The Chosen Prince
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3.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $1.99
Publisher Description
From master storyteller Diane Stanley comes a spellbinding tale, based on Shakespeare's The Tempest, of two princes—one chosen, one lost—and a mysterious girl on a magical island, all caught in a great web of destiny.
On the day of his birth, Prince Alexos is revealed to be the long-awaited champion of Athene. He grows up lonely, conscious of all that is expected of him. But Alexos discovers that being a champion isn't about fame and glory—it's about sacrifice and courage.
Alexos follows the course of his destiny through war and loss and a deadly confrontation with his enemy to its end: shipwreck on a magical, fog-shrouded island. There he meets the unforgettable Aria, and faces the greatest challenge of his life.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
On the day of Prince Alexos's birth, the gods decree that he is destined for greatness, catalyzing a life of hardship as the prince attempts to fulfill this prophecy. An outsider among his peers, afflicted with an illness that damages his legs, 12-year-old Alexos is finally driven by anguish to leave his helpless younger brother, Teo, for dead by casting him out to sea alone. But through the goddess Athene's intervention, Alexos finds his way to a magical island where the brothers' purpose is revealed. Stanley's (The Silver Bowl) lush descriptions of the fog-shrouded island, which comes alive to respond to inhabitants' needs, hark back to the mythological roots from which she draws inspiration. Much of the story is relayed through dialogue, and Stanley's characters are prone to lengthy speeches used to explain the Arcoferrans' long suffering and espouse their feelings, making for some stilted exchanges. But, overall, Stanley's storytelling infuses each character and hardship with distinct purposes that coalesce and become clear to readers by book's end for a tidy finale that leaves no unanswered questions. Ages 8 12.
Customer Reviews
an amazing premise to the disappointment of the reality,
From the elation on reading the synopsis for this title, and thinking I had found a wonderful book for middle-grade readers, with elements based on The Tempest. Diane Stanley sets herself a task that, sadly, is insurmountable with this title.
From awkward perspective in third-person present tense, to little to no fantasy and a protagonist / hero that is in his 20’s and yet unbelievably immature, I didn’t see The Tempest or find myself remotely reminded of it in this inconsistent and unlikely tale.
Firstly – this reads as historical fiction, with very little elements to explain the ‘why’, and the only fantastical moment comes from a belief in the Greek Gods of old. Early on, Alexos was rather compelling, if far too old in his approach than a 13 year old should be. Then we fast forward 7 or so years – and it is a 20 something character who manages to devolve in maturity to a sub 9 year old at times – the arc for his character progression and development was off, so much so that most of the second half of the book seemed to be another person with a different start entirely. Then to throw in a romance (not every story needs one) that was best described as unnecessary and at worst awkward, well – she lost me. My last hope was for the ending –would it make sense and ‘feel’ appropriate.
And it didn’t. I was disappointed in the simplistic “and they all lived happily ever after” tone and simplicity of the ending. Kids are capable of processing grey areas, understanding conflict and how to find resolution. Sadly, the ending is a pat on the head and a thank you for coming, rather than a leave you smiling and able to dream of the world for days to come. World-building was shortchanged to the detriment of the story, and nothing felt quite “complete”. From an amazing premise to the disappointment of the reality, I’d be hard pressed to pick up another of this author’s titles.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.