A Tale of Two Castles
Gail Carson Levine’s fantastical who-done-it follows young Elodie as she meets a handsome cat trainer, black-and-white cats, thieves on four legs and two, suspicious townsfolk, a greedy king, a giddy princess, a shape-shifting ogre and a brilliant dragon – all in the mysterious town of Two Castles.
Elodie’s dream to become a mansion (actress) takes her from her family farm across the ocean to Two Castles, where she realizes there are thieves around every corner and starvation awaits. She is rescued from this fate by the dragon Mastress Meenore, who just so happens to need an assistant. When the local ogre, who also is a count, is under threat, Meenore tests his assistant’s true acting skills and sends her into the ogre’s castle to solve the mystery.
A Tale of Two Castles is a mixture of fantasy, suspense and intrigue. It’s a fast-paced read that not only leads the reader on an adventure but teaches the reader to not be easily deceived by appearances.
Elodie is a plucky young twelve-year-old leading this story and she’s a fun character to read in the perspective of. Through her eyes, we see her solve the mystery of the ogre’s tormenter and how her view of the problem-solving dragon and intimidating ogre change. She learns there’s more than one way to become an actor and through her friendship with Meenore, her horizons broaden more than they would if she worked with an acting troupe as an apprentice.
I have no complaints about this book, but I do like Carson Levine’s other work such as Fairest and Ella Enchanted more, more so because of personal taste rather than something being wrong with A Tale of Two Castles.
Overall, Carson Levine wrote a fun, short book that was different from her other work, but it was just as entertaining.
A Tale of Two Castles Rating: ★★★
Elodie’s dream to become a mansion (actress) takes her from her family farm across the ocean to Two Castles, where she realizes there are thieves around every corner and starvation awaits. She is rescued from this fate by the dragon Mastress Meenore, who just so happens to need an assistant. When the local ogre, who also is a count, is under threat, Meenore tests his assistant’s true acting skills and sends her into the ogre’s castle to solve the mystery.
A Tale of Two Castles is a mixture of fantasy, suspense and intrigue. It’s a fast-paced read that not only leads the reader on an adventure but teaches the reader to not be easily deceived by appearances.
Elodie is a plucky young twelve-year-old leading this story and she’s a fun character to read in the perspective of. Through her eyes, we see her solve the mystery of the ogre’s tormenter and how her view of the problem-solving dragon and intimidating ogre change. She learns there’s more than one way to become an actor and through her friendship with Meenore, her horizons broaden more than they would if she worked with an acting troupe as an apprentice.
I have no complaints about this book, but I do like Carson Levine’s other work such as Fairest and Ella Enchanted more, more so because of personal taste rather than something being wrong with A Tale of Two Castles.
Overall, Carson Levine wrote a fun, short book that was different from her other work, but it was just as entertaining.
A Tale of Two Castles Rating: ★★★