Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Review: The Princelings and the Lost City


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The Princelings and the Lost City, by Jemima Pett.  169 pages.
Published 2012 by Princelings Publications.  Smashwords edition (ebook)

Summary:
Fred and George are back, and with them Fred's love, Princess Kira.  Having taken a wrong turn on the way to March Castle, the three--along with Munch, their coachman--stumble into the lost Arbor Castle.  Despite it's deserted appearance, it's not as empty, nor as legendary, as they think.  It takes the combined brains of all three to get them out of this one!


Review:
A sinister city, a secret society run only by females, capture by bandits and sneaky impersonations!  What more does a story need?  Well, besides Fred and George, the incomparable Princelings from Marsh Castle, and an airplane that runs on strawberry juice.  The third book in the Princelings of the East series has a tight plot, just enough suspense, and a happy ending.  Editing and language are as always top-notch, and the plot is fun and generally believable (once you engage in the willing suspension of disbelief necessary to buy into a world of guinea pigs that runs on strawberry juice, of course). 

This book may verge a little onto YA territory rather than MG, though it is completely clean and there is little violence.  The less-savory aspects of the culture of Castle Arbor are never directly stated, so it is likely that younger children will miss the implications, but they are there.  I would not have hesitated to give it to my boys when they were the right age (being teens, they no doubt can now find or invent eyebrow-raising implications anywhere they want).

More to the point, the book grabbed me within a few pages, and I soon reached the point where I didn't want to stop until everyone was safe!  I lost a little sleep with this one because I just had to finish.

Yet another great addition to the world of the Princelings, and I heartily recommend it!



Full Disclosure: I bought The Princelings and the Lost City and received nothing whatsoever from the author, publisher, or narrator in exchange for my honest review.  The opinions expressed in this review are my own and no one else's.

6 comments:

  1. A sinister city, a secret society run only by females, capture by bandits AND sneaky impersonations??? I've had Jemima's books on my "to-read" list for a while...now I just HAVE to move them to the top of the list. Thanks for giving us here on the hop the heads up on such a delightful series!

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    1. Oh, do put them up the list! They are growing on me more and more, and I'm trying to ration them, since I know I read faster than Jemima can produce books!

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  2. Thanks for the lovely review, Rebecca. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. It's still my favourite.

    I'm losing sleep over a sneaky librarian at present ;)

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    1. Aww! Watch out for those skunks ;)

      Hey, how come Fred and George never encounter wildlife? Or would that be too weird (or else too Wind in the Willows-y)?

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  3. Looks like a "keeper upper" :) I love stories that grip you and you don't even realize it until you have put it down! Looks like Jemima has managed to do more than just that! Thanks for sharing on Kid Lit Blog Hop!
    -Reshama @Stackingbooks.com

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    1. I don't know. . . I've getting pretty short on sleep. I think I need to find books that put me to sleep, not keep me up :)

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