Princess of Thorns

Gr 9 Up—At age seven, Aurora is confined with her mother and brother Jor in a miserable dungeon. Her mother sacrifices herself, gracing Aurora with fairy blessings, and the two children escape to the fey. Fast forward 10 years, and Aurora meets Niklaas, a blindingly handsome, conceited prince with a heart of gold, who mistakes Aurora for her brother. Niklaas plans to use this "brother" to find Aurora, since marriage to her will thwart his curse (turning into a swan on his 18th birthday). The plot is typical for girl-disguised-as-boy adventure, with the expected awkward moments as the girl keeps her femininity under wraps. Aurora is injured, Niklaas discovers the truth, and swordfights, bickering, and tickling ensue, as the two travel to the Feeding Hills to free Jor from the ogres. The plot has imagination, though the happily-ever-after ending sticks with tradition. Narrator Julia Whelan does an excellent job switching between narrators, primarily Aurora (a hint of Celtic lilt) and Niklaas (appropriately haughty).