The Ordinary Princess (a book review)
Published June 17, 2010
Monday’s post on childhood books brought an air of nostalgia to my week–especially as I poured over the summer reading lists and remembered my own favorites from years gone by. At age ten, I adored The Secret Garden. At fourteen it was The Scarlet Pimpernel. And yesterday, in the midst of my spring cleaning, I came across a little book which stalled my organizing for a good half-hour while I flipped through its browned, coverless pages. “The Ordinary Princess” by M. M. Kaye. It was my constant. My overall favorite for years and years. Maybe it still is.
Princess Amethyst Alexandra Augusta Araminta Adelaide Aurelia Anne is the youngest of seven fabulously beautiful, blonde, blue-eyed sisters in the kingdom of Phantasmorania, and she is the loveliest. That is, until the day of her christening when the Old Fairy Crustacea bequeaths upon the Princess the gift of being perfectly “ordinary.” From then on Princess Amy’s life is ruined (in the eyes of her parents, sisters, and subjects) by hair that turns mousy, skin which sports freckles, and a personality prone to mischief and **gasp** fun.
Amy’s parents are so devastated by this that, as the Princess grows up, they keep her hidden behind the castle walls, lavishing all sorts of potions and skin de-freckling charms upon her in hopes that either (a) the potions will work, or (b) no one will be able to see how unbeautiful Amy is and will accidentally marry her. Concern reaches a frenzied peek when the sixth sister is married off to a handsome Prince Charming (like all the sisters before her), and Amy still has no suitors, nor even potential suitors. Her parents (mainly the mother—of course) thus take the drastic measure of hiring a dragon to capture Amy in order to send out a hail for all brave princes to come rescue her. Once one has, he’ll then be obligated to marry her.
As you might imagine, this idea doesn’t go over well since no self-respecting, ordinary girl would acquiesce to such a thing. Princess Amy runs off to live in the woods, practical and carefree, making friends with Peter Aurelious (a crow) and Mr. Pemberthy (a squirrel). Fast forward through the summer and, just as she finds her clothes have worn shabby, Amy happens upon a castle where she seeks out work as a kitchen maid. Here Princess Amy meets Peregrine–the nicest, handsomest, most normal, “man-of-all-work” one could imagine–at the very same time that the staggeringly gorgeous Princess Persephone of Plumblossomburg arrives to woo the prince of the castle, who—for some odd reason—Amy has never seen.
What ensues from here is the perfect ending to a charmingly unordinary fairytale, and I suggest that if you get a chance this summer you read it. It’s short and delightful, and leaves one craving sweet, grassy meadows and wildflowers, days spent laying around on shady creek banks trailing blackberry stained fingertips through the idle water, and then awakening to the dew-touched mornings of love’s first romance.
So…tell me…what is YOUR very favorite fairytale of all time?
What’s the mood noise of the moment? Amos Lee: Sweet Pea
Tags: children's fairytales, fairytale book review, M.M. Kaye's The Ordinary Princess, Princess Amy and Peregrine
06.18.2010 / 8:53 am
Sadie and I really enjoyed the Ordinary Princess. It was adventurous and sweet!
06.18.2010 / 9:51 am
YAY for good fairytales, Heather!
06.18.2010 / 10:49 am
What a fantastic story! I’ll have to get my hands on this one to read to my little princess! It sounds a lot like “Ella Enchanted” (yet another case of the movie TANKING compared to the book… get it on CD, it’s awesome!).
My favorite fairy tale of all time is “Sleeping Beauty”. My mom used to pray that over me, that I would stay asleep to love until my Prince came and I was ready for True Love’s First Kiss. It made the waiting until Anthony’s and my wedding day fun, because we were living our own fairy tale! I love that my kids like the tale as well, and they act out all the parts: Hannah laying on the couch sleeping while Jonathan runs around slaying dragons. *Happy sigh*
06.18.2010 / 10:31 pm
Dani: I LOVE Sleeping Beauty. And I can totally picture your kids doing this. *smile* They’re so dang precious. And we did Ella Enchanted on cd too! Also–your mom’s amazing. That’s just super awesome. What a cool story!
Okay, so I have to share that, at one point last year, my niece was obsessed with being Aurora. I came to pick Korbin up and Adelaide was fuming because she had spent a full 20 minutes laying on her bed, waiting to be kissed by Prince Charming (apparently–Korbin). Unfortunately, he’d completely ignored her, refused to cooperate with the rescuing/kissing part, and instead left her waiting whilst running outside to play with Karalee.
Such a guy…
06.19.2010 / 6:47 am
Ha! Korbin.. such a boy! Adelaide might have better luck with Jonathan, since he loves the rescuing part. In fact (is Kati listening?), yesterday Jonathan told me that when he and Hannah grow up, they are going to have a big wedding. I explained that he can’t marry his sister, he has to marry a different girl and I asked him to think of girls he knows. He looked at me sideways and asked “Like, I have to marry Adelaide?!” in the same tone of voice he’d use to ask if he has to finish all his vegetables. It was awesome!
06.19.2010 / 8:31 am
hahaha! That’s so funny dani! Adelaide has recently moved from Sleeping Beauty to The Lord of the Rings, and Legolas is apparently THE man. We’re all about elves now.
My favorite fairy tale has, and always will be The Little Mermaid. Yes, I was raised on Disney, but when I was old enough to immerse myself in Hans Christian Andersen and The Grimms it still won out. And still makes me cry.
Coming in 2nd and 3rd respectively we have Puss in Boots and Snow White and Rose Red. I love reading those to the girls.
06.19.2010 / 10:07 am
Is it just me or does Adelaide look remarkably similar to Legolas? A feminine version obviously.
Dani, your son is hilarious! And how was day 1 at the publishing company???!!!
06.19.2010 / 12:07 pm
Kati: Legolas from the movies? Because I’d have to totally agree with Adelaide. I remember the first time I read the “real” version of The Little Mermaid and I was horrified that it wasn’t a “happily ever after” story, but I re-read it hundreds of times.
And Mary, my first day was great! Training in Scottsdale was fun, since Scottsdale is the really uppity, rich part of the world. I felt like quite the professional with my briefcase and books, typing away on my laptop at Starbucks! =)
06.24.2010 / 6:02 pm
So happy for you, lady!