The Opal Crown

September 1, 2014
The royal intrigue and twin bonding of The Princess in the Opal Mask (2013) continue in this sequel.Ample back story from the start refreshes readers on the ongoing dilemmas from the first novel. The separated-at-birth twins carry on their secret, switched lives in the foreign land of Kyrenica and narrate alternating chapters. Wilha, once the Masked Princess of Galandria, serves as a seamstress while Elara, raised as an orphan, has assumed Wilha's role (even possibly falling for the prince that Wilha was intended to marry). When the teens' father, King Fennrick, dies and their younger brother, Andrei, not only assumes a position as Galandria's next king, but quickly becomes a coldhearted ruler, the twins' secret is made public. What ensues is an overcomplicated plot featuring opposing factions trying to control each of the three possible heirs and usurp their power. The story remains light, however, even as family secrets are revealed, the twins acknowledge their feelings for unlikely suitors, and the siblings grapple with the challenges of repairing their relationships with one another and the question of who will lead Galandria. Better suited for fans of romance than fantasy enthusiasts, this concluding story will also satisfy those looking for "clean" reads. (Fantasy. 12-16)

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November 1, 2014

Gr 6-10-The unresolved events at the end of The Princess in the Opal Mask (Running Pr., 2013) involving intrigue in a royal court smoothly segue into this equally gripping sequel. Identical twin princesses Wilha and Elara, who were separated at birth because of an ancient family prophecy, were reunited in the previous installment of this duology that riffs off Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper and Alexandre Dumas's The Man in the Iron Mask. Now, a year later, Elara has continued to pretend to be Princess Wilha and even begun to fall for Stefan, while her twin secretly lives in the village as an ordinary seamstress. After their father, the King of Galandria, dies and their younger brother Andrei assumes power, he reveals their deception and declares them traitors. As Andrei fails to win over his citizens, Wilha dreams of ruling jointly with Elara, but Elara's hatred of Andrei makes her determined that she would make the better ruler. Narrated in alternating chapters by the sisters, the novel is full of surprising plot twists. Elara isn't always very sympathetic and Wilha can appear too passive, but Lundquist effectively portrays how they both grow and change for the better. Fans of Jennifer A. Nielsen's "Ascendance Trilogy" (Scholastic) should enjoy this.-Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton

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November 15, 2014
Grades 8-12 Lundquist wraps up her tale of twin princesses in a swift-paced read that focuses on political intrigue and the nature-nurture debate. Wilha was raised as royalty, while Elara lived with a foster family as a servant, with no idea of her true lineage. Elara and Wilha switched identities in the first book, and this concluding series title opens with the discovery of that once-successful ruse. When their father dies and their brother assumes the throne, the princesses' duties to their kingdom and subjects trump their personal desires, leading to political action and a stirring revolution. Fans of the first title will appreciate the satisfyingly logical plot flow, compelling characters, and strong feminist roots.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)