Review Detail

THAT COVER. WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT, HUH?

The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze has a heart-stopping cover, with gorgeous colors and a straight-up mesmerizing depiction of the futuristic—and I want to say post-apocalyptic—London known to Eliza. Buildings have been shaken to the very foundation, crops are no longer the same and food is very hard to come by; Eliza lives in a world where she can’t even enjoy something as simply beautiful as sunshine. After a series of disasters overtakes the world, London appears to be the only remaining survivor, and with no way to confirm the likelihood of that, it remains in isolation.

This bleak London is trapped in the dark and in the madness and greed of others. While some are dying every day from small things as well as huge, inescapable things, there are others who plot to be rid of the royal family. Burning buildings, murdering innocents before the eyes of their children, all are attributed to one man’s insatiable quest for power over the lonesome London blowing apart everyday.

THE BEGINNING IS WHERE IT’S AT.

We are swiftly taken into a prologue that is so compelling and equally heart-breaking, shocked to the bone how quickly murder can pass, and it sets the tone for the entire story. Speed and heinousness become one thing in The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze, so that everything is fast-paced, including the horrors that steal our breath and urge us to cover our mouths in shock and despair. From there, three young children traveling back to Buckingham may not seem like much, but in those moments leading up to the true devastation of the novel, we learn something precious about these siblings: their deep love for one another and for their father, and the terrible memories that have shaped them.

In open view, for those young and old to witness, the castle is shattered with murder and a crazed need for escape, echoing screams and chaos back to three trapped children with no one to save them. What follows is very reminiscent of Anastasia—that blind, helpless terror, our begging and hoping that no harm comes to three defenseless children as they are chased down by guards bent to do who knows what to them.

As the fires set to the palace rises, so does Eliza’s grief, because she is the last survivor in the home that has nursed her since she was a wish in the womb. Now she is left with no family and no memories to return to, and with only one purpose in mind: to claim revenge.

"THERE'S NOTHING I DO BETTER THAN REVENGE..." RIIIIGHT.

Eliza’s adventure into enemy camps and learning how best she can avenge her family should have been the most interesting part of the book. However, the whole time I was struck by these lingering thoughts: How did she learn to become a master spy and capable fighter with the ability to fool highly-trained specialists and officers and other assorted creepies who belong to this revolution? I’ve seen the best of the best trick such people—Katsa, anyone?—but they all were trained for several years in the ways of combat and espionage. Now this delicate princess, with only a handful of years of fencing training at her belt, is suddenly a strategist, spy, and, in between that, an accomplished liar capable of thwarting these military-like men and women? I don’t think so. Needless to say, I found myself rolling my eyes often, because impulse and common sense should not have been able to undermine a bunch of experts.

Even worse, a romance is thrown in there, it seems, just for the sake of having one. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze could have SERIOUSLY done without one. It felt unbelievable with no substance or base to these feelings these two characters suddenly have for each other. It’s all very typical and bland and just downright disappointing, because at this point everything begins feeling way too rushed.

AND THE ENDING?

Unfortunately, the whole business came across as anti-climactic and predictable. There are a few small moments that cause the heart to race, but nothing mind-bending or stunning.

Due to a giant lack of explanations and character development, and a romance that brought me no joy whatsoever, I couldn’t enjoy The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze with its unmemorable characters and a plot ridden with holes and dangling threads.