The Princess Search: A Retelling of The Ugly Duckling by Melanie Cellier
Fairy Tale. 308 Pages. 4 Stars
Synopsis:
An outcast.
A prince.
And a deadly rebellion…
After a lifetime of rejection, seamstress Evie can’t trust Frederic, the crown prince of Lanover—not his words of friendship or the way the warmth in his eyes seems to ask for even more. But when they end up on a tour of his kingdom—one filled with increasing danger—Evie’s mistrust might doom them all.
In this spin on the classic fairy tale, an ugly duckling must discover her true worth in order to save her kingdom and maybe even find true love.
My Review:
Gah! The internal struggle! I really, really want to give this five stars! And, at first, the book truly felt like a five-star book to me. Let me explain.
I love Melanie Cellier’s work. I love her world. I adore her characters. She writes well and her plots keep me engaged. The first half of this beautiful book had me giggling and sighing, clapping my hands, and gushing over the sweet factor. (It wasn’t mushy or cheesy or anything; truly, it was just well-done!) I really liked the romance in this book, a lot. I liked Evie, the bottle of insecurities and fears that she was. She felt real to me. I can relate to her mistrust and pain and I loved that Cellier didn’t shy away from that. Evie was still strong and brave, she admitted that the smile was just a mask sometimes, but she also was willing to grow and learn. Evie didn’t fight the changes that her journey brought. Yeah, she messed up and she felt guilty and remorseful, but she also recognized that she messed up and sought to prevent it from trapping her for the rest of her life. I really liked Fredrick. I mean, come on! He was layer upon layer of fun. I loved how stoic he started–and remained. It was part of his character, but as we grew to know him better, we began to see underneath his exterior and into his heart. And the romance between the two was so slow and steady that I was a total melted puddle at every tiny moment they shared.
But more than the romance, there was the underlying themes of the story: forgiveness and the unique acceptance of who we are. Evie was uniquely qualified for the Tour. I very much enjoyed digging into her past and learning her story. It was neat to see how each segment was a part of her and she played an integral part in the journey of the two princes and the princess. Her experiences were relevant, not just thrown in to make us pity or understand her. They mattered and all came into play. The layout for the plot was well done, in my opinion. The trouble in the kingdom was planned out properly and executed with such care. I loved the threads of romance, but the plot and the vast array of settings are what drew me in even deeper.
This story covers a few different settings, all within Lanover. However, Cellier didn’t just give us exotic islands, jungles, desserts, and cities. She created a subculture for each which thrilled me. Studying the laws of the land and people is one of my favorite parts in stories. I love to see how the people react and deal with the plot points, the circumstances the author throws at them. I thought the setting was rich and vast, which I particularly enjoyed.
My issues with this wonderful story, and the only reasons–call them poor if you like, but they are my own–the story didn’t quite reach five stars, as every single one of her other full length novels have, if you will note, are tied into each of the elements I just praised. The short of it is the resolution felt off. The climax was great, and immediately after the climax as things start to wind down, I was still content. But the very end, the fluff that ties everything together, sort of disappointed me in a few very small ways. But those all added up and it left the book as a whole on a bit of a down note.
As wonderful as Cellier’s characters are, secondary included, Frederick kind of blew a gasket or something in the last few pages. He made a few declarations that, while entirely swoon-worthy and sweet, just didn’t feel…in character for him. It felt more like three paragraphs of what we wanted to hear rather than how Frederick would normally say the same thing but in his own way. Furthermore, the explanation of his grand exit felt a little forced. I think it was Celine who voiced my concern: and you picked now to do that?? Though Frederick gave an answer to the concern, it didn’t satisfy. The primary culprit behind all of the tension in Lanover was awfully convenient. What I mean is that he kind of popped up out of nowhere. Sure there was a reason and a background and all, but it was a two sentence, crash course explanation after the climax. Similarly, Evie sort of abandoned everything she had, which took me by surprise. And the story of her ancestors was too convenient, like a rabbit out of a hat. What? I don’t think the resolution was full of unnecessary things, but it did seem…excessive in some places, as well as…maybe it was just tied up too neatly to lead into the spin off series? I’m not entirely sure. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it led to a rushed feeling. Also, also! Cassian?! I mean, come on! That was so unlike Cellier. I was insta-love from the first moment. He should have gotten his own story. (But, I must admit, my heart still smiles at it.)
After all the great groundwork Cellier had done, I was just taken by surprise, that’s all. There is clean romance, some mild violence, and no foul language. Overall, it’s an excellent read, and I’d certainly recommend it. I’m very thankful to have Frederick’s story and I really like what Cellier did with the Ugly Duckling story. As a total sidenote: If Mrs. Cellier wants, I would be completely okay with a short/novella from Frederick’s pov from the moment he met Evie on the island until the end of the, ahem, boating excursion. Just sayin! ;-D (I’d die to get in his head for that whole bit!)
More:
Book 1 of The Four Kingdoms is The Princess Companion: A Retelling of the Princess and the Pea (5 Stars)
Book 2 is The Princess Fugitive: A Reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood (5 Stars)
Novella 2.5 is Happily Ever Afters: A Reimagining of Snow White and Rose Red (4 Stars)
Book 3 is The Princess Pact: A Twist on Rumpelstiltskin (5 Stars)
Novella 3.5 is A Midwinter’s Wedding: A Retelling of the Frog Prince (4 Stars)
Book 4 is The Princess Game: A Reimagining of Sleeping Beauty (5 Stars)
I have reviewed each of the above on Goodreads. Follow the links to find more info on the books and then scroll down to see the reviews. Mine is among them.
Although these stories are each technically independent of one another, I would highly recommend reading them in order. The later books do include spoilers for the previous ones. It isn’t necessary to read the novellas in order with the series, but it’s a nice touch.
Also, you can check out the spin-off series Beyond the Four Kingdoms!
ON GRACEBOUGHT
If you missed it, check out my review of the previous books here!
The Princess Companion, The Princess Fugitive, The Princess Pact, and The Princess Game