Lisa Dawn's Blog: The Princess Blog, page 52

Review: Voyage

Voyage is the latest book in The Kingdom Chronicles by Camille Peters. It is a retelling of the lesser-known fairy tale, "King Thrushbeard," about a conceited princess who thinks she is too good for any of her suitors. Though that concept makes it difficult for the story a likable protagonist, Seren's dignity was compensated with an unfortunate upbringing. It takes place on a ship while Seren is sailing to her new kingdom for her upcoming wedding to a stranger. I can see that Camille Peter did a lot of research for this story. There are many descriptions for different parts of a large ship and how they operate, which made the world feel organic. Even though she took some liberties with the fairy tale, it was a unique and pleasant adaptation that made for a refreshing take on an old story. Like all the books from this series, the main focus was on the romance between Seren and Ronan. It got a bit repetitive at times, but the story really picked up near the end.

Similar to the heroine in Spelled , Seren starts out quite full of herself, believing that she is better than most peasants because she is a princess who deserves to be treated as such. She accrued the nickname "dragon princess" among her court for her conceited attitude and aggressive mannerisms. As you might expect, that made the book difficult to get into at first. However, over time, we learn the tragic reason for Seren's troubling behavior and realize that the only thing she wants in life is to be loved. She has little faith that her fiance will love her but agrees to the marriage alliance anyway and sets sail for the kingdom of Bytamia. When she boards the ship, the captain introduces himself as Prince Ronan. Due to his humble position, Seren refuses to believe him. This stubborn dismissal of the truth continues for much longer than is truly plausible and becomes a major source of frustration throughout the book.

This was one of the fastest-paced books in The Kingdom Chronicles. Unlike other stories that would drag out the romance without much else happening, Voyage contained plenty of magic and adventure at sea. Instead of using a traditional map, Ronan opts for an enchanted piece of parchment that magically reveals whichever path it thinks is best for its navigator. This is a subtle throwback to Pathways, the first book in the series about a girl who walks through a magic forest that regularly shifts its routes. Seren had her own magical relic as well in the form of a necklace that was given to her by her late mother. Ronan and Seren's backstories intersect at the end of the book when his map leads them to a treasure that is connected to Seren's necklace. There were also storms and other mishaps that occurred at sea to break up the monotony of Ronan's courtship with Seren.

Though Voyage is inspired by "King Thrushbeard," the structure of the story is a little different. Instead of refusing to marry a homely prince and being forced to marry a peasant that turned out to be the same person, Seren agrees to marry Prince Ronan and falls in love with his "captain" persona while she thinks she is engaged to someone else. Major changes in adaptations are not always a good idea, but I liked this one. The original fairy tale was problematic because the princess entered a marriage on false terms and didn't learn who her husband really was until years later. That would be grounds for a divorce in any modern court! Here, Ronan never actually lies to Seren and instead accepts that she wouldn't believe he was the prince until they fell in love later. While this certainly is an improvement on the "Thrushbeard" character, it also makes Seren look quite foolish, especially considering how ridiculously obvious it was that the man courting her was, in fact, her husband-to-be.

Since I have read no other adaptations of "King Thurshbeard," Voyage defaults to my favorite. It was a pretty good book overall with lots of detailed imagery of sailing on a regal ship. Seren was a frustrating protagonist at times, but her tragic backstory made it easy to care about her. Ronan's character was a vast improvement over the one he was based on by having him lie by omission instead of breaking his marriage vows. The only thing that I think would have made the story more enjoyable would be to find some other reason besides foolish pride for Seren not to believe Ronan when he told her he was the prince. It felt like too much of a stretch for her not to figure out on her own for such a long expanse of the book after it was established that she was quite intelligent.

Dancing with the Stars Has Its Most Magical Disney Night Yet!

Once a year, ABC's hit series Dancing with the Stars has a night where the performers cosplay as Disney characters and dance to strategically chosen Disney songs. I've been following "Disney Night" ever since I started my blog, and I've been very impressed with the array of talent and artistry that goes into each performance. When I learned that Monday night was this year's big episode, I thought there was no way they could top the incredible dance numbers they already gave us in previous years. I was wrong. Nearly every performance involved a Disney princess costume or song, and each one was more spectacular than the last. I was blown away by the glamorous costumes and array of musical talent among this year's competitors.They covered songs from both old and new Disney classics with unique twists added to the timeless numbers by remixing them to different styles of dance.

The evening kicked off with the signature songs from two of my favorite Disney movies of all time, The Princess and the Frog  and The Little Mermaid. Skai Jackson did an adorable jive to the underappreciated "Almost There," which I believe was the first time it was ever featured in this show. Her 1920s-inspired feather circlet and mini dress provided just the right touch for the era that the movie took place. Tiana's "I want" number was appropriately followed with Ariel's famous ballad, "Part of Your World." I loved seeing my favorite song performed as a couple waltz, a rare choice for the introspective ballad. Monica Aldama looked perfectly regal in her flowing gown formed from many layers of shimmering seaweed. Her Prince Eric, Val Chmerkovskiy, swept her across sea floor in a Viennese Waltz. The bubble and water effects on the projectors below and behind them made it feel like a true underwater wonderland.

Other princess performances throughout the night included AJ McLean's energetic rendition of "Prince Ali" with Cheryl Burke backing him up in a Princess Jasmine-inspired dress, Vernon Davis performing "Be Our Guest" as Lumiere with a fancy dinner table set up for his partner, Peta Murgatroyd, dressed as a 1940s-inspired Belle, and Kaitlyn Bristowe's impassioned performance of "How Far I'll Go" in full Moana cosplay. The sleeper hit of the night was Johnny Weir and Britt Stewart's rumba dance to "Reflections" from Mulan. The couple was bathed in red Chinese laser lights while subtle imagery of the newest version of the movie flowed on the screen behind them. Even though their performance featured promo clips from the soulless 2020 remake, both dancers swayed with all of the emotion and longing of the 1998 animated Mulan, who dreamed of finding a place where she could belong. I'm not sure if it was the fancy lights, nostalgia, or the dancing itself, but I found this performance incredibly deep and moving on a note that none of the other dancers quite reached.

Even the non-princess dances were spectacular. Justina Machado's "Supercalifragistic-expialidocious" featuring Sasha Farber as Bert and the Hercules and Megara cosplay team of Anne Heshe and Keo Motsepe for "Zero to Hero" were so much fun. They even included a brand new song from the upcoming Pixar movie, Soul . The two biggest non-princess highlights of the night were Jeannie Mai and Brandon Armstrong's performance of "Married Life" from Up and Jesse Metcalfe and Sharna Burgess's "King of New York" from Newsies. These stood out for their imaginative props and sets. The Up dancers went through full aging transformations to look like the elderly Carl and Ellie Fredricksen and carried a mass of balloons that they let loose at the beginning of the song. It was refreshing to see an elderly couple portrayed in such a youthful and energetic medium. I loved the amount of creativity that went into Sharna Burgess's stylized newspaper dress for "King of New York." The number began in a room that looked like it was made entirely of old newspapers before the couple danced out to the stage that was surrounded by newspaper stands and projections of old-time New York City.

The show concluded with the most famous princess of all, Cinderella, who was played by Chrishell Stause in a glittering gown and tiara. She waltzed with her prince, Gleb Savchenko, to the classic "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" in front of a backdrop of the palace steps. The judges got a kick out of the ending, in which Chrishell was about to have a passionate embrace with her prince when she realized the time and ran away, leaving him heartbroken. It was the perfect way to end the perfect Disney Night. I was so impressed with the level of craftsmanship that the the show's producers put into each and everyone of these magical numbers, especially during a time of social distancing. So many of my favorite princesses were packed into this one episode, and every single one was done justice through the magic of dance and live theater. I can't imagine next year's Disney Night being any more spectacular than this one, but who knows? Dancing with the Stars just might exceed my expectations yet again.

Review: Dress Up! Time Princess

Due to my obsessive personality, I try my hardest to avoid gimmicky smartphone apps that try to suck up all my time and money, but one slips through the cracks every so often. I downloaded Dress Up! Time Princess on a whim, expecting to get tired of it after a few days and uninstall it, but then, it blew all of my expectations out of the water. This game is the most perfect combination of visual novels, dress up dolls, and gacha apps that I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. It has all of the best types of princess games rolled up into one. I've played other apps that offer individual facets of this one and got tired of them over time, but Dress Up! Time Princess contains so many different activities that it is impossible to get bored. It combines the best of technology with the best of femininity, something that Disney has been rigorously attempting to weed out of their own princess branding.

Similar to the Choices and Lovestruck apps, Dress Up! Time Princess allows you to enter various storybook worlds, complete with their own collection of themed costumes and dreamy love interests, where you can make decisions that will drastically alter the course of the story. The biggest difference between this and other visual novels is that this game adds another layer of interactivity by requiring you to piece together the perfect outfit for each mission. If you fail, you must go back and collect materials to build more of the articles of clothing that the chapter requires. If you succeed, you learn more about the story and grow closer to the characters. Not only are all of the clothing items breathtakingly gorgeous, but this game also has some of the best graphics I've ever seen in a dress-up or visual novel app. Instead of still portraits, the characters are fully rendered CGI animations that live and breathe on the screen. When you dress up the protagonist, she twirls around and inspects her new look as if she were actually modeling it in front of a mirror. If you drag across the screen to rotate her, her gown and hair will swish in sync with the rotation. It's absolutely gorgeous.

This game is still fairly new, so there are only three story worlds to explore right now. Their first one you can play allows you to travel through time and enter the world of Marie Antoinette. You can dress up in her extravagant fashions while trying to change history and prevent the French Revolution from taking place. That's right--This multi-faceted game even has educational value! The potential love interests in this level include Marie's husband, King Louis XVI, the revolutionary French soldier Lafayette, and a Swedish count named Fersen who's absolutely crazy about you. Going back to levels you've already played and making new decisions will unlock new chapters and endings, giving you more opportunities to change Marie's fate. The second story I unlocked is a gender-bent version of "Aladdin," where you play as a runaway slave girl who enlists in the aid of a prince and finds a magic lamp containing a handsome genie. The story opens with a free Princess Jasmine costume and allows you to collect stunning Arabian fashions as you play through it.

One of the most common complaints I've seen about this game is how difficult it can be to obtain the clothing items you need to advance the story, especially after how deceptively easy the first chapter of the Maire Antoinette book is. I won't lie. This game is extremely addictive. Once you start playing, it's very difficult to put it down. Spending real money makes it easier to obtain items at a faster pace, but it is possible to earn in-game currency over time and get through the stories that way as well. There are a number of minigames that you must learn to master if you wish to play through all the story chapters. For instance, the game gives you a bunch of pet kittens that wander through the world collecting items for you. The characters you meet in each story will give you gifts if you spend time with them and make them presents that appeal to their interests. Some of the clothing pieces in the game come as blueprints that you must assemble in the boutique by collecting materials. This is the most time-consuming aspect that will force you to put your phone down for a while to accrue enough stamina to collect more items. The hardest thing for me was not collecting clothing, but collecting story points to unlock new books. You can only get story points by beating a chapter with a  "Perfect" score. There is only a finite amount of story points that you can collect because you can't repeat the same chapters you mastered for more points.


If you love princesses as much as I do, you need to download this app. It's part dress-up, part visual novel, and all princess-loving fun. The graphics, story, and interactivity are among the best I've seen in a smartphone app. I'm amazed that this game is free. I would gladly pay for something like this on Steam or PlayStation. It is a fully immersive experience that allows you to become whatever type of princess your heart desires and accumulate a wardrobe that would strike envy in even the queen of France herself. It's also one of the most addictive games I've ever played, so be sure to have a lot of time to devote to building up your dressmaking materials and relationships. Dress Up! Time Princess is the ultimate princess dress-up fantasy.

Review: Secret Society of Second-Born Royals

After an annoying two-month delay, Secret Society of Second-Born Royals finally dropped on Disney+ today, marking the streaming service's first original princess movie. Secret Society was teased all the way back in January with a clip of Andi Mack's
Peyton Elizabeth stars as Princess Samantha, or Sam, as she prefers, a rebel punk rocker who happens to be the daughter of a queen. The kingdom of Ilyria is every bit as modern as it appears in the trailer, which makes Sam's castle feel all the more out of place. Even the royals wear modern everyday clothing with the exception of the coronation ceremony at the end of the movie. If it wasn't for the vague storybook references in the opening narration, it would be easy to assume that this movie takes place in modern-day New York City, Los Angeles, or Chicago. Graffiti lines the walls, pollution fills the streets, and protests are commonplace occurrences. It's never quite explained why Sam hates the monarchy so much or why she is so passionate about leading protests against her own family. The only real explanation is that to be a fictional princess in today's society means being a rebel. Sam falls into the exact same cookie cutter mold as every other modern-day Disney Princess, which requires hating dresses, rejecting society, and being a warrior. However, that is not to say that I disliked her character. After all, Peyton Elizabeth was one of the biggest selling points of this movie for me.
The crux of the story begins when Sam's mother sends her to summer school after her latest rebel escapade. She quickly learns that the school was a ruse to induct her into the Secret Society of Second-Born Royals. She must train with a class of four other students to learn to use their superpowers that all second-born royals receive at birth. I've seen complaints that this premise seems like a celebration of privilege. While I can't exactly argue with that, I can say that it is just as much of a fantasy as any other superhero or princess movie that people watch to escape their own boring reality. The students go through rigorous training to master their individual respective powers of super senses, invisibility, mind control, superpower replication, and the ability to control bugs. The extensive training sequences give Secret Society a leg up over the new Mulan, who was simply born knowing how to do everything. I didn't think Sam was too overpowered since her super senses only allow her to know when danger is nearby but did not give her an innate ability to fight it off. To do that, she must to exhibit a combination of training and teamwork with her new companions.
Combining the princess and superhero genres is like trying to mix oil and water. Too much focus on one would retract from the other, and focusing on both at the same time would come of as campy. That's why I think this movie's biggest strength is that it spent more time on the characters and story than on action or ballgown sequences. I never felt bored because every scene revealed something new about one of the characters. The acting was top notch, especially for a movie produced by the Disney Channel. Every actor did a fantastic job of presenting their characters in a way that was not too subtle and not too over the top. I really felt Sam's struggle to find her identity as someone who was born a princess but wanted to create her own identity and rooted for her every step of the way. Her relationship with Mike, the son of her castle's groundskeeper, was mature and realistic, as was her troubled relationship with her sister, the heir to the throne. Her classmates in the Secret Society had their own struggles as well and showed signs of individual growth throughout the film.
Though this movie may not appeal to hardcore fans of the princess or superhero genres, it does have appeal for those that enjoy Disney Channel Original Movies that are made well. It's clear that Secret Society for Second-Born Royals was not made for the big screen. It's low-budget special effects are balanced out by top tier acting and a heavy focus on character and plot. For me, this was a refreshing change of pace from the overly blown out war sequences in recent Disney Princess movies such as Mulan and Maleficent 2. It was a relief to see a modern movie that actually cares about its characters and doesn't try to shove extended action sequences down my throat. Though it has little to offer fans of classic princess movies and often presents itself as anti-monarchy, but it's a pleasant piece modern storytelling nonetheless. I would recommend this movie if you are looking for something to pass the time that isn't too deep or thought-provoking.

Feminism vs. Femininity

When the first Women's Rights meeting was held in Seneca Falls in 1848, some people were opposed to the concept of feminism because it was not considered feminine. By today's standards, it seems silly to even consider a world where women wouldn't be allowed to vote. Modern girls are encouraged to grow into powerful women who can do anything they put their minds to, pushing boundaries and breaking stereotypes. However, what happens when the stereotype they are fighting against no longer exists? Through the years, Disney Princesses have represented the ultimate ideal for what it means to be a woman. During the Disney Renaissance era of the '90s, that ideal shifted from a damsel in distress to a rebel fighting to break free from the restrictions of her society. Today, a Disney Princess represents a young woman who has already reached the strength and potential of a queen and is simply waiting for her time to rise to power. In the 1998 version of Disney's Mulan, the titular heroine was caught between two identities and needed to grow enough to accept both sides of herself. In contrast, the 2020 version of Mulan was born as a perfect warrior princess and only needed to wait for the world around her to grow enough to accept her own strengths.

Hollywood has created a world where being female now means being a powerful warrior who is capable of accomplishing even the most daunting of tasks that would surely bring any ordinary individual to an early grave. This dismisses any sort of feminine behavior as weak or vapid. Disney would never directly mock feminity because so many of their earlier classics featured delicate heroines who invested in the aid of fairy godmothers or princes, but they are stealthily weening such heroines out of their current media. Animated features like Charming, on the other hand, that were not made by Disney, do openly mock their feminine princess characters to appear silly and ignorant. This is an issue that is more prevalent in film than in television. Modern princess cartoons feature much stronger heroines than they used to, but the longer episodic runtimes in shows like Elena of Avalor, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and Tangled: The Series allow the showrunners to include a larger cast with stories that focus on friendship and teamwork, demonstrating to girls that we all have different strengths and must work together to accomplish great feats.

The princess movie genre has always been a safe haven for girls like me who love to dress up, get lost in stories, and plan killer weddings with our loved ones. Now, the genre is barely discernible from action movies, which were once the polar opposite. 2018's The Nutcracker and the Four Realms took an incredibly feminine ballet and turned the gentle Clara into an adept soldier and brilliant scientist, rendering the titular Nutcracker virtually useless. What should have been a visually stunning romp into a magical fantasy wonderland became another stereotypical female-driven war movie. What I always loved about princesses when I was growing up was that they were anti-violent and found peaceful solutions to their problems, even if the ones they loved tried to hurt them. Today, they are barely discernible from the princes who fought dragons and climbed towers to come to their aid. I think it's great that there are princesses out there who are capable of defeating their own dragons, but I don't think girls should be told that's the only way that a princess can be.

The princesses I grew up with were just as strong as they were feminine. Princess Gwenevere loved trying on pretty pink dresses just as much as she loved protecting the kingdom of Avalon from evil. Ariel singlehandedly defied her powerful father but couldn't break Ursula's curse on her own. The reason that '90s heroines were so empowering is that they fought to defy stereotypes even though their femininity was still an inherent part of their identity.  I recently rewatched Ever After now that it's available on Disney+ and was very impressed by how assertive Danielle acted when she was in disguise with the prince compared to how submissive she behaved around her evil stepmother. Breaking free from her boundaries allowed her to explore another side of herself. We have now reached a point where any sort of femininity is seen as a weakness. Princesses are now synonymous with warriors, and there is no place for a feminine girl in modern culture. In the original Mulan, we see the titular heroine defeat Shan Yu in a dress using a paper fan, a traditionally feminine accessory. In the new movie, she continues to dress like a soldier after she reveals her identity because that is the only thing she identifies as. We as human beings are not so one-sided.

This topic is particularly relevant this week because Disney_ will finally release their original movie, Secret Society of Second-Born Royals, this Friday. This movie is advertised as a crossover between the Disney Princess and superhero genres, Disney's two biggest franchises since they bought Marvel. As much as I love the idea of a genre crossover, I am concerned by the fact that the Disney Princess franchise appears to have already morphed into the superhero genre. Modern Disney Princesses are virtually no different from superheroes. Elsa, Rapunzel, Moana, Clara, Mulan, and Merida all have supernatural abilities that they use to protect the world around them. Does that mean Secret Society of Second-Born Royals is not truly an original idea, but instead, a natural progression toward the direction that the Disney Princess genre is already headed? We'll have to wait and see.

Review: Rolf Kauka's Once Upon a Time

One of my readers informed me about Rolf Kauka's Once Upon a Time, an obscure German animated adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "Frau Holle." After a quick search, I was pleased to discover that someone had uploaded a nostalgic VHS recording of the entire film on YouTube. The animation reminded me of the old Disney knock-off tapes I used to watch when I was a child, but the storytelling and music were several notches higher in quality. Since there are no other famous adaptations of this fairy tale, I can see that the filmmakers worked very hard to do it justice. They did a terrific job for the time period and what I can only assume was a humble budget. The story has a lot of heart and a unique presentation.

What sets Once Upon a Time apart from other animated fairy tales is that it completely excludes the protagonist from the first ten minutes of the movie. "Frau Holle," the story it is based on, is similar to "Cinderella" in the regard that they both feature an unfortunate girl whose widowed father remarries into a cruel family. Most adaptations of "Cinderella" and "Snow White" leave the audience to assume how the gold-digging stepmother could have convinced the innocent maiden's father to marry her. In this adaptation, we see exactly how it happened. Bottle, an old drunkard, is tricked into marrying a greedy fortune-teller after she predicts bad luck in his future unless he remarries right away. There's a bit of off-color humor when Bottle sees her much younger daughter, Mary Lou, and decides that she would be a good wife, but the manipulative old woman convinces him to marry her instead. After the deed is done, Bottle suddenly remembers that he has a daughter named Maria and worries about how he will tell her that she has a new mother and sister. This presentation shows us, rather than tells us, how Maria has been forgotten and mistreated for most of her life. Imagine being forgotten in your own story!

Maria's design closely resembles Disney's 1950 Cinderella, but I don't think they were trying to copy it directly. The animators probably just wanted to give a hint that both characters were similar in personality and background. The prince's design was unique for this type of film with shoulder-length red hair and oversized hats and jackets. Maria and the prince stand out as the only tall skinny people in their world, showing that they don't fit in with the society around them due to their more realistic proportions and facial features. Mary Lou is the only other character with similar proportions to Maria, but she has dark hair in contrast to Maria's light hair, something that older animated stories did to portray two heroines with opposing personalities. The musical sequences reminded me of Peter Beagle's 1982 animated adaptation of The Last Unicorn. There were '70s-style acoustic echoes and lots of guitars. The love song particularly mirrored the one from The Last Unicorn, though I found Once Upon a Time's "Maria" a lot catchier than "That's All I've Got to Say" and got it stuck in my head several times.

The second half of Once Upon a Time covers the rest of the "Frau Holle" fairy tale, which bears a strong resemblance to "The Fairies" by Charles Perrault. Both stories portray two sisters that encounter a fairy godmother-like figure and agree to do a number of tasks for her in exchange for a magical reward. The good sister does the tasks diligently with all of her heart and is rewarded with riches and a prince, while the wicked sister does as little work as possible and is punished for her laziness. In "Frau Holle," the fairy godmother lives in a portal at the bottom of the well. In the Brothers Grimm story, the kind-hearted maiden drops the reel from her spinning wheel down the well and enters the magical world to retrieve it. Once Upon a Time foreshadows Maria's romance with the prince by having him present her with a special necklace that he plans to use to identify her as his bride, essentially her glass slipper. Mary Lou throws the necklace down the well, which forces both stepsisters to enter the magical world of Frau Holle to retrieve it in the hopes of winning the prince.

Rolf Kauka's Once Upon a Time is a charming though somewhat dated movie from the early '70s. It is a faithful retelling of a classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale with a charming protagonist. I appreciate that the movie was able to get away with a few things that Disney would not have, such as Maria's drunken father who forgot about her and some questionable marriage arrangements. The music and animation are nostalgic for a simpler time. Unlike today's Hollywood blockbusters, the movie has plenty of heart. I recommend giving it a quick watch if you are a lover of animation, fairy tales, or old movies.

Celebrating 25 Magical Years of Jewel Riders!

On September 10th, 1995, our televisions were graced with the amazing adventures of Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. This show has a lot of special meaning to me. It was one of my earliest obsessions, and I loved everything about it--the story, the music, the costumes, the setting, the artwork... Everything! Many of my other favorite princesses had live celebrations for their anniversaries over the years that I was fortunate enough to attend. Thanks to my friends at the Jewel Riders Archive, Princess Gwenevere will not be forgotten either. The archive kicked off their year-long anniversary celebration one year ago today with a podcast that I participated in with them and some of the other founding members of the fandom. Today, in honor of the 25th anniversary, we recorded a brand new podcast for all of you to enjoy filled with our favorite memories of the show.

I have to admit that I enjoyed recording this podcast even more than the last one. Ronnie and Chris of the Jewel Riders Archive gave us some last-minute homework that provided an opportunity to reflect upon our favorite and least favorite episodes of the show and why. After tallying up our answers, "Song of the Rainbow" took the lead as the biggest fan favorite for the series' 26-episode-long run. This episode, in which Tamara is placed under a trance by a magical harp to heal the Crown Jewel of the Rainbow, is the quintessential Jewel Riders episode that was featured in most of the trailers and commercials for the show. It was one of a small handful of episodes that containing a song and features the Jewel Riders in their party dresses, as well as several of their other signature looks. As a child, I owned dolls of all three Jewel Riders in both their party dresses and their jewel armor. The winner for everyone's least favorite episode was "Trouble in Elf Town," from the show's problematic second season. I guess you can't win them all.

Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders was the first Magical Girl show I was introduced to as a child. I used a ruler and protractor to reproduce all three enchanted jewels and cut them out from poster board so I could pretend to transform into jewel armor like Gwenevere, Tamara, and Fallon. I also used scraps of fabric and an old Girl Scout uniform to make rudimentary costumes of Princess Gwenevere and Tamara. To this day, if I could travel to any fantasy world I've seen or read about, it would be the Jewel Riders' version of Avalon. It's such a friendly and enchanting place with a soft color palette filled with all the things that I wish existed in the real world such as unicorns, faeries, and mermaids. The unapologetically feminine and magical setting provided years of inspiration for my writing. The enchanted jewels of Avalon heavily influenced the runes I incorporated into the kingdom of Klingland from my latest book series, The Stolen Trilogy.

Ronnie and Chris at the Jewel Riders Archive have done an incredible job of keeping the magic alive for all these years. They compiled an endless amount of early production materials that were used to develop the show into its final form. Even though I consider myself one of its biggest fans, I learned a lot from their website and social media that I didn't about. For instance, the project started as an animated adaptation of a book series called Dragon Riders of Pern. From there, it became something called Enchanted Camelot, which looks almost, but not quite, like the show we know and love today. It's no wonder I loved the merchandise and artwork so much as a kid. From the Style Guides and early toy designs compiled on the Jewel Riders Archive, I can see that there was a lot of love and passion put into making sure that every package that contained a Jewel Riders product sparkled with as much color and imagination as possible.

Unlike the Disney Princesses, who have dominated every toy shelf for decades, most people have never heard of Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. If it weren't for the Jewel Riders Archive, they may have been long forgotten by now with no one to celebrate this milestone anniversary. I'm so grateful for the hard work and dedication that Chris and Ronnie put into keeping the shoe's memory alive. It wasn't until Sofia the First came out in 2012 that I found another series that could perfectly captivate all of my passions as strongly as Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. I'm so pleased to be part of this magical celebration and look forward to seeing all of the great new content that the Jewel Riders Archive will release over the coming year.

Travel Through Time with These Female-Driven Historical Dramas

Believe it or not, History was one of my least favorite classes in school. I hated learning about wars and conquerors and men who made boring tax laws. Yet, without history, we wouldn't have princesses to weave into the fairy tales we tell today. Due to being home a lot lately, I spent the last few weeks binging historical dramas that focused on important female figures. I found that they were far more interesting than the things I learned about in school. These shows have gorgeous eye candy. The character dress in extravagant gowns that you would never see in modern culture. As a companion piece to my "Princess Shows to Binge in Your Tower" post, I thought it would be interesting to put all the historical dramas I've watched into chronological order to create a clearer picture of how women in power have evolved over time. Some of these are a bit of a stretch since the educational value doesn't always trump the entertainment value. Time travel shows are a lot of fun but often less realistic. Below are ten series and one very famous musical that cover various points throughout history from the perspective of regal women. You can click on the name of a show to find either a detailed review or an official place to watch it.

1464: The White Queen
Where to watch: This is the first in a trilogy of miniseries from the Starz network.
Things I learned: The Wars of the Roses were a turbulent time in England's history when the noble houses of York and Lancaster fought over the crown despite King Edward of Lancaster's marriage to Lady Elizabeth of York, which should have united the two houses.
Entertainment value: The White Queen has gorgeous costumes and visuals. It starts out interesting enough when the king elopes with a lady from his enemy house. After that, things get convoluted regarding who is next in line for the crown and who causes whose death to get it. Several characters have the same names, which only adds to the confusion. There are virtually no redeeming qualities to any of the characters once you get to know them. The trilogy is based on a series of novels called The Cousins' War by Philippa Gregory and might be more enjoyable to fans of the books.
1485: The White Princess
Where to watch: This is the second miniseries in The White Queen trilogy on the Starz network.
Things I learned: Political alliances in the middle ages were rarely formed with love in mind.
Entertainment value: I would not recommend watching this eight-part miniseries unless you have already seen its prequel, The White Queen. It takes place a few years later and tells the story of the daughter of Queen Elizabeth (as in the White Queen, not the sovereign one), who was forced into an unwanted marriage with Henry Tudor. Even though she grew to care for him years later, it was hard to root for the couple after a questionable rape scene, similar to her mother before her.
1501: The Spanish Princess
Where to watch: This the third and final miniseries from The White Queen trilogy on the Starz network.
Things I learned: Spain was one of the richest and most influential kingdoms in the middle ages.
Entertainment value: It's best to watch this miniseries after The White Queen and The White Princess, but less of a requirement since the protagonist is only seen once as a child in The White Princess. It is about Princess Catherine of Aragon's arranged marriage with King Henry and Queen Elizabeth's daughter, Prince Arthur. I found it easier to follow than The White Queen because it seemed to have fewer characters to keep up with. There were some interesting twists and turns, but it was difficult to care about Catherine, who comes off as incredibly full of herself. I particularly loved the costumes in this series. The Spanish nobles had fancy sleeves on their gowns that split in various places to reveal layers of puffy and flowing fabrics tied in a fancy configuration by their handmaidens.
1557: Reign
Where to watch: All four seasons are available on Netflix.
Things I learned: Mary, Queen of Scots, spent most of her ruling years in France when she married the crown prince, Francis. She had a fierce rivalry with her cousin, Queen Elizabeth (the sovereign one, not the White Queen), and eventually fell from grace when Elizabeth claimed the Scottish for herself as part of England.
Entertainment value: I loved this show when it was on the CW and followed it religiously. It did a terrific job of appealing to its target audience of teenage girls even if it meant sacrificing historical accuracy. I loved how it fleshed out all four of Mary's ladies-in-waiting even though their actual lives may have not been as interesting. Unlike The White Queen, which kept all the names from history, Reign gave all of Mary's ladies new names and identities even though they were all named Mary in real life. All four of Mary's ladies suffered some kind of downfall that foreshadowed her own at the end of the series. My favorite was Lady Lola.
1646: Always a Witch
Where to watch: Both seasons are available on Netflix.
Things I learned: Like many other countries during the 17th century, Colombia burned women at the stake if they were accused of witchcraft.
Entertainment value: This is one of three time travel shows on this list, giving it more entertainment value than historical value. It is also the only one with a black woman in the lead, which means it gets into some uncomfortable parts of history. Though Carmen is a slave, the show never portrays her responsibilities toward the family she serves. Most of it is spent in present-day after she uses a spell to time travel to the future to escape being burned at the stake. Most scenes that do take place in 1646 focus on her romance with Cristobal, the son of her master, who exchanges letters from the future with him through a magic hole in the wall. Carmen quickly discovers that life for black women in the 21st century is much better than it was in the 17th century. It's a captivating love story and exploration of the benefits of living in our time that we might take for granted.
1743: Outlander
Where to watch: The first three seasons are on Netflix, and the other two are on the Starz Network.
Things I learned: The Jacobites were a group of Scottish rebels who fought to restore the throne of Scotland to the successors of Mary, Queen of Scots after her downfall. Later seasons of the show cover other places and time periods, such as King Louis XV in France and the forming of the American colonies with a cameo from a young General George Washington.
Entertainment value: This is the second time travel show on this list, and one of the most addictive. It follows a World War 2 nurse named Claire on her journey to 18th century Scotland through some magic time-traveling rocks. She falls in love with a Scottish clansman named Jamie, and their hot steamy romance keeps the show interesting for five seasons and counting. Eventually, Claire and Jamie have a daughter named Briana who goes on her own romantic time travel adventures.
1762: The Great
Where to watch: All ten episodes are on Hulu.
Things I learned: Catherine the Great came to power in Russia by overthrowing her abhorrent husband, King Peter III.
Entertainment value: This is a snappy fast-paced dark comedy that is made for modern audiences even though it covers issues from its own time period with historically accurate visuals. Catherine is played by a grown-up Elle Fanning, who takes the role in a very different direction from her previous royal role as Princess Aurora in the Maleficent movies. Her enedearing performance makes the show truly great to watch.
1776: Hamilton
Where to watch: This groundbreaking musical is available in its entirety on Disney+.
Things I learned: America's founding fathers were a group of ragtag young rebels who didn't always get along but understood that they were creating something that would last well beyond their years. Alexander Hamilton was the most rambunctious of the group. His wife, Eliza Schuyler, had the patience of a saint and was an extremely warm-hearted person.
Entertainment value: This is the only show on this list that is not a series. I had to include it because of its massive worldwide popularity and the fact that Disney+ made it available to watch for free. In some ways, it isn't your average musical, but it does follow all of the standard story beats of a Broadway show. The beginning of this play is difficult to get into. There's a lot of hip hop and general chaos happening on stage. Once the Schuyler sisters are introduced, the story becomes more interesting and easier for there women in the audience to relate to. The second act has several heart-wrenchingly emotional moments that will bring tears to your eyes.
1837: Victoria
Where to watch: All three seasons are on Amazon Prime and PBS Masterpiece.
Things I learned: During the extremely rare occasion that the English crown was passed to a queen, her husband did not receive the power of monarch through marriage.
Entertainment value: Queen Victoria is one of the most famous queens in history, so it's great that there's a show covering her reign. However, it is not very fun to watch. Since it's a British show, I think the BBC was more concerned about historical accuracy than they were about entertainment value. In other words, it's the exact opposite of Reign. Most of the episodes were slow and bland with very little levity. The first season had such dim candlelight during the palace scenes that you could barely even make out what was happening. That said, if you're able to sit through the boring parts, it does reveal a lot about who Queen Victoria was as a person. Another bonus she is played by the same actress who portrayed Clara in Doctor Who.
1905: Find Me in Paris
Where to watch: All three seasons are available on Hulu.
Things I learned: Diddly squat. This show is pure entertainment and made mostly for younger audiences.
Entertainment value: This is the third and final time travel show on this list. I couldn't include Always a Witch and leave out this one because the two have so much in common that I think one of the creators may have "borrowed" ideas from the other. Both protagonists travel to the future and decide they prefer its modern conveniences but still miss their boyfriends from the past. Like Carmen, Lena communicates with her boyfriend, Henri, by placing letters in a magical hiding space that sends the message through time. Find Me in Paris has lots of twists and turns and is incredibly addictive, but in a more juvenile way than Outlander. 
1912: Downton Abbey
Where to watch: All six seasons are on Amazon Prime.
Things I learned: It would be nice to be fabulously wealthy.
Entertainment value: This show is the second BBC series on this list and focuses on the British aristocracy in the early 1900s. The three noble daughters of Downton Abbey live in a mansion where they are waited upon hand and foot and dressed in fabulous historically accurate fashions. What was great about this show is that it focused on the servants' lives just as much as the nobles, giving a potentially accurate picture of what life might have been like for a servant in a noble house. I couldn't get through all six seasons because it felt like they ran out of ideas at some point. My favorite character, Lady Sybil, leaves the show around the third season, which was when I lost interest entirely. Her secret romance with her footman was what carried the first couple of seasons for me.

Story Saturday: The Duel

This is one of four bonus chapters I am including in my digital box set for The Stolen Trilogy that was released yesterday on Amazon. It takes place around the middle of my book The Stolen Jewel and is about Princess Charlotte's love interest, Prince Braydon, and Lily's love interest from The Stolen Queen, Lord Henry, having a fencing match. I did the teeniest bit of research for it, so some of the details may be off. If you enjoyed this chapter, you can purchase The Stolen Jewel on Amazon to read the book it came from or The Stolen Queen to read the sequel about Lily and Henry. You can also sign up for my mailing list to read about my other books and learn more about future projects.

"The Duel"

            Growing up surrounded by the women in his family, Henry felt that it was his responsibility to protect them from potential threats. Now that there were two threats living under the same roof as them, he needed to be more cautious than ever. He trained every day in the fields and doubled up on his lessons with his fencing instructor. His mother was getting too close with King Mercer, and his cousin was getting too close with Mercer’s son. He knew from Lily’s gossip that Krystal wanted to be with Prince Braydon. It wasn’t right for him to break her heart by sneaking off to find Charlotte. That’s why he decided to challenge the duplicitous prince to a duel.

            Braydon was already waiting outside the door to the fencing arena when Henry arrived. He had to give him credit for punctuality, at least. The two men stared each other down as they donned their fencing gear. They didn’t need words. They would learn all they needed to know about each other from the way they fought. They saluted each other to begin the match. Braydon had surprisingly good form, but Henry knew his was better.

            “En garde!” shouted Henry’s instructor, who acted as the the referee for the match. “Prêts? Allez!”

            Braydon dodged Henry’s powerful thrust like a bolt of lightning. He shifted behind Braydon to slip into a powerful blow, but Henry parried just in time. They continued to parry each other’s blows across the arena, each hoping that the other would eventually slip up. Braydon caught Henry by surprise when he lowered his aim toward his legs in an attempt to trip him, but Henry blocked just in time, stumbling only for a moment.

            “You seem a bit rusty,” Braydon chided.

            “It’s not easy to find a good opponent with so many ladies in the castle, not that I’m complaining,” Henry responded in a smooth voice.

            Henry hesitated just long enough for Braydon to let his guard down and then feinted, tapping Braydon on the shoulder with his rapier.

            “Point!” shouted the referee.

            It became clear to Braydon that Henry was not playing for sport. He wouldn’t let his guard down again. Braydon lunged his rapier toward Henry, tapping him square in the chest.

            “Point!” the referee said again.

            “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” said Braydon, as they continued to parry each other’s blows across the arena. “My father always says you’ll get nowhere in life if you don’t strike first.”

            “That certainly sounds like him,” said Henry, narrowly blocking another hit.

            “You’ll need to sharpen your reflexes if you expect to best me,” Braydon taunted.

            The two continued to lock blades, their skills perfectly matched. Henry refused to yield even when he felt fatigue set in. Meanwhile, Braydon kept glancing at the overhead window to check the position of the sun. He was worried about Charlotte. He knew she didn’t trust her impulsive cousin to follow through on his word to protect her kingdom’s soldiers, and would likely try to take matters into her own hands, just like she did at their engagement ball.

            “So tell me, old man,” said Henry, slightly out of breath, “What are your intentions with my sister?”

            Braydon recalled Charlotte telling him that Krystal received love letters from him that he had never sent. Krystal was his new fiancée, but the one he loved was the one who got excommunicated from the throne for using magic. If things had only gone a bit differently, Charlotte would still be his future bride.

            “Isn’t it obvious? She’s my bride to be.”

            “Point!” shouted the referee.

            Braydon had gotten so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice Henry’s rapier pressed against his side. He tried to clear his mind and continued to parry the rest of his blows.

            “Yet it seems to me that you are more infatuated with Charlotte,” said Henry with a confident smirk.

            Were his feelings that transparent? His father would have been disappointed. King Mercer told Braydon not to let anyone else know what was in his mind or his heart. Yet, at the mere mention of Charlotte’s name, Braydon lost his focus yet again. Images of her soft brown curls filled his mind. He remembered her adorably embarrassed expression when he found her working at the inn during an awkward moment. She still looked like a princess even dressed in rags. By the time his thoughts returned to the present, Henry’s rapier was already pressed against his chest.

            “Halt!” shouted the referee. “Good work, Henry.”

            “Good show,” said Henry, shaking Braydon’s hand just a little too tightly.

            Braydon crossed his arms. Why did Henry have to bring up the one person that could throw off his game?

            “That wasn’t fair,” he said. “I want a rematch.”

            Henry narrowed his eyes at the prince. “How exactly was that unfair? There was no foul play on my part.”

            “You were trying to distract me.”

            “It would appear to me that you were distracting yourself.”

            “I still want a rematch.”

            Henry adjusted his helmet. “Fortunately for you, I am a gentlemen, so I will agree to your terms.”

            They returned to their started positions.

            “En garde!” shouted the referee. “Prêts? Allez!”

            This time, Braydon was ready. He would prove himself worthy of Charlotte to anyone who got him his way, starting with Henry. He lunged his rapier against Henry’s shoulder before Henry had the chance to block it.

            “Point!”

            “What makes you think I’m infatuated with your cousin?” Braydon asked, as he continued to parry Henry’s relentless attacks.

            “Just some observations I’ve made,” Henry said coolly.

            Instead of parrying again, Braydon caught Henry by surprise by ducking under his rapier and tapping Henry’s ankle with his own.

            “Point!”

            Braydon cleared his mind of all thoughts of Charlotte. If he could just get one more hit, he would throw the match.

            “What exactly have you observed?” he asked, lunging at Henry with all his strength.

            Before Henry could answer, Braydon’s rapier was pressed against his chest. He held up his hands in defeat.

            “Halt! Prince Braydon wins the match.”

            Henry smirked. He may have lost the match, but his suspicions were confirmed. Braydon definitely had feelings for Charlotte. He would need to keep those two apart if he wanted Krystal to be happy. His big sister got so emotional over every little thing. She would not take well to her fiancé being in love with their cousin.

            “What do you say to another round?” asked Henry.

            Braydon removed his helmet and gave Henry a stern look. “Answer me.”

            Henry returned the weapons and uniforms to a rack on the side of the arena.

            “If you must know, it’s just idle gossip among the staff about you shirking off your wedding duties.”

            Braydon relaxed his shoulders. So Henry didn’t know he had snuck off to visit Charlotte at the inn. That could have gotten him into a lot of trouble with both kingdoms.

            “Oh,” he said. “That’s all?”

            Henry raised an eyebrow. “Is there something else I should be aware of?”

            “No,” Braydon lied. His gaze drifted to the overhead window, and he realized the sun was about to disappear behind the horizon. He needed to get to the battlefield before something terrible happened to Charlotte.

            “I just don’t want to see you break Krystal’s heart,” said Henry. “She’s very sensitive, you know.”

            “I’ll keep that in mind,” said Braydon, barely paying attention. “As much as I’d love to go another round, I’m afraid I have an urgent matter to attend to.”

            “Stay out of trouble,” said Henry, only half joking.

            “I’m not the one you should be telling that to,” Braydon mumbled as he went off to find Charlotte in the middle of a battle of her own.

Review: Mulan (Live-Action 2020)

It's been well over a year since the first live-action Mulan teaser. As of today, the latest Disney remake is now available on Disney+ as their first premier access original. That means that for $29.99, less than what the cost of a day at the theater for the average family, you can add the new Mulan to your Disney+ library to watch as many times as you want. There have been some complaints about the additional fee to the paid subscription service, but it was something Disney needed to do in order to even come close to making back their budget after the film got delayed from its March 27th release due to COVID-19 complications. If you don't think it's worth paying extra, the movie will be added to the regular Disney+ catalog on December 4th for no additional charge. After watching it myself, I have to admit that it probably is not worth the extra fee to stream it early unless you are a die-hard fan of the Ballad of Hua Mulan or want to help support Disney's COVID losses.

To preface, I am a huge fan of Disney's 1998 animated Mulan. It is one of my top ten movies of all time, and Mulan is one of my favorite Disney Princesses. This movie was a must-see for me regardless of how bad it was. The nearly six-month-long delay only made me more curious about what I was missing. Now that I've seen it, I can say for certain that it adds nothing of value to the brilliant light-hearted musical war epic from my childhood. There were many things that Disney changed in this version that were met with criticism. It had no singing, no fun sidekicks, and no levity. Some people have claimed that Disney made this movie to appeal more to Chinese audiences who were disappointed with the animated film. That is most likely true. Others claim that the changes were done to make it closer to the original ballad. That is false. Disney took great liberties with the Ballad of Hua Mulan in their 1998 adaptation because they had to. The ballad is so simple that it doesn't lend itself to a full-length feature with a beginning, middle, and ending. This version takes equal liberties in fleshing out the story into a two-hour film, many of which follow the beats of the 1998 script, and some of which are entirely original. Whatever their true motivation was in sucking the fun out of the animated film, they failed to create something nearly as beautiful, deep, and entertaining.

The new Mulan follows all of the same feminist cultural trends that Hollywood has enforced within the past decade. As a woman who joined a war saved the emperor of China from a dangerous army leader, Mulan was already somewhat of a feminist icon. In today's culture, that's not good enough. Women are not allowed to start out as ordinary girls or people will accuse them of entering into Damsel in Distress territory. Instead, they are required to be badasses from the womb, which I think places unrealistic expectations on little girls and sets them up for disappointment when they learn that they have to work hard to become good at something and will need help from mentors and other figures along the way. In this movie, Mulan is shown as a little girl who is capable of seemingly impossible physical feats due to the amazing level of chi that she was born with. Her father tells her that she must hide her chi from the world because girls with that much chi can never find a good match.

She uses her magical chi in front of the matchmaker to try to save a tea set that got flung into the air when a giant spider crawled under it. Unfortunately, her fancy hairstyle causes her to slip up and break the tea set anyway, so the matchmaker rejects her. When she joins the army, her commander tells her that she must stop hiding her chi if she wants to be a truly great warrior. In other words, she was born with the innate ability to be a kickass warrior princess through no training or effort at all. The only thing holding her back was her refusal to be herself. This definitely harkens to modern films like Captain Marvel and Frozen, but I think older films like The Little Mermaid and The Princess and the Frog teach better lessons about how sacrifice and hard work are required to get what you want in life. Even the original Mulan had to train hard and use her wits to recover the arrow from the pole.

There were several new characters in this film compared to the animated version. Mulan's sister demonstrates that it is possible for a Chinese girl to follow cultural traditions and still be happy, which I think is a positive message since not everyone can be Mulan. Xianning, the witch, serves as Mulan's foil. Like Mulan, she wants to be seen for who she is, but she goes about it dishonorably by working for the villain, Böri Khan. I liked the idea of her character, but I hated how the way she was presented. Instead of showing us how she was ostracized for having magic, Khan explains her goals and motivations to her in a scene where he is clearly talking to the audience. For such a feminist movie, I was surprised by how many men had to spell out important plot points. It was narrated by Mulan's father, who was the worst actor in it. Every line sounded like he was reading it from a teleprompter with no context. If they couldn't find a better actor to play him, they should have at least changed the narrator to Mulan after hearing how he sounded.

Honghui, the new love interest, took over one of Mulan's most famous lines in the movie by defending her to the captain when she was unable to defend herself. Despite that minor transgression, I liked Honghui as a love interest, but I didn't the way Mulan treated him. She was rude to him from beginning to end, which seems to be another ongoing trend in live-action remakes. In the 2017 Beauty and the Beast, Emma Watson's Belle was extremely rude to Gaston when he acted nice to her and tried to take an interest in her book. The original Belle was nothing but polite to Gaston, even when she rejected him. That made us like Belle because she tried to be nice to Gaston no matter how mean he was to her. It was more difficult to like her in the remake when she wasn't nice to him even though he tried to be nice to her. In this remake, I felt bad for Honghui, who was nice to Mulan even when he didn't have to be and was met with a cold shoulder because Mulan was worried he might discover her secret if they got too close. I get that all princesses don't need to have a true love, but can't they at least be nice to people who are nice to them?

The only thing I liked about this movie was that the trailers were honest. They didn't try to get my hopes up for something that didn't exist. The bland, dull, and occasionally violent footage in the previews was a fully accurate description of the overall look and feel of the film. It had no humor and very little heart. I hope Chinese audiences enjoy this movie because it has very little to offer to fans of the original. The characters are boring, the action is unrealistic, and the script is lazy. It is the worst Disney remake I have seen so far. At least they still sang in The Lion King. The only good thing I have to say about it is that it might be a decent but forgettable movie if the original Mulan didn't exist. It's a shame the rigid restrictions of modern feminism and attempts to appeal to Chinese audiences prevented them from taking the story in a fun new direction like they did with Aladdin.