Synopses & Reviews
Somewhere in the world I have a tiara in a little box. It is not safe for me to wear it...It is not safe for me even to tell anyone who I really am. But I know -- I have always known.
Cecilia knows that she is not just another peasant girl; she is actually the true princess, in hiding until the evil forces that killed her parents are vanquished. A commoner named Desmia is on the throne as a decoy.
As she gets older, Cecilia finds it harder to study statesmanship and palace protocol secretly at night and then pretend that she has nothing on her mind other than scrubbing the gruel stains out of her best apron by day.
Cecilia knows that it is time to take charge. Along with her best friend, Harper, she flees to the capital city, determined to reclaim her throne and face the danger head on.
When Harper and Cecilia reach the famed Palace of Mirrors, they discover complications: Princess Desmia believes an entirely different version of the story.
Acclaimed author Margaret Peterson Haddix returns to the charmed world of Just Ella, where a princess-in-hiding and a pretender to the throne discover that nothing is as it appears.
Review
"Palace of Mirrors sits nicely alongside Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted and Shannon Hale's Princess Academy...The suspense builds to a well-paced climax and conclusion with few pauses in an action-packed story."--School Library Journal
Review
"Aficionados of Gail Carson Levine and Shanno Hale will find much to like in this welcome addition to the ver-growing canon of smart-princess stories."--Booklist
Review
"Haddix's skill with vivid descriptions and believable characters make this tale a standout in the retold fairy tale genre....a story that feels both familiar and fresh. It is a sure hit for those who want to cultivate their rough-and-tumble inner princess."--VOYA
Review
"Plenty of fun here from a superior author."--Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
Cecelia looks like a peasant girl and lives in a village so small that it's not even on the map. But she knows that secretly, she is the true princess, hidden away as a baby to be kept safe from the enemies of the kingdon. A commoner named Desmia was placed on the throne as a decoy. Cecelia has always known that when it was safe, she would be taken out of hiding and returned to her rightful place on the throne. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Then danger finds her in her village, and Cecelia has to act. With the help of her best friend Harper, she decides to take matters into her own hands, relieve Desmia of the the crown, and take up her own rule. But when they venture from their small village to the capital city and into the famed Palace of Mirrors, Harper and Cecelia discover that all is not as it seems, and that they have placed themselves in more danger than ever before.
Synopsis
Cecelia lives like a peasant girl, but she knows she is truly a princess, hidden away for safety as an infant and replaced by a decoy commoner. When danger finds her in her small village, Cecelia decides it is time to act, setting out to claim her rightful place on the throne. But when she and her best friend Harper venture to the capital city and into the famed Palace of Mirrors, they discover that all is not as it seems, and that they have placed themselves in more danger than they could have imagined….
About the Author
Margaret Peterson Haddix is the author of many critically and popularly acclaimed YA and middle grade novels, including The Missing series and the Shadow Children series. A graduate of Miami University (of Ohio), she worked for several years as a reporter for andlt;iandgt;The Indianapolis Newsandlt;/iandgt;. She also taught at the Danville (Illinois) Area Community College. She lives with her family in Columbus, Ohio. Visit her at HaddixBooks.com.