Hi everybody! Isabelle Knight here again with another book review. So, if you’ve read the title, you’ll know that today, I’ll be doing a review of A Tale of Two Castles by Gail Carson Levine. Gail Carson Levine is my favorite author, and I was so excited when one of her books was on Kindle Unlimited! Yay! So, I immediately borrowed it and read it. And now I’m here with another book review. Anyway, enough dilly dallying (does anyone really use this phrase? I’m not sure) and let’s get on with the review.
I have to say that after reading this book, I was a bit disappointed. Gail Carson Levine is my favorite author even though I have only read two of her books, Ella Enchanted (which I love) and Writing Magic (which I also love). But I was a bit disappointed by A Tale of Two Castles. I just felt like it lacked the magic and wonder of Ella Enchanted. I think it’s a sort of Puss in Boots retelling and while I’m not a huge fan of that fairytale, this book does have some interesting twists.
A Tale of Two Castles is about a girl named Elodie who travels to the town of Two Castles to get an apprenticeship. It turns out that the free apprenticeship no longer exists, and she doesn’t have enough money to pay for one. She decides to become a mansioner (an actress), but the master of the troupe turns her away. She gets an apprenticeship with Meenore, a dragon who is very… I’m not sure how to describe her. Observant and is a good detective. Elodie goes undercover in an ogre’s castle to help solve one of Meenore’s cases.
I won’t go on or I might give some spoilers.
One thing I didn’t like much about the book was that it just felt like it was lacking description. I feel like it could be improved with some better pacing and richer description. Although, I did check Kindle and it said the age level for the book was 4 – 8. So that might be part of the reason the writing is simpler. I’m eleven so I’m definitely older than that age lever.
While reading, I was just a bit confused. I didn’t really know what was going on and when. Although it could be because I’m a speed reader and go through books extremely quickly. Like really, really, really quickly. I finished two and a half books in the Heroes of Olympus series in one day. If you are unfamiliar with that series, it’s a sequel to Percy Jackson and the books are big. So that sometimes causes me to miss some small details.
Another thing I didn’t like was that the characters seemed a bit one dimensional. The character of Elodie just felt a bit one dimensional. She doesn’t really seem to have many flaws and just isn’t very relatable. However, I did like the dragon, Meenore. She or he is very interesting to read but it is a bit annoying that throughout the book, the dragon is always referred to as IT. IT. In all caps. I mean, when the dragon speaks, it’s always ‘IT said’. It’s a little bit annoying but I think you do get used to it after a while.
However, I did like the setting of the story. It’s rather interesting (especially with a thieving cat. You’ll know if you read the book) and there’s even an ogre who is a count. I just feel like it could’ve used a bit more description.
I also think the later part of the book is absolutely brilliant! The climax isn’t quite as climactic as I would’ve liked it, though. I do like the later part (when you’re 83% through on a Kindle ebook). That’s where things really start to heat up and there is just so much tension and I was on the edge of my seat. I love that part. I won’t tell you what happened or else I’ll give spoilers.
Overall, this book is probably alright, just not for me. I prefer books with more action, magic, and wonder, but this book does have a few elements that fans of Gail Carson Levine will enjoy, especially the character of the dragon, Meenore. She or he has to be my favorite character. I would recommend this book to fans of Gail Carson Levine. While it’s not as good as Ella Enchanted, it’s still an alright book. If you’re looking for a light, whimsical read with some mystery and if you’re a fan of Puss in Boots (fairytale and the Dreamworks movie. Is that a Dreamworks movie?? I can never quite remember if a movie’s Disney, Pixar, or Dreamworks), then this book is for you.
I think that wraps up this book review! Thanks for coming, and I’ll see you in the next blog!
Isabelle
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