Thorn (Dauntless Path #1)

Princess Alyrra of Adania fears her violent brother, so it’s a relief when her mother, the dowager queen, arranges for the pale-skinned teen’s marriage to brown-skinned Prince Kestrin of faraway Menaiya. While en route to Alyrra’s new home, her spiteful traveling companion, Valka, strikes a deal with a sorceress who is an enemy of the Menaiyan royal family. The witch casts a spell swapping the women’s identities and preventing Alyrra from telling anyone; in return, Valka will help her exact vengeance upon Kestrin. Once in Menaiya, Valka banishes Alyrra from the palace, so she takes a job in the royal stables tending geese. Though Alyrra—now nicknamed Thorn—grows content, she knows she must try to reverse the enchantment; Valka’s betrayal of the well-intentioned Kestrin seems imminent, and the beleaguered Menaiyan working class needs a compassionate princess. This originally self-published reimagining of “The Goose Girl” ends abruptly and leaves some plot threads dangling. Overall, however, Khanani delivers a moving, character-driven tale that tackles difficult topics (justice, domestic violence) with empathy and grace. Ages 13–up. [em]Agent: Emmanuelle Morgen, Stonesong. (Mar.) [/em]