The Two Sisters Of Bamarre By Olivia

Title: The Two Princesses From Bamarre
Author: Gail Carson Levine
Place And Year Of Publication: New York, 2001
Number Of Pages: 241
Where You Found The Book: School Library

Story Review:

Princesses Addie and Meryl live together in their beautiful castle in Bamarre with their father, who is very distant from them, many maids and servants, and their good friend Bella. Princess Addie is very timid and scared of alot things. Meryl on the other hand is brave, daring, and wants to go out and slay ogors and dragons, but Addie made Meryl promise that she would stay and protect her until Addie got married and moved away. There had aways been a dark plague in the land called the Grey Death, the plague made you very weak until the victim fell into a deep sleep for eleven days, then woke for three days with a high fever, then died. But their was a cure, the legend has it that when the weak found courage, and rain fell over Bamarre, then the plague would be gone, or people say that Dragons and fairies knew another cure. The main characters in this book are Addie, Meryl, Bella, and Rhys, the young sorcerer who lived at the castle. The themes in this book are an adventurous,  risk taking, and romance. This book is called The Two Princesses From Bamarre because Addie and Meryl, two princesses, live in Bamarre.

When Princess Addie finds out that her old house maid had caught the plague, she told her to fight the plague and not let the plague get to her. Her house maid went back to her home town where she stayed until the Grey Death took her life. Rhys, their sorcerer showed Addie, Meryl, and Bella some magic tricks, and gave them gifts. In return the girls decided to give him a gift as well, and Meryl recited a part from Drault, a legend of a brave hero who slayed dragons. While she was reciting, she started panting and had to sit down. They all brought her inside to bed because they thought it must be a cold. When Milton, their doctor, checked her out, it was certain, she had the Grey Death. Addie was devastated and weeped for hours. When Addie's father found out, he brought together an army of fifteen men and set off, a little while later Addie found out that her father was returning with nothing, she decided she had to go on her own and find the cure. Bella, Milton, and Rhys gave her gifts to help her and Rhys accompanied her part of the way. While she was searching she ran  into ogors, griffins, and dragons. Time is running out, will she be able to find the cure in time?


Christian Perspective:

This book was written in Medieval Times and so there was a lot of magic, sorcery, and witchcraft, so I don't think this book was written in a christian perspective. The book of Drualt was almost like their bible because they carried it around, reciting things from it that would help them get through rough times, just as we use verses in the bible to help us. Princess Addie acted like a christian should because she loved her sister so much that she was willing to go into the unknown forest and search for the cure, which could mean death. Rhys and Addie are in love and they want to get married, but since Rhys is a Sorcerer, he has rules against it. They decide to get married which goes against the sorcerer rule, but I don't think that is a bad thing and I think since they love each other it is okay.



Your Thoughts:

I really didn't want to have to read this book because it looked boring and I usually hate fantasies, but this book changed my mind about fantasies. It was a pretty good book, even though I didn't particularly like the ending. I really liked Addie's character and how she would do anything for her sister, even if it meant dying. I also liked how two very different people can overcome their differences and live happily ever after. I would recommend this book to people who like fantasies, romance, and the medieval times.