Princess Ben by Catherine Gilbert Murdock is about Benevolence, the niece of King Ferdinand of Montagne. Ben was raised in the soldiers' barracks by her mother and father (King Ferdinand's brother) and lived a very happy life sheltered from the dramas of the kingdom. That is, until her parents and King Ferdinand were assassinated and Princess Benevolence became the only heir to the throne of Montagne. Ferdinand's wife, Queen Sofia immediately took over her care, forcing Ben to learn the ways befitting her station... preparing her for her future queenly duties. Ben fought this at all costs and ended up imprisoned in the wizard's tower of the castle. By day Ben was forced to endure the awful trainings but by night, she worked in her little cell to discover the secrets to the castle. Purely by mistake Ben discovered her magical abilities and the maze-like paths and tunnels that ran throughout the castle. She also discovered a tiny room above her own which held a magical spell book, teaching herself many spells and enchantments. These proved useful as Ben learned of a plot by Queen Sofia to marry her off in an attempt to strengthen the kingdom. Ben winds up escaping the castle, but becoming a prisoner of the very people she suspects killed her parents! In an exciting turn of events, Princess Benevolence finds peace within herself, her aunt, and even the rival kingdom with which Montange has warred for years...This was a great fantasy. There was magic, adventure, dragons, a great battle scene, and even a little romance! I loved the way Ben's character changed throughout the story as a result of all of her experiences. I also really liked the role of magic in the story, which was very minimal. There were parts where I laughed right out loud! I would recommend this book to anyone who liked The Goose Girl series or The Princess Academy (both by Shannon Hale).
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