The Lonely Princess - Henry Mancini

Aurelia
Aurelia, Book 1

Author: Anne Osterlund
Pages: 256
Publisher: Speak

Brief Summary:
Pretty much every little girl has imagined being a princess and how great that would be. Well, Aurelia is a princess, a crown princess, and her story shows that it's not everything our little kid selves hoped it was. Aurelia's mother left after her brother died in a horseback riding accident years ago. These losses caused her father the king to shut down; he hardly ever talks to her anymore. Her stepmother Elise and she do not have a great relationship, although she loves her stepsister Melody. Her last remaining real friend has just wedded and is moving away. Even worse than all of this, someone is trying to kill her. On the plus side, a cute guy from her youth is back to help protect her.

Review:
Aurelia is a book I selected primarily for the pretty cover and because it came up just below some awesome fairy tale revision I had read on Shelfari (although I don't remember what book). The main genres to be found in Aurelia are mystery, romance and intrigue. They are all done quite well and convincingly. Another awesome element of the book: the horses. You can tell that Osterlund, like many other girls (like me), adored horses as a child. Many are lovingly described, such that you can get a really clear picture of them in your mind.

The story is satisfying, but is not what makes this a really great read; the characters were what really sold me on this book. Aurelia is not your typical princess. For one thing, she frequently dresses up as a boy and escapes the castle, so that she can familiarize herself with her city. On these journeys, her favorite place to go is the docks, where an old sailor will tell her stories. Aurelia is clever, sarcastic and stifled by court life. She is vibrant and full of life. Robert, too, is well-characterized. The other characters are a bit one-dimensional, but not enough so to detract from the story significantly.

If you're looking for a good princess story, you've found one.