Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #404717 in Books
• Published on: 2002-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Customer Reviews

A Delightful Work of Fantasy
This is a delightful little book of fantasy. I think all of us like to escape from time to time to a world such as that of the Enchanted Forest and the Mountains of Morning. Although this world is inhabited by dragons and bothersome wizards, it is still an airy, light-filled world that captivates the imagination. Cimorene is a princess who has no interest in learning the things a princess is supposed to learn; she would rather learn fencing, magic, cooking, and other things forbidden by her parents. Her parents finally give up on changing her ways of thinking and decide to marry her off to the prince of a neighboring realm. Rather than submit to this unwanted fate, she takes the advice of a friendly frog and volunteers to serve as a dragon's princess. The dragon Kazul accepts her offer, and Cimorene goes to work organizing Kazul's treasure rooms, cataloguing the scrolls in her library, and making cherries jubilee and other foods for her. Several princes, including her betrothed, come calling to rescue her, and she has to continually explain to them that she does not want to be rescued. Cimorene comes to discover a plot between the Wizard Society and one turncoat dragon, and it is largely up to her and the princess Alianora, working in conjunction with Kazul, the witch Morwen, and a stone prince to sort out the plan and goals of this dastardly plot and prevent the dragons from granting kingship to the traitor. Even when things are hairy, Cimorene keeps her wits about her, foiling much of the action with her own extraordinary determination.

Apparently Wrede's Enchanted Forest chronicles is considered young adult literature. I did not know this when I began reading the story, and I certainly would urge other adults not to let this fact rob them of the opportunity to enter this wonderful realm of fantasy. The writing is witty, the plot is well-thought out, and the action moves along well with no dead spots or literary pot-holes. A few allusions to traditional fairy tales are interspersed in the story, lending a good bit of fun and charm to the book. Younger readers will find this book enjoyable, and Cimorene seems to me to be a pretty good role model for young women given her forthright nature, zest for learning, and discontent with the life others tell her she is supposed to lead. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

Magical- Beyond Words!
Cimorene is a character that comes around once in a blue moon! Though I believe that the second book (Searching for Dragons) is my favorite, this first book in the series, the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, gives a satisfing beginning. The other books follow in this order- Searching for Dragons, Calling on Dragons, and Talking to Dragons. Half the fun of these books are noticing the mixed-up fairy-tales! The story: Princess Cimorene of Linderwall is not your odinary princess. She doesn't like being a princess and when her parents want her to marry a boring, rather uncharateristic prince, she decides to run away. Accepting some advice for a frog, she offers to be a dragon's princess, and the dragon Kazul takes her in. She finds herself happily setting in to a life of cooking cherries jubilee, visiting witches and meeting jiins. But, when wizards turn into up in her life and the King of the Dragons is suddenly killed, Cimorene and her new-found friends decided to take matte! rs into her own hands. This book will leave you dying for more, so I guess you'll have to read the others.

The greatest book of the millenium!!
This book is simply the greatest I have ever read! This summer I read for school and I want to read the rest of the series. I was caught with the hook and reeled in. If you haven't read this book you're a total nut. I realize that I am just a twelve year old girl who people probably won't listen to but my friend recommended the book to me and I will recommend it to as many people as possible. I have never read a book by Patricia C. Wrede but now her books will always be in my house. Cimorene is my new hero and I think that Therindil is hilariously stupid. Morwen and Kazul were great friends to Cimorene even though she was just there to work for Kazul!