Books › The Ordinary Princess
The Ordinary Princess
First published 1984 · 112 pages
A cozy, gently subversive fairy tale that celebrates the quiet magic of being perfectly unremarkable.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like slipping into a sun-warmed, familiar sweater. It takes the rigid, glittering tropes of classic fairy tales and gently turns them inside out, replacing glass slippers and golden hair with freckles, comfortable dresses, and the quiet thrill of independence. The prose sparkles with a wry, affectionate wit, moving at a brisk, cheerful pace that never loses its cozy atmosphere. It is a deeply comforting read, offering a playful but sincere rebellion against the pressure to be extraordinary. Readers who grew up loving the subversive charm of Ella Enchanted or the practical heroines of Diana Wynne Jones will devour this delightful, grounding story about the profound magic of simply being yourself.
- Mood
- cozy
- sunlit
- cheerful
- comforting
- Tone
- wry
- charming
- playful
- gentle
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- finding joy in the mundane · rejecting societal expectations · the beauty of being average · quiet rebellion
- The writing
- Classic and gently sparkling, with a traditional fairy-tale cadence that affectionately winks at the reader.
- The arc
- From feeling out of place in a world of glittering perfection to discovering the liberating joy of being entirely oneself.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love cozy, subversive fairy tales and find comfort in stories where the hero wins by being delightfully unremarkable.
Content notes
- running away from home
- mild family rejection
About the book
Along with Wit, Charm, Health, and Courage, Princess Amy of Phantasmorania receives a special fairy christening gift: Ordinariness. Unlike her six beautiful sisters, she has brown hair and freckles, and would rather have adventures than play the harp, embroider tapestries... or become a Queen. When her royal parents try to marry her off, Amy runs away and, because she's so ordinary, easily becomes the fourteenth assistant kitchen maid at a neighboring palace. And there... much to everyone's surprise... she meets a prince just as ordinary (and special) as she is!
Description from Open Library.
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