Princess Ben

Reader reviewed by Aryanna Draeger

Title: Princess Ben Author: Catherine Murdock Publisher:HMCo Number Of Pages: 344

Summary from inside jacket flap : My gown suited me well as well as I could ever hope,though I could not envy the young ladies who would attract the honest compliments of of the night. My bodice did not plunge as dramatically as some, and no man- no man I would ever want to meet, surely- could fit his hands round my waist. What I lacked in beauty I would simply have to earn with charm..... Benevolence is not your typical princess- and Princess Ben is certainly not your typical fairy tale. With her parents lost to assassins, Princess Ben ends up under the thumb of the conniving Queen Sophia. Starved and miserable, locked in the castle's highest tower, Ben stumbles upon a mysterious enchanted room. So begins her secret education in the magical arts: mastering an obstinate flying broomstick, furtively emptying the castle pantries, setting her hair on fire.... But Ben's private adventures are soon overwhelmed by a mortal threat to her kingdom. Can Ben save the country and herself from foul tyranny?

Review: Princess Ben started off really slow and I found myself not wanting to read it. But I wanted to finish it anyway. As I progressed through the book it got better and better. By the end of the book I wished it was longer. The main character Princess Ben is witty and I found it funny how much she ate. Overall this book was really great!

I recommend this book if you like fairytales, princesses, romance, magic, adventure, and young adult novels

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Reader reviewed by Chantele

I was a little hesitant to read this after reading "Dairy Queen and The
Off Season", because they were such fantastic books, that I didn't want
to be disappointed if this one wasn't as good. Well, I really enjoyed
it overall. Princess Benevolence, who most call Ben, struggles through
most of the story with missing her parents who she lost to assassins,
and eating away her troubles. The Queen takes custody of her soon after
her horrible loss, and tries in vain to teach her how to be a true
princess. The only thing Ben wants to do is grieve for her parents,
which causes her to rebel against the Queen, ultimately getting herself
locked in a tower everyday for everything but meals. Ben soon discovers
a secret in the tower, escapes, and is thrust into an adventure that
makes her come to realize she can be more than what she has become.
I
loved the changes in Ben. The first of the book she was spoiled, whined
at everything, ate a lot just to make her aunt mad, and refused to do
anything the Queen told her too. By the end of the book she was a
totally different person. She turned into a more kind, caring person,
and cared strongly about the fate of her Kingdom.
****Spoiler****
The
only thing that really bothered me about this book, was the love
interest. He was shown to be rude, power hungry, and treated Ben
horribly. I was blown away at the sudden declaration of love, and
wondered where it came from. They didn't really have any conversations
suggesting that they loved each other before that big scene. I wish the
author would have shown a little more niceness between them before
throwing them together. Don't get me wrong, I really liked the book. It
was a fun read, but I was just bugged a little at the end. I always love a
little more romance. What can I say?;)

Reader reviewed by graceface

Princess Ben is plump, stubborn and has no great desire to fufill her royal duties. And from this, it can be said that Princess Ben is no ordinary princess-she's not docile, softspoken and, in fact, grew up in the soldier's barracks! But when her parents and uncle were assassinated, Ben finds that she is now an orphan, the sole heir to the throne of Montagne, and subject to the horrors that her cruel aunt, the Queen Sophia, has planned for her in becoming a proper princess. Between learning proper table etiquette, needlework, being locked in the highest tower of the castle, finding a hidden magical room, and dealing with tensions with the neighboring enemy country, Drachensbett, Princess Ben is an enchanting and witty tale filled with romance, danger and hilarity.
I'm a great fan of Murdock's writing and Princess Ben didn't disappoint!