I recently re-read this book and loved it as much as ever. Princess Amy (technically Amethyst Alexandra Augusta Araminta Adelaide Aurelia Anne) is the youngest of seven princess, each beautiful and perfect with blond hair and blue eyes. On the day of her christening she is given a fairy gift, the gift of being ordinary. Amy grows up being the only one of her family to appreciate this as a gift and when it comes time to marry her off she realizes that for the sake of the kingdom and her own happiness it's best to strike out on her own.
There are so many things to love in this book, the tongue-in-cheek over-the-top descriptions of the palace and kingdom, and the plot line itself. Amy doesn't have a makeover in a montage scene, she doesn't "learn a lesson" and suddenly find her ordinariness vanishing. What she does do is focus on what she wants and develop her personality and skills and along the way finds a beau worthy of her who sees her for who she is and appreciates that. When she and the beau realize that each has been keeping a secret from the other, there is no rom-com argument or misunderstanding or hurt feelings. I always wonder at those moments in movies and books: if these two people are meant for each other yet can't even communicate or give the other the benefit of the doubt and a civil discussion, then what hope of "happy ever after" is there? If they get this bent out of shape over a simple misunderstanding that could easily be remedied with a five-minute conversation what will happen the first time they disagree on dinner or groceries or what movie to watch?
Back to the book, Amy and Perry fall in love but instead of running away and living in the forest (tempting though that may be) they devise a way to meet their responsibilities and satisfy their families and live happily ever after in their own way. That's how you know it's a fairy tale, but a very enjoyable and rewarding fairy tale to read.
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