Hi, guys! Sorry for my absence, I’ve been busy with college applications, but I am now back and with loads of book reviews for you. “Princess of Souls” by Alexandra Christo is a great, light read that is also Rapunzel/ Tangled inspired. So, what more can I ask for? In this review, I will cover different aspects of this book without spoiling it, so I encourage you to read this entire review. Hope you enjoy it!
1. Book Synopsis (from Goodreads)
“From the author of To Kill a Kingdom comes Princess of Souls, a Rapunzel-inspired YA fantasy romance about a teen witch groomed to steal souls for an immortal king and the reckless, rebellious boy to whom her fate is tied.
For sixteen years, Selestra Somniatis has been trapped in a castle on the Floating Mountain, preparing to take her mother’s place as King Seryth’s right hand. Tied by blood to steal souls for the immortal King of the Six Isles, the Somniatis Witch foretells the deaths of participants in the Festival of Predictions. To outrun your fate is to save your soul and steal the King’s immortality. But if you die, your soul is forfeit. And though thousands have tried, nobody has ever beaten death.
As a soldier in King Seryth’s army, Nox Laederic is an unlikely candidate for the Festival, but he has no plans to die at the hands of the King or his witches. His plan is more akin to violent revenge: steal the King’s immortality and kill the entirety of his court, starting with Selestra herself.
But when Selestra touches Nox in her very first prediction, she sees her own death alongside his--their fates are unmistakably intertwined, and Selestra is no longer safe in the only home she’s ever known. Nox and Selestra will have to enter a turbulent alliance in order to survive long enough to free the Six Isles from King Seryth’s clutches and escape the new fate that hunts them.”
2. Characters
This book has two POV’s (points of view): Selestra’s and Nox’s. This isn’t a character-driven story, so there isn’t that much emphasis put on the characters’ personalities and development. This didn’t bother me, because the plot was interesting enough. Also, Selestra and Nox have clear inspiration drawn from Rapunzel and Flynn, so this was exciting to read about. Both have that chemistry and banter that we loved in Tangled. Now, I will write more about both of them.
Selestra Somniatis:
Selestra’s entire life she had been prepared to be the next Somniatis witch. She would dutifully serve the king and help him remain immortal, by collecting souls each year during the Festival of Prediction. When Selestra realizes that this isn’t the life she wants to live, we get to see her ambitious side. She has her flaws, but those make her seem more relatable to the readers. Selestra is witty, driven, fearless, and king. She is a great protagonist.
Nox Laederic:
Nox resembles Flynn Ryder in a lot of ways. He is charismatic, funny, but also brave. He wants to end the king and his reign once and for all, at any cost. Once you find out why, his personality will make even more sense.
3. Writing Style
Alexandra’s writing style is really nice and similar to other authors’. It is your typical YA book writing style, but I don’t mind it. When it comes to plot-driven books, I don’t care as much for whimsical writing.
4. Things I liked
Firstly, I liked that this book is inspired from the Tangled tale. I know I've mentioned this before, but it’s one of my favorite movies. It’s not a carbon copy of the movie, which allowed this book to have a unique plot. Therefore, I really liked the premise of the book. It’s a slightly dark fairytale, with plenty of twists and turns. “Princess of Souls” is an action-packed standalone book that will grab your attention from the beginning. I also like that the chapters are relatively small, making it easy to read this book in a short period of time, without losing interest. Lastly, I loved the banter between Selestra and Nox. They did justice to Rapunzel and Flynn. They had sweet moments that gave me deja vu, somewhat resembling the movie.
5. Things I didn’t like
There were moments when I lost interest in the story and had to pick up a different book, especially in the middle part. I think the book could’ve had more action there. The characters also weren’t anything special. They were nice to read about, but they felt like the average YA book protagonists.
6. Favorite quotes
“Stories have great power. They should never be destroyed.”
“I don’t know what it’s like to be that certain. Everything I want is in conflict and sometimes I feel like a mess of clashing thoughts and faraway hopes.”
“Even with so many women coloring their hair to match hers, Selestra doesn’t blend in.
I think it would be impossible.
Some people are made to puncture through the world and something about her shines a little brighter, stabs a little sharper. Even I'm not blind to it.” (the first sign we get that Nox is falling for Selestra)
“[...]stories have the greatest power of all[...]they can never truly be destroyed”
“I’m the most important person in my life. And if you’re not, then you’re doing it wrong.” (tell me that’s not what Flynn Rider would say)
“She’s a leader, because she’s kind.”
“Nothing worth fighting for comes easy.”
“When I look forward instead of back, she’s all that I see.”
“Destiny isn’t about chance, it’s about choice. Choosing to be who you want to be, because that’s who you’re supposed to be.”
7. Favorite scenes
This section will include spoilers.
i. When Selestra goes to the tavern to warn Nox about her first prophecy
ii. Selestra’s memories of Asden
iii. Nox and Selestra’s conversations in the butterfly (the hot air balloon)
iv. Nox protecting Selestra for the first time, while they were ambushed on the boat
v. when they reach Polemistes and Selestra meets her aunt
vi. Selestra realizes that her touch isn’t just about death and sorrow, but also love and joy
vii. when the trials start and they get into the forest
viii. when Nox, who can never sleep, manages to when he’s near her
8. Overall Opinion
Overall, I highly recommend “Princess of Souls” by Alexandra Christo. It’s a great autumn read, that will get you out of your reading slump, through action-packed chapters and witty character banter. If you are a Tangled fan and have watched the movie so many times that you now know it word for word, you need to pick this book up. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars.
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