Princess of the Silver Woods

Princess of the Silver Woods
By Jessica Day George

From reading the last post, you know I enjoy reading Jessica Day George. This one was not a disappointment.

This story is a mixture between Little Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood, and it was mixed well. It's set in the made up country in a medieval time period, but we're back in the Westfalin kingdom, where the original story, Princess of the Midnight Ball, started. Again the twelve dancing princesses are the characters that the story is based around, but the main character is the youngest sister, Petunia, who is now 16 years old.  This story is 10 after Princess of the Midnight Ball took place and 3 years after Princess of Glass.  The other main character is Oliver, the Robin Hood character in the story. 

In the beginning of the story, Petunia is on her way to visit the Grand Duchess Volenskaya, an old lady whom she met when she visited on her year visit to Russaka 3 years earlier. On her way, her carriage is stopped by the Wolves of Westfalin Woods, a group of bandits in wolf masks. They ask for all the goods, but Petunia surprises them by holding her pistol in the leader's face. The carriage escapes, but tips over a little while later on a sharp curve. All the riders extricate themselves, trying to figure out what to do next. Do they continue on their way, or do they head back to the palace? While they are deciding, Petunia decides to relieve herself. Heading into the woods a little, she happens upon the leader on the Wolves and his little brother who's broken his ankle. Because she sees them without masks, Oliver, the leader, "kidnaps" her and takes her back to their base.

Petunia finds out that Oliver, who's not much older than her, is an earl who has lost his lands. In order to provide for his people, he had to resort to thievery. After one night in his keep, Oliver delivers her to the Grand Duchess Volenskaya's estate (which are really his lands). They are almost run over by Prince Grigori, the Grand Duchess' grandson, on his way to search for Petunia. Oliver barely escapes and has to hide in a hothouse on the Grand Duchess' estates (a hothouse he remembers from his youth). After it gets dark, he decides to leave but is stopped by the sight of shadowy men crawling towards the house and an open window. He's scared for Petunia.

Petunia is safe for the time being at the estate, enjoying her time with the Grand Duchess and Prince Grigori. She is, however, starting to have nightmares again of Under Stone and the Princes who made them dance every night. Her sisters are there too, and they can't seem to get free.  

Oliver decides to help Petunia the only way he can: by turning himself in to the King and telling him what he saw. He is held in a attic until further questioning can be done. When he's questioned, he shares everything but the shadow men. That he only shares with some of the princesses.  The princesses and their husbands help Oliver escape, and they are all off to the Grand Duchess' estate to help Petunia.

Petunia and her sisters are reunited and thrilled to be together again, but it doesn't last long. They are ferried away to the Kingdom Under Stone and the princes who are waiting to make them brides. All seems to be lost, but the princesses don't give up. And neither does Oliver and the other husbands. They find a way into Under Stone to help free the princesses and a happily ever after is won! The princes of Under Stone are trapped for good, and the princesses will never be bothered by them again.

What I liked: I love happily ever afters. And this one had it. Oliver and Petunia fall in love and plan to get married. And it was nice to see some of the other characters again. Rose and Galen (from Princess of the Midnight Ball) are still happy and in love, and Poppy and Christian (from Princess of Glass) are married at the end of the book. There was a decisive victory and defeat in the end with no loose ties. It finished up nicely.

What I didn't like: Princess Petunia was not a totally consistent character. In the beginning, she was indecisive and unsure, but then she became bold and bossy.  One can chalk this up to a character changing and growing, but the time allotted for this growth was minimal.  She also complained often that all her sisters babied her and always treated her like the baby, but by the end, they let her do most of the work.  It just seemed like it wasn't consistent. But those are small things.

I would recommend this book to middle school girls who love fairy tales and happily ever afters!