Spy Princess

by Sherwood Smith

Overview

12-year-old Lilah asks, Why are the kingdom's magic spells fading? But her uncle the king only wants a stronger army. Why are the kids outside the palace gates ragged and hungry? But the king keeps raising taxes. Her older brother Peitar, the king's heir, spends more time writing mysterious letters than talking to her. And her father just wants her to learn court manners.

Since everyone is ignoring her, Lilah disguises herself and slips over the walls to befriend those ragged kids. She learns that revolution is fermenting, led by the charismatic young commoner Derek. And Lilah is shocked to learn that her scholarly brother is allied with Derek.

The revolution ignites into chaos and violence. Lilah and her friends are determined to help however they can. But what can four kids do? Become spies, of course! Chases and disguises, captures and trials lead to a wild climax, with Lilah right in the middle.

First published by Viking, and a finalist for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, this young adult fantasy has been completely revised for the Book View Cafe edition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781611389159
Publisher:	Book View Cafe
Publication date:	09/15/2020
Edition description:	2nd Revised ed.
Pages:	310
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Sherwood Smith started making books out of paper towels at age six. In between stories, she studied and traveled in Europe, got a Masters degree in history, and now lives in Southern California with her spouse, two kids, and two dogs. She’s worked in jobs ranging from counter work in a smoky harbor bar to the film industry. Writing books is what she loves best. She’s the author of the high fantasy History of Sartorias-deles series as well as the modern-day fantasy adventures of Kim Murray in Coronets and Steel. Learn more at www.sherwoodsmith.net.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 5–8—A fast-paced adventure set in the fictional land of Selenna within the larger realm of Sartorias-deles. Despite the long list of books set there, this one can easily stand alone. Princess Lilah, 12, lives in a world on the brink of revolution. When she gets an itch for adventure, she disguises herself as a boy and becomes embroiled in the action as the kingdom descends into chaos. The legions of poor have rebelled against their rich overlords, including Lilah's family, and her brother is helping to lead the revolution. The plot is complex but well developed and there are plenty of twists to keep clever readers guessing. Smith's writing keeps pace with well-placed descriptive passages, but without frills. Lilah is an empowered girl, but still acts her age and makes plenty of impetuous mistakes. Her world is richly detailed, and the supporting characters often defy convention. The political themes and complexity keep this novel out of reach for reluctant readers, but would likely satisfy more sophisticated children longing for something meatier.—Ricca Gaus, New York Public Library

School Library Journal

A middle-grade fantasy squashes an entire trilogy into one volume. In the first part, 12-year-old Lilah, who tells the tale, strives to have adventures not suitable for a princess, a conundrum she solves in the usual way, by disguising herself as a scruffy boy. She learns quickly that the townsfolk are taxed to the limit by her father and her uncle, the king, and that her adored older brother, Peitar, despite his crippled leg, is in league with revolutionaries led by Derek, a friend of many years. In the second part, the uses of magic, barely mentioned earlier, become clearer, as Lilah finds refuge from the bloody revolution in a magical place beloved of her dead mother. In part three, Peitar and Derek, whose revolution has fallen apart in chaos, are captured by Lilah and Peitar's uncle, and Lilah, with her loyal band, finds a way to help make things right. There is very little onstage violence, and the language is relatively simple. Readers may find themselves a bit nonplussed as various types of magic appear without warning and the physical dangers of revolution are noted but not made real. The well-meaning adventure suffers from the unwieldy compression of events and tropes. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews