I was at uni one day with a big gap with nothing to do till orchestra started. Boredom set in so I set off on an adventure to my favourite place to go at uni. The bookshop of course! Being a poor uni student I didn't often buy a book but just being in the presence of books, reading the back of them, seeing them, holding them, smelling them was still pretty awesome. I'm really not insane, promise. However on this special day I made a decision to actually buy this book that caught my eye. Surprise, surprise it was 'Princess Ben'!
Before you sneer at me and whisper 'princess girl' behind your hand I am not a crazy princess person. Yes, I do like Disney princess movies but in moderation. When I was little I didn't dress up as a princess with a tutu and lisp about being a beautiful pwincess waiting for my pwince. Instead when my sisters and I played dress-ups I liked dressing as a poor peasant with lots of tatty shawls and weeping about my starving family (still not insane).
Princess Ben isn't like other Princess books. In most 'princess books' the main character is unbelievably beautiful so much so that she is the desire of every man in the kingdom. However, she is not caught up with her beauty because she is so tender hearted, strong willed and self assured that her life goal is grant the wish of every peasant in the kingdom and create world peace. In contrast to this Princess Ben is overweight, prejudiced, caught up with her own problems, stubborn and unteachable. Princess Ben is a princess I feel you can actually relate to. She isn't serene, she is silly.
This book is hilarious! Ben gets caught up in some ridiculous scenarios and during the book she really has to work hard at growing up and becoming dependable enough to rule the kingdom. In this book Ben has to be taught how to act like a proper polite princess by her cold elegant aunt who Ben hates. If she does not become the ruler the kingdom expects her to be she will be forced to marry the prince who bids the highest. If Ben can sulk her way out of trouble she will do it.
I love this book!! Read it.
"The day of the ball was spent preparing me much as one prepares a goose for Christmas, with the same ultimate effect."
"The day of the ball was spent preparing me much as one prepares a goose for Christmas, with the same ultimate effect."
