“PRINCESS ACADEMY: THE FORGOTTEN SISTERS,” by Shannon Hale, Bloomsbury USA Children’s, Feb. 24, 2015, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 10 and up)
When Shannon Hale published “Princess Academy” in 2005, she probably had no idea that it would go on to win major honors let alone spawn not one, but two follow-up books — “Palace of Stone” (2012) and “The Forgotten Sisters” (2015). But it did, creating a fan base that’s not likely to ease up anytime soon.
“Princess Academy” will always be magical unto itself, but there’s a thread of magic that binds all three novels together. Nothing makes this clearer than “The Forgotten Sisters,” which came out at the end of February.
Miri’s story began when she was sent to the Princess Academy. There, Miri gained knowledge she didn’t know existed, and that knowledge ignited a thirst for learning. Following her time in the Academy, Miri and some of her friends from the Princess Academy are sent from their beloved Mount Eskel to Asland, the royal city. Once there, they help the future Princess Britta prepare for her wedding, and Miri attends school at the Queen’s Castle.
“The Forgotten Sisters” opens as Miri is about to return to her home on Mount Eskel. She’s been away for a year, and can’t wait to return. But just as she’s about to leave, Miri is ordered on an urgent mission — she must journey to a distant swamp and start a princess academy for three sisters, cousins of the royal family.
When Miri arrives, however, she learns the sisters know less about being a princess than she did when she entered her own princess academy. Astrid, Felissa, and Sus are more interested in surviving than becoming princesses
One of these girls is set to become the queen of a neighboring land, though Miri has been ordered not to let them know that. As Miri spends more time with the sisters, she finds herself more and more conflicted about what she has been sent to do. And as events unfold, she realizes there’s more to the sisters’ story than the queen or king has let on. It’s up to Miri to keep the girls safe and prepare them for their futures — if she doesn’t she may never be able to return to the home to which she desperately wants to return.
In many ways, “The Forgotten Sisters” feels more like “Princess Academy” than “Palace of Stone.” This is owed more to the setting and situation rather than a change in characters. That’s not to say that Miri hasn’t grown in both ingenuity and self-confidence — she has. It’s the feeling of isolation that brings the series full circle.
Once again, Miri is facing tremendous challenges with few options. The difference now is that Miri is the responsible adult, even if she barely feels like one. But by calling on the traits that made readers fall in love with Miri remain. Her determination, heart, loyalty and ability to think on her feet, make her a strong role model for girls and boys, young an old.
If you haven’t read any or all of the Shannon Hale’s Princess Academy series, you really should. Shannon has the ability to immediately whisk you away to another world where you feel as though somehow know everyone, even though you’ve never met them before. There’s something both comforting and exciting about this, and it will make you want to come back for more.
Read Cracking the Cover’s interview with Shannon Hale for the release of “Palace of Stone.”
