science fiction

The Two Princesses of Bamarre - Gail Carson Levine Book Review

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Review Summary
Sixteen-year-old Addie and her sister Meryl are the two daughters of the king of Bamarre, a magical kingdom. Years ago, they lost their mother to the Gray Death, a horrible disease that strikes suddenly and with no hope of recovery. Now brave, adventurous Meryl hopes to grow up to have great adventures and, most especially, to find a cure for the Gray Death. Unlike her older sister, shy Addie is timid and afraid. Yet it is Meryl who falls ill with the Gray Death. When their father does little to help Meryl, Addie decides that although she may never be brave, she must do all she can to save the sister who always swore she would be the one to become a hero. With the help of Rhys, a young sorcerer, Addie sets out on her quest, which will take her through forests of specters and ogres, across rivers and deserts, and to the lair of a deadly dragon.
Kristie Crofoot, Resident Scholar

The two princesses of Bamarre are as different as night and day. Addie is fearful and shy while Meryl is bold and daring. They love each other. But disaster strikes when Meryl contracts the Gray Death. There is no known cure but Addie swallows her fears ands sets out to find one. With the help
of a socerer and a few magical items, Addie faces spectors, gryphons, ogres, and dragons. Her bravery transforms the kingdom of cowards and leads to the discovery of the cure.

Joanna , Resident Scholar

Princess Adelina is a girl who just wants peace, tranquility, and to be safe in Bamarre Castle with her brave sister, Princess Meryl. Meryl wants to go out and fight ogres, slay dragons, find the cure to the Gray Death (a deadly disease thought to have swept in from the seas), and persuade the fairies to come back to Bamarre. But, when Addie turns 16, Merly contracts the Gray Death, and the princesses father, King Lionel, sets out for the cure. After failure, Addie realizes that she should have done what Meryl would have done for her if she was in that situation, she decides to set out for the cure. With the help of Rhys, a sorcerer, Bella, the princesses's governess, and Milton, the elf nurse, she gets gifts to help her on her quest. Will Princess Addie find the cure in time? Read the book to find out!
Samantha, Resident Scholar

Two princesses live in the time of fairies, elves, and -most important of all- the grey death. Meryl is the ambitious, sword-trained, unlikely princess, whereas her sister is into sewing, moonlight walks, and, basically, being a princess. It is Meryl who vows seeking the cure for the grey death, but vows never to set out on her quest until her sister is happily married.
However, it is Meryl who falls ill, and her sister has to set out on a quest to save her. The sorceror presents her with a magic shadow cloak, a table cloth which unfolds to present a fine meal, and a few other handy objects. Her nurse maid gives her a set of magic boots and an eyeglass which sees through wood and stone.
After defeating an ogre, braving spiders -her worst fear- killing gryphons, and triumphing over her triumphs, she at last finds the dragon she is looking for- the only person who can tell her the cure for the grey death. By entertaining the dragoness with her embroidery, and showing her lack of hope, she manages to make the dragon tell her the cure for the illness.
By using her head and cunning,the princess escapes the dragoness and rushes home to Meryl. The company sets out to get Meryl to the magic waterfall which would cure her, but they are attacked by gryphons and the dagoness at the waterfall. Meryl cannot reach the water in time.
Meryl is granted the honour of living as a fairy instead of dying, and the two sisters are separated. Meryl falls in love with Drault, the hero of the past, presumed dead but found as a fairy. Her sister also finds happiness with the sorceror- but the princesses almost never see each other again.

nouran, Resident Scholar

Addie has always been the shy and retiring princess. Unlike her sister, Meryl, Addie is afraid of everything; Addie relies on Meryl to protect her from all the things she fears. But when Meryl falls ill with the dreaded and fatal Gray Death, only Addie can save her.   To do so, she must conquer her fears and adventure out into the world, alone - and she has to do it fast, since time is running out for Meryl. Addie faces dragons, specters, and even spiders, and triumphs over the Gray Death - but has she done it in time to save her sister?
Ivy, Resident Scholar


Detailed literary breakdown of The Two Princesses of Bamarre
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Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%




FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets: - exploring a wondrous planet or phenomena
Tech./$$$/Info hunt Yes
Stealing/recovering/destroying - cure/disease/bioweapon
Is this an adult or child's book? - Kid's book (ages 7-14)

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Age: - a teen
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - soggy whimpering jelly muffin - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique - healthy but a geeky weakling

Main Adversary
Age: - long-lived adults
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor

Setting
Terrain - Mountains - Forests
Earth setting: - during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a primitive/fantasy society
Takes place on Earth? Yes
Planet outside solar system? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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