The Captain’s Log – the princess in the opal mask (Jenny Lundquist)

Ahoy there me mateys!  I have no idea where I first heard about this book but it sounded like a prince and pauper type story so it went onto the ports fer plunder list.  I love those types of fairy tales and was excited to pick this one up.  It turned out to be a fun romp that I read in one night.

There are two girls who eventually do switch places.  The highlight of this book for me was Elara.  She is feisty and determined.  I particularly liked the way in which she interacted with her foster family in the beginning of the novel.  The other girl, Princess Wilha, had her best moments in the second half of the book but overall seemed bland in comparison to Elara.

While this book was fast-paced, it does have lesser elements.  Two in particular were the romances and the plot problems.  The romances were mostly surface and not really developed in depth.  I liked the guys involved.  I just wish they didn’t feel so two dimensional.  The plot was also clumsy.  The reason for the princess wearing the mask seemed farfetched.  A lot of the events seemed disjointed.  So many improbable things just fall into place.  Both main characters make odd choices that just seem to move the plot along.  I would have liked a little more depth to the characters’ motivations.  I also wish there had been more about the relationship between the two girls.  Though I did not expect that ending at all which was fun.

Despite the flaws, I enjoyed it enough to read the sequel.

The author’s website has this to say about the novel:

One Legend Determines the Fate of Two Lives   In the faraway village of Tulan, sixteen-year-old Elara has spent her entire life as a servant, trying to track down her real name. The name she was given before being orphaned. Meanwhile, in the kingdom of Galandria, Princess Wilhamina does not know why her father, the king, makes her wear a mask. Or why she is forbidden to ever show her face.

When a new peace treaty between Galandria and Kyrenica is threatened, Elara and Wilha are brought face to face. Told in alternating perspectives, this intricate fairytale pulls both girls toward secrets that have been locked away behind castle doors, while the fate of two opposing kingdoms rests squarely on their untrained shoulders.

To visit the author’s website go to:

Jenny Lundquist – Author

To buy the book go to:

the princess in the opal mask – Book

To add to Goodreads go to:

Yer Ports for Plunder List