Synopsis: Malva is the Princetta of Galnicia, a vaguely European country in an imaginary land. She is about to marry to cement an alliance for her country, when she escapes with her maid to live the life she wants to live. She, however, has been tricked into escaping so that her tutor can take over the country, and Malva lands into much more trouble than she bargained for.
Orpheus is the son of a renowned ship’s captain and has always longed to go to sea, but a childhood disease prevents him (or so his father wants him to think). On his father’s death, he discovers that it was not true due to the double life his father lived as a legitimate captain and seafaring pirate. When the Princetta goes missing, Orpheus volunteers to be one of the party. Thus begins an epic story that goes from the ends of the earth and back.
Rating: Good, but a bit long.
Opinion: The book is divided into three parts, and the first part had me glued to the pages. The second part took a turn I didn’t expect and it took me a bit to get back into the story. Towards the end, the book gets kind of fanciful and, frankly, a bit weird. The story line rambles a bit here and there, but I wonder if it’s not due to the translation, or due to cultural differences (it being originally written in French). I do know that the editors did miss at least one mistake: “They exchanged baffled glances and then began searching the fog, which was thinking [sic] here and there.” (page 290) It seemed to me that the plot line got very complex, but without depth. This opinion is kind of rambly simply because I’m not sure how to explain the book, because it is so rambly. Go read it and see if you agree.
yea, i personally loved this book….right until the end…..I want a new ending….very bad
By: Kayla on July 22, 2008
at 1:01 am
I haven’t read the book yet. But i was just wondering if it’s really worth reading if the ending’s really bad. I hate books like that.Does the ending just ruin the whole book or is it a really great book but the ending not so great. someone tell me pleaaaase!!!!! Does that Orpheus captain guy die at the end?
By: kate on January 19, 2009
at 8:55 pm
i loved this book. of course, the ending made me bawl, and i still cry every time i re-read this. besides, we a need a little reality. not all stories have happy endings.
By: Becca on June 12, 2009
at 7:09 pm
personally, the worst ending ever. i think there should be a second book where orpheus comes back to life or something. i mean seriuslly way to make a girl depressed after only reading a book.
By: audrey on January 20, 2009
at 4:34 pm
[...] reviews: Running Mad | Jew Crew Review | The Echo of My [...]
By: Review: The Princetta by Anne-Laure Bondoux (2004) « Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog on January 25, 2009
at 12:56 pm
Spoilers: Personally, i loved the book. I’ve always loved books with sailing and all that. The ending and and especially when Orpheus died was horrible. I mean, he should have died in a more…noble way, i guess. The fact that he died because he had a sneezing fit and The Archont stabbed him was ridiculous and humiliating. Besides the ending, I found that it was a page turner, and worth the read.
By: Ashley on February 24, 2009
at 7:41 pm
I think it is just a bad translation from French to English. I think that if I could read it in French I might like it better. It is a good plot, just needs different discriptions perhaphs…
By: Camilla on March 1, 2009
at 3:57 pm