6. The Salamander Spell - by E.D. Baker - The daughters of the Good Green Witch, the Queen of Greensward country, have a problem. Their mother has been cursed to change from being "good" into being a Hag. Now, there isn't anyone to protect Greensward from the Dragons and Werewolves, because neither of her daughters have come into their magic yet.
This was by the same author of Wide-Awake Princess, which we liked better. This story seemed to transition badly between chapters as if parts of the story had been dropped on the editing room floor and with no explanation the characters had jumped to another time and place. Also, the curse which infected Queen Oliviene was badly described and, although, it was implied that it might be a hereditary curse which her daughters might get someday, this was never fully explained. The Salamander Spell which the book is named after is such a small and unimportant part of the book, I have a strange feeling that it was published before proper editing and re-writes were completed. It felt more like a first draft. We liked Wide Awake Princess well enough, we're willing to try the sequel to that thought, next. Let's hope the author doesn't give us another fail.
Also, this author implies that marriage of young princesses seems to be the norm. The main character princess in this book, Grassina, wasn't more than 15. Actually, I think she's 13 and her older sister is 15 and yet both girls were already being woo'd for marriage by princes. This sends the wrong message for the Young Reader crowd the books are aimed at, in my honest opinion.
VirginiaR. "On the long road, take small steps." -- Jor-el, "The Foundling" --- "clearly there is a lack of understanding between those two... he speaks Lunkheadanian and she Stubbornanian" -- chelo.
Also, the curse which infected Queen Oliviene was badly described and, although, it was implied that it might be a hereditary curse which her daughters might get someday, this was never fully explained. The Salamander Spell which the book is named after is such a small and unimportant part of the book, I have a strange feeling that it was published before proper editing and re-writes were completed. It felt more like a first draft. We liked Wide Awake Princess well enough, we're willing to try the sequel to that thought, next. Let's hope the author doesn't give us another fail.