The Thirteenth Princess

Diane Zahler
HarperCollins Publishers (2010)
ISBN 9780061825002
Reviewed by Sydney Clark (13)for Reader Views (05/11)

“The Thirteenth Princess,” by Diane Zahler, is the story of Zita, a serving maid who realizes that she is not who she thought she was. As she uncovers more of the truth about her birth, she realizes that she is in fact the 13th daughter of a king who wanted only sons. When Zita was born a girl, the king banished her to the kitchens and proclaimed that she was never to meet with her sisters, the princesses. But can Zita’s secret friendship with the princesses save their lives?

During a routine trip to the forest, Zita and her stableboy friend Breckin discover a strange woman named Babette living in a small rundown house. Zita and Breckin decide to keep their discovery of Babette a secret from everyone else in the palace. But when the princesses begin behaving oddly, Zita realizes that Babette could be much more important than she’d originally thought. Will Babette be able to help Zita figure out what’s wrong with her sisters?

As Zita grows more and more suspicious about the mystery surrounding her sisters’ illness, she begins to suspect foul play is going on behind the scenes. As Zita draws closer to the truth, things begin to get more dangerous for everyone. Can Zita save her friends’ -- and family’s -- lives? Or will she have to sacrifice something she never thought she had? And what will that sacrifice mean to her?

I liked reading “The Thirteenth Princess” because the characters seemed very real. Zita is a smart, spunky 12-year-old girl who can take care of herself and the ones she loves. I would recommend this book to people who like reading about magic and adventure; “The Thirteenth Princess” is a thrilling story filled with excitement and betrayal. It was a very interesting retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” and I finished it very quickly.

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