Series: Aurelia #1
Published by: Speak (A Penguin group imprint)
Pub. Date: April 17th 2008
Genre: YA – historical fiction
ISBN read copy: 9780142405796
Source: Bought
Format/pages: Paperback, 246
Date read: August 9th 2011
My rating: 
Brief story-line: “The king sends for Robert, whose father is a trusted spy, when someone tries to assassinate Aurelia, the stubborn and feisty crown princess of Tyralt.”
“Aurelia” is a fast and easy read with not too much meat to the story. You baffle through the pages rather quick when you sit down to read, and there’s not too much information to absorb at once. I would really recommend it if you a looking for something fun and easy where you don’t need to use your brain too much. The plot, however, is a little predictable even though the ending can be a little surprising as the villain isn’t exactly the person it is easiest to pick at first.
However the setting of the story can be a little confusing as this story definitely can’t be categorized as fantasy. And it’s not exactly historical fiction as it has things from different centuries mixed together from medieval times, the 1600s and the 1800s and even a little from early 1900s. It got tenement houses and horses for travel, and it got castles and a frontier land. I had a very hard time to put this story to a certain era.
In many ways it could have been set in modern time, as Aurelia was mostly like any teenager and if they just had switched out the horses with cars it would be today, almost. The only thing that really make the story seem like it is from another era is the dialogue, which flows a little unnatural but also a little like the dialogue in older books like Jane Austen’s and the Bronte sisters’.
In “Aurelia” the princess is the heroine; she is a strong female character. Aurelia is independent and obstinate. She strives to be a good person and make the right choices which aren’t easy when you are surrounded by corruption. Her hero is quiet and brave Robert, which is a character which has few other traits than his love for Aurelia. The romance that there are written so highly about on the back cover isn’t showed very much. Misunderstand me right here please: the romance is not there, I wasn’t looking for an explicit hot sexual romance, the romance just don’t show very much.
The other characters are more type-cast. We have a verbally abusing step-mother, a king that fights to keep a prefect impression of the royal family and a typical stepsister.
The threat from the assassin attempts never really feel like a real danger, and Aurelia never seem to empathize what danger she is in as long with the fellow people, except from Robert. In the end the traitor is revealed and the punishment is given to the wrong person for the wrong reasons, which make the reader a little curious about the sequel.
As an overall I think Aurelia was an easy read, it’s a book that didn’t need much attention, and I could put it down and start right back where I was. It’s a book that is perfect for summer reading on the beach when you want to take a break from the social activities.
Signed,
Lindea
Aurelia can be purchased at Amazon
