Review Detail

Disney-Hyperion is a mixed bag for me as a reader. They usually tend to publish YA that is either too melodramatic for my taste, or too young. So I went into this book not knowing what to expect at all. I ended up loving it for the sweet, funny piece of fluff that it was. Poison is almost the baby, Bieber-obsessed sister of Graceling by Kristin Cashore (but in the best possible way)! I thought that Kyra was not very developed as a character, but that the majority of the focus was on the plot so it didn't distract me too much. Fred was sweet, funny and sounded like just the kind of boy every girl wants to fall in love with. I loved the conflict with the notorious thief who has his own agenda for the Princess' death and wants to make things as hard for Kyra as possible. Rosie the pig and Fred's dog were too cute for words. But this book also has an undertone of snark and more mature humor (nothing to deter parents of the younger set unless they're really strict) such as allusions to marriage and lingerie jokes. The last revelation about Kyra's parentage was one that I never saw coming and I definitely give Zinn props for that idea.