Having read The Book of a Thousand Days (reviewed yesterday), I was determined to find the rest of Shannon Hale’s oeuvre. The first book she published was Goose Girl, based on the Grimm fairy tale of the same name. Between Half-Price Books and a Borders gift card, I managed to acquire it, one of its sequels, her Newbery-award-winning standalone middle readers’ book, and her adult novel in a matter of days. (Yes. I was that impressed.) I wonder, can you guess what books will be reviewed the rest of this week?

Princess Ani was born the heir to Kildenree, but her lack of ability to be precisely like her mother has her passed over for the honor. She is then betrothed to the Crown Prince of Bayern, but on the trip to his country there is trickery and she ends up being a servant at the castle. Ani is much more than a servant, though: she can speak the language of birds and the occasional other animal, and can speak to the winds. Eventually there is war; Ani must try to stop it, since only she knows the truth behind the betrayal.

The plot sounds a bit dry, and I have to admit, so far I have always been a little worried about Shannon Hale’s pacing. It, twice so far, has felt to me that she’s gotten herself into a situation where the climax will fall well before the end of the book, but she never disappoints. I suppose by now I should relax and trust her, but I do tend to read critically and anticipatorially. The book is over three hundred pages, but the plot never flags and the pacing is excellent.

Ani is an interesting character, but quiet; she lives very much inside her own head and has much trouble relating to other people for much of the book. The other characters, however, do make an effort, and she gains friends in spite of herself. Enna, in particular, is kind to her; one of the companion books to Goose Girl follows her story further. All the characters seem to be very logical; no one acts particularly out of line, and their motivations read as correct.

Ani’s family in Kildenree is surprisingly sympathetic; her mother is the perfect queen, but she does not pass over Ani lightly. She very much wants the best for her daughter, but she also wants the best for her kingdom. Where the two intersect is obviously a hard decision for her. Probably the most most well-described member of the family is the queen’s sister, Ani’s aunt, the one who teaches her how to speak to birds. The aunt is, of course, considered an eccentric and not recognized as being related to the royal family, but she is one of the few people who truly loves Ani for herself and not her position.

The language is very Romantic; the first line of the book is “She was born Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she did not open her eyes for three days.” Much of the rest is similar, but it is, after all, a fairy tale. The imagery is mostly birds and wind; another character is described as catlike, and you might guess that she is not a sympathetic character.

This is generally a YA-level book; while it starts at Ani’s birth, she spends most of the book over 15. There is violence and death, although not much description of either, and a love story, although nothing physical. Younger readers might not have as much patience with the word-painting and the slow-but-well-paced plot, but older teens and adults who like fairy tales should enjoy the book very much. I personally enjoyed the book very much, and am rating it (as well) a full 5/5 stars.