Reviewed by LadyJay for TeensReadToo.com
Sophie FitzOsbourne lives on the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray. She and the rest of her family are royalty, even though their subjects are few and the castle is falling down around them.
Princess Sophie decides to keep a diary of events so that the history of Montmaray will not be lost. She chronicles the everyday happenings on the island, discusses the tragic death of her parents, and also touches upon the political unrest in both Germany and Spain.
The whole world seems to be on the brink of something terrible/wonderful, and Sophie is left to tend to her younger sister and insane uncle, the King of Montmaray. Inevitably, Sophie is forced to make hard decisions, but she does it with a princess' grace.
I have always been a fan of sweeping, epic tales, and A BRIEF HISTORY OF MONTMARAY feels like one to me. Michelle Cooper has all of the bases covered - adventure, romance, suspense - they all can be found in this novel.
I enjoyed reading Sophie's perspective on things - What would happen to Montmaray if another Great War took place? Would Sophie be forced to leave the only home she has ever known? Her narrative is strong and very detailed.
The author also does an excellent job of including conversations that Sophie has with other characters. We get to see all points of view through her diary. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and am looking forward to more stories from Michelle Cooper.
Sophie FitzOsbourne lives on the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray. She and the rest of her family are royalty, even though their subjects are few and the castle is falling down around them.
Princess Sophie decides to keep a diary of events so that the history of Montmaray will not be lost. She chronicles the everyday happenings on the island, discusses the tragic death of her parents, and also touches upon the political unrest in both Germany and Spain.
The whole world seems to be on the brink of something terrible/wonderful, and Sophie is left to tend to her younger sister and insane uncle, the King of Montmaray. Inevitably, Sophie is forced to make hard decisions, but she does it with a princess' grace.
I have always been a fan of sweeping, epic tales, and A BRIEF HISTORY OF MONTMARAY feels like one to me. Michelle Cooper has all of the bases covered - adventure, romance, suspense - they all can be found in this novel.
I enjoyed reading Sophie's perspective on things - What would happen to Montmaray if another Great War took place? Would Sophie be forced to leave the only home she has ever known? Her narrative is strong and very detailed.
The author also does an excellent job of including conversations that Sophie has with other characters. We get to see all points of view through her diary. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and am looking forward to more stories from Michelle Cooper.
