The Princess and the Hound

Even being woman in my thirties I found this book extremely hard to put down. very well written With Many Adventures and keeps your curiosity growing. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series and for my children to read it as well.

This was shuffled to the bottom of my TBR file for a while. I don't like stories with animals. I read Watership Down and The Rats of Nimh and that was enough mammal stories to last me a lifetime. But everyone said, 'you'll love it!' and 'it's just so amazingly brilliant' all with fanatical gushing, so finally, when I was bored enough, I started reading. I don't like when stories start out with main characters in the past. But the writing was so compelling and the storyline intriguing, so I kept at it. By Chapter two I was really getting into the story. By Chapter three I would have turned down free chocolate and a foot massage to finish the book. The main character is so likable in his pricklyness and fear of rejection. The secret he's kept for all these years has left a mark on him and it's not a nice one. Mr. Harrison's writing is so subtle, she never batters the readers with cliche's or cutesy moments. Even the King, who'd been portrayed a bit cold and distant seemed warm and emotional within just a few sentences explaining his feelings for the Queen and the state of the Empire. I'm done reading and I've added this author to THE LIST. You know, the autobuy list.

I am incredibly impressed by how Mette managed to create a world where there is descrimination against a people who are unable to help what they are, and an aim to allow those people to not only escape their forced internal imprisonment but also allot for a potential change. She does not create "the perfect world" where once Prince George proclaims his own animal magic, but shows that not everyone is willing to change or show tolerance to those different to themselves; that bridges gaps beyond a fantasy world, and touches home to our own world. I absolutely adore the fact that she wanted this to be a "Beauty and the Beast" type of novel, but in fact I see more relevance in comparing it to "Deerskin". While Deerskin is far more tragic, it has the same change-like qualities as well as the Princess and her own hound who share an unbreakable bond. That bond ultimately saves the main character's life. If you liked "The Princess and the Hound" definitely check out "Deerskin."

The Princess and the Hound is a very intriguing story. This tale is filled with splashes of romance and action and spun with such imagination it is impossible to put down. The non traditional roles assumed by Ms. Harrison's characters were easy to follow and gave a refreshing point of view. I was surprised and pleased with the ending and can't wait to read the next installment in this series. I would recommend this to all fairytale and fantasy lovers everywhere.

Perhaps it's redundant for me to add a positive comment about a book that I read in advance of publication, so that there's already a positive quote from me on the cover. But since the review by Ms. Drew, already posted here, takes me to task for my "error" in praising an "inexperienced" writer, I took the liberty of replying at length in a comment attached to her review. Let me say here, too, that after thirty years as a writer, critic, reviewer, editor, and writing teacher, I have seen few writers as creative and innovative as Mette Ivie Harrison. Instead of fitting her stories into a pre-existing template, she confronts the challenges of the tale she wants to tell and finds ingenious and surprising solutions. The result, though, is nontraditional structure that, as Ms. Drew demonstrates, will displease some readers. That simply can't be helped. If every writer had to meet Ms. Drew's expectations, I would be bitterly disappointed; so let's admit the world of literature is large enough to include books for her and books for me. The essence of speculative fiction is to give readers experiences they haven't had a thousand times before. Mette Ivie Harrison does this with emotionally effective, intellectually fascinating, and aesthetically pleasing stories. She is already one of the best, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. - Orson Scott Card

Mette Ivie Harrison's new book has a deceptive title and cover. They certainly represent the book, but they work to narrow alienate half of its potential audience, namely male readers. The main protagonist is George, a prince and heir to a throne. George has animal magic, a dangerous magic since anyone determined to have it will be summarily put to death. He is also expected to marry Beatrice, a princess from another kingdom. His journey of discovery, especially in his relationships with his mother, father and Beatrice make a fine book with a fantasy setting. Harrison incorporates her world with a folklore that feels real and sometimes threatening while fully portraying the dangerous and lonely lives of both George and Beatrice. Harrison's writing style is most evocative of Robin McKinley but still all her own. Readers of fantasy, animal stories and subtle romances will enjoy this novel and hope for more from this skilled author. Fans of Robin McKinley, Patricia McKillip, Franny Billingsley, Cornelia Funke and Sherwood Smith should add this to their "must" be read list.