Thursday, January 08, 2009

Book Review: Princess Academy

I finished Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale, on audio today. I actually started listening to it a while back and then stopped, not because I wasn't enjoying it, but because my schedule changed and I stopped making a long drive that I used to make regularly. Recently, I started exercising, and it was a good excuse to pick up the audio where I left off. I'm glad I did; I really enjoyed it. Rather than writing a long blog review, as I usually do, I wrote a short review on Goodreads, which I'm reproducing here using code automatically generated by Goodreads. (Cheating, I know. Sorry!)

Princess Academy Princess Academy by Shannon Hale


My review


rating: 5 of 5 stars
I listened to this book on audio and the Full Cast Audio production was very well done and highly listenable, as they always are. This is the second Shannon Hale book that I've read, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first one. (Book of a Thousand Days). The characters are vivid and fascinating, and the mountain culture beautifully described. It certainly made me want to live on Mount Eskel! I was listening to this while exercising, and I was at the climax when I reached my exercise goal for the day - but I kept on exercising because I couldn't bear to stop listening. Thanks, Shannon Hale, for contributing to my fitness!


View all my reviews.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Princess Academy was good. I read it - it is one of the great Fantasy books out there.

BookChook said...

You know Sheila, I believe short book reviews can be a real boon to readers with all the demands on their time, particularly on the net. My target audience is parents and I deliberately keep the reviews short, imagining them with a baby in one arm and a mouse in the other!

I love the idea of using an audio book to accompany my exercising - thanks!

Camille said...

I was also listening to this book and I also got stuck and did not finish it. I think I will dial it up again.

Unknown said...

Anonymous: Thanks for stopping by! I'm glad you enjoyed Princess Academy, too.

Book Chook: Thanks for the feedback. I usually write longer reviews because I like to provide detailed information that will be helpful to librarians and teachers in deciding what books to purchase or recommend for their collection. Also, the books I review are primarily for older kids, so their parents may have a little more independence, although some may have younger kids as well. (Boy, do I remember the baby in one arm, mouse in the other days!) But it's nice to know that the short reviews are helpful, too.

Camille: I think it does get a little slow in the middle, but it picks up again.

Emily Ruth said...

Ah! I love shannon hale :)
Nice review

Unknown said...

Thanks, Emily. I've certainly liked the Shannon Hale books I've read so far. I'm going to have to check out her others, too.

Priya said...

I love Princess Academy! The Goose Girl is also an awesome book to start with if you want to check out any more of her books.

Fourstorymistake said...

I loved "Princess Academy!" Like Priya, I started with "Goose Girl" and, although I've read all of hers, "Princess Academy" and "Goose Girl" are my favorites! Great succinct review too! I will try to learn from you... ;)

Em said...

I haven't read a single Shannon Hale book yet. I own almost all of them...I just never seem to get around to reading them. Maybe that should be my goal this month. :)

Unknown said...

Sounds like a good goal!