The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
The Two Princesses of Bamarre is a fantastic, original fairy tale centering on two sisters who are complete opposites of each other, but also lovingly dedicated to one another. Meryl is an adventurous sort, taking her inspiration from the famous Bamarrian hero, Duralt. She is a born swashbuckler and a gifted bard, spinning heroic tales for her sister and friends. Addie is easily frightened and content to work Duralt's escapades into her embroidery. Yet the two young women are constant companions, until Meryl contracts the deadly Grey Death, the same plague that killed their mother.

There is a prophecy that tells about the cure being found only when the most timid seek it. When the sisters' cowardly father, the king, fails to find the cure and gives up, Addie realizes she must overcome her own timid nature and try to save Meryl herself, even though it means she must face the wilds of Bamarre alone -- wilds fraught with specters, griffins, and dragons. But perhaps the most challenging part of her secret quest is that, when she sets out, Addie has only six days before her sister dies! With a few magical items supplied by her friends and a sword from Meryl, she bravely ventures into Bamarre's most dangerous regions, all hope of Meryl's survival left up to her.

I have never read any of Gail Carson Levine's books, but she is a Newbery Honor Book author. If The Two Princesses of Bamarre is any indication of what her other books are like, then I've discovered an author whose books I need to follow. She is a real treat to read -- a fun, talented storyteller. The Two Princesses of Bamarre was a pleasure. (Sierra Phillips)

From the Publisher

When a plague strikes Bamarre, Princess Addie must save her sister.

Brave and adventureous, Princess Meryl dreams of fighting dragons and protecting the kingdom of Bamarre. Shy and fearful, Princess Addie is content to stay within the safety of the castle walls. The one thing that the sisters share is their unwavering love for each other.

The tables are turned, however, when the Gray Death leaves Meryl fatally ill. To save her sister, meek Princess Addie must find the courage to set out on a dangerous quest filled with dragons, unknown magic, and death itself. Time is running out, and the sisters' lives—and the future of the kingdom of Bamarre—hang in the balance.

Dallas Morning News

Deserves to be around for a long, long time.

Atlanta Journal & Constitution

Tough to put down, this is a shades–of–Oz story that sticks with you.

Publishers Weekly

A pair of princesses becomes determined to find a cure for a mysterious illness that killed their mother. "The author enters a world of high fantasy with this latest princess tale, peopled with sorcerers, elves and fairies, said PW. Ages 12-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Levine (Ella Enchanted) enters a world of high fantasy with this latest princess tale, peopled with sorcerers, elves and fairies, but plot twists win out over character development. When teenage narrator Addie was two years old, and her sister, Meryl, just three, the siblings lost their mother to the Gray Death, a mysterious illness that continues to plague the kingdom of Bamarre, randomly selecting its victims. Meanwhile, under their monarch father's weak rule, "ogres, gryphons, specters and dragons... were slaughtering hundreds of Bamarrians every year." When the Gray Death strikes Meryl, Addie becomes determined to find the cure. Rhys, a sorcerer who fancies Addie, outfits her with a cloak ("It's not a cloak of invisibility," he tells her, "but if you're in shadow... you won't be noticed") and a tablecloth that produces food on demand; Bella, the girls' tutor, bequeaths to her gifts from their mother, seven-league boots ("the boots go seven leagues when you take a step") and a spyglass that can view a distance of seven leagues and also penetrate stone and wood. Despite Addie's myriad adventures (an encounter with a specter, an ogre and a dragon) and the courage she gains throughout, her character remains an enigma. Other subplots, such as Rhys and Addie's courtship, are not fully developed. Even after the heroine completes her mission (Levine plants clues to its outcome with a Beowulf-like poem interspersed throughout the novel), readers may feel let down. Ages 10-up. (May) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

Compared to her bold and adventurous sister, Princess Addie wants nothing more than to stay in the castle, work on her embroidery and get married some day. When Princess Meryl falls ill with the Grey Death, however, Princess Addie must overcome her fear to save her sister and the kingdom. She sets out armed with a masking cloak, a magic tablecloth and maps from the castle sorcerer, Rhys, and special gifts from Meryl and their late mother. During her quest for the cure, she faces specters, ogres, gryphons and, most terrifying of all, the dragon Vollys, who imprisons her as the precious days her sister has left diminish. Finding bravery she did not know she had, Princess Addie breaks free from the dragon and races to bring the secret of the cure home. Satisfying and well-told fantasy, this moving tale of two sisters and their love for one another will linger long with readers. 2001, HarperCollins, $15.95 and $15.89. Ages 10 up. Reviewer: Valerie O. Patterson

Children's Literature

Compared to her bold and adventurous sister, Princess Addie wants nothing more than to stay in the castle, work on her embroidery and get married some day. When Princess Meryl falls ill with the Grey Death, however, Princess Addie must overcome her fear to save her sister and the kingdom. She sets out armed with a masking cloak, a magic tablecloth and maps from the castle sorcerer, Rhys, and special gifts from Meryl and their late mother. During her quest for the cure, she faces specters, ogres, gryphons and, most terrifying of all, the dragon Vollys, who imprisons her as the precious days her sister has left diminish. Finding bravery she did not know she had, Princess Addie breaks free from the dragon and races to bring the secret of the cure home. Satisfying and well-told fantasy, this moving tale of two sisters and their love for one another will linger long with readers.

VOYA

Ella Enchanted (HarperCollins, 1997/VOYA August 1997) fans need wait no longer for a satisfying repeat of Levine's success with fantasy. Her latest engrossing tale is embedded richly with both fairy tale and folkloric elements. Addie and Meryl, the two princesses of Bamarre, could not be more different. Addie fears everything from the smallest spider to the largest ogre or dragon. Meryl, however, dreams of following in the footsteps of Bamarre's legendary warrior-hero, Drualt, whose epic poetry she constantly declaims. Yet each girl is forced to be someone she is not, or thinks she is not, when the invulnerable Meryl falls prey to the dreaded Gray Death, and timid Addie must undertake the quest for the cure. With help from an apprentice sorcerer, Rhys, and a pair of seven-league boots, Addie interrogates specters, sups with gryphons, and entertains dragons to save her beloved sister. Young adult readers will enjoy most the subtle manner in which Addie's quest highlights the courage and inspiration each sister receives from the other as well as the developing romance between Addie and Rhys. The contrast of Addie's frantic efforts to save her sister with the slow, inevitable progression of the Gray Death creates natural dramatic tension and suspenseful pacing as Meryl's death draws near. The familiar quest motif is enlivened by Levine's disdain for loose ends, her eye for detail, and her ability to create warm, realistic characters who leave a lasting impression with the reader. This tale of two princesses is recommended for both school and public libraries. PLB . VOYA CODES: 5Q 4P M J (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined asgrades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2001, HarperCollins, 256p, . Ages 12 to 15. Reviewer: Caitlin Augusta SOURCE: VOYA, June 2001 (Vol. 24, No. 2)

Claire Rosser - KLIATT

To quote from the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, May 2001: Levine contributes to our literature with modern fairy tales—ones that still have ogres, fairies, dragons, magical swords, boots, cloths, and so forth. Her reworking of the Cinderella story in Ella Enchanted was a 1998 Newbery Honor Book. This story is about sisters, princesses in a kingdom in which people die of a mysterious illness called the Grey Death. Their father is a weak king, completely ineffectual, an interesting variation on the character of kings in fairy tales. One sister is brave, dreaming of adventure; the other is timid, relying on her sister, afraid of spiders and many other things. Meryl, the strong sister, is struck down by the Grey Death—her death will come in a matter of days unless someone finds a cure for the illness. The sisters have been raised on an epic story of a brave hero who fights dragons and kills gryphons, and this epic poem returns again and again to Levine's pages as the girls find solace in the saga. At the end, the sisters have inspired an epic poem about their own lives. Addie, the timid princess, loves Meryl so much she finds the courage to leave their home to go in search of the cure. Rhys, the sorcerer who loves Addie, cannot accompany her, but he gives her objects that will keep her safe. Addie's adventures are numerous: she kills an ogre, causes the death of many gryphons and even stabs the ancient dragon who captures her and keeps her prisoner—the dragon who reveals the nature of the cure that will save Meryl. The action is relentless, and until the last hour of Meryl's life Addie struggles to save her sister, fulfilling the prophecy that the cure will be foundwhen the timid find courage. (So the fairy tale even has a moral attached.) This is a fanciful story that belongs solidly in children's literature more than YA literature: it lacks the bite of the latter. But younger YAs who love high fantasy will certainly enjoy the adventures of these sisters. KLIATT Codes: J—Recommended for junior high school students. 2001, HarperCollins, 291p., Ages 12 to 15.

KLIATT

To quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, May 2001: Levine contributes to our literature with modern fairy tales—ones that still have ogres, fairies, dragons, magical swords, boots, cloths, and so forth. Her reworking of the Cinderella story in Ella Enchanted was a 1998 Newbery Honor Book. This story is about sisters, princesses in a kingdom in which people die of a mysterious illness called the Grey Death. Their father is a weak king, completely ineffectual, an interesting variation on the character of kings in fairy tales. One sister is brave, dreaming of adventure; the other is timid, relying on her sister, afraid of spiders and many other things. Meryl, the strong sister, is struck down by the Grey Death—her death will come in a matter of days unless someone finds a cure for the illness. The sisters have been raised on an epic story of a brave hero who fights dragons and kills gryphons, and this epic poem returns again and again to Levine's pages as the girls find solace in the saga. At the end, the sisters have inspired an epic poem about their own lives. Addie, the timid princess, loves Meryl so much she finds the courage to leave their home to go in search of the cure. Rhys, the sorcerer who loves Addie, cannot accompany her, but he gives her objects that will keep her safe. Addie's adventures are numerous: she kills an ogre, causes the death of many gryphons and even stabs the ancient dragon who captures her and keeps her prisoner—the dragon who reveals the nature of the cure that will save Meryl. The action is relentless, and until the last hour of Meryl's life Addie struggles to save her sister, fulfilling the prophecy that the cure will be foundwhen the timid find courage. (So the fairy tale even has a moral attached.) This is a fanciful story that belongs solidly in children's literature more than YA literature: it lacks the bite of the latter. But younger YAs who love high fantasy will certainly enjoy the adventures of these sisters.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-When Princess Addie realizes that her sister Meryl is ill with the invariably fatal Gray Death, the same illness that killed their mother, she is desperate to find a cure in this fantasy by Gail Carson Levine (HarperCollins, 2001). Although she is a fearful girl and has previously depended on Meryl's boldness, Addie sets out alone to confront the monsters from whom she may learn the cure. Addie is nearly tricked by a specter, attacked by ogres and gryphons, and held prisoner by a dragon. With the help of some magic items and her own wits, she is able to extricate herself from each danger and learn the cure. Addie is in a race against time to get Meryl to the healing waterfall. This is an exciting high fantasy tale with strong and memorable characterization. It is also a love story, dealing with the love between the sisters and Addie's eventual love for the sorcerer, Rhys. While the lines between good and evil are clear, the characters are complex. Actress Vanessa Redgrave's reading is excellent, allowing listeners to appreciate the author's writing style. She interprets the characters beautifully, and reads with conviction and elegance. The story will enthrall fantasy lovers, and makes an outstanding audiobook suitable for group or individual listening.-Louise L. Sherman, formerly Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A decidedly unspunky heroine quails her way past terrors real and imaginary in a quest to save her sister's life. Addie, the younger of the two eponymous princesses, watches as her sister Meryl practices for a life of swordplay and derring-do; she herself would much rather sit quietly and do her needlework. But when Meryl falls ill with the incurable Gray Death, Addie steels herself to find a cure, venturing forth to encounter specters, dragons, ogres, and-almost the worst of all-spiders. She is aided by an assortment of magical items and periodic visits from Rhys, her father's sorcerer. Punctuated by excerpts from Drualt, Bamarre's epic poem, the text clearly aims at Tolkienesque high fantasy, complete with a tantalizingly unfulfilled prophecy regarding the cure for the Gray Death. But Levine's (The Wish, 2000, etc.) strength lies in character development and world-making, not in epic plot construction. Addie is a refreshingly timid quester whose unabashed love for embroidery sets her apart from the hordes of plucky heroines who have gone before. The attributes of the various non-human creatures that populate her world are well-defined-especially the sorcerers, magical beings who live 500 years and only very rarely marry humans-and her prolonged "visit" with a delightfully evil dragon is quite wonderful. These elements are not enough to elevate a plot that moves unevenly from adventure to adventure, involving multiple convenient rescues, a predictable romance, and an ultimately unsatisfying deus ex machina at the end. Does this matter? Levine's popularity and a publicity juggernaut virtually ensure this book's success, despite its flaws. (Fiction.9-14)

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Chapter One

Out of a land laid waste
To a land untamed,
Monster ridden,
The lad Drualt led
A ruined, ragtag band.
In his arms, tenderly,
He carried Bruce,
The child king,
First ruler of Bamarre.

So begins Drualt, the epic poem of Bamarre's greatest hero, our kingdom's ideal. Drualt fought Bamarre's monsters-the ogres, gryphons, specters, and dragons that still plague us-and he helped his sovereign found our kingdom. I

Today Bamarre needed a hero more than ever. The monsters were slaughtering hundreds of Bamarrians every year, and the Gray Death carried away even more.

I was no hero. The dearest wishes of my heart were for safety and tranquility. The world was a perilous place, wrong for the likes of me.

Once, when I was four years old and playing in the castle courtyard, a shadow passed over me. I shrieked, certain it was a gryphon or a dragon. My sister, Meryl, ran to me and held me, her arms barely long enough to go around me.

"It's gone, Addle," she whispered. "It's far away by now." And then she crooned a stanza from Drualt.

"Step follows step.
Hope follows courage.
Set your face toward danger.
Set your heart on victory. "

I quieted, soothed by Meryl's voice and her warm breath on my ear.

Meryl was my protector, as necessary to me as air and food. Our mother, Queen Darla, had succumbed to the Gray Death when I was two and Meryl was three. Father rarely visited the nursery. Bella, our governess, loved us in her way, but her way was to moralize and to scold.

Meryl understood me, although we were asdifferent as could be. She was fair, and I was dark complexioned. She was small and compact, a concentration of focused energy. I was always tall for my age, and loose-limbed, and my energy was nervous and fluttery. Meryl was brave, and I was afraid of almost everything -- from monsters to strangers to spiders.

As a child Meryl loved to act out scenes from Drualt or scenes from a made-up drama in which she saved the kingdom. Our games would begin on the miniature carriage that was our nursery's best feature. I'd sit inside, and Meryl would climb up to the driver's seat. We'd travel to the Eskern Mountains, where ogres and gryphons dwelled, or to the elf queen's castle on the shores of the Haun Ocean, or to the western desert, where the dragons had their lairs, or to Mulee Forest, where specters abounded.

She would rescue me from a flaming dragon or a hungry ogre. When I was supposed to, I would shriek in terror that was half real; but when I could, I'd stay still and watch Meryl perform -- that was what I loved.

Her favorite game was the Gray Death adventure. Oddly enough this one didn't frighten me. The Gray Death wasn't a monster or a spider I could see and shiver over. It was invisible. If I caught it, it would be somewhere within me, and while the outside world was fall of danger, I knew my interior. I was certain I could oust an intruder there.

In the game I always portrayed the Gray Death's victim. For the first stage of the disease, the weakness, I'd begin to walk toward the worn nursery couch, growing weaker as I went. After a few steps I'd fall to my knees and begin to crawl. I'd drag myself to the couch but lack the strength to climb up onto it.

I'd fall asleep there on the floor. A moment or two later I'd wake up and rise, consumed by fever. I'd rush to the fireplace and rub ashes into my cheeks, because the faces of the afflicted always turned gray near the end. I'd pretend to shiver, and I'd try to make my teeth chatter.

Meanwhile, Meryl would be busy battling monsters, consulting with sorcerers, climbing mountains, sailing stormy seas. While I shivered, I'd keep one eye on her, because I couldn't start to die until she was ready to rescue me. When she triumphed and found the cure, I'd slump to the floor.

She'd rush to me, cradling the cure in both hands. Sometimes it was an elixir in a golden chalice. Sometimes it was the feather of a gryphon or the tooth of a dragon or even a plain black stone. Kneeling at my side, she'd whisper, "I have found it, maiden. You shall live." She'd cure me, and I'd jumpup. Then we'd frolic about the nursery, skipping around the carriage, banging on the suit of armor, clasping hands and dancing around the small spinning wheel.

We knew that a cure would be found one day. A specter had prophesied it, and the prophecies of specters always came true. The cure would be found when cowards found courage and rain fell over all Bamarre. That was all we knew. No one knew when the cure would be found, by whom, or what form it would take.

Once, at the end of our game, I asked Meryl if she really planned to quest for the cure. I was nine at the time, and Meryl was ten.

"I'll leave as soon as I'm strong enough to ride a charger."

She'd never come back! A monster would kill her.

She took a heroic stance, legs apart, brandishing an imaginary sword. "I'll find the cure, and knights will flock to me. We'll destroy the monsters and save Bamarre. Then I'll return home."

She wouldn't. She'd be dead. But I knew better than to say so. Instead I asked, "What will I do while you're away?"

She lowered her pretend sword and smiled...