Review by Booklist Review
After traveling to the town of Two Castles and failing to secure an apprenticeship in an acting company, 12-year-old Elodie is employed by the local dragon, who challenges her to develop her powers of observation and deduction. Elodie meets and befriends many of Two Castles' leading citizens as well as lowlier folks and animals before she is called upon to help protect the life of the town's friendly, shape-shifting ogre, Count Jonty Um. After a secret enemy turns to poison, Elodie is falsely accused and imprisoned, but she works with the dragon to unmask the villain. Relying on the large cast of characters for a confusing array of possible suspects, the mystery never really provides a driving force for the story. Rather, it's Elodie's homespun charm and the originality of the unusual dragon and ogre as characters that will keep readers turning the pages. A likable, if not truly memorable, fantasy for younger readers.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-Elodie is leaving home to become an apprentice to a weaver, at least that is what her family thinks. She has plans to be an actress at the town of Two Castles. The selfish king lives with the flighty princess in one castle, while the ogre of the land dwells in the other castle. The ogre should be avoided at all costs, according to her parents, as well as the dragon that lives in Two Castles. However, Elodie's plans do not work out and she finds herself an apprentice to Meenore the dragon on her first day. Before she knows it, Elodie is honing her acting skills by working as a spy in the ogre's castle, trying to prevent a murder. Gail Carson Levine's excellent tale (HarperCollins, 2011) has everything a fantasy set in medieval times could have: thieving cats, shape-shifting ogres, helpless princesses, a dashing young man, betrayal, wonderfully dimensional characters, and a mystery that must be solved by an outstanding heroine. The main characters as well as the townspeople come to life through Sarah Coomes's superb narration, perfectly distinguishing each character. Reminiscent of Karen Cushman's Alchemy and Meggy Swann (Clarion, 2010), this audiobook with an excellent story line, perfectly crafted characters, a fast-moving plot, and excellent writing and narration is a must-have for fans of fantasy stories with action, adventure, and heart as well as for listeners who have enjoyed Levine's previous tales.-Mariela Siegert, Westfield Middle School, Bloomingdale, IL (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Hoping to apprentice as an actor, Elodie travels from her rural home to the city of Two Castles. Her parents advise her to "stay clear of the crafty dragons and shape-shifting ogres" and "beware the whited sepulcher," but when she's robbed and then rejected as an actor, she apprentices herself to crafty dragon Meenore as a detective. Shape-shifting Count Jonty Um, a kindly ogre, is their first client. Elodie's sleuthing in the ogre's castle introduces her to many "whited sepulchers." But who is to be trusted and who isn't? -- what with a greedy King, the Princess Renn, a penniless third son of a miller with a too-clever-by-half cat, and various courtly folk. Elodie's powers of "inducing, deducing and using common sense" develop quickly as she finds stolen goods, escapes imprisonment, and identifies a poisoner. In theme and plot this story plays with "Puss in Boots" -- and in homage to that fairy tale's origins, perhaps, Levine slyly slips in French puns (Jonty Um: "gentil homme"; Princess Renn: "reine"). Levine's strength lies in her transparent language and the candid, uncomplicated voice of her narrator, who brings younger readers along with her as she questions assumptions, grows in friendship, works out the mystery, and makes brave escapes. deirdre f. baker (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A thoroughly delicious romp from the author of Ella Enchanted (1997). Before Lodie leaves the island of Lahnt, her mother warns her to beware ogres, dragons and "the whited sepulcher" (a villain who appears virtuous) in the big town of Two Castles; she inevitably meets all three, encountering danger and friendship where least expected. Lodie's parents send her away to become a weaver, but the girl plans to become a "mansioner" (actor), like her brother Albin. When she cannot secure a free apprenticeship, she finds herself working for the enigmatic dragon Masteress Meenore, a food vendor and amateur detective.Lodie soon employs her imitative and observational mansioning skillsand Meenore's lessons in "deduction, induction, and common sense"to investigate thefts and threats at ogre Count Jonty Um's royalty-crowded castle. When local prejudices and political intrigue throw the court into an uproar, Lodie must solve the many mysteries or face execution. Fairy tales and classic myths are cleverly woven into the story, but the gritty medieval conditionspoverty, hunger, lice and cruel noblesprovide the dramatic tension and realistic motivation for the adventurous and intelligent Lodie. The plot is winningly unpredictable, the characters easy to relate to, the humor subtle and the action well-paced. Newbery Honorwinner Levine has once again breathed new life into old stories. (Fantasy. 9-12)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
