Bibliography
Hale, Shannon. 2005. PRINCESS ACADEMY. New York, New York: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 1582349930
Plot Summary
A fragile young girl from Mount Eskel, Miri, feels insignificant and weak as she is not allowed to work in the linder quarry alongside her father. Her mother dies when Miri was a newborn, and her father remains overprotective of his little flower. Just as she feels that she is of no use, the king announces that the prince will choose his next bride from the mountain girls. As she and the other girls are escorted to the academy to prepare themselves for the prince’s arrival, intrigue and nervousness set in. Tutor Olana is the nightmarish teacher that practices insensitive language and cruel punishments. As the girls are forced to tolerate harsh conditions, Miri begins to learn about the world and about herself.
At times, Miri is ostracized by the other girls for her independent thinking. Because of this, she throws herself into the world of books and learning. She discovers how to access the mysterious “quarry speech” that she has heard about from the quarry workers. Soon, all of the mountain girls are able to communicate with the strange internal language. The girls utilize this talent during lessons, examinations, and dealing with Tutor Olana. Miri is even able to use quarry speech to alert her village that the academy has been overtaken by a group of merciless bandits. As the girls await the prince’s decision, Miri contemplates whether or not her true place is in a kingdom. Is it worth leaving her home, sister, father, and her potential true love, Peder?
Critical Analysis
Susan Hale delivers an exceptional story, packed with friendship, unity, love, survival, and the feeling of self-worth. The reader first sees the character of Miri as a diminutive 14 year-old. She is ripped from her home and everything that she has ever known. She and the other girls are forced to live at an academy, transforming themselves into some type of royal lady. It is interesting how Hale enables Miri to discover that she too can perform quarry speech. She was under the impression that only quarry workers could speak it. It is only during a time of incredible need that she is able to conjure up the emotions to communicate with her fellow Mount Esker citizens. While the story first appears to be that of young girls being groomed for a potential crown, the reader quickly sees that this story travels much deeper. It is a story about young Miri trying to make a difference in her beloved mountain. Because she was so firm in her beliefs, her fellow classmates shunned her, which caused her to immerse herself in books, which shed light on many facets of the world that affected her Mount Eskel. It is about how all the people of one land have a gift that allows them to correspond with or warn one another of impending trouble.
Hales detailed description of different settings allows the reader to paint a picture of the Mount Eskel atmosphere, “The festivities slows and families clustered around fire, drinking tea, with honey if they were lucky and singing sleepy tunes…Among the gray scraps of rubble rock, the white and silver linder gleamed like jewels. From the cracks in the rocks all around, the miri flowers were already blooming.”
Hale depicts Miri as the smartest and most likely candidate to be chosen by the prince. As the decision time draws closer, Miri contemplates her future. Hale creates a constant struggle that Miri must battle. She wonders if she will say yes if the prince chooses her, and if she does, will she be happy? What will happen to Mount Eskel? What will happen to her family? The concept of “quarry speech” adds a bit of curiosity to the reader. Is it possible for these mountain people to actually communicate with their minds? This added whimsy offers a fantastical feeling throughout the book.
During the confrontation with the bandits, Hale lets Miri see how united an loyal her mountain community really is, which eventually ends in good winning over evil, “There was Peder, his hands red with cold, no doubt having left too quickly to find his gloves…Her family, her playmates, her protectors and neighbors and friends – those people were her world…She realized with sudden clarity that she did not want to live far away from the village where Mount Eskel’s shadow fell like a comforting arm. The mountain was home – the liner dust, the rhythm of the quarry, the chain of mountains, the people she knew as well as the feel of her own skin.” In the end, Miri takes her gift of intellect and justice and brings it to where it is needed most, her dearly loved Mount Eskel.
Review Excerpts
School Library Journal
“Each girl's story is brought to a satisfying conclusion, but this is not a fluffy, predictable fairy tale, even though it has wonderful moments of humor. Instead, Hale weaves an intricate, multilayered story about families, relationships, education, and the place we call home.”
Booklist
“Hale nicely interweaves feminist sensibilities in this quest-for-a-prince-charming, historical-fantasy tale. Strong suspense and plot drive the action as the girls outwit would-be kidnappers and explore the boundaries of leadership, competition, and friendship.”
Connections
Students can be encouraged to explain why only the Mount Eskel folks could practice quarry speech. Why is community so important in order for lands to run properly? Teachers should also emphasize that even though Miri was small and from a rural area, she was able to accomplish more than she ever thought.
Additional recommended books:
*The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale ISBN 158234843
*Enna Burning by Shannon Hale ISBN 1582349061
*River Secrets by Shannon Hale ISBN 1582349010
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