The Lizy Reviews: Princess Academy--The Forgotten Sisters

I’m not a huge fan of sequels, particularly if I wasn’t aware that the series was ongoing in the first place. I read Princess Academy in high school but I wasn’t a die-hard fan.  When Princess Academy: Palace of Stone came out, I read it and was treated to one of the most in-depth treatises about politics and human rights I have ever encountered (which isn’t saying much because I haven’t read many). Having finally read the third book, I can tell you that the Princess Academy trilogy is a well-written, thought-provoking series.  The Forgotten Sisters, in particular, is some of Shannon Hale’s finest work. It develops the linder magic system established in the first two books nicely, and the action and pacing have escalated nicely from the first two.  It seems like there wasn’t much of a premise for the plot of this installment from the first two books, but I ended up enjoying it anyway.

Goodreads

Literally as Miri is stepping out the door of the royal palace in Asland to return to her beloved Mount Eskel, she is informed of a diplomatic emergency which requires her to go live as a tutor to three wild royal cousins living in the swamps at the edge of the kingdom. The stakes of this venture are running high: one of the three sisters must be prepared to be a suitable bride for a warmongering king or else Danland faces an invasion. The royal cousins, however, aren’t exactly eager for an education, and Miri isn’t allowed to tell them precisely why they’re needed. Before she can convince them to take lessons, Miri will have to take a leaf or two from their book about fighting, hunting, and survival, caiman wrestling included (and the caiman wrestling was the best part).

It seems like with every page turn Miri figures out just how much danger she is in, not only in coming to the swamp but for entering the lives of the headstrong Astrid, the tender Felissa, and the curious Sus. Before we leave the swamp, we will have come to love these sisters as much as Miri does. Their adventures after leaving are the stuff girl-power dreams are made of.  The Forgotten Sisters is filled with unlikely allies, exciting twists, and swashbuckling action. Also, Peder is awesome in this book.

The ending does leave some questions.  For instance, is everything going to be all right for Astrid, Felissa, and Sus in their rightful family again?  Will Sus go through with a decision she made when she was ten without repercussions?  And as for the epilogue, Miri has already made the case that there is no reason for men to be afraid of women, but are the women striking back a little too much? Well, that's a debate for another time. Thankfully, there are no loose ends hanging for Miri.