MIDDLE GRADE SPECULATIVE (Fantasy) FICTION : The Princess who Flew with Dragons by Stephanie Burgis
ABOUT THE BOOK
Princess Sofia of
Drachenheim is sick of being used for her older sister’s political
gains. At twelve years old, she’s already been a hostage to invading
dragons and a promised future fiancé to a wicked fairy. Her only comfort
lies in writing letters to her pen pal and best friend--Jasper, a young
dragon whom she's never even met.
When Sofia's older sister sends her on a diplomatic mission to far-off Villenne, she's meant to play the part of a charming, smiling princess. But when an accident leads to her exile from the city, Sofia is free to wander as she pleases for the first time in her life. And when Jasper's food-mage sister Aventurine turns him into a human boy, Sofia thinks life can't get any better. Until… the legendary ice giants of the north attack, trying to reclaim the territory that they lost centuries ago. With the dragons and royals frozen in ice, can Sofia and Jasper save their families and kingdom?
Another enchanting and strong-hearted fantasy, set in the same world as The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart and The Girl with the Dragon Heart.
When Sofia's older sister sends her on a diplomatic mission to far-off Villenne, she's meant to play the part of a charming, smiling princess. But when an accident leads to her exile from the city, Sofia is free to wander as she pleases for the first time in her life. And when Jasper's food-mage sister Aventurine turns him into a human boy, Sofia thinks life can't get any better. Until… the legendary ice giants of the north attack, trying to reclaim the territory that they lost centuries ago. With the dragons and royals frozen in ice, can Sofia and Jasper save their families and kingdom?
Another enchanting and strong-hearted fantasy, set in the same world as The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart and The Girl with the Dragon Heart.
REVIEW
The third book in Burgis's Chocolate series begins with Princess Sofia facing an unexpected command from her sister, the crown princess of Drachenheim. Preferring to hide in her room and read her philosophy books, Sofia is appalled to be sent on a diplomatic mission to Villenne, where she is expected to be a princess in every way. But Sofia feels entirely inadequate to the task, and her disastrous arrival only reinforces her feelings of inferiority. Shunted away from the palace, Sofia disguises herself and enters the city to visit the local university. She makes some unexpected friends and enjoys the academic atmosphere at the university, despite the shocking arrest of the philosophy professor who's work she has eagerly followed.
But things go wrong in a hurry when her sister arrives after discovering what she'd been up to and all the royals are captured and carried off by ice giants. Sofia and her friend Jasper, the dragon, team up with one of Sofia's new friends to follow the ice giants and rescue the royals. But Sofia's never done anything like this before, and she's not sure that Fedolia is entirely trustworthy. Can she find and rescue her sister? Even though it's going to require some extremely unprincesslike behavior?
I thoroughly enjoyed Sofia's story. I empathized with her desire to avoid doing things she didn't like and her frustrations with her sister. I also enjoyed her friends, especially Jasper and the goblin girls. It was interesting following along as Sofia woke up to the realization that things weren't always the way she thought they were and that being a princess requires sacrifice, but that doesn't mean she can't still find a way to be herself. An enjoyable addition to a fun series with intriguing heroines.
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