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    Princess of Glass
    Princess of Glass
    Princess of Glass
    Ebook247 pages3 hours

    Princess of Glass

    By Jessica Day George

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    The enchanting second book in New York Times bestselling author Jessica Day George's Twelve Dancing Princesses series is a Cinderella retelling that will sweep you off your feet!

    Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, where young princes and princesses travel to each other's countries in the name of better political alliances--and potential marriages. It's got the makings of a fairy tale--until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince. Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers fly in this romantic and action-packed happily-ever-after quest from an author with a flair for embroidering tales in her own delightful way.

    Don't miss these other stories from New York Times bestselling author Jessica Day George:

    The Twelve Dancing Princesses series
    Princess of the Midnight Ball
    Princess of Glass
    Princess of the Silver Woods

    Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow

    Silver in the Blood

    The Rose Legacy series
    The Rose Legacy

    Tuesdays at the Castle series
    Tuesdays at the Castle
    Wednesdays in the Tower
    Thursdays with the Crown
    Fridays with the Wizards
    Saturdays at Sea

    Dragon Slippers series
    Dragon Slippers
    Dragon Flight
    Dragon Spear
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBloomsbury Publishing
    Release dateFeb 1, 2011
    ISBN9781599907291
    Author

    Jessica Day George

    JESSICA DAY GEORGE is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tuesdays at the Castle series, the Twelve Dancing Princesses series, and the Dragon Slippers trilogy. Originally from Idaho, she studied at Brigham Young University and worked as a librarian and bookseller before turning to writing full-time. She now lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband and their three young children. www.jessicadaygeorge.com @jessdaygeorge

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    Reviews for Princess of Glass

    4/5

    282 ratings32 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The pacing was nice, characters well developed, I didn't feel like I missed anything from not having read Princess of the Midnight Ball first. So I was disappointed with the rushed ending. It had a hurry up and get this over with feeling. If the author had taken another 100 pages or whatever was necessary to explain a little more to tidy up the ending it would have made this a much better read.
    • 5/5
      Wish I had read this closer to reading her other Princess book to be able to better remember what happened, but I was able to piece enough together to carry on. I LOVE her books! I will be waiting impatiently for the next.
    • 4/5
      Princess Poppy, one of the twelve dancing princesses, is back, and she helps rescue another girl trapped by an enchantress using her brain and her knitting needles. This is a retelling of the Cinderella story.
    • 5/5
      This is book 2 in the series, following princess Poppy, one of the twelve sisters from the previous book. Somewhat sideways to Poppy's own story, there's a highly unusual and modern retelling of Cinderella in there that throws a completely different light on the tale. Fairy godmothers, it seems, don't have to be quite so one-dimensionally benevolent. I think even those who aren't drawn to reworked fairy tales would find something to love in this story, which is an adventure tale of saving friends and defeating evil. It's both funny and clever, and I highly recommend it!
    • 3/5
      Plot: 3 stars
      Characters: 4 stars
      Style: 3 stars
      Pace: 3tars


      It's a cute story, if predictable and things end up tied a bit too neatly into bows. I would have liked it more if it didn't change POV quite so often, but it's not as bad as some stories on that, so I didn't ding it much for that pet peeve.
    • 4/5
      As usual Jessica Day George has done a fabulous job with this book, and with her female characterizations. Finally, a girl who can help save herself rather than wait to be saved. This story was a great sequel, but can stand very well on its own as well. I loved that the typically fairy godmother wasn't present and that Poppy could use her previous experience with evil magic to use and still get her prince. Lot's of unexpected twist from the typically versions, and say this was a very hard book to put down. I would love to read stories from all the sisters in the series.
    • 4/5
      As a fan of fairy tale retellings, I'm always excited to hear that Jessica Day George is releasing a new novel. Her retellings always offer a unique twist, while incorporating small details that allow the reader to clearly identify the original tale.With PRINCESS OF GLASS, George retellls the classic tale of Cinderella in a way readers have never seen before. George's version features a dark love triangle and a not-so-nice fairy godmother, causing my childhood perceptions of Cinderella's story to crumble. While PofG does have a more sinister feel than the original, I feel that younger readers will have no issue with its content. In my mind, PofG is more of a middle grade novel than young adult, though readers of any age will enjoy it.Readers are briefly introduced to Poppy in George's PRINCESS OF THE MIDNIGHT BALL and I was delighted to find that she is PRINCESS OF GLASS' main character. Poppy is smart, independent, and skilled with a deck of cards. I definitely think that I better understood Poppy's motivations and attitude in PofG because I read PatMB first, but it isn't required to identify with Poppy or enjoy the novel. I loved the villain in PofG. I think that this aspect of the novel was the element that made it truly unique. After all, who suspects the fairy godmother to be the villain? Even more compelling is the why behind her nefarious deeds.The only part of the novel that I was bothered by was the prince. I found him to be exceedingly bland and extremely easy to manipulate. This unfortunately, ruined the romantic elements of the plot. I would have liked someone with a bit more fire for Poppy. Luckily, the rest of the novel made up for my disappoinment in the prince.I highly recommend George's retellings. They're light, quick reads and always entertaining!
    • 4/5
      Good story. A very interesting, different angle on Cinderella, plus a good sequel to Midnight Ball with Poppy as the heroine. Christian, Dickon, and Roger are all interesting people; Marianne is a bit of a wet, but that's partly because she falls under the spell so thoroughly and doesn't get to express herself much before that. The "Breton" society and culture are fun, too. And the villain is nicely developed - quite mad, but then they all are. I hope Poppy's dreams are only dreams...or that she mentions them to Walter sometime soon. Good stuff.
    • 4/5
      Princess Poppy along with her twelve sisters were once condemned to dance every night for the evil King Under Stone, but now that the spell has been broken, attempts are being made to mend relations between various kingdoms. As part of a royal exchange program, Poppy has been sent to Breton where she meets Prince Christian of Danelaw who is promising as friend or possibly something more. At the same time, Eleanora, who fell in society when her father lost his wealth and she was forced to become a maid, also has wishes of marrying the handsome Christian. When a mysterious godmother appears offering Eleanora gowns, jewels, and glass slippers to help her snare the prince, only Poppy recognizes the dark consequences that comes from apparently easy magical solutions.A sequel to Princess of the Midnight Ball, this novel is just as charming. George takes the more familiar story of Cinderella and makes the world of magic much darker and more frightening, which contrasts nicely with the lovely lightness of the narrative. Poppy is a wonderful character and apart from her eleven sisters, really has the chance to come into her own as a character. Surprisingly, Eleanora, as the Cinderella figure, is not immediately sympathetic but takes some warming up to. Christian has more character than a typical Prince Charming but isn't very deep. Nevertheless, he makes an excellent partner for Poppy. A fun and darker retelling of Cinderella with tremendous appeal.
    • 4/5
      This is a totally cute retelling of Cinderella which is told by one of the characters in George's other princess book "Princess of the Midnight Ball". And there's more knitting!
    • 5/5
      This was a fascinating twist on Cinderella in which the cinderella figure is less sympathetic (at first she seems like a bad guy, but then you see that she's being manipulated by her "Godmother"). It's apparently the sequel to "Princesses of the Midnight Ball" (12 Dancing Princesses), which I haven't read yet- not necessary to read it, but it would have been nice. It was also nice to have changing perspectives- that's a favorite style of mine.
    • 3/5
      Sixteen-year-old Princess Poppy knows a thing or two about curses. For numerous years, she and her eleven sisters were forced to dance nearly every night until dawn for the King Under Stone. With the help of her now brother-in-law and some white magicians, the curse was lifted. Poppy still wards herself against any possible enchantments.While visiting another kingdom as part of an exchange program to promote better political alliances - and potential marriages - Poppy becomes good friends with Prince Christian, who is also visiting from a nearby kingdom. Poppy has sworn never to dance again (if she can help it) since the curse has been lifted. While sitting on the sidelines during the King's big gala, a mysterious girl arrives adorned in lavish jewels and dressed like a princess... seeing as how she is dressed just like Poppy! No one recognizes this mysterious Lady Ella, but all of the men fawn over her and all of the women gossip about her. All except Poppy, who recognizes her as her clumsy maid. Poppy knows her wards are protecting her from whatever enchantment Ella is throwing over the entire kingdom, but some are falling pretty hard under her spell... Namely, Prince Christian.Can Poppy save the Kingdom from this curse, and keep Prince Christian from making a mistake like asking lady Ella to marry him?Another easy read, but also very fun. I enjoyed this remake of the classic Cinderella fairytale. It had just the barest basics from Cinderella: a prince, a ball, glass slippers, soot, a "godmother". Ms. George turned this into her own unique version. The characters were fun and lovable. The plot was very fast paced and the book wrapped up a little too quickly for my liking, but overall a very good, clean read.
    • 4/5
      I'm a sucker for fairy tale retellings and this story is a unique twist on Cinderella with an evil fairy godmother who has her own agenda in sending Cinderella to the ball.I did feel this story wasn't quite as strong as Princess of the Midnight Ball, mainly because the author is trying to juggle the stories of three couples instead of one, but I still really liked it.
    • 4/5
      Princess of Glass revisits the traditional idea of 'Cinderella' - looking at it from a wholly different perspective that was both intriguing and a lot of fun. While the misadventures of 'Ellen' the maidservant are the heart of the Cinderella-story, it's woven intricately in with the lives and stories of Poppy and her new friends. Particularly handsome Prince Christian, whom Ellen's "godmother" has selected as the perfect match and about whom Poppy cannot quite define her feelings. I thoroughly enjoyed this read - and the fun of it is in the reading, in seeing how things work out (or don't), and wondering what-on-earth is going to come next.
    • 4/5
      Edit: I'm adding in this little disclaimer because I think people have been getting an overall negative impression in this review, and I don't want that to be the case. Yes, it is my least favorite of the 3 JDG books I've read -- but really, that's not saying much, as Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is one of my favorite books, period (just about everything is going to be "liked less") and 2nds in a series are always a little less for me, somehow. Sophomore Slump, I guess.So, while I do detail some of the reasons I liked it less, I want you to know, I still liked it. No, it didn't blow me away, but I don't regret buying or reading it. :)This one got off to a little bit of a rocky start to me, and I wasn't entirely sure I was going to like it. I didn't connect right away, even though I really like Poppy. I think that, for me at least, it was because it had more of a middle grade feel than a YA one, and I wasn't prepared for that; it required a mental shift on my part. But once the story got going, I was completely drawn in and willing to set any hesitation aside. And I'm glad I did, because this is one of the most unique, inventive retellings of Cinderella I've ever read. There were things I didn't see coming from the outset (which is unusual in a fairy tale, to be honest), and things that, even once I saw them coming were still really enjoyable and fun. It was a quirky and cute take with an unexpected edge of darkness, and I liked that.As much as I love Poppy and the expansion of her character in this book (she's one of the sisters from Princess of the Midnight Ball), I was a little less enthusiastic about some of the other main characters. I had no problems with the supporting cast, but I wished for more from the Prince, especially where romantic development is concerned. I liked him fine, and I got the whole conflict and all, but in order for the resolution to completely work for me - foregone conclusion or not - I need to believe that there's a basis for love on both sides. With him under a spell for good chunks of the book (and that's not a spoiler people - it's hinted at strongly at the very beginning), it's hard to completely buy the romance, which is a big part of the story. I think I bought it more because I wanted to than because it was all there.But more of a drawback was Ellen. I just couldn't like her. I get that she was being manipulated, and I get that she was under magical influences, some bad juju, if you will, but it didn't make it any easier for me to like her. She was so petulant and bratty and just really hit on some pet peeves of mine. I did like her more as the story went on, but still - when one of the main characters is hard to like, it puts a strain on the book. Fortunately, Poppy more than made up for Ellen. And as silly as I found the backstory of the villain, I quite liked her, too. The things she does... omg, it gives a whole new meaning to glass slippers, and it is some CRA-ZEE, let me tell you!In the end, though it is my least favorite of the Jessica Day George books I've read, that doesn't mean I didn't like it. I would still recommend it to fans, fairy tale lovers and spunky young girls, who will love Poppy (and swoon over the Prince, guaranteed). I'm looking forward to the final installment of the series, following one of the sisters of the "younger set"... any bets on who?
    • 3/5
      This one was an interesting 'sequel' to "The Princess of the Midnight Ball". A 'retelling' (sort of) of Cinderella this time, it picks up on one of the 12 princesses from the first book. This one tells of Poppy, sent to another country as an 'exchange' program of sorts. Much of it is about how she won't dance. Or about the prince.While you don't get to know the characters all that *well*, I did like that when they meet, there is a hint that a fair bit of time goes by where they are able to get to know each other before the whole 'love' thing is sprung. The story is a little odd, but quite interesting as 'Cinderella' is not the main character, and not a particularly likable character for much of the story. But in the end all works out well, and while its not exactly a 'happily ever after', its close enough, with good reasons given.Another book where knitting features fairly prominently, to my delight. :D
    • 4/5
      This sequel to Princess of the Midnight Ball is delightful and, in many ways, stronger than its predecessor. Where 'Midnight Ball' was fairly surface and predictable fun, 'Glass' mixes up the fairy tales in more interesting ways and is possessed of a of a heroine, Princess Poppy, who is determined and feisty and just tons of fun.The ten unmarried dancing princesses from 'Midnight Ball' are being shipped off in a sort of royal 'study abroad' program in order to repair strained relations and possibly achieve some matchmaking. Sixteen-year-old Princess Poppy travels to Breton, where she makes some good friends and has an encounter with a serving girl named Ellen who, it turns out, has gotten into something a bit over her head. This is a pretty creative re-imagining of Cinderella, and I really enjoyed how neatly that story fit into the previous fairy tale. George really manages to make them feel like part of the same world, and she strikes a nice balance between politics and fairy tale magic.My favorite part of this book, though, is Princess Poppy. I spent a lot of time while reading this book thinking that if I had a daughter, this is exactly the sort of Princess I'd want her reading about. Intelligent and quick-witted, scared of scary things but willing to face them when necessary anyway, eager to stretch her boundaries and willing to reevaluate her judgment of someone. She's an excellent role model, a lot of fun, and when things get bad, she starts knitting.If Princess of the Midnight Ball struck your fancy, I definitely recommend this follow-up.
    • 4/5
      Author Jessica Day George returns to the world of fairy tales and magic in Princess of Glass, the sequel to Princess of the Midnight Ball. In Princess of the Midnight Ball, George tackled the well-known fairy tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, and readers met twelve fascinating women named after flowers. After the two eldest princesses, Rose and Lily, were married at the conclusion of Midnight Ball, Poppy is left as the eldest unmarried princess at the young age of sixteen. Poppy, who was barely mentioned in Midnight Ball, steps out from the shadow of her sisters and their tattered dancing shoes and into her own story.Princess of Glass opens in the world of politics and matchmaking, where a new exchange program brings princes to various courts throughout the land in hopes that they will fall in love with the local princess(es) and build alliances. Poppy goes to the home of her aunt, while her sisters are shipped off to other countries. Poppy meets her lovely cousin, Marianne, and Eleanora (also known as Ellen), a once-noblewoman who, after being orphaned, is forced to become a maid in order to survive. Together, Poppy and Marianne attend the lavish royal balls, though Poppy, remembering her days as a prisoner of the King Under Stone, refusing to dance and becomes the gossip of the ball -until a strange, but beautiful woman named Lady Ella appears and Prince Christian and others of the court are infatuated with her. No one seems to know anything about her, only that she always leaves the balls by midnight and wears glass slippers...In this retelling of Cinderella, George weaves another wonderful tale of magic, romance and the frightening truths behind making bargains with magical creatures. Though the plot is somewhat expected (though not as predictable as Princess of the Midnight Ball), Princess of Glass is a delightful, magical read that's got a beautiful simplicity to it.This time around, George doesn't have to juggle as many characters, which helps lend greater characterization to all the characters in Princess, especially Poppy, Ellen and the villain (known as the dastardly Corley). However, Poppy, the main character, seems to take a back-seat position to the plot for the majority of the novel. It feels like all of the action revolves around others more than her, and as if she was just tacked on to the story in order to create a connection to Princess of the Midnight Ball. Despite this, Princess of Glass is a worthwhile read.
    • 4/5
      Poppy, one of the twelve princesses released from a curse to dance every night for the King Under Stone, is sent to Breton as part of a royal fostering initiative to forge closer ties between unstable kingdoms. However, she, along with the Danelaw prince Christian, are soon drawn into fighting magical enemies again, as it becomes clear that the chambermaid Eleanora, the orphaned daughter of a earl, has made a bargain with a power beyond her control. This is an innovative retelling of Cinderella set in a world not too much different from our medieval Europe. Woven in with the Cinderella story, however, is a story about forming friendships and recovering from past traumatic events, and indeed the Cinderella figure is not the main character. There is just enough romance here to keep it interesting for teenage girls, but not enough to overwhelm the story. This fairy tale adaptation is recommended for girls in eighth through twelfth grades.
    • 4/5
      Three years after being released from the enchantment that made her and her sisters dance night after night, Princess Poppy makes an extended visit to her cousin in Breton. But a dark enchantment awaits there as well, in an interesting twist on the Cinderella story.George's books keep getting better and better.
    • 4/5
      I'm going to have to go back and read Princess of the Midnight Ball now. Ms. George is very adept at engulfing the reader in the story. You feel as though you are a part of the time period in which the story takes place. Princess Poppy is a delightful character who encompasses qualities at either ends of the spectrum. She's tough, she swears, and is quite the little cardshark. However, she is ladylike, loves to knit, and appreciates fine gowns. The story of the Corley was left a mystery until towards the end. I enjoyed the 'fairy tale' aspect of this book. I have this unusual appreciation and even affection for colored glass. So I found the story of The Corley very interesting as well. I would say it would be great for 12 and up. The cover is cool, but would have liked to have seen one of the dresses described or Prince Christian as well. Overall, really loved the characters, the pace, and the plot. I would definitely recommend.
    • 4/5
      Princess Poppy, one of the twelve dancing princesses, is back, and she helps rescue another girl trapped by an enchantress using her brain and her knitting needles. This is a retelling of the Cinderella story.
    • 5/5
      it took me ridiculously long to figure out it was a Cinderella story, probably because I had my head set on it being the princess of the glass hill instead.
    • 4/5
      Princess of Glass is George's retelling of Cinderella, starring Princess Poppy, out on her own as part of a diplomatic match-making sceme cooked up by various monarchies. I appreciate a princess with a bit of spunk, and enjoyed the swearing-and-gambling Poppy to any Disney princess; likewise, I found George's twists to be original and engaging.
    • 4/5
      Princess of Glass is right up my alley. It is definitely not the same old Cinderella tale and borrows a bit from the Twelve Dancing Princesses since Poppy was one of those same princesses. But all that happened in the first book, Princess of the Midnight Ball which I have yet to read, but definitely will soon. They call this one a companion to the first book, but it is more of an indirect sequel.Poppy is a feisty and fun princess and I admired her willpower to be free and yet be a princess at the same time. I felt so sorry for her and her sisters for what they endured and I was tickled by her friendship with Christian. They are such a cute couple and I liked how their romance was allowed to grow naturally.The twist on the Cinderella story was interesting and it felt more like an original fairy tale before the Grimms took hold. It was darker and much eerier. The Cinderella character, Ellen, had a similar background but there were no ugly stepsisters. She is taken in by an evil witch who uses her to exact a revenge of sorts. It was all very cool and the glass slippers were really horrible. That was a great idea.I look forward to reading more by Jessica Day George if all her books are like this one.The Little Bookworm
    • 2/5
      huhuu
    • 5/5
      For those of you who read Princess of the Midnight Ball, you’ll remember Princess Poppy. She was one of the sisters under the enchantment of the wicked King Under Stone (shudders).

      Poppy makes a return appearance here, when she participates in a royal exchange program. The idea of the program is to create strong political alliances and possibly see some marriages too. It’s all going well, until we learn that a poor servant girl has been tricked by a wicked fairy godmother into impersonating a princess and trying to steal all the eligible men away from Poppy. The lengths she goes to in order to best Poppy are awesome. I couldn’t wait for each new ball to see what was going to happen next.

      For lovers of fairy tales and fairy tale retellings, you’ll be in heaven. This one is masterfully done and seamlessly weaves elements of Cinderella in. You’ll get your fill of beautiful ball gowns, political and princess-y intrigue, fairy godmothers, and one rather plucky heroine.

      I loved Poppy. She was one of my favorite characters in Princess of the Midnight Ball and I was thrilled to see her make a repeat appearance here. She’s the kind of heroine you can really get behind and cheer for. The gal who makes her own way in life, even though she’s a princess. The gal who takes matters into her own hands and doesn’t wait for someone else to do the dirty work. She’s a character who’s really easy to look up to.

      LOVE.

      I could go on and on about how much I love this book (and Jessica Day George’s other books too, for that matter), but I think you get the picture.

      Just go read the book, okay?
    • 4/5
      After loving the first book "Princess of the Midnight Ball", I knew right away that I wanted to read the next book "Princess of Glass". This book takes place several years after the events in the first book. Poppy still has some traumas left over from that experience and never wants to dance again. She is sent off to live with a family in another kingdom and meets a young prince named Christian who has been sent there to make political connections and hopefully make a wise marriage. Christian is the hit of society and every eligible girl wants a chance to win over the handsome prince. But Christian and Poppy become friends and there is a hint of potential romance. Enter a servant girl with a grudge against the wealthy and a knack for making a mess out of the most basic chores. Something strange is going on with servant girl. One night at a ball, Poppy realizes that the servant is there, pretending to be Lady Ella, a wealthy young woman. She wears an exact copy of Poppy's own ballgown except her's is even more beautiful. And it seems no one else can tell who Lady Ella really is.This was such a great twist on the Cinderella storyline. I love that the author didn't try to make Poppy herself be the Cinderella type character. I also loved that the Corley was the fairy godmother with evil intentions. What a cool way to mix up this fairy tale! The characters were great fun and I love the sympathetic spin put on Ella, even though I wanted to reach in the book and smack the whiner a time or two. Christian was okay as a hero. I didn't care for the fact that he was so weak willed and mooned around Ella the way he did. I guess every prince can't be a hero. He would be hard pressed to match the hero from the first book anyway. Galen was certainly a perfect male lead. Poppy was charming and fun and direct. She still had her fears left over from the horrible curse she was under from the first book. This made the story more realistic and I really rooted for her.If you enjoy fairy tale retellings, you should certainly try out this series. Jessica Day George has really impressed me with how she can re-create a fairy tale and make it new again.

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    • 4/5
      This charming fantasy, based on the fairy tale of Cinderella, is the second in Jessica Day George’s series “The Princess of the Midnight Ball”. Of course, in Princess of Glass, she has cleverly twisted the tale using the elements of the fairy godmother, the glass slippers, and the handsome prince to tell her own unique version of the classic story.Princess Poppy, one of the original twelve dancing princesses, is recovering from her own magical ordeal, but while visiting the kingdom of Breton, discovers a new curse being worked on someone else, a servant girl named Ellen. As she realizes that this curse is also directed at the handsome Prince Christian of Danelaw, whom she is slowly developing a close friendship with, she vows to break this magic spell and release the victims.I really liked how the author reworked this fairy tale and enjoyed the strong willed, competent Princess Poppy who sets out to right the wrongs and in doing so wins the slightly hapless but nevertheless charming Prince Christian. As in all fairy tales there is a happy ending and in this case we have three young couples finding their “happy ever after”. A light and frothy story chock full of magic, humour and romance.
    • 4/5
      This is the 2nd book in the Twelve Dancing Princesses by George. This book features Poppy and I actually liked it even better than Princess of the Midnight Ball. It is a wonderful and sweet fantasy read; it loosely retells the story of Cinderella. The third book in this series, Princess of the Silver Woods, is scheduled to be released in December of 2012.Princess Poppy is unhappy and when an opportunity comes up to participate in a royal exchange program she is happy to do so. While in a neighboring kingdom Poppy begins to develop a tenuous relationship with a Prince. Things gets complicated when her maid Ella is tricked by the evil Corley and ends up vying for the Prince’s attention.This was a sweet and simple read. If you enjoyed Princess of the Midnight Ball you will enjoy this book as well. I loved that this built on some of the elements in the first book. I actually enjoyed this book even more than Princess of the Midnight Ball; it is a creative and engaging retelling of the Cinderella story. It involves a lot of the same elements but with a twist. There is an evil fairy godmother, molten glass slippers, and of course a handsome prince and a beautiful princess. Poppy is the sister that features in this story, and she is a lot of fun. She absolutely abhors dancing, because of the events in the first book, but dances exceedingly well. She is more of card-shark than anything. She is also witty and smart, and very good at investigating the mystery surrounding Ella.The Prince, whose name I am blanking on right now, was your typical wonderful Prince. He falls for Poppy hard and of course is respectful and supportive of her...at least when he’s not being bespelled by the Corley.There are lots of descriptions of the beautiful clothing the characters wear. Many of the characters are matched up with each other, making for a large dash of romance in this book as well. So definitely a kind of girly read.The Corely made for a delightfully evil villainess. Her obsession with all things glass was intriguing and I enjoyed her back story as well.The story was an easy, engaging read. This is a clean read that’s suitable for all ages; although I would recommend middle grade and older.Overall a solid fairy tale retelling. This isn’t a heavy read, it is mostly light and sweet. Poppy is a plucky heroine that is fun to read about and easy to engage with. There are some creative twists on the Cinderella fairy tale in here as well. If you love retold fairy tales and princess stories you will enjoy this book.

    Book preview

    Princess of Glass - Jessica Day George

    crawl

    Prologue

    Perfect, the Corley said, lips stretched wide in a smile. She took a shallow pan of molten glass and set it in the air over her head. Yes, everything will be perfect this time.

    She tilted the pan just a little, and the syrupy stuff slithered out in a green sheet. It flowed, pale and smooth, into a basin, and showed the Corley a young girl with blue eyes and black hair under a little white cap. She was ironing a muslin gown, a grim expression on her face.

    She is beautiful, pronounced the witch. And clever. But almost … obsessed with her loss. Perfect. She will come to me with open arms, the lovely. And now for her prince.

    She tipped the pan a little, pouring out more liquid glass, and there he was. A tall youth with pale gold hair and deep blue eyes, riding a showy gray horse down a city street. All around him, women stopped to sigh but he rode on, oblivious.

    Handsome, yet blind to his own appeal and so much more, the Corley purred. And it was so easy to bring him here.

    The thick green liquid flickered and another face appeared. Black hair framed a face with porcelain skin and large violet eyes. The young girl’s beauty was only marred by the frown she wore.

    Curious, the Corley watched as the frowning girl was kissed and hugged by a whole herd of other young ladies, clearly all sisters. Last of all two tall young men embraced her. One of the young men handed over a bag that appeared to be full of balls of yarn with a pair of sharp knitting needles sticking out of the top. The girl finally laughed, and the other young man helped her into a carriage.

    What’s this, what’s this? The Corley clucked her tongue when the steam failed to show her any more. "Another one coming? Ah, me! Can nothing I seek come easily?

    Still, what’s one more little girl?

    Houseguest

    When someone knocked on the bedroom door, Poppy nearly leaped right off the bed. She had been sprawled across it writing, and her quill pen skidded over the paper and left huge blotches of ink on the letter to her twin, Daisy.

    Oh, blast! Poppy dabbed at the ink with her handkerchief before it could run off the paper and onto the white counterpane. Yes? Come in.

    After sharing a room with her twin and their sister Orchid all her life, Poppy was not used to people knocking on her bedroom door. Nor was the silence of Seadown House at all soothing, but only seemed to magnify the least squeak or whisper, until Poppy thought her nerves would never settle.

    Lady Margaret peeped around the doorframe. She had been the greatest beauty of her generation, and her looks had not faded with age. Her hair gleamed like polished wood and her large brown eyes sparkled. She smiled kindly at Poppy, who was still dabbing at the letter with her ruined handkerchief.

    I hope I didn’t startle you, my dear.

    Years ago Poppy would have said yes and indignantly displayed the ruined letter. But Rose and Lily, her oldest sisters, had been teaching her tact with great determination, and so she shook her head.

    Not at all, she replied. I’ve made a muddle of this letter without any help.

    Lady Margaret came all the way into the room. She took the pen and ink from Poppy and set it on the writing desk without comment. Poppy felt a pang: she should sit at the desk to compose her letters, but it was so hard to break the habit of lounging while she wrote.

    Lady Margaret turned the elegant little desk chair to face the bed and sat down. Marianne tells me that you don’t wish to attend the Thwaites’ ball, she said, her voice beautifully modulated as always.

    Poppy reflected that it was no wonder she had been shipped off to Breton. Lady Margaret Seadown, Poppy’s late mother’s cousin, was all that was elegant and refined. Poppy suspected that her father, King Gregor, was hoping for some of Lady Margaret’s elegance to rub off on her.

    Fighting down her feeling of panic at the very mention of a ball, Poppy took command of her own voice and said merely, I’m sorry, Cousin Margaret, but I don’t dance.

    Lady Margaret’s brow furrowed delicately. But my dear, the unpleasantness with the dancing slippers … She let the question trail away.

    Poppy winced, clenching her fist around the ink-stained handkerchief. Yes, the unpleasantness with the dancing slippers.

    From the time she could walk until she was thirteen years old, Poppy had spent nearly every night dancing. Dancing until her toes bled and her satin slippers were worn to shreds, and her eleven sisters with her. Until Galen, now married to her oldest sister, Rose, had rescued them from the curse that had begun with their mother’s foolish bargain nineteen years before.

    "I can dance, Poppy clarified. But I really prefer not to." Ever again, she added silently. Rose and Galen sometimes danced together, out in the garden with a little impromptu music courtesy of her sister Violet. But the royal family of Westfalin had neither hosted nor attended a ball in three years, though they had banquets and concerts and parties enough to befit their status.

    I see, Lady Margaret said.

    But it was clear that she didn’t. No one did. And as fond as Poppy was of her mother’s elegant cousin, she could not enlighten her.

    By the time Galen had helped free her family, the Church was investigating Poppy and her sisters on charges of witchcraft, and nine princes were dead. Their only crime had been trying to solve the mystery and perhaps win a royal bride, but the King Under Stone, the horrible creature with whom Poppy’s mother had made her bargain, had killed them all. Since then they had all agreed—King Gregor, the sisters, and Galen—that none of them would speak of the curse or the King Under Stone again.

    But my dear, Lady Margaret went on. Please consider attending the ball even if you don’t dance. The Thwaites are charming, and their social occasions are the height of fashion. There will be wonderful music, and food, and so many fine young people for you to meet. And I hate to have you languishing at home alone while we enjoy ourselves. She made a face. I would stay home with you, but Marianne will be heart-broken if she cannot attend, and I must chaperone her.

    Poppy had to think about it for a while.

    A long while.

    She was not given to fearful turns or attacks of the vapors like some girls (including several of her sisters). But most of her life had been a nightmare of endless, sleepless nights dancing in the arms of the half-mortal son of a half-mortal king. She had no happy memories of balls.

    But she would not let old fear rule her life, she decided. During the three weeks that she had been in Breton, the Sea-downs had been invited to no less than seven balls, and turned them all down because they did not want their guest to feel abandoned. She could not in good conscience ask them to give up another invitation just because she was feeling missish. She was fairly certain that the Thwaites were not evil incarnate, and they would not try to kidnap her. She would go, and she would enjoy herself.

    Even if she could not bring herself to dance.

    Poppy realized she had been holding her breath and let it out now in a whoosh. I’ll go, she said to Lady Margaret. Thank you for understanding if I don’t dance, however.

    Of course, my dear. Lady Margaret smiled radiantly and patted Poppy’s hand. I’ll tell Marianne and Richard. We’ll have a cold supper, and then Gabrielle will help you dress.

    She glided from the room, and Poppy set aside her ruined handkerchief and letter. She would write to Daisy later. For now she opened her wardrobe and brought out two gowns from the very back. Her oldest sister, Rose, had had them made for her.

    You’ll need ball gowns, Rose had insisted.

    I’m not going to any balls, Poppy objected.

    You might surprise yourself, Galen had said. You’ll have friends; you’ll want to go to a ball with them… He had raised his eyebrows suggestively as he knit away with two tiny wooden needles and yarn that was hardly thicker than a thread.

    No.

    But Rose had the maids pack the two gowns behind Poppy’s back. And Poppy would never let Rose know that she was suddenly grateful for the gowns. In fact, Poppy debated whether she would even tell her own twin that she had been to a ball. Daisy practically had hysterics when their sister Violet played a valse on the pianoforte.

    Young Bretoner ladies wore white to most formal occasions, which made Poppy feel like a corpse. Clever Rose, knowing this, had had these gowns made of fine white muslin with satin slips of a different color underneath. One slip was purple, which the white muslin softened to lavender, the other a rich blue dampened into a mistier shade by the overgown. There was delicate embroidery around the hems and necklines to match the underskirts. Poppy laid the lavender gown across the bed (after checking to make certain that she had not spilled any ink on the counterpane) and then went downstairs. Suddenly hungry, she wanted to find out how soon the early supper would be.

    Prince

    Prince Christian rode with his eyes focused straight ahead. As long as he didn’t make eye contact with any of the girls lining the streets of Damerhavn to watch him go by, they wouldn’t do anything foolish.

    Like pretend to faint under the hooves of his horse.

    Or throw a handkerchief at him, hoping that he would keep it as a memento.

    The last time that had happened, his horse had spooked at the sight of the white fluttery thing, and Christian had nearly been thrown into the waiting arms of a horde of hopeful young ladies. He wanted to ride, needed to get out of the palace and away from his parents and tutors, but it was never as relaxing as he hoped it would be.

    Today he was even more distracted than usual. On his way to the stables, his father had popped out of his study and made Christian promise to speak with him immediately upon his return.

    Christian had extended his daily ride to stall for time.

    With a sigh, he saw from the angle of the sun that if he didn’t return to the palace soon his father would send soldiers to find him. Not because he was a prisoner, but because Christian’s parents loved him, and cared for him, and worried for his safety.

    Constantly.

    You’re alive today because we smother you, King Karl was fond of saying when Christian accused his parents of being overprotective. Imagine if we’d sent you off to Westfalin, and you’d had your soul sucked away by those horrible girls!

    Mention of this always made Christian uncomfortable. When the king of Westfalin had pleaded for a prince to help solve the mystery behind the princesses’ worn-out dancing shoes, Christian had been eager to go. His parents, however, had not permitted it. From the beginning they had been certain that dark magic was involved, and when the reports came of the failed princes dying in strange accidents, King Karl had put Christian under house arrest. No son of his would sneak away to Westfalin and attempt to meddle with those cursed girls.

    Not that Christian had wanted to get married. He had only been fifteen at the time, after all. But he had never been outside of the Danelaw, and it all sounded like such a great adventure. In the end it had been a common soldier who had solved the mystery and ended up being knighted and married to the oldest princess. The intrepid fellow had solved the problem using an embroidery hoop or some such strange thing, but Christian rather doubted that part of the story.

    Back at the palace, Christian groomed his horse himself, still trying to put off this talk. Then he had to go and change out of his riding clothes, wash his face, and comb his hair—which needed to be cut, he noticed—and find his father. The king was not in his study after all, but up on the roof of the palace where a telescope had been mounted next to the pole bearing the royal flag.

    See this? King Karl pointed the telescope at the harbor and gestured for Christian to look through it.

    He looked. It’s the harbor, he said.

    I know it’s the harbor, Christian, his father said patiently. Look at the ships in it.

    Two of our navy gunners and a merchant from Norsk-land, Christian reported, not sure where his father was going with all this.

    And there, to the left of the Norske ship?

    It looks like a Bretoner. Christian pulled away from the eyepiece to blink for a moment, then looked again. Yes, a Bretoner galley. Royal Navy, in fact.

    Very good. King Karl nodded in approval. Yesterday I received the ambassador from Breton. It seems that King Rupert has some ideas about the future of Ionia. Karl chuckled. Funny, isn’t it? When Breton is doing well, they’re an island unto themselves, but if there’s ever any unrest, suddenly ‘all the nations of Ionia need to band together.’

    Not knowing how to reply to this, Christian merely continued to look at the harbor through the telescope. A sinking feeling was growing in his stomach, however, and he knew that somehow this news from Breton involved him.

    Westfalin’s war with Analousia was not a pretty thing, King Karl went on. It cost a lot of lives, and caused a lot of bad blood between former allies. Then there was that business with Gregor’s gaggle of daughters and those fool princes dying left and right.

    The Westfalian princesses again. The back of Christian’s neck prickled.

    A lot of old alliances need renewing, his father was saying. Rupert’s quite concerned about it, and I know that Francesco of Spania’s been talking about the same thing for a while. Some official state visits and exchanging of gifts would not be remiss.

    Do you want me to send a gift to Prince George? Christian had met the heir to the Bretoner throne once before, and he was a nice enough chap if a bit too obsessed with foxhunting. Christian shrugged. I could send him a new riding crop or some such.

    But his father was shaking his head. Well. King Karl paused. I suppose if you wanted to take a gift to George you could. But that’s not exactly what we have in mind.

    Christian’s heart began to race. "Take a gift? You want me to go to Breton?" Christian blurted out the question, incredulous.

    King Karl nodded, looking uncomfortable.

    Jaw agape, Christian stared at his father. He’d been to Breton once, as a child, and once to Analousia before the war, but since then he’d had to fight to even leave the palace grounds. Now his father wanted to send him to Breton?

    Why? Why now?

    Because we must, King Karl said simply. As I said, since the war, things haven’t been right between the nations of Ionia, and the Westfalian princesses did nothing to improve that. It’s time to prove to our neighbors that we trust one another—

    Christian interrupted. Do we?

    His father looked grim. We pretend that we do, he said. And we pretend that we aren’t all thinking the same thing: that the death of so many princes has left a lot of countries in a vulnerable state. Not all of those poor boys were second sons, you know. Helvetia sent their only heir, the next in line is a cousin’s son. Unless Markus decides to take Westfalin’s lead and declare his daughter and her future husband co-rulers.

    Frowning, Christian asked, Who is she going to marry? His tutors had drilled the names of every royal family in Ionia into his head, but it always seemed that there were so many young princesses that their names blurred together in his mind.

    No one yet, and that’s what makes Rupert’s little plan so perfect. We’re going to be exchanging our sons and daughters for a while: sending you to Breton while George goes to Analousia, and Analousia’s little Prince Henri comes here. Ostensibly it’s to make friends among the next generation, but go a little deeper and it’s a grand matchmaking scheme.

    What?

    That’s right, King Karl laughed. Think about it: George will leave for Analousia shortly after you arrive in Breton, and then you’ll be at the mercy of his sisters and cousins. You’ll come back here for the holidays with your family; your mother put her foot down over that. But after the New Year I might have you visit Spania, or La Belge, we’ve just sent them a courier. There are a number of lovely ladies at those courts as well, and you, my boy, are of an age when you should be thinking of a royal alliance.

    Christian felt as though his world were dropping out from under him. In the space of a few hours he had gone from feeling smothered by his parents to being thrown to the wolves, so to speak. He would be alone in a strange country, expected to talk and flirt and possibly even marry some silly princess.

    And if he failed, another war might break out.

    This wasn’t remotely what he had thought his father wanted to talk about. Christian slapped the side of the telescope and watched it spin on its tripod. He was being offered an adventure, but was

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