The Escape of Princess Madeline - Kirstin Pulioff
The Escape of Princess Madeline by Kirstin Pulioff has done the impossible by reminding me of my childhood with tales of Robin Hood, King Arthur and Ivanhoe. I was immediately enchanted by this sweet tale of a spoilt princess who has been forced to grow up fast by her domineering father, King Theodore. For on her sixteenth birthday Princess Madeline must choose her husband from a particularly unsavoury selection. First she refuses a dress offered by her father then she selects her husband - the young knight who wins the jousting tournament knowing her father would strongly object.
And so Madeline has little choice in her well-ordered world - she runs away only to be taken captive by a rough band of forest bandits. While the king's knights search for her, Madeline endures terrible hardships and pain. Her champion knight goes in search of the woman he loves and will not rest until he has rescued her.
Will Madeline's champion come to her rescue, can she escape her captors, will she find true love of her choice? Kirstin has pulled off a master stroke of YA fantasy seamlessly blending fairy tales of old with more contemporary problems of single parenthood, the uncertainty of a teenager's future, young love and courage in the face of overwhelming odds. This book is a FIVE STAR WONDERMENT that suits all ages. Go read it NOW!