Okay, so I'm slightly under the weather, which may lead to irregular posting. However, this under the weatherness has enabled me to quickly read Shannon Hale's Goose Girl. I picked it up when I read Leila (from Bookshelves of Doom)'s excitement over a new book by Hale being published. I think... Could be I just dreamed that I needed to read Goose Girl.

Anyways, however I decided I needed to read it, am I ever glad I did! It is apparently based on a Grimm Brothers' fairy tale, though I don't think I ever heard this particular story. It's the story of Ani, who is not a very good Crown Princess, though she does have a rather uncanny ability to speak with animals. Mostly birds, as they are the most talkative animals.

Ani's mother arranges to have her married off to the neighboring country's prince, in order to prevent war, and that's when things start to go wrong. Ani does arrive in the new country, though not with her escort, and not as a princess. She has to make a living, and so becomes a goose girl. Eventually Ani learns of the plots of the imposter who has taken her place. And she must find the courage to stand up to her and make herself known.

Although there were a few predictable bits in this book, they were predictable in the same way that all fairy tales are. Obviously there's going to be a happy ending, but how else would you want it? I would definitely highly recommend this, and I can't wait to get started on Hale's newest book, Princess Academy

Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
ISBN 158234843X
383 pages