*Karen, Book Review *The Two Princesses of Bamarre, by *Gail Carson Levine

Victory. I've managed to read, a little. Even though they aren't on my list, I thought I'd let you all know that The Two Princesses of Bamarre and The Fairy's Return, by Gail Carson Levine, were delightful.

The Two Princesses of Bamarre was a bit dull, but I loved the final plot twist. I didn't see it coming at all. Though I'm sick to death of the anti-hero--yes, yes, true courage is doing something you're afraid of, the hero is the one who perseveres, blah, blah, blah--I found Princess Addie to be quietly forceful and not as trite as I feared she would be.

I absolutely loved The Fairy's Return. It's a revisionist collection of fairy tales. All of the short stories are about "princesses" in the kingdom of Biddle throughout many centuries. As always, Levine's twist on familiar fairy tales is fresh, charming, and at times, totally unexpected.