the very old labor in the quarry, Miri’s father will not allow her to do so. This exclusion leaves Miri doubting her contribution and value to the small and indigent village.

One autumn day a royal messenger comes and announces that in one year, the prince of Danland would come to Mount Eskel to choose his princess from among the village girls. In the meantime, the village girls were to be sent to the Princess Academy to prepare themselves to be princesses.

The academy not only prepares the future princess for her duties, but it opens up a new world for the isolated mountain girls. Miri’s world is forever altered when she discovers words and finds her place in the village.

Miri is a lovable and believable protagonist with quirks and yearnings and intelligence. Shannon Hale’s prose does not call attention to itself. The book is quickly paced, and the resolution is somewhat surprising but foreseeable. In fact, some of the foreshadowing was, to me, a little too transparent. I knew in generalities how the book was going to end only a few chapters in, but the story was so good that I wanted to see how the characters arrived at that ending.

In the end, a reader does not need a precise category in which to place this book. A place on my bookshelf is good enough for me.(less)

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06/06/07

Cindy rated it:

Read in June, 2007

recommends it for: Young Girls

(warning: spoilers)

Ok, so I hate it when people hype up a book so much that there's no way you can ever enjoy it. That's what happened to this book. Everyone told me I would love it so much, and so when I read it I was, I couldn't help but be...disappointed. It was good, don't get me wrong! I enjoyed it. I read it fast, it was a book that I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. But I found it to be very predictable and it felt very confining. She mentioned that the...more

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09/22/08

Kathy rated it:

Read in July, 2008

recommends it for: 9-adult to read alone, read aloud to 5 and up

I've been reading this to my 8.5 year old daughter at night before bed. She is eating it up - and I am too. In fact - I read ahead just to see what happens. . SHHHHHHHH.

Though the title is appropriate, I'm afraid that some people will not pick up this book because they think it is froofy and shallow. . 'Tis not. The protagonist is a real, rich character with an inner life and traits both admirable and unfortunate. The world she lives in is believable and complex economically and soc...more

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06/29/08

Mimi rated it:

bookshelves: young-adult

Read in June, 2008

It was cute that when I read and finished the book we were on our road trip to Utah. all the mountains around were quite the setting. Of course we're staying this week at Quarry Lane. I will try quarry speech with the rock wall on the patio.

(And we drove through Badlands right after I read "Peace like a river", kind of freaky to drive the same road.)

I think she does well creating intensity, just enough to be entertaining for adults but not too scary for younger ...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

2 comments

03/24/09

Nate rated it:

Read in June, 2008

My friend Chris Dufort LOVES this book. He is has every bit of Princess Academy merchandise that he can find. He told me that he has read this book 5 or 6 times. I took him up on it and I liked it.

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12/01/08

Ammi rated it:

Read in November, 2005

recommended to Ammi by: no one
recommends it for: everyone

This is the greatest book I've ever ever ever ever read. It takes place a longggg time ago in Scandanavia and it is so like real life it's scary. It very interseting, a book you can't put down.

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07/05/07

Evan rated it:

(review of isbn 1582349932)

bookshelves: childrens

Read in December, 2006

recommends it for: Those wanting intelligent fairy tales

This is a great book. Imagine a fairy tale that doesn't need magic, just intelligence, and can say something about both people and societies.

Quick setup: Palace oracles determine that the next pricess of the land will be from some allegedly podunk rural mountain village. The kingdom therefore sets up a school to educate all the young girls in the town, so the next princess will be able to handle her position. This is a pretty simple premise, but the combination of a wonderful mai...more

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02/24/09

Sierra rated it:

(review of isbn 1582349932)

Read in December, 2006

This book taught me that doing the wrong thing for the right reason is very hard. This book is great for adventurous people.

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

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polls

Which book would you like to read for August's Group Read? (Don't pick one you have already read)

Bewitching Season-Marissa Doyle

1 vote, 7.7%

Dark Lover- J.R. Ward

2 votes, 15.4%

Stray- Rachel Vincent

3 votes, 23.1%

Need- Carrie Jones

2 votes, 15.4%

Stargazer- Claudia Gray

0 votes, 0.0%

Princess Academy- Shannon Hale

1 vote, 7.7%

Blue Bloods- Melissa de la Cruz

3 votes, 23.1%

The Amaranth Enchantment-Julie Berry

1 vote, 7.7%

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"I keep thinking about a tale my nurse used to read to me about a bird whose wings are pinned to the ground. In the end, when he finally frees himself, he flies so high he becomes a star. My nurse said the story was about how we all have something that keeps us down." More quotes...