The Princess Game: A Reimagining of Sleeping Beauty

My favorite of the Four Kingdoms Series. Brilliant. Clever. Rafe’s cursed sister, Celeste, is an amazing, complex character that uses her godmother given intelligence to get around the curse and do fantastic things. What a crazy cool story.And I absolutely loved The Four Kingdoms Series. The stories are intertwined. You could enjoy each individually (they kind of could stand alone) but you need to read all of the amazing, clear, downright brilliant stories so it is best if you read them in order because there are a lot of spoilers in each subsequent book (and many things referred to that happened in previous increments). Make sure you read the novellas in the right spots.Book 1: The Princess Companion: A Retelling of The Princess and the PeaBook 2: The Princess Fugitive: A Reimagining of Little Red Riding HoodNovella: Happily Ever Afters: A Reimagining of Snow White and Rose RedNovella: The Coronation Ball: A Four Kingdoms Cinderella NoveletteBook 3: The Princess Pact: A Twist on RumpelstiltskinNovella: A Midwinter's Wedding: A Retelling of The Frog PrinceBook 4: The Princess Game: A Reimagining of Sleeping BeautyBook 5: The Princess Search: A Retelling of The Ugly Duckling

I completed The Princess Game: A Reimagining of Sleeping Beauty in record time, solidifying my current obsession with Melanie Cellier's fairy tale princess books. This is the last book in her Four Kingdoms series, but not the last to take place in Melanie's extended princess universe. The Beyond the Four Kingdoms series is still in progress, which means there will be plenty of new literature to look forward to in this realm of fairy godmothers and suspense. However, this book still marks the end of one era and the beginning of another. So, how does The Princess Game hold up in comparison to The Princess Companion, The Princess Fugitive, and The Princess Pact?There were a few notable differences that stood out to me right away. It's the first book in the series to be written in first person format, which probably should have been done earlier because the other books were clearly meant to be from the perspective of the princesses, even going so far as to occasionally switch to that of the prince while remaining in third person. It was also the first to be base on a fairy tale that had already been turned into a well-known movie. Considering that Melanie's previous books took somewhat less popular fairy tales and gave them an original spin so she could make them entirely her own, I was surprised to find that this one had several references that were specific only to the Disney movie and not the fairy tale itself, such as the name "Aurora," the dragon imagery, and the three good fairies (as opposed to twelve from the original story). There were even a few small nods to Maleficent, Disney's live-action adaptation from 2014. That is not to say that it was by any means the same as the story portrayed in the 1959 animated feature, though. In fact, the plot was vastly different from any other "Sleeping Beauty" adaptation I've ever seen.The book reads a little like a James Bond movie if James Bond also happened to be a princess. Instead of foolishly pricking her finger and becoming inactive for the rest of the story, The Princess Game flips the script of the "Sleeping Beauty" story and makes the heroine doubly active due to her curse. Princess Celeste leads two lives. The effect of her curse requires her shrewd mind to appear to be asleep in the public eye. In private, she is the kingdom's spymaster, uncovering plots against the crown through her many agents within the castle who are unaware of her true identity. While it is a bit of a stretch that the curse could be altered so much from death to sleep to a mere inconvenience, it still makes for an exciting story. Another thing that didn't make sense was how Celeste's aunt, who appeared to have no supernatural abilities, would have been able to place a curse on her as a baby causing her to die when she turned sixteen in the first place. This book had many more inconsistencies than the others, but it definitely gets points for originality.Of all the fairy tale adaptations I've read, The Princess Game has the most in common with Gail Carson Levine's Newbery Award-winning Ella Enchanted. Both books take well-known fairy tales and turn them on their head, making it so that the heroines who appear passive outwardly are actually fighting a very active internal battle against the unfortunate circumstances of their childhood. Just as Ella tried to test the limits of her obedience curse in Ella Enchanted resulting in great physical discomfort when she went too far, Celeste outsmarts her curse by becoming an alter ego to the "spymaster," which she does by covering her face with a scarf and using the code name "Aurora." The curse doesn't affect her if people don't realize her identity. Her duel nature of being beautiful but air-headed in public and intelligent but stoic in private makes us question the very nature of the vain princess archetype. Does carrying a coveted outward appearance mean that you cannot also be brilliant internally? It's the same question posed by the 2001 movie-turned-Broadway-musical Legally Blonde. The answer, of course, is no.The Princess Game comes off more as an allegory than the other books in The Four Kingdoms series. It still had the same suspense, romance, and quick-witted heroines as all of the other princess heroines, but it also had more of an introspective view on human nature and those who personally identify with storybook princesses. Anyone can put on a pretty dress and attract attention, but that does not mean that you can't also be a brave and cunning leader who is capable of changing the world. Overall, I think my favorite book in the series was The Princess Pact because I related more to Marie than to Celeste, but The Princess Game was a fitting and thought-provoking conclusion.

Sleeping Beauty has been my favorite since I was a little girl. As I've gotten older, other stories and princesses have challenged her, but deep down, Aurora will always be my oldest and first fairy tale love. I can honestly say that Mrs. Celier has done her justice.First of all, William! SQUEE! He's positively dashing. In fact, the entire story would be well-summed up as dashing. There was quite a bit more adventure in this one than the previous ones. Even Ava wasn't as kickbutt and awesome as Aurora! I loved the skillset she displayed and how her instincts, training, and choices played into the plot. The plot was enthralling and pretty fast-paced. The setting was <i>gorgeous</i> and I wanted more of it. I think Lanover may be my favorite so far (except for maybe Arcadia, because it was my first). Though each kingdom has it's own strengths and forms of beauty, Lanover had that tropical paradise that I LOVE! Islands and sand and jungles and warm sunshine! Count me in! I really liked getting to see Celine so young and it makes me even more exited to see her story--which I'm hoping is the Snow Queen! The character interactions among all the siblings was precious and reminded me a little of my own family. I do hope we'll return to the rest of the family one day. Maybe Clarisse will fall in love or the older boys? :D Hey, a girl can hope! The twist on the classic fairy tale was clever and completely ingenuitive. It made for a unique and vibrant retelling. Mmm, and did I mention William?! He's the perfect Phillip. *sigh* *swoon* Well-written, intriguing plot, fantastic characters, and stunning setting. No language, sweet, sweet romance, and mild, dangerous violence. Nothing graphic. Dashing!