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Two Moon Princess #1
Two Moon Princess
A Spanish Princess.
An American Boy.
A King set on revenge.
An unrequited love
and a disturbing family secret
bring a World to the brink of War.
In this coming-of-age story set in a medieval kingdom, Andrea is a headstrong princess longing to be a knight who finds her way to modern-day California. But her accidental return to her family's kingdom and a disastrous romance brings war, along with her discovery of some dark family secrets. Readers will love this mix of traditional fantasy elements with unique twists and will identify with Andrea and her difficult choices between duty and desire.
An American Boy.
A King set on revenge.
An unrequited love
and a disturbing family secret
bring a World to the brink of War.
In this coming-of-age story set in a medieval kingdom, Andrea is a headstrong princess longing to be a knight who finds her way to modern-day California. But her accidental return to her family's kingdom and a disastrous romance brings war, along with her discovery of some dark family secrets. Readers will love this mix of traditional fantasy elements with unique twists and will identify with Andrea and her difficult choices between duty and desire.
323 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2007
5 people are currently reading
1962 people want to read
About the author
Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban
7Ìýbooks91ÌýfollowersI was born in Galicia (Northern Spain), a land of rolling hills and green valleys surrounded by ocean thought in medieval times to be ‘Finisterre,â€� the place where the world came to an end.
While still in college, I moved to the arid highlands of Castilla—the land of the castles—in Central Spain and it was there, in the capital city of Madrid, where I finished my Ph.D. in Biology. For the next ten years, I worked as a researcher both in Madrid and at the University of Davis in Northern California.
My writing career started when I came to live in Pennsylvania in the 1990s. Following my first sale, a magazine article on latex allergy, I published four books for Chelsea House (Facts on File): Heroin, Ritalin, Mad Cow Disease, and Lung Cancer. I have also written three short scripts for young children for a Pharmaceutical Company.
As a fiction writer, I have published three short stories on the literary magazine Errata. One of them, a variation on O. Henry's short story ‘The Marry Month of May,� won second prize in the 2004 Bucks County Writers Workshop Summer Contest.
Two Moon Princess, my first fiction book was published in October 2007 by Tanglewood Press. It was recognized with the bronze award in the Book of the Year Contest by the Fore Word Magazine in the Juvenile fiction category.
My first adult book Becquer eterno is available from Amazon.com in Spanish. The English version, Immortal Love was published by Crimson Romance on September 2012.
While still in college, I moved to the arid highlands of Castilla—the land of the castles—in Central Spain and it was there, in the capital city of Madrid, where I finished my Ph.D. in Biology. For the next ten years, I worked as a researcher both in Madrid and at the University of Davis in Northern California.
My writing career started when I came to live in Pennsylvania in the 1990s. Following my first sale, a magazine article on latex allergy, I published four books for Chelsea House (Facts on File): Heroin, Ritalin, Mad Cow Disease, and Lung Cancer. I have also written three short scripts for young children for a Pharmaceutical Company.
As a fiction writer, I have published three short stories on the literary magazine Errata. One of them, a variation on O. Henry's short story ‘The Marry Month of May,� won second prize in the 2004 Bucks County Writers Workshop Summer Contest.
Two Moon Princess, my first fiction book was published in October 2007 by Tanglewood Press. It was recognized with the bronze award in the Book of the Year Contest by the Fore Word Magazine in the Juvenile fiction category.
My first adult book Becquer eterno is available from Amazon.com in Spanish. The English version, Immortal Love was published by Crimson Romance on September 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
February 20, 2012
"Two Moon Princess" had me at the very beginning in terms of interest. An aspiring warrior princess toggling between the present day and a medieval otherworld? How could I not read this book, considering my love for the historic and fantastical/dimensional travel stories and strongly asserted young heroines coming of age?
Andrea's a 14-year old princess who wants to be a warrior, but sticks out like a sore thumb in her kingdom. It isn't until she accidentally stumbles into modern day California that she recognizes the bridge connecting a very different world to her own. Andrea starts to learn a bit more about te present-day world around her, but when an accidental crossing between the worlds come to pass, it sets off a firestorm building towards the onset of war.
Unfortunately, I don't think Carmen Ferriro-Esteban makes the most of this premise as much as she probably could've. The amount of time that Andrea spent in the contemporary world didn't seem like a lot compared to her native realm. Same could be said of the cast of characters featured in the work, including the heroine - who turned out to be a major disappointment. It was primarily because Andrea seemed mature in some considerations for her age at the beginning of the book, but then is completely caught in the crosshairs and makes silly decisions as the rest of the book moves on. I could understand this a bit more if it built towards a lesson learned, but I didn't see it here, nor did I see her standing up for herself enough in the mix of conflicts she's involved within. There was a disconnect between the multiple characters in the work with the writing, and Andrea herself seemed inconsistent as a character, incredibly self-absorbed and lacking growth from the experiences she had.
As the conflicts and relationships came to light, it lost me quickly. Many of the conflicts had their basis on the matter of love, but it felt like "insta-love" more than anything else, and there were characters who were just mean-spirited for no reason at all, though I understood that Andrea was on the lower tier as far as a princess went. The ones that had a mean-streak for vengance purposes had too much of their conflicts told moreso than shown, so it was hard to gain a connection to the individual plights some of the characters took. I thought the writing was strong, but there was a surprising lack of intimacy for the character conflicts, so it was difficult to really get inside the heads of the characters and understand their motivations, affections, etc.
I wish I could say that I enjoyed it more because it seemed like a story right up my alley, and I liked some of the attention paid to the historical aspects in spurts. Unfortunately, it just never seemed to live up to the intrigue its premise lent.
Overall score: 1.5/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Tanglewood Press.
Andrea's a 14-year old princess who wants to be a warrior, but sticks out like a sore thumb in her kingdom. It isn't until she accidentally stumbles into modern day California that she recognizes the bridge connecting a very different world to her own. Andrea starts to learn a bit more about te present-day world around her, but when an accidental crossing between the worlds come to pass, it sets off a firestorm building towards the onset of war.
Unfortunately, I don't think Carmen Ferriro-Esteban makes the most of this premise as much as she probably could've. The amount of time that Andrea spent in the contemporary world didn't seem like a lot compared to her native realm. Same could be said of the cast of characters featured in the work, including the heroine - who turned out to be a major disappointment. It was primarily because Andrea seemed mature in some considerations for her age at the beginning of the book, but then is completely caught in the crosshairs and makes silly decisions as the rest of the book moves on. I could understand this a bit more if it built towards a lesson learned, but I didn't see it here, nor did I see her standing up for herself enough in the mix of conflicts she's involved within. There was a disconnect between the multiple characters in the work with the writing, and Andrea herself seemed inconsistent as a character, incredibly self-absorbed and lacking growth from the experiences she had.
As the conflicts and relationships came to light, it lost me quickly. Many of the conflicts had their basis on the matter of love, but it felt like "insta-love" more than anything else, and there were characters who were just mean-spirited for no reason at all, though I understood that Andrea was on the lower tier as far as a princess went. The ones that had a mean-streak for vengance purposes had too much of their conflicts told moreso than shown, so it was hard to gain a connection to the individual plights some of the characters took. I thought the writing was strong, but there was a surprising lack of intimacy for the character conflicts, so it was difficult to really get inside the heads of the characters and understand their motivations, affections, etc.
I wish I could say that I enjoyed it more because it seemed like a story right up my alley, and I liked some of the attention paid to the historical aspects in spurts. Unfortunately, it just never seemed to live up to the intrigue its premise lent.
Overall score: 1.5/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Tanglewood Press.
May 4, 2011
There is nothing offensive about this book, which is why I'm not inclined to give it the lowest possible rating. I'm just not interested. I have no vested interest in the characters, they all seem flat and two-dimensional to me. And the main girl, well, she's a bit of a spoiled brat who's rather selfish. Everything always has to be about her.
The writing seems to be stiff and detached, making everything very dry and not an entirely engaging read. The concept of this was good, I mean traveling between different worlds and some element of fantasy plus a not often used mythology. But it just lacked something and I don't have any real pulling need within me to finish it.
Maybe some of you might enjoy it a lot better than I did.
The writing seems to be stiff and detached, making everything very dry and not an entirely engaging read. The concept of this was good, I mean traveling between different worlds and some element of fantasy plus a not often used mythology. But it just lacked something and I don't have any real pulling need within me to finish it.
Maybe some of you might enjoy it a lot better than I did.
May 3, 2009
All Princess Andrea ever wanted was to be a knight in her father’s kingdom. To prove she could handle the position she trained hard and achieved first place in the archer competition. After awarding his daughter the medal, he called her to his chamber and told her it would soon be her fourteenth birthday and it was time for her to stop her foolishness and start training to become a Lady. Crestfallen, Andrea runs away to Don Pelayo on Boreal Island. On her way she falls down a cliff saved only by the dress she wore. Her Uncle Tio finds her and returns her to her father’s castle.
During a violent storm and a full moon, Andrea enters a cave and is transported to earth’s universe. In earth’s universe she makes friends and finds she prefers earth.
On Earth, during a rainstorm and on the night of a full moon, Andrea’s new friend John runs into the cave and both are transported back to Andrea’s other world. Andrea’s dad, the King, wants to kill John if he doesn’t volunteer to stay in their world because he can’t take the chance of John sharing what he’d learned about Andrea’s world. When John meets Andrea’s bubblehead sister Rosa and falls in lust, the King consents to John marrying Rosa to keep him in their world. The King father calls off Rosa’s engagement to a king from another kingdom and the other king declares war. Uncle Tio returns from earth and tells Andrea she has to get John back to his world to stop a war that will get John and many others killed.
What I enjoyed most about Two Moon Princess was none of the women were ever victims and the author always kept the integrity of the characters in tack. Two Moon Princes is a work of originality and well written.
During a violent storm and a full moon, Andrea enters a cave and is transported to earth’s universe. In earth’s universe she makes friends and finds she prefers earth.
On Earth, during a rainstorm and on the night of a full moon, Andrea’s new friend John runs into the cave and both are transported back to Andrea’s other world. Andrea’s dad, the King, wants to kill John if he doesn’t volunteer to stay in their world because he can’t take the chance of John sharing what he’d learned about Andrea’s world. When John meets Andrea’s bubblehead sister Rosa and falls in lust, the King consents to John marrying Rosa to keep him in their world. The King father calls off Rosa’s engagement to a king from another kingdom and the other king declares war. Uncle Tio returns from earth and tells Andrea she has to get John back to his world to stop a war that will get John and many others killed.
What I enjoyed most about Two Moon Princess was none of the women were ever victims and the author always kept the integrity of the characters in tack. Two Moon Princes is a work of originality and well written.
October 17, 2010
A nice coming of age story about a girl caught between two worlds. Princess Andrea is the rebellious princess that doesn't want to be a "lady", but would rather shoot arrows and ride horses with the boys.
She discovers a path to "our" world and adventures ensue.
As a first novel for the author, it was a good tale of the headstrong Andrea. I found myself pulling for her and hoping she'd find her niche, wherever that might be.
Some great character development takes place over the course of the novel as well. I like the glimpses of world-building we get in Andrea's world.
She almost seemed to blend in too easily with our world, but the reasons for that are explained. They seem a bit convenient, but they work.
As far as characters go, I had a little trouble connecting with any besides Andrea. That's probably okay, as Andrea herself had trouble connecting with most people. I liked her Mother, the Queen & I liked Don Julián. I wanted to like Don Romero, but I couldn't get comfortable with his frequent hot and cold switches. One minute he'd be praising and supportive and the next he'd be standoffish and critical.
I disliked the King, Don Andres, as well as John/Don Juan. I wished someone would hit them both in the head with large blunt instruments.
The story flowed well, after an introduction to the main character had me wondering if we'd see some common fantasy tropes. But there were unexpected turns in the story and it came together nicely.
She discovers a path to "our" world and adventures ensue.
As a first novel for the author, it was a good tale of the headstrong Andrea. I found myself pulling for her and hoping she'd find her niche, wherever that might be.
Some great character development takes place over the course of the novel as well. I like the glimpses of world-building we get in Andrea's world.
She almost seemed to blend in too easily with our world, but the reasons for that are explained. They seem a bit convenient, but they work.
As far as characters go, I had a little trouble connecting with any besides Andrea. That's probably okay, as Andrea herself had trouble connecting with most people. I liked her Mother, the Queen & I liked Don Julián. I wanted to like Don Romero, but I couldn't get comfortable with his frequent hot and cold switches. One minute he'd be praising and supportive and the next he'd be standoffish and critical.
I disliked the King, Don Andres, as well as John/Don Juan. I wished someone would hit them both in the head with large blunt instruments.
The story flowed well, after an introduction to the main character had me wondering if we'd see some common fantasy tropes. But there were unexpected turns in the story and it came together nicely.
May 14, 2011
Two Moon Princess is an excellent, interesting and well-executed young adult novel with all the hallmarks of a good read, as well as a rare depth in its underlying themes. The twists and turns in the story kept me so enthralled that I read late into the night in order to finish it.
The story weaves a web of events that develop as the surprising consequences of Andrea’s innocent actions. The author skillfully lays out the telling details of Ariel’s family history like a trail of addictive crumbs that lead us deeper into the story and whet our appetite for more.
I particularly liked the idea of two worlds, separate but accessible each full moon via a door hidden in a cave. The door is kept secret for good reasons. Reasons that relate to every clash of cultures throughout time, and that Andrea discovers when she visits the modern world through the doorway. Her perception of our world, and John, a young Californian’s, reaction to being in her medieval world is believable and thought provoking.
The characters are all richly rendered, enjoyable - or interesting - company and easy to relate to. Andrea’s development throughout the story is one of the novels strong points. We watch the process of a teenager growing up as she discovers that the world does not revolve around her. She goes from thinking only about herself and what she wants to a much greater understanding of how her actions affect others. She also learns that there is a lot to the world that she doesn’t know about, and there are some powerful moments in the story when her perception of a person or situation changes as she discovers new knowledge.
As the story progresses the concept of friends and enemies become delightfully blurred. Andrea discovers that there is good and bad in both her family and their supposed enemies and that people who act as a friend in one instance may suddenly act as an enemy in another situation, especially if they aren’t aware of the full truth of a situation.
The romantic element was beautifully teased out and the ending made a satisfying conclusion to all the story threads.
The first few chapters didn’t grab me, but I became hooked the moment the story took it’s first turn. From that point on, the writing also became more immediate.
I give this book 5 stars and recommend it for all lovers of YA fantasy, especially those who like a mix of modern and ancient worlds.
The story weaves a web of events that develop as the surprising consequences of Andrea’s innocent actions. The author skillfully lays out the telling details of Ariel’s family history like a trail of addictive crumbs that lead us deeper into the story and whet our appetite for more.
I particularly liked the idea of two worlds, separate but accessible each full moon via a door hidden in a cave. The door is kept secret for good reasons. Reasons that relate to every clash of cultures throughout time, and that Andrea discovers when she visits the modern world through the doorway. Her perception of our world, and John, a young Californian’s, reaction to being in her medieval world is believable and thought provoking.
The characters are all richly rendered, enjoyable - or interesting - company and easy to relate to. Andrea’s development throughout the story is one of the novels strong points. We watch the process of a teenager growing up as she discovers that the world does not revolve around her. She goes from thinking only about herself and what she wants to a much greater understanding of how her actions affect others. She also learns that there is a lot to the world that she doesn’t know about, and there are some powerful moments in the story when her perception of a person or situation changes as she discovers new knowledge.
As the story progresses the concept of friends and enemies become delightfully blurred. Andrea discovers that there is good and bad in both her family and their supposed enemies and that people who act as a friend in one instance may suddenly act as an enemy in another situation, especially if they aren’t aware of the full truth of a situation.
The romantic element was beautifully teased out and the ending made a satisfying conclusion to all the story threads.
The first few chapters didn’t grab me, but I became hooked the moment the story took it’s first turn. From that point on, the writing also became more immediate.
I give this book 5 stars and recommend it for all lovers of YA fantasy, especially those who like a mix of modern and ancient worlds.
August 14, 2011
Before I start a book I tend to check the reviews on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. After reading some of the reviews, I frankly wondered if I really did want to read this book. I downloaded it from NetGalley and felt obligated to read it. I am glad that I did!
Andrea is the fourth daughter of a King and Queen on a different world. It is fashioned just like a midieval Kingdom of Earth. It turns out that centuries ago some Spaniards had escaped in a war with the Arabians and found themselves on another planet and colonized. There was not contact between the two worlds and our culture grew into technological society and this world did not.
Andrea doesn't fit into the society pressed upon her. She wants to be a Knight, but is refused. She hates being a lady. One evening she is told a little about her planets history and starts to figure out where a portal is. She then finds herself in modern day California.
She finally feels at home and like she belongs. She then accidentally finds herself at home, not just at home, but a war is starting because of her actions.
Andrea learns some painful lessons about growing up. She changes her mind about being a Knight after seeing war up close and personal. I found that this is the way with most Young Adults, as you learn and grow and have experiences, you are able to understand what it is that you would really like to do with your life, what will work for you and what will not.
The romance is not forced, and Andrea has her heart broken a few times. This is also typical for Young Adults. I found this to be a fun book to read. I enjoyed it. Yes, in a few places it is slow and some of the main characters are not always nice. Overall, I found it to be refreshing and enjoyable.
Andrea is the fourth daughter of a King and Queen on a different world. It is fashioned just like a midieval Kingdom of Earth. It turns out that centuries ago some Spaniards had escaped in a war with the Arabians and found themselves on another planet and colonized. There was not contact between the two worlds and our culture grew into technological society and this world did not.
Andrea doesn't fit into the society pressed upon her. She wants to be a Knight, but is refused. She hates being a lady. One evening she is told a little about her planets history and starts to figure out where a portal is. She then finds herself in modern day California.
She finally feels at home and like she belongs. She then accidentally finds herself at home, not just at home, but a war is starting because of her actions.
Andrea learns some painful lessons about growing up. She changes her mind about being a Knight after seeing war up close and personal. I found that this is the way with most Young Adults, as you learn and grow and have experiences, you are able to understand what it is that you would really like to do with your life, what will work for you and what will not.
The romance is not forced, and Andrea has her heart broken a few times. This is also typical for Young Adults. I found this to be a fun book to read. I enjoyed it. Yes, in a few places it is slow and some of the main characters are not always nice. Overall, I found it to be refreshing and enjoyable.
June 21, 2009
Two Moon Princess is a wonderful book that kept me up turning its pages and reading well into the night. I was transported into Andrea’s world and didn’t want to leave. There was never a dull moment or a bland character. The author’s parallel worlds were richly described and all the characters grew throughout the story.
Andrea is a great strong character-she recognizes her duty to her kingdom, but also has a bit of a rebellious streak in her. She’s not a damsel in distress at all, but at the same time she’s not afraid to show her soft side.
This story was full of adventure and the romance was an unexpected surprise. This is a great pick for readers who enjoy fantasy but also great for readers who like romance in their stories. I have already recommended this title to several teen patrons at my library and they enjoyed it just as much as I did. I’m excited to see the author is working on a sequel, which I hope to read soon.
Andrea is a great strong character-she recognizes her duty to her kingdom, but also has a bit of a rebellious streak in her. She’s not a damsel in distress at all, but at the same time she’s not afraid to show her soft side.
This story was full of adventure and the romance was an unexpected surprise. This is a great pick for readers who enjoy fantasy but also great for readers who like romance in their stories. I have already recommended this title to several teen patrons at my library and they enjoyed it just as much as I did. I’m excited to see the author is working on a sequel, which I hope to read soon.
November 10, 2012
Reviewed by Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen for TeensReadToo.com
Andrea is a Princess, but she feels like she doesn't fit in. She wants to join the knights, but her father refuses her request and instructs Andrea to visit her mother for lessons on becoming a lady. Ladyship is boring and uneventful and Andrea tires of her lessons quickly.
On the night of her kingdom's ball, Andrea has had enough of being a princess and decides to run away. She stumbles upon a doorway that leads to modern day California. Xaren-Ra, Andrea's world, resembles medieval Spain, so seeing a new world is an adventure. Andrea adapts to her new fast-paced life in California. She makes friends, attends classes, and starts to fall for a local boy.
During a storm, Andrea takes shelter in the same cave that brought her to California. Only this time she accidentally re-opens the passage, bringing with her an American boy. Andrea's return to her kingdom sets off a chain of events that ignites a war on her world, uncovers family secrets, and endangers her family and friends. Now Andrea has to find a way to stop the war and find her place in her world.
TWO MOON PRINCESS is a wonderful book that kept me up turning its pages and reading well into the night. I was transported into Andrea's world and didn't want to leave. There was never a dull moment or a bland character. The author's parallel worlds were richly described and all the characters grew throughout the story.
Andrea is a great strong character - she recognizes her duty to her kingdom, but also has a bit of a rebellious streak in her. She's not a damsel in distress at all, but at the same time she's not afraid to show her soft side.
This story was full of adventure and the romance was an unexpected surprise. This is a great pick for readers who enjoy fantasy but also great for readers who like romance in their stories. I'm excited to see the author is working on a sequel, which I hope to read soon.
Andrea is a Princess, but she feels like she doesn't fit in. She wants to join the knights, but her father refuses her request and instructs Andrea to visit her mother for lessons on becoming a lady. Ladyship is boring and uneventful and Andrea tires of her lessons quickly.
On the night of her kingdom's ball, Andrea has had enough of being a princess and decides to run away. She stumbles upon a doorway that leads to modern day California. Xaren-Ra, Andrea's world, resembles medieval Spain, so seeing a new world is an adventure. Andrea adapts to her new fast-paced life in California. She makes friends, attends classes, and starts to fall for a local boy.
During a storm, Andrea takes shelter in the same cave that brought her to California. Only this time she accidentally re-opens the passage, bringing with her an American boy. Andrea's return to her kingdom sets off a chain of events that ignites a war on her world, uncovers family secrets, and endangers her family and friends. Now Andrea has to find a way to stop the war and find her place in her world.
TWO MOON PRINCESS is a wonderful book that kept me up turning its pages and reading well into the night. I was transported into Andrea's world and didn't want to leave. There was never a dull moment or a bland character. The author's parallel worlds were richly described and all the characters grew throughout the story.
Andrea is a great strong character - she recognizes her duty to her kingdom, but also has a bit of a rebellious streak in her. She's not a damsel in distress at all, but at the same time she's not afraid to show her soft side.
This story was full of adventure and the romance was an unexpected surprise. This is a great pick for readers who enjoy fantasy but also great for readers who like romance in their stories. I'm excited to see the author is working on a sequel, which I hope to read soon.
April 22, 2011
4/19/2011 ** Andrea is a princess, the fourth daughter of the king, who reportedly stormed out of the room when he saw that he still didn't have a son. After spending her youth as a page, the book opens when Andrea is fourteen (though 17 in our reckoning) and facing her father's decision of whether she should continue her knightly training as a squire, or go to her mother's supervision to become a 'lady.'
Andrea is a feisty, though perhaps naive, heroine who is struggling to reconcile her own dreams with the seemingly arbitrary demands of her parents. At times, I was filled with frustration by the callousness of the adults in Andrea's life; at others I wanted to shake Andrea myself. Ultimately though, I decided that Andrea is a somewhat unreliable narrator - the reader sees the other characters as she perceives them, and what teen doesn't feel misunderstood by the adults in her life? What teen isn't conflicted about first love and life goals?
So far this sounds like medieval historical fiction, right? Wrong; this world actually has a mysterious door that takes one 'elsewhere,' though I'll make you read the book to find out where. Much of the book focuses on Andrea's attempt to navigate two worlds with very different expectations for young women.
Though the settings and the heroines are very different, if you enjoyed Hari-mad's story in The Blue Sword by Robin McKinnley, you'll definitely enjoy Andrea's tale. I highly recommend Two Moon Princess.
4/16/2011 ** I heard that this book is 'the next Graceling, so of course I have to read it! Fortunately, my husband and I own a copy, so I just have to remember to pick it up the next time I'm reading for a new book!
Andrea is a feisty, though perhaps naive, heroine who is struggling to reconcile her own dreams with the seemingly arbitrary demands of her parents. At times, I was filled with frustration by the callousness of the adults in Andrea's life; at others I wanted to shake Andrea myself. Ultimately though, I decided that Andrea is a somewhat unreliable narrator - the reader sees the other characters as she perceives them, and what teen doesn't feel misunderstood by the adults in her life? What teen isn't conflicted about first love and life goals?
So far this sounds like medieval historical fiction, right? Wrong; this world actually has a mysterious door that takes one 'elsewhere,' though I'll make you read the book to find out where. Much of the book focuses on Andrea's attempt to navigate two worlds with very different expectations for young women.
Though the settings and the heroines are very different, if you enjoyed Hari-mad's story in The Blue Sword by Robin McKinnley, you'll definitely enjoy Andrea's tale. I highly recommend Two Moon Princess.
4/16/2011 ** I heard that this book is 'the next Graceling, so of course I have to read it! Fortunately, my husband and I own a copy, so I just have to remember to pick it up the next time I'm reading for a new book!
June 1, 2008
This book is fantasy, but not strongly so--there are only a few fantasy-ish elements--not that that's a bad thing. In fact, I love it. The book's connection between the main character's world and Earth is strong.
"Two Moon Princess" is about Andrea, a princess who wants to be a page. Familiar? Maybe. However, that is not the main point of the book, although it is important. I was glad, because the girl-wanting-male-role is kind of cliche when it's the main plot point. This was fine.
Then, however, Andrea manages to get from her Spain-like world to modern-day California. Ferreiro-Esteban does a fantastic job of integrating Andrea into our world, taking into account the fact that she doesn't know English or Earth science or anything like that.
This book is filled with great twists, and doesn't focus heavily on the cliche plot items of other worlds and what I've said before about girls and boy roles, and though those elements are still very important, they don't feel cliche. I will admit, the general plot isn't very original, but despite that, the details make it feel new and fresh enough to enjoy as if it were a totally novel book. "Two Moon Princess" is very well-written, and I wish there was a sequel so I could read more about Andrea's adventures in the strange land of California. At the least, I hope to read more by this "awe-thor"! (That word started out as a spelling mistake. It then became a pun. XD)
"Two Moon Princess" is about Andrea, a princess who wants to be a page. Familiar? Maybe. However, that is not the main point of the book, although it is important. I was glad, because the girl-wanting-male-role is kind of cliche when it's the main plot point. This was fine.
Then, however, Andrea manages to get from her Spain-like world to modern-day California. Ferreiro-Esteban does a fantastic job of integrating Andrea into our world, taking into account the fact that she doesn't know English or Earth science or anything like that.
This book is filled with great twists, and doesn't focus heavily on the cliche plot items of other worlds and what I've said before about girls and boy roles, and though those elements are still very important, they don't feel cliche. I will admit, the general plot isn't very original, but despite that, the details make it feel new and fresh enough to enjoy as if it were a totally novel book. "Two Moon Princess" is very well-written, and I wish there was a sequel so I could read more about Andrea's adventures in the strange land of California. At the least, I hope to read more by this "awe-thor"! (That word started out as a spelling mistake. It then became a pun. XD)
July 6, 2011
I weirdly liked this a lot, but not for being any of the things it said it was.
First, the title says "princess" and there is some weird girl on the cover I never could place. The book is hardly about the main character being a princess and not at all like most novels that are packaged with the word princess in the title. It's not a fairy tale kind of story.
Second, the blurb mentions time travel, but I wouldn't put this in the science fiction or fantasy camps. It was more culture travel than anything. The author admits she drew on her own experience trying to reconcile her life from old world Spain with modern California and I thought that was more charming than anything else.
Third, I kept thinking romance, but that was not a very big element. I was strongly reminded of and while Two Moon Princess is not in classic territory like the other it still is a book that makes you think about it after you put it down.
This book was about culture shock, growing up, and sacrifice; not time travel, romance, and princesses. I was tricked into reading it, but found I liked it and kept coming back to see what happened.
First, the title says "princess" and there is some weird girl on the cover I never could place. The book is hardly about the main character being a princess and not at all like most novels that are packaged with the word princess in the title. It's not a fairy tale kind of story.
Second, the blurb mentions time travel, but I wouldn't put this in the science fiction or fantasy camps. It was more culture travel than anything. The author admits she drew on her own experience trying to reconcile her life from old world Spain with modern California and I thought that was more charming than anything else.
Third, I kept thinking romance, but that was not a very big element. I was strongly reminded of and while Two Moon Princess is not in classic territory like the other it still is a book that makes you think about it after you put it down.
This book was about culture shock, growing up, and sacrifice; not time travel, romance, and princesses. I was tricked into reading it, but found I liked it and kept coming back to see what happened.
December 31, 2010
I picked this book up in the Young Adult section. I was a little sceptical. I have read some YA books and was shocked by the language= this was super clean- and super fun to read.
It is a first novel and was really well written for a first novel. I liked the plot- a little romance, a little fantasy, and lots of adventure. It is a coming of age story about a princess from another world and age who discovers the real her in modern day earth. I really enjoyed many parts, especially Princess Andrea's first ride in a car. I was laughing out loud.
I hope Jodi will get to read this some day- it is a book I am sure she will love!
It is a first novel and was really well written for a first novel. I liked the plot- a little romance, a little fantasy, and lots of adventure. It is a coming of age story about a princess from another world and age who discovers the real her in modern day earth. I really enjoyed many parts, especially Princess Andrea's first ride in a car. I was laughing out loud.
I hope Jodi will get to read this some day- it is a book I am sure she will love!
August 30, 2011
Take one part badass heroine from , one part alternate reality from . Spice liberally with Spanish culture. Shake thoroughly and enjoy well-chilled.
More thorough review here:
More thorough review here:
June 9, 2011
I'm sorry to say that I was very disappointed in this book. The biggest problem is Princess Andrea herself. She's immature, self-absorbed, impulsive, and generally out of control. Initially this seems plausible for her age, since we're told that she's fourteen. However, it turns out that the year in her world is longer than ours, and in our years, she's seventeen. This does make the discussion of her admirers or lack thereof considerably less creepy, but even though seventeen-year-olds still have a fair bit of maturing to do, most of them are a great deal more mature than Andrea.
Andrea is the youngest of the four daughters of a king, Don Andres, and his queen Jimena. She's also the misfit, the tomboy, who wants to be a knight instead of a court lady. She's been indulged so far, training with the pages hoping to become squires to her father's knights, but with her fourteenth birthday, she is required to put away childish things and learn to be a lady. Unfortunately, she has so far failed to learn even some of the basics of court protocol, and already without any friends amongst the court ladies except the next-youngest princess, Margarida, she manages to actively offend people without intending to. She hopes for some support from her uncle, Tio Ramiro, her mother's brother, but even he thinks it's time for her to grow up. We do learn the interesting detail that no one really knows where Ramiro's castle is--and this of course is the key to much of the story.
Ramiro and his sister Queen Jimena are not native to Andrea's world, and when she tries to run away, Andrea winds up accidentally finding the portal to Ramiro's (and our) world on the night of a full moon, when it is active. She becomes an accidental visitor in her uncle's world, an unexpected burden and challenge to Ramiro (or, as we learn, Raymond Miller), and his daughter Kelsey.
The background on this world-hopping is that there are a small number of active gates between the two worlds. We are given no clue as to how they work, not even whether the principle behind them is magical or technological. Centuries ago, when the Muslims were conquering what we now know as Spain, a Spaniard King, Roderic, and his followers were defeated, and fleeing, and were directed to a gate that took them to the world of the Xaren-Ras. This new world has (as already mentioned), a longer year than ours, and also two moons each of which is larger than our one moon, and different stars in the sky, patterns that are visibly different to anyone who ever looks up at the sky. So this doesn't seem to be an alternate time line version of Earth, but a completely different, if equally habitable, world.
Except that it had a native population that the Spanish refugees were able to intermarry with.
Now, I concede that many people don't care about that kind of inconsistency. What's less excusable, are the number of stupid decisions Andrea makes. She's a very intelligent (if immature) young lady who quickly learns English and the basics of living in our world and becoming, with the help of her uncle who is a professor at UC Davis, a college student. In her own world, though, she consistently makes stupid decisions, misinterprets other people's words in unlikely ways, and thinks everything is all about her. When Don Julian, in the midst of a fever delirium, blurts out a promise to his father to avenge his death, Andrea actually believes that he's lied to her, her mother, and Raymond/Ramiro about the agreement they've reached to stop the war that's about to get lots of men killed. It doesn't occur to her that it's far more likely that he's simply reliving in his fever the long-ago moment when he did plan to avenge his father's death and reclaim the lands lost in that conflict--something he has since done. She sees Don Julian talking to her sister Margarida, and despite her sister having told her quite recently how much in love she is with his brother Don Alphonse, she assumes Margarida and Julian are falling for each other, and not talking about Alphonse. This is, of course, after she's had a very difficult time grasping the fact that Julian is not in love with her sister Rosa, but had proposed to her because it was a suitable alliance, and declared war when the betrothal was broken off because it was a huge insult and also eliminated the basis for a peace agreement with her father's kingdom.
In the end, this all comes to a reasonably satisfactory conclusion, and Andrea even becomes more mature and less annoying in the last few pages, but it's a rough slog getting there.
Not recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
See more of my reviews at my blog,
Andrea is the youngest of the four daughters of a king, Don Andres, and his queen Jimena. She's also the misfit, the tomboy, who wants to be a knight instead of a court lady. She's been indulged so far, training with the pages hoping to become squires to her father's knights, but with her fourteenth birthday, she is required to put away childish things and learn to be a lady. Unfortunately, she has so far failed to learn even some of the basics of court protocol, and already without any friends amongst the court ladies except the next-youngest princess, Margarida, she manages to actively offend people without intending to. She hopes for some support from her uncle, Tio Ramiro, her mother's brother, but even he thinks it's time for her to grow up. We do learn the interesting detail that no one really knows where Ramiro's castle is--and this of course is the key to much of the story.
Ramiro and his sister Queen Jimena are not native to Andrea's world, and when she tries to run away, Andrea winds up accidentally finding the portal to Ramiro's (and our) world on the night of a full moon, when it is active. She becomes an accidental visitor in her uncle's world, an unexpected burden and challenge to Ramiro (or, as we learn, Raymond Miller), and his daughter Kelsey.
The background on this world-hopping is that there are a small number of active gates between the two worlds. We are given no clue as to how they work, not even whether the principle behind them is magical or technological. Centuries ago, when the Muslims were conquering what we now know as Spain, a Spaniard King, Roderic, and his followers were defeated, and fleeing, and were directed to a gate that took them to the world of the Xaren-Ras. This new world has (as already mentioned), a longer year than ours, and also two moons each of which is larger than our one moon, and different stars in the sky, patterns that are visibly different to anyone who ever looks up at the sky. So this doesn't seem to be an alternate time line version of Earth, but a completely different, if equally habitable, world.
Except that it had a native population that the Spanish refugees were able to intermarry with.
Now, I concede that many people don't care about that kind of inconsistency. What's less excusable, are the number of stupid decisions Andrea makes. She's a very intelligent (if immature) young lady who quickly learns English and the basics of living in our world and becoming, with the help of her uncle who is a professor at UC Davis, a college student. In her own world, though, she consistently makes stupid decisions, misinterprets other people's words in unlikely ways, and thinks everything is all about her. When Don Julian, in the midst of a fever delirium, blurts out a promise to his father to avenge his death, Andrea actually believes that he's lied to her, her mother, and Raymond/Ramiro about the agreement they've reached to stop the war that's about to get lots of men killed. It doesn't occur to her that it's far more likely that he's simply reliving in his fever the long-ago moment when he did plan to avenge his father's death and reclaim the lands lost in that conflict--something he has since done. She sees Don Julian talking to her sister Margarida, and despite her sister having told her quite recently how much in love she is with his brother Don Alphonse, she assumes Margarida and Julian are falling for each other, and not talking about Alphonse. This is, of course, after she's had a very difficult time grasping the fact that Julian is not in love with her sister Rosa, but had proposed to her because it was a suitable alliance, and declared war when the betrothal was broken off because it was a huge insult and also eliminated the basis for a peace agreement with her father's kingdom.
In the end, this all comes to a reasonably satisfactory conclusion, and Andrea even becomes more mature and less annoying in the last few pages, but it's a rough slog getting there.
Not recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
See more of my reviews at my blog,
October 30, 2010
2.5
I'm sort of torn on how I feel about this book. On one hand, it was very readable. It was a pretty quick and easy read, and there was nothing annoyingly tedious or boring about it, or any of that.
But on the other hand, and it's a big other hand, I sort of hated everyone, except for Andrea, but I didn't always understand why she did some of the things she did. Sometimes she acted very childish, which didn't really work with how I felt the character started out. I mean, we're all prone to occassional outbursts, but her outbursts didn't always make sense in placement and intensity.
And I couldn't like most of the other people, especially Tio Ramero and the Queen. A lot of times it seemed like the Queen didn't really love her daughter, nor did the King. And I suppose, in some ways, the historical element of that could be true - she was a fourth daughter to royalty, and chances are her life would've been bought and sold for alliances and whatnot. But I suppose I prefer my fairy tales to be a bit more fairy-taleish, where the princess is raised with a sense of duty and obligation, but also love.
But the Queen irritated me doubly because she's originally from our world. She should understand what it is for a girl to not want to follow in the traditional roles of a woman. I had a hard time imagining a woman who trained to be a doctor to fitting so easily and so comfortably into a medieval like setting where women were very second-class, let along forcing her daughters to do the same, and not being remotely sympathetic when her daughter said she didn't want to follow that life. I would think the mother would understand that maybe Andrea would be better off in her world, and have sent her to Raymond long before.
And speaking of Raymond/ Tio Ramero - he irritated me even more, I think, in part, because I liked him in the beginning. It seemed he would be the sympathetic one, the one that was on her side - but he went from hot to cold so quickly and easily. I mean, the man was seriously bi-polar.
And everyone laid into Andrea for everything. I mean, on one hand she's this naive girl, but they expect her to act mature and grown-up, but then the dismiss her and treat her like a child. How can she be grown-up if no one will tell her anything?
That's another thing that irked me. This book had so much misunderstanding and bs that could've been easily resolved if people just talked, or if her mother or uncle would just sit and have a conversation with Andrea.
For instance, the mother didn't want her to become a squire not just because of the proper place of a woman, but because she did care for her and couldn't bear to think of her going off and getting killed. But this only comes across in one scene, where she forces Andrea to see the damage done by an arrow wound.
Why not have told her this before? Why not actually show the girl some love and care and concern, instead of always harping on her because she's not the perfect little princess.
Anyway, lastly, John is a jerk. He is the jerkiest jerk of jerkdom, aside from, perhaps, the younger brother, who I also sort of liked at first and then didn't. But not much of what happened with John really made much sense, either.
***
Anyway, the love story angle was kind of cute, even though I saw it coming. Again it was a lot of silliness which could've ben averted if anyone ever just came out and said anything - but ah well.
It's not a bad book, for a freshman effort, and there are some other issues (like the arrow wound of death, in the shoulder... and were there ever stitches done? I was unclear on this point?) - but, overall, it was readable.
But character consistency and interpersonal relationships need to be fleshed out, because a lot of stuff done and said, when it was said, didn't always seem to make sense.
I'm sort of torn on how I feel about this book. On one hand, it was very readable. It was a pretty quick and easy read, and there was nothing annoyingly tedious or boring about it, or any of that.
But on the other hand, and it's a big other hand, I sort of hated everyone, except for Andrea, but I didn't always understand why she did some of the things she did. Sometimes she acted very childish, which didn't really work with how I felt the character started out. I mean, we're all prone to occassional outbursts, but her outbursts didn't always make sense in placement and intensity.
And I couldn't like most of the other people, especially Tio Ramero and the Queen. A lot of times it seemed like the Queen didn't really love her daughter, nor did the King. And I suppose, in some ways, the historical element of that could be true - she was a fourth daughter to royalty, and chances are her life would've been bought and sold for alliances and whatnot. But I suppose I prefer my fairy tales to be a bit more fairy-taleish, where the princess is raised with a sense of duty and obligation, but also love.
But the Queen irritated me doubly because she's originally from our world. She should understand what it is for a girl to not want to follow in the traditional roles of a woman. I had a hard time imagining a woman who trained to be a doctor to fitting so easily and so comfortably into a medieval like setting where women were very second-class, let along forcing her daughters to do the same, and not being remotely sympathetic when her daughter said she didn't want to follow that life. I would think the mother would understand that maybe Andrea would be better off in her world, and have sent her to Raymond long before.
And speaking of Raymond/ Tio Ramero - he irritated me even more, I think, in part, because I liked him in the beginning. It seemed he would be the sympathetic one, the one that was on her side - but he went from hot to cold so quickly and easily. I mean, the man was seriously bi-polar.
And everyone laid into Andrea for everything. I mean, on one hand she's this naive girl, but they expect her to act mature and grown-up, but then the dismiss her and treat her like a child. How can she be grown-up if no one will tell her anything?
That's another thing that irked me. This book had so much misunderstanding and bs that could've been easily resolved if people just talked, or if her mother or uncle would just sit and have a conversation with Andrea.
For instance, the mother didn't want her to become a squire not just because of the proper place of a woman, but because she did care for her and couldn't bear to think of her going off and getting killed. But this only comes across in one scene, where she forces Andrea to see the damage done by an arrow wound.
Why not have told her this before? Why not actually show the girl some love and care and concern, instead of always harping on her because she's not the perfect little princess.
Anyway, lastly, John is a jerk. He is the jerkiest jerk of jerkdom, aside from, perhaps, the younger brother, who I also sort of liked at first and then didn't. But not much of what happened with John really made much sense, either.
***
Anyway, the love story angle was kind of cute, even though I saw it coming. Again it was a lot of silliness which could've ben averted if anyone ever just came out and said anything - but ah well.
It's not a bad book, for a freshman effort, and there are some other issues (like the arrow wound of death, in the shoulder... and were there ever stitches done? I was unclear on this point?) - but, overall, it was readable.
But character consistency and interpersonal relationships need to be fleshed out, because a lot of stuff done and said, when it was said, didn't always seem to make sense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2011
Read via NetGalley
This was a pretty amazing book. I had no idea what it was about because I wanted to try reading a book without reading its summary. Gladly, I could understand the book without the summary. But that is not really the point of this review, so let me start with the plot, like I always do.
The Plot- Princess Andrea is the daughter of King Andres (Needs an accent on the 'e') and Queen Jimena. Her parents want her to become a proper lady, while her heart yearns for the life of action and fighting. Basically, she's a tomboy. Of course, things are not the way they seem.
On the night of her second-oldest sister, Rosa's, ball to find her husband, the next king, Andrea learns of the different worlds that exist. On one side is the land she's thought of as home. The other is; Earth. Eager to find out about Earth, Andrea sneaks through the portal and finds herself in a world very different from hers. She also finds out her family has been keeping a secret from her.
On Earth, Andrea adjusts to life with the help of her uncle. She attends college classes and finds a friend in her cousin Lindsay. She also makes friends with John, but wants more than friendship from him. When she and John accidentally find themselves back in Andrea's world, Andrea learns the consequences of mixing the two worlds together.
This book was an intriguing book. I loved the concept of the two worlds. By the way, that's why the title is Two Moon Princess.
10 Likes/Dislikes
1. - All of the characters seemed kind of shallow. They had no real personality. They were like robots being controlled for a larger purpose. There could have been at least some more arguments going on if two characters despised each other.
2. + I liked how the author managed to give a historical reason on how Andrea's world existed, well why people live there. *Spoiler* The reason has to do with Spain*
3. + Andrea's time on Earth was rather short, I admit. But all of excitement occurred in the other world. I was glad the author made Andrea's visit very short.
4. - I did not like that in the end of the story, everything is fixed perfectly. I mean, there could have been a little loss. A little lose makes the story sweeter in a way.
5. + The cover of this book is amazing! The different hues in the background and the two moons really catch the essence of this book.
6. - I did not really like that the author never really described the setting. She just told the story and automatically assumed you knew what everything looked like. It made it harder to imagine the story in my head.
7. + The writing style was excellent. It was just enough to feel Andrea's anguish and stubbornness, but not too much to slam the book down for being to dramatic in the feelings.
8. + The contrast between the two worlds keeps the story more interesting that it would if the worlds were not only the same, but spoke the same language.
9. + The names in this novel are all completely different. I know that this is a small thing. But names are important, they are on every single page in a novel (well at least I think they are).
Here's a list of the names (you might get what I mean)
1. Andrea
2. John
3. Julian
4. Alfonso
5. Jimena
6. Jennifer
7. Rosa
I hope you understand what I mean. They're a mix of Spanish and English names.
10. + The ending was really sweet and romantic for a mostly action packed novel. I am not the biggest fan of romance, but if it ends well romantically, I love it!
I give this book a 3.5 stars. I would recommend this to pretty much any fantasy reader.
This was a pretty amazing book. I had no idea what it was about because I wanted to try reading a book without reading its summary. Gladly, I could understand the book without the summary. But that is not really the point of this review, so let me start with the plot, like I always do.
The Plot- Princess Andrea is the daughter of King Andres (Needs an accent on the 'e') and Queen Jimena. Her parents want her to become a proper lady, while her heart yearns for the life of action and fighting. Basically, she's a tomboy. Of course, things are not the way they seem.
On the night of her second-oldest sister, Rosa's, ball to find her husband, the next king, Andrea learns of the different worlds that exist. On one side is the land she's thought of as home. The other is; Earth. Eager to find out about Earth, Andrea sneaks through the portal and finds herself in a world very different from hers. She also finds out her family has been keeping a secret from her.
On Earth, Andrea adjusts to life with the help of her uncle. She attends college classes and finds a friend in her cousin Lindsay. She also makes friends with John, but wants more than friendship from him. When she and John accidentally find themselves back in Andrea's world, Andrea learns the consequences of mixing the two worlds together.
This book was an intriguing book. I loved the concept of the two worlds. By the way, that's why the title is Two Moon Princess.
10 Likes/Dislikes
1. - All of the characters seemed kind of shallow. They had no real personality. They were like robots being controlled for a larger purpose. There could have been at least some more arguments going on if two characters despised each other.
2. + I liked how the author managed to give a historical reason on how Andrea's world existed, well why people live there. *Spoiler* The reason has to do with Spain*
3. + Andrea's time on Earth was rather short, I admit. But all of excitement occurred in the other world. I was glad the author made Andrea's visit very short.
4. - I did not like that in the end of the story, everything is fixed perfectly. I mean, there could have been a little loss. A little lose makes the story sweeter in a way.
5. + The cover of this book is amazing! The different hues in the background and the two moons really catch the essence of this book.
6. - I did not really like that the author never really described the setting. She just told the story and automatically assumed you knew what everything looked like. It made it harder to imagine the story in my head.
7. + The writing style was excellent. It was just enough to feel Andrea's anguish and stubbornness, but not too much to slam the book down for being to dramatic in the feelings.
8. + The contrast between the two worlds keeps the story more interesting that it would if the worlds were not only the same, but spoke the same language.
9. + The names in this novel are all completely different. I know that this is a small thing. But names are important, they are on every single page in a novel (well at least I think they are).
Here's a list of the names (you might get what I mean)
1. Andrea
2. John
3. Julian
4. Alfonso
5. Jimena
6. Jennifer
7. Rosa
I hope you understand what I mean. They're a mix of Spanish and English names.
10. + The ending was really sweet and romantic for a mostly action packed novel. I am not the biggest fan of romance, but if it ends well romantically, I love it!
I give this book a 3.5 stars. I would recommend this to pretty much any fantasy reader.
June 1, 2011
Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban is about a princess named Andrea who travels from her planet, Xarens-Ra, to our planet - California, to be exact - through a mysterious door hidden inside a cave. It is more fantasy than sci-fi, though, and we don't actually find out how the door works. But it opens whenever there is a full moon in both worlds at the same time, and on Xarens-Ra, both moons (called Athos and Lua) must be full for it to open.
Andrea's mother and uncle are actually from Earth and had travelled through the door to Xarens-Ra many years before. Her uncle travels back and forth frequently and one day Andrea follows him to the Cove of the Dead, where hte hidden door is located. She is transported to California and spends about a month there, and then accidentally returns to her world with a friend in tow. Upon her return she discovers that her kingdom and a neighboring kingdom called Suavia are on the brink of war. The arrival of her friend John and his immediate infatuation with the Princess Rosa (Andrea's sister) causes even more problems, since she was promised to the king of Suavia.
Since Andrea and John came back to Xarens-Ra accidentally, Andrea feels responsible for preventing the impending war. That is pretty much the bulk of the story - Andrea, her uncle and the Suavian king's brother all working together to prevent the war from happening.
The whole time Andrea - who would have rather been a page and not a proper lady - wants to go back to California desperately. I know that was a rather long summary, but it's Andrea's accidental return that sets the stage for the second half of the book, which is when some important things happen (plot-wise, anyway).
I would have liked for there to be some more world building, especially with regards to how Andrea's ancestors found the door and how they had interacted with the indigenous people, the Xarens.
This story was inspired by the author's journey from her home country of Spain to the US, and how she had felt like a stranger when she returned home. Andrea never really felt like she belonged even before she had discovered the secret door to California. She never really loses that feeling, but by the end of the story she realizes that there are bigger things than her personal desires. There is even a part where she says that her wishes essentially led to disasters. I thought she was being a little hard on herself, though.
Her eventual romantic interest was a little unexpected, but now I realize there were a couple of hints. I would have liked to have spent a little more time with them after Andrea finally realizes that he loves her and not her sister.
I really hope there will be a sequel, as I would love to see how the two kingdoms on Xarens-Ra deal with their new peace, and if the truth about the Xarens people is ever discovered, and if anyone on Earth or Xarens-Ra will figure out how the door works, and who (or what) put it there.
I also thought it was nice that the fantasy world was based on Spanish culture, which is a bit different, at least given the YA fantasy I have read so far.
It's a nice fantasy story about a young woman learning to accept herself for who she is, and about navigating two incredibly different cultures. I ended up liking this one a lot.
Andrea's mother and uncle are actually from Earth and had travelled through the door to Xarens-Ra many years before. Her uncle travels back and forth frequently and one day Andrea follows him to the Cove of the Dead, where hte hidden door is located. She is transported to California and spends about a month there, and then accidentally returns to her world with a friend in tow. Upon her return she discovers that her kingdom and a neighboring kingdom called Suavia are on the brink of war. The arrival of her friend John and his immediate infatuation with the Princess Rosa (Andrea's sister) causes even more problems, since she was promised to the king of Suavia.
Since Andrea and John came back to Xarens-Ra accidentally, Andrea feels responsible for preventing the impending war. That is pretty much the bulk of the story - Andrea, her uncle and the Suavian king's brother all working together to prevent the war from happening.
The whole time Andrea - who would have rather been a page and not a proper lady - wants to go back to California desperately. I know that was a rather long summary, but it's Andrea's accidental return that sets the stage for the second half of the book, which is when some important things happen (plot-wise, anyway).
I would have liked for there to be some more world building, especially with regards to how Andrea's ancestors found the door and how they had interacted with the indigenous people, the Xarens.
This story was inspired by the author's journey from her home country of Spain to the US, and how she had felt like a stranger when she returned home. Andrea never really felt like she belonged even before she had discovered the secret door to California. She never really loses that feeling, but by the end of the story she realizes that there are bigger things than her personal desires. There is even a part where she says that her wishes essentially led to disasters. I thought she was being a little hard on herself, though.
Her eventual romantic interest was a little unexpected, but now I realize there were a couple of hints. I would have liked to have spent a little more time with them after Andrea finally realizes that he loves her and not her sister.
I really hope there will be a sequel, as I would love to see how the two kingdoms on Xarens-Ra deal with their new peace, and if the truth about the Xarens people is ever discovered, and if anyone on Earth or Xarens-Ra will figure out how the door works, and who (or what) put it there.
I also thought it was nice that the fantasy world was based on Spanish culture, which is a bit different, at least given the YA fantasy I have read so far.
It's a nice fantasy story about a young woman learning to accept herself for who she is, and about navigating two incredibly different cultures. I ended up liking this one a lot.
May 9, 2011
What breaks my heart about this book is that I went into it really wanting to fall in love with. When I read the synopsis and saw that it contained time travel, fantasy elements, and even some coming of age difficulty, I really thought that this would be something I loved. Unfortunately, Two Moon Princess just didn't hold my attention the way I'd hoped.
First of all I find it necessary to open with a commendation. Despite everything else, I applaud Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban's world building abilities. The medieval world that Andrea is growing up in is truly beautiful. The descriptive language that is used to share the beauty of her lands, and the wild openness around her is like a painting. It's almost as though I found myself transported there. Even when she ends up in modern-day California, you can almost see her surroundings. It's pretty amazing.
Sadly, I wasn't able to fall in love with any of the characters, and anyone who has been reading my blog for any amount of time knows I'm a character girl. Andrea and her sisters were really tough to like. What really bothered me though was Andrea's constant changing of attitude. At first she is the princess who'd rather be a squire, and then she morphs into something entirely different and not quite herself. On top of that her immature attitude was slightly off-putting, especially when things she would say just didn't fit with what I thought her character was. In terms of supporting characters, I didn't feel that I was able to get to know them as much as I would have liked. Even John, who ends up as the apple of Andrea's eye, isn't that fleshed out as a character. It was wholly frustrating to me.
Plot wise, the story is solid! It does jump a bit, especially when Andrea travels from one world to another, but overall it is interesting. The second half of the story really held my attention much more than the rest, but of course there was a war brewing and scandal. I'm drawn to that sort of thing, I shan't lie! This is another aspect that kept me reading on.
Two Moon Princess is classified as a Middle Grade novel, but I'm not sure that's the best place for it to fit. The beginning of the story, in an effort to build up the world setting, is very slow. Perhaps readers who are drawn in by historical fiction might find something to love! However I know that many of the younger aged children I work with wouldn't be able to make it through the first few pages. As I said, it truly saddens me. I loved the setting and the plot, I only wish I could have fallen in love with the characters more. I'd definitely recommend that lovers of historical fiction, and of fantasy, give this a try. You might love it.
First of all I find it necessary to open with a commendation. Despite everything else, I applaud Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban's world building abilities. The medieval world that Andrea is growing up in is truly beautiful. The descriptive language that is used to share the beauty of her lands, and the wild openness around her is like a painting. It's almost as though I found myself transported there. Even when she ends up in modern-day California, you can almost see her surroundings. It's pretty amazing.
Sadly, I wasn't able to fall in love with any of the characters, and anyone who has been reading my blog for any amount of time knows I'm a character girl. Andrea and her sisters were really tough to like. What really bothered me though was Andrea's constant changing of attitude. At first she is the princess who'd rather be a squire, and then she morphs into something entirely different and not quite herself. On top of that her immature attitude was slightly off-putting, especially when things she would say just didn't fit with what I thought her character was. In terms of supporting characters, I didn't feel that I was able to get to know them as much as I would have liked. Even John, who ends up as the apple of Andrea's eye, isn't that fleshed out as a character. It was wholly frustrating to me.
Plot wise, the story is solid! It does jump a bit, especially when Andrea travels from one world to another, but overall it is interesting. The second half of the story really held my attention much more than the rest, but of course there was a war brewing and scandal. I'm drawn to that sort of thing, I shan't lie! This is another aspect that kept me reading on.
Two Moon Princess is classified as a Middle Grade novel, but I'm not sure that's the best place for it to fit. The beginning of the story, in an effort to build up the world setting, is very slow. Perhaps readers who are drawn in by historical fiction might find something to love! However I know that many of the younger aged children I work with wouldn't be able to make it through the first few pages. As I said, it truly saddens me. I loved the setting and the plot, I only wish I could have fallen in love with the characters more. I'd definitely recommend that lovers of historical fiction, and of fantasy, give this a try. You might love it.
November 10, 2011
At first I wasn’t sure how well the story would work, trying to cross from fantasy/historical fiction into contemporary, particularly as Andrea’s narrative and descriptions was very true to her upbringing in a historical setting. But I was pleasantly surprised and thought that Ferreiro-Esteban did a great job of seamlessly combining the two. When Andrea enters our world as we know it, her surprise and reaction to modern contraptions was natural but not overdone, and I enjoyed her reaction to the car engine starting up! The further I got into the book, I more and more I enjoyed it. By the time Andrea had saved the enemy king and was looking after him, I couldn’t put the book down. Their love-hate relationship was so charged and intense even though they never got together physically, but it was believable at the same time.
Two Moon Princess was full of action, love, revenge and rejection. It featured fighting and combat scenes which I enjoyed without being too heavy and bogging the plot down in detail. Some areas of the plot were easy to guess, but at other times I was left trying to keep up with the fast pace and Andrea’s understanding of the opposing motives and behaviours of other characters.
Despite having so many characters, I thought the character development was done really well. Each had their own distinct personality and motives and made me feel either admiration, annoyance or hatred. Andrea was a great protagonist � feeling inferior to her sisters as well as the Knights she wants to be, she berates herself for her lack of strength and courage when rescuing Don Julian, but I can’t imagine any of her sisters being able to do the things she did. She was strong and courageous, but at the same time unsure and vulnerable. Despite their various flaws, all of her sisters (and all of the women in the story) make their own choices and don't bow down to convention or the will of the men in their lives - for example, Princess Sabela gives up the crown for love, which in my book takes guts.
And then there was the enemy king, Don Julian. Cruel, gruff and fierce, he ruled his kingdom with power and respect and attacked his enemies without mercy. As his role as king was peeled back and I saw the hardships he had been through I really started to like him. The fact that he wasn’t your archetypical stunningly handsome hero or male protagonist, but was more complex and mysterious, made him so much more interesting.
Seamlessly blending historical and contemporary fiction, Two Moon Princess creates a superb and fast paced tale of a young girl trying to find her place in one world, only that discover that she might be destined for another.
Rating: 4*
Two Moon Princess was full of action, love, revenge and rejection. It featured fighting and combat scenes which I enjoyed without being too heavy and bogging the plot down in detail. Some areas of the plot were easy to guess, but at other times I was left trying to keep up with the fast pace and Andrea’s understanding of the opposing motives and behaviours of other characters.
Despite having so many characters, I thought the character development was done really well. Each had their own distinct personality and motives and made me feel either admiration, annoyance or hatred. Andrea was a great protagonist � feeling inferior to her sisters as well as the Knights she wants to be, she berates herself for her lack of strength and courage when rescuing Don Julian, but I can’t imagine any of her sisters being able to do the things she did. She was strong and courageous, but at the same time unsure and vulnerable. Despite their various flaws, all of her sisters (and all of the women in the story) make their own choices and don't bow down to convention or the will of the men in their lives - for example, Princess Sabela gives up the crown for love, which in my book takes guts.
And then there was the enemy king, Don Julian. Cruel, gruff and fierce, he ruled his kingdom with power and respect and attacked his enemies without mercy. As his role as king was peeled back and I saw the hardships he had been through I really started to like him. The fact that he wasn’t your archetypical stunningly handsome hero or male protagonist, but was more complex and mysterious, made him so much more interesting.
Seamlessly blending historical and contemporary fiction, Two Moon Princess creates a superb and fast paced tale of a young girl trying to find her place in one world, only that discover that she might be destined for another.
Rating: 4*
April 17, 2011
This book is difficult for me to review because I was kind of all over the place with it. Some parts were slow, others were super fast. Some parts made my mad, others made me smile. Some characters I liked, some I didn't, some I just didn't get. Overall though, it was entertaining, and if you like these types of books, you'll like this one.
Two Moon Princess follows the life of Andrea, the fourth born princess, right on the verge of her fourteenth birthday, the day when she will become a lady. Just one problem - Andrea wants anything but to become a lady. What she really wants is her family's permission to be a knight. But her father, the king, is dead set against that idea, and once the king makes up his mind, it is practically written in stone.
After Andrea finds a magic portal that transports her from her Medieval world, to modern-day California, Andrea's eyes are opened. She never wants to leave. However, her trip is ended prematurely once she accidentally transports herself back to her kingdom....
To her shock and dismay, her return has unexpected consequences of huge proportions.
Two Moon Princess is about finding your place in a world you don't quite belong in, and learning to never give up your wants and needs to please someone else.
I really liked the plot - it was different and intriguing. I thought the most interesting part about it is the culture shock Andrea faces upon returning to her homeland. It just goes to show how much she doesn't belong there.
I think my problem with this book was strictly with some of the characters. I liked Andrea, she was headstrong, persevering, brave and funny. However, I did not like her parents or her uncle. Her uncle was just overly hypocritical (if you read the book you'll see why). The problem with her mother and father were that they didn't seem to really love Andrea. I know that realistic to the time, a fourth daughter would be used for political tactics, such as marriages, but you would still love your child. Maybe I understand her dad, but her mother? (I don't want to spoil a key plot point, but her mother should act differently considering...)
The ending and unexpected romances did makeup partly for the characters I didn't understand. The ending was sweet, it made my mouth hurt from smiling (and got me weird stares in study hall). I mostly enjoyed this book, but I feel like it was more geared towards middle graders. If you love backwards princess tales (when the character wishes she wasn't a princess, rather than wishing she was), give this one a shot.
Two Moon Princess follows the life of Andrea, the fourth born princess, right on the verge of her fourteenth birthday, the day when she will become a lady. Just one problem - Andrea wants anything but to become a lady. What she really wants is her family's permission to be a knight. But her father, the king, is dead set against that idea, and once the king makes up his mind, it is practically written in stone.
After Andrea finds a magic portal that transports her from her Medieval world, to modern-day California, Andrea's eyes are opened. She never wants to leave. However, her trip is ended prematurely once she accidentally transports herself back to her kingdom....
To her shock and dismay, her return has unexpected consequences of huge proportions.
Two Moon Princess is about finding your place in a world you don't quite belong in, and learning to never give up your wants and needs to please someone else.
I really liked the plot - it was different and intriguing. I thought the most interesting part about it is the culture shock Andrea faces upon returning to her homeland. It just goes to show how much she doesn't belong there.
I think my problem with this book was strictly with some of the characters. I liked Andrea, she was headstrong, persevering, brave and funny. However, I did not like her parents or her uncle. Her uncle was just overly hypocritical (if you read the book you'll see why). The problem with her mother and father were that they didn't seem to really love Andrea. I know that realistic to the time, a fourth daughter would be used for political tactics, such as marriages, but you would still love your child. Maybe I understand her dad, but her mother? (I don't want to spoil a key plot point, but her mother should act differently considering...)
The ending and unexpected romances did makeup partly for the characters I didn't understand. The ending was sweet, it made my mouth hurt from smiling (and got me weird stares in study hall). I mostly enjoyed this book, but I feel like it was more geared towards middle graders. If you love backwards princess tales (when the character wishes she wasn't a princess, rather than wishing she was), give this one a shot.
April 15, 2011
I first heard about Two Moon Princess a few years ago and loved the hardcover illustrated artwork. It made me think of other novel series with strong female main characters overcoming an obstacle in their path (The Alanna books by Tamora Pierce or Books of Bayern by Shannon Hale) and I wanted to read it. It was not however at my local library (not a surprise at all) or my local bookstores. And it was out of print on Amazon.
The new cover, depicting Princess Andrea looking off into the sunset with the wind blowing gives a good impression as well. The bright colors of her dress imply her spanish heritage while the wistful look on the model's face goes a long way to promoting Andrea's own problems. It does not scream 'fantasy' to me, the way the original cover did with Andrea dressed in her archery clothing staring at a far off kingdom, but it is still visually appealing.
The novel itself was at its best when Andrea bridged the gap between her world (a medieval Spanish Kingdom) and our world (modern day California). She stumbled into our time and once here didn't see a better world necessarily, but one where she was freer to be herself. Restricted in hers because she is a Princess and has to learn to be a lady (when she's more of a tomboy and wants to learn to be useful), Andrea learns to listen to her heart in ours.
Carmen is careful to illustrate that neither world is perfect--there is a valid reasoning behind keeping the doorway between closed off after all. She also points out that sometimes who you are and want to be needs to compromise with who you need to be. This is Andrea's coming of age story before anything else. The first pangs of love, betrayal and the knowledge that no one person is infallible (or completely flawed) cut deeply.
Though Andrea herself is well realized and fleshed out, the other characters often felt shallow by comparison. I didn't quite buy the 11th hour romance that sprang up (to be fair it was hinted at throughout, but there were complications so it felt like it only was taken seriously near the end) and some of Andrea's decisions left me feeling a bit confused. Though it may have been more that the other characters--important people in her life--seemed to just...accept things happening.
There is a sequel in the works, The King in the Stone, but I won't this book by discussing the snippet Carmen has on her webpage here. I do wonder who the person narrating that snippet is given the ending of this book.
The new cover, depicting Princess Andrea looking off into the sunset with the wind blowing gives a good impression as well. The bright colors of her dress imply her spanish heritage while the wistful look on the model's face goes a long way to promoting Andrea's own problems. It does not scream 'fantasy' to me, the way the original cover did with Andrea dressed in her archery clothing staring at a far off kingdom, but it is still visually appealing.
The novel itself was at its best when Andrea bridged the gap between her world (a medieval Spanish Kingdom) and our world (modern day California). She stumbled into our time and once here didn't see a better world necessarily, but one where she was freer to be herself. Restricted in hers because she is a Princess and has to learn to be a lady (when she's more of a tomboy and wants to learn to be useful), Andrea learns to listen to her heart in ours.
Carmen is careful to illustrate that neither world is perfect--there is a valid reasoning behind keeping the doorway between closed off after all. She also points out that sometimes who you are and want to be needs to compromise with who you need to be. This is Andrea's coming of age story before anything else. The first pangs of love, betrayal and the knowledge that no one person is infallible (or completely flawed) cut deeply.
Though Andrea herself is well realized and fleshed out, the other characters often felt shallow by comparison. I didn't quite buy the 11th hour romance that sprang up (to be fair it was hinted at throughout, but there were complications so it felt like it only was taken seriously near the end) and some of Andrea's decisions left me feeling a bit confused. Though it may have been more that the other characters--important people in her life--seemed to just...accept things happening.
There is a sequel in the works, The King in the Stone, but I won't this book by discussing the snippet Carmen has on her webpage here. I do wonder who the person narrating that snippet is given the ending of this book.
March 4, 2010
Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban is about Princess Andrea, while the life a princess seems pretty posh to most people, all Andrea wants to be is a knight. After winning an archery contest, Andrea is sure she is finally going to be able to become a squire when she is informed by her father, the King, that it is time for her to put away her foolish dreams and learn to be a lady of the court. Andrea decides to run away and accidentally finds herself in a different world, literally traveling through a portal from the world she knows to our world. Andrea finds herself fitting into our society without too much trouble and comes to love the freedom to be who she wants to when she once again accidentally travels through the portal, returning home. Only the home she has returned to is on the brink of war with its neighbor and the only one who seems to be able to stop the war is Andrea. Will she find the courage to do what needs to be done in her world? Will she be able to see past her own pain and fears to realize the future of both kingdoms hinge upon her actions? What happens when you live in another world for a time and return to your home and realize that you don’t fit in any more? Read and find out!
I really liked the combination of medieval society and our current society, the obvious differences between the two and the subtle similarities. Andrea’s decisions annoyed me at times, the obvious correct choices were there but she kept making the wrong choices and having to go back and fix them. However, I think the reason they annoyed me is because I am like that, in hind sight the perfect choice was in front of me but I refused to see it. I did like how Andrea’s perceptions of the people around her changed as she started to realize it wasn’t all about her but a much greater picture, especially her relationship with her mother. I also really liked how Andrea refused to accept there was nothing she could do about the situations she found herself in and once she made a decision she went for it. I recommend picking up a copy and reading about her journey yourself.
I really liked the combination of medieval society and our current society, the obvious differences between the two and the subtle similarities. Andrea’s decisions annoyed me at times, the obvious correct choices were there but she kept making the wrong choices and having to go back and fix them. However, I think the reason they annoyed me is because I am like that, in hind sight the perfect choice was in front of me but I refused to see it. I did like how Andrea’s perceptions of the people around her changed as she started to realize it wasn’t all about her but a much greater picture, especially her relationship with her mother. I also really liked how Andrea refused to accept there was nothing she could do about the situations she found herself in and once she made a decision she went for it. I recommend picking up a copy and reading about her journey yourself.
January 15, 2017
Andrea always knew she was different from her sisters. Unlike the other princesses who were content studying to be a lady with her mother, the queen, Andrea longed to become a squire and serve in the army. When she turns fourteen (17 in Earth years), her father ends her dream and sentences her to lady lessons with her mother. As Andrea struggles with her new life, her longing to be more overwhelms her. One night after fleeing her father's palace Andrea stumbles upon a gateway to another world (Earth) and learns how different life could be. When she returns to her world, however, everything begins to crumble as her kingdom readies for a war she may have inadvertently caused.
I can't say how much I enjoyed this book. I usually don't read a lot of books with a time travel (or in this case world traveling) element. I can say I was honestly surprised by how smoothly this story flowed between the two worlds and how intricate the history was.
Andrea's character is really what drives you through this novel. You have a smart, strong willed young woman who wants more from life than what her parents seek for her. Her story draws you in, and you find yourself eagerly flipping pages to find out what will happen next in the story. Her sadness will tug at your heartstrings and her happiness will leave you with a big smile on your face.
While the other characters aren't as well fleshed out as Andrea, this isn't a problem as you spend so much of your time in Andrea's head seeing things as a young woman who is absorbed in her own life will see them. The details and background stories gradually come forward as Andrea herself learns the truth.
The transitions from one world to the other was smoothly done. I love how the author explained how Andrea was able to grasp the English so quickly and was pleasantly surprised when she addressed directly rather than leaving the reader to come up with their own explanations.
Overall this book is a gem. A likable heroine, a riveting story, and a lot of emotion. I want more like this! I loved it!
Cautions for sensitive readers: Some violence, but otherwise a clean read.
April 23, 2011
Two Moon Princess isn't what I expected. Instead of being treated to some sort of sappy teen romance, I explored the world of a young woman who finds herself caught between two worlds and struggling to find her place. Though romance is an element of Two Moon Princess, it's certainly not the key element. More than anything else, Two Moon Princess explores the very real issues that teens deal with (caught between duty and desire) and presents a fascinating character that readers can relate to.
In Two Moon Princess, readers are introduced to young Andrea, a stubborn princess from a medieval land who would rather be a knight. Rather than accepting her duties, Andrea prefers to defy her parents and her duty for her own somewhat selfish reasons. She finds her way to modern-day California where she encounters a completely different world than she one she's ever known -and possibly a place where she can be free to make her own choices. But, her destiny pulls her back to her home world, where she finds that there's more to life than just getting what she wants.
For me, Two Moon Princess was all about Andrea's personal conflicts and her growth. Though I'm older than the novel's target audience, Andrea took me back to my teen days, and even I found her plight understandable and easy to relate to. Author Cameren Ferrerio-Estevan does an excellent job of creating a likable character with real issues and, even more amazingly, a character who goes through believable growth and honest development throughout the novel.
Though, yes, Two Moon Princess is yet another coming of age story (yeah, not exactly an original concept), there's enough of a twist on it to keep readers interested. And, honestly, Andrea's growth managed to be moving and entertaining at the same time. A worthwhile read
In Two Moon Princess, readers are introduced to young Andrea, a stubborn princess from a medieval land who would rather be a knight. Rather than accepting her duties, Andrea prefers to defy her parents and her duty for her own somewhat selfish reasons. She finds her way to modern-day California where she encounters a completely different world than she one she's ever known -and possibly a place where she can be free to make her own choices. But, her destiny pulls her back to her home world, where she finds that there's more to life than just getting what she wants.
For me, Two Moon Princess was all about Andrea's personal conflicts and her growth. Though I'm older than the novel's target audience, Andrea took me back to my teen days, and even I found her plight understandable and easy to relate to. Author Cameren Ferrerio-Estevan does an excellent job of creating a likable character with real issues and, even more amazingly, a character who goes through believable growth and honest development throughout the novel.
Though, yes, Two Moon Princess is yet another coming of age story (yeah, not exactly an original concept), there's enough of a twist on it to keep readers interested. And, honestly, Andrea's growth managed to be moving and entertaining at the same time. A worthwhile read
August 1, 2012
YA parallel universe fantasy with a strong heroine
Princess Andrea lives in the medieval-style kingdom of Xaren, which exists in a world parallel to our contemporary United States. Andrea strongly resents the limitations of her life as a young, sheltered royal whose only prospects for the future are to endure a political marriage. Her dream is to train as a warrior as princes do, but instead she is forced to study boring court etiquette with her older sisters. This tedious regimen is more than Andrea can bear. In a fit of rebellion, she runs away and enters a forbidden portion of the kingdom that is rumored to be haunted. In the process, she almost falls over a cliff and is unexpectedly rescued by an uncle who is the family eccentric. He admonishes her to stay away from this dangerous place, but Andrea can't make herself obey. During another risky, exploratory journey there, she ends up in a cave just as the tide is coming in and almost drowns. Her relief at surviving is short-lived, though, because she discovers to her dismay that she has been swept into an utterly foreign world which has only one moon instead of the two moons of her own world.
Princess Andrea's unwillingness to settle for a very limited life leads her to fantastic adventures that are highly entertaining. Andrea is a strong protagonist who never gives up. There is action, romance, mystery, and amusing moments of comic relief in this delightfully original novel, as Andrea attempts to fulfill her heart's desire in the two separate worlds she becomes equally attached to.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 5
Subcharacters: 5
Fantasy World-Building: 5
Writing: 5
Action-Adventure Plot: 5
Romantic Subplot: 5
Overall: 5
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book through NetGalley.
Princess Andrea lives in the medieval-style kingdom of Xaren, which exists in a world parallel to our contemporary United States. Andrea strongly resents the limitations of her life as a young, sheltered royal whose only prospects for the future are to endure a political marriage. Her dream is to train as a warrior as princes do, but instead she is forced to study boring court etiquette with her older sisters. This tedious regimen is more than Andrea can bear. In a fit of rebellion, she runs away and enters a forbidden portion of the kingdom that is rumored to be haunted. In the process, she almost falls over a cliff and is unexpectedly rescued by an uncle who is the family eccentric. He admonishes her to stay away from this dangerous place, but Andrea can't make herself obey. During another risky, exploratory journey there, she ends up in a cave just as the tide is coming in and almost drowns. Her relief at surviving is short-lived, though, because she discovers to her dismay that she has been swept into an utterly foreign world which has only one moon instead of the two moons of her own world.
Princess Andrea's unwillingness to settle for a very limited life leads her to fantastic adventures that are highly entertaining. Andrea is a strong protagonist who never gives up. There is action, romance, mystery, and amusing moments of comic relief in this delightfully original novel, as Andrea attempts to fulfill her heart's desire in the two separate worlds she becomes equally attached to.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 5
Subcharacters: 5
Fantasy World-Building: 5
Writing: 5
Action-Adventure Plot: 5
Romantic Subplot: 5
Overall: 5
Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book through NetGalley.
November 6, 2013
Two Moon Princess is one of those books that I wasn't initially sure what to make of, mostly because I wasn't - and honestly am still not - quite sure of what it was trying to be. Or do. And though by the end I did finally suss out what it was trying to say, three hundred or so pages of dumb and unlikable characters doing dumb and unlikable things had worn my patience with the story too much to care.
My first and biggest problem with Two Moon Princess is this: I have no idea what age group it's intended for. When we start the book, our heroine, Andrea, is supposed to be fourteen years old, and even then, she reads at least two years younger. She's immature, thoughtless, and absolutely oblivious to the world in a way you wouldn't expect any fourteen-year-old girl, much less a princess, to be. But it gets worse - we fast-forward through about a year in the first quarter of the book, putting Andrea at fifteen when the story proper begins, and once she makes the inevitable cross over from her world to ours, it's revealed that time passes differently where Andrea comes from, and that her true age is seventeen.
Seven-fucking-teen, and this girl has all the emotional maturity, understanding, and depth of a child half her age. I seriously just gaped when I read this, because the only way I'd been able to excuse the preceding crapload of one-note characterizations, shoddy storytelling, childish actions, and whiny, annoying heroine was by relegating it as "for kids".
But then Andrea crosses into our world, and all of the sudden this JF novel has YA aspirations, what with Andrea suddenly being seventeen, and caring about boys and clothes and dating...
Read more at .
My first and biggest problem with Two Moon Princess is this: I have no idea what age group it's intended for. When we start the book, our heroine, Andrea, is supposed to be fourteen years old, and even then, she reads at least two years younger. She's immature, thoughtless, and absolutely oblivious to the world in a way you wouldn't expect any fourteen-year-old girl, much less a princess, to be. But it gets worse - we fast-forward through about a year in the first quarter of the book, putting Andrea at fifteen when the story proper begins, and once she makes the inevitable cross over from her world to ours, it's revealed that time passes differently where Andrea comes from, and that her true age is seventeen.
Seven-fucking-teen, and this girl has all the emotional maturity, understanding, and depth of a child half her age. I seriously just gaped when I read this, because the only way I'd been able to excuse the preceding crapload of one-note characterizations, shoddy storytelling, childish actions, and whiny, annoying heroine was by relegating it as "for kids".
But then Andrea crosses into our world, and all of the sudden this JF novel has YA aspirations, what with Andrea suddenly being seventeen, and caring about boys and clothes and dating...
Read more at .
August 26, 2010
Carmen Ferreiro-Estaban takes you into a different world with Princess Andrea. When I began reading it, I just thought she was talking about the time when Princesses and castles were common, until she started talking about the two moons. Princess Andrea doesn't seem to be able to fit in. She wants to become a knight, but her parents want her to become a lady. By mistake she finds a "secret door" where it transports her to a very different world than hers. She learns to adapt to the new world with the help of her tÃo Ramiro. She accidently goes back to her world with someone from the different world and things get very complicated. Princess Andrea must find a way to solve the problems and be able to keep everyone she cares about alive.
I really loved reading this book. Carmen Ferreiro-Estabn said that this book "is loosely based on personal experience, like my protagonist Andrea, I arrived to California from Spain, the Old World. I have tried to capture in the book the sense of wonder I felt during those amazing first months in California and the shock of finding myself an alien in my own country when I went back." It is perhaps the reason why I was able to understand Princess Andrea and how out of place she felt when she returned to her world after being in the new one. Coming from Mexico to Chicago, then going back after 20 years, everything was so different and I felt like an alien in the place where I was born and raised for 8 years. This is a great book. If you have left a place you dearly loved and gone back after a couple of months/years, you may know the feelings Princess Andrea, Carmen, and I have felt.
I really loved reading this book. Carmen Ferreiro-Estabn said that this book "is loosely based on personal experience, like my protagonist Andrea, I arrived to California from Spain, the Old World. I have tried to capture in the book the sense of wonder I felt during those amazing first months in California and the shock of finding myself an alien in my own country when I went back." It is perhaps the reason why I was able to understand Princess Andrea and how out of place she felt when she returned to her world after being in the new one. Coming from Mexico to Chicago, then going back after 20 years, everything was so different and I felt like an alien in the place where I was born and raised for 8 years. This is a great book. If you have left a place you dearly loved and gone back after a couple of months/years, you may know the feelings Princess Andrea, Carmen, and I have felt.
December 21, 2014
I love stories about princesses. I especially love stories about princesses who don't get everything handed to them and who seem to be overlooked. I had so many mixed emotions about this book.
Starting with the good: I love LOVE LOVED the romance in this book. I am not going to give it away for those of you who haven't read it. It is the kind of romance that builds slowly and at an excruciatingly slow pace. (In a very good way). I loved the way the book ended, and I love that they didn't really find each other until the very end of the book. It was a very satisfying finish and a very satisfying romance.
I loved the entire idea of having another dimension so close to our own. I loved the idea of Andrea traveling back and forth between Earth and her dimension. It was a fun mix of a contemporary story mixed in with a beautiful fantasy story.
I was a little disappointed with some of the characters in the story- namely Andrea's uncle. I felt that character seemed hollow. He seemed outrageously angry for ridiculous reasons and seemed to tear apart a niece he supposedly adored. I was completely baffled by the way he treated Andrea- it was confusing and didn't seem to fit in with the character that the author had established.
I was also disappointed with Jeff's character. I know he was being a typical teenage boy who couldn't completely get a handle on inter dimensional traveling. However, his whole existence was confusing- he was a graduate student who played on the college's basketball team and acted like he was 15.
All in all this was a decent book, and worth the read if you want a love story you will remember.
April 16, 2011
Posted on .
What girl doesn't want to become a princess? Andrea is the youngest princess; a princess who would rather become a squire than a lady. She resists all expectations as the youngest daughter of the King and Queen, and escapes to explore with her horse, Flecha. Upon one of her adventures, she stumbles upon a door to a different world, California. You see, she comes from a land where there are two moons and much different than California, today. Could a princess from another world survive in California? What would the repercussions be when she goes back to her world? Would this adventure be worth everything that has been granted to her?
When I first read this book, it immediately brought me back to when I was in elementary school, reading under the covers with a flashlight. The story is well written and simple enough for a young teen, but enticing enough for an adult like me. It brought a fresh look at the adventurous princess that I have not seen in a long time. To me, I can categorize this with the likes of "Island of the Blue Dolphin" or even "The Bridge to Terabithia."
The story is easy to pick up and easy for it to grab you. There are a few parts in the book where I was a little confused with where the plot was going. For a chapter or two of the book, I did not like Andrea. I felt that she was missing the lessons that she should have been learning. But doesn't that happen to most rebellious princesses?
At the end, it made me want to read more. I finished this book until the wee hours of the morning, and I thought about it again when I woke up. It is definitely worth the read.
What girl doesn't want to become a princess? Andrea is the youngest princess; a princess who would rather become a squire than a lady. She resists all expectations as the youngest daughter of the King and Queen, and escapes to explore with her horse, Flecha. Upon one of her adventures, she stumbles upon a door to a different world, California. You see, she comes from a land where there are two moons and much different than California, today. Could a princess from another world survive in California? What would the repercussions be when she goes back to her world? Would this adventure be worth everything that has been granted to her?
When I first read this book, it immediately brought me back to when I was in elementary school, reading under the covers with a flashlight. The story is well written and simple enough for a young teen, but enticing enough for an adult like me. It brought a fresh look at the adventurous princess that I have not seen in a long time. To me, I can categorize this with the likes of "Island of the Blue Dolphin" or even "The Bridge to Terabithia."
The story is easy to pick up and easy for it to grab you. There are a few parts in the book where I was a little confused with where the plot was going. For a chapter or two of the book, I did not like Andrea. I felt that she was missing the lessons that she should have been learning. But doesn't that happen to most rebellious princesses?
At the end, it made me want to read more. I finished this book until the wee hours of the morning, and I thought about it again when I woke up. It is definitely worth the read.
November 7, 2011
Our story takes us on an adventure of Princess Andrea. Stubborn and hearty she wants to be a Page only to have her father turn down her request. He wants her to join her mother and learn to be a Lady as is fitting of her status.
Andrea is gutsy, intelligent and quick witted. She meets her Uncle at some rocks near a beach and is soon to discover that the cave/archway is actually a portal to another world.
Andrea resumes her life and learns her Lady skills to a degree but she is not completely happy in her world.When she accidently goes over to the other side she meets her Uncle again and discovers his other life, meets his daughter and gets to know John, a boy that catches her fancy.
This book captured me from the beginning and I was expecting something else if I'm honest. It started like Alanna by Tamora Pierce and ended completely NOT like Alanna.
I thought the descriptive writing was superb, this author has such a flare for english and can captivate you with the story.
It doesn't matter that some of the characters are downright annoying (Kelsey for instance) I think that was the authors intention.
Andrea does at times act much younger than her age, she is sometimes a little slow (but we can forgive that) and she's impulsive. But that's what I like in a heroine. She's still growing up after all.
Altogether I thought it was a great read. I'm not sure about the target market as originally I though 10-12 years, but then ended up being 14-16 years, however I'm sure the older audience will enjoy this book also.
Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this exceptional book!
Andrea is gutsy, intelligent and quick witted. She meets her Uncle at some rocks near a beach and is soon to discover that the cave/archway is actually a portal to another world.
Andrea resumes her life and learns her Lady skills to a degree but she is not completely happy in her world.When she accidently goes over to the other side she meets her Uncle again and discovers his other life, meets his daughter and gets to know John, a boy that catches her fancy.
This book captured me from the beginning and I was expecting something else if I'm honest. It started like Alanna by Tamora Pierce and ended completely NOT like Alanna.
I thought the descriptive writing was superb, this author has such a flare for english and can captivate you with the story.
It doesn't matter that some of the characters are downright annoying (Kelsey for instance) I think that was the authors intention.
Andrea does at times act much younger than her age, she is sometimes a little slow (but we can forgive that) and she's impulsive. But that's what I like in a heroine. She's still growing up after all.
Altogether I thought it was a great read. I'm not sure about the target market as originally I though 10-12 years, but then ended up being 14-16 years, however I'm sure the older audience will enjoy this book also.
Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read this exceptional book!
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