Review: The Princess in the Opal Mask by: Jenny Lundquist

The Princess in the Opal Mask by: Jenny Lundquist (Oct. 2013)
325 pages

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy
Publisher: Running Press Kids

Source: I bought it!

Purchase: Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon

Goodreads Summary: Every Fairy-Tale Ending Has a Price. . .

Orphaned as a child in the crumbling village of Tulan, Elara is determined to learn her true identity, even if it means wielding a dagger. Meanwhile, in Galandria's royal capital, Princess Wilha stands out as someone to either worship or fear. Though no one knows why the king has always made her conceal her face—including Wilha herself.

When an assassination attempt threatens the peace of neighboring kingdoms, Elara and Wilha are brought face to face . . . with a chance at claiming new identities. However, with dark revelations now surfacing, both girls will need to decide if brighter futures are worth the binding risks.

My Review

I chose to read this book simply because the cover is gorgeous, I don’t regret that choice. The Princess in the Opal Mask is a sweet fairy tale fantasy novel. It’s a little gritty and completely likeable. It’s an easy, nice, sometimes adorable, and always interesting read. I was weary when I first started reading, but I quickly changed my attitude, I was weary for no reason.

This fairy tale is told from the dual point of views of two young women, Elara and Wilha. Both are different, both unique, and both are very interesting. While reading I flip flopped back and forth between which girl I liked the most. I honestly still don’t think I know. Elara and Wilha grow and change throughout the novel and have their own unique issues, making them characters I very much enjoyed reading about.

I was also very fond of the author’s easy to follow storytelling. It is rather simple, but it didn’t bother me and I don't think that The Princess in the Opal Mask having this quality is a bad thing, it does make the book a good choice for younger teens as well as older. I also didn’t find the plot overly unique, but that also didn’t really bother me. Although the whole novel is less complex than a lot of fantasy novels I have read, it wasn’t any less of a good solid story. The plot is nicely paced, but I was kind of sad that there aren’t a lot of surprises.

Bottom Line: I liked The Princess in the Opal Mask a great deal. Next time you are in the mood for a slightly lighter less complex fantasy novel then this should be your pick. It’s a good book, a solid story full of interesting characters, and I will be reading the second one.