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kareila_booksThis 2005 book is technically a reread, but I was surprised to recently learn that it had received sequels in 2012 and 2015. The first time I read it was before I started keeping this journal, and I feel that it deserves a review.
This a juvenile fantasy book, but it's not really about a princess. It's about a girl who lives in a remote mining town in the mountains. The faraway king hears a prophecy that the prince will marry a girl from that town, so an academy is established to educate every girl of marriageable age who lives there, ensuring that whomever the prince eventually chooses to be his bride will be suitable for the role.
To complicate things further, it is gradually revealed that all of the miners can commune telepathically through shared memory, an ability that they call quarry-speech. The heroine, Miri, uses this ability along with her wits and courage to ensure the success of the academy's students and the safety of the town.
What I particularly appreciate about this story, in addition to the subtle feminism, is that there are very few villains despite the tension and character conflicts. Everyone is trying to do their best, and no one is beyond redemption.
This a juvenile fantasy book, but it's not really about a princess. It's about a girl who lives in a remote mining town in the mountains. The faraway king hears a prophecy that the prince will marry a girl from that town, so an academy is established to educate every girl of marriageable age who lives there, ensuring that whomever the prince eventually chooses to be his bride will be suitable for the role.
To complicate things further, it is gradually revealed that all of the miners can commune telepathically through shared memory, an ability that they call quarry-speech. The heroine, Miri, uses this ability along with her wits and courage to ensure the success of the academy's students and the safety of the town.
What I particularly appreciate about this story, in addition to the subtle feminism, is that there are very few villains despite the tension and character conflicts. Everyone is trying to do their best, and no one is beyond redemption.
