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Book Review By Michelle Richie
The Decoy Princess by Dawn Cook

Princess Contessa is shopping for a gift for her fiancee, Prince Garrett. She is scheming to get a look at him, because she has never seen him. There is a prophecy about her that makes the other kingdoms either try to assassinate her, or assassinate her potential husbands, which happened to the last one. She does end up sneaking in to see Prince Garrett, but is discovered and when he meets her he tries to move up the wedding. This forces her parents to reveal that she is not the real princess. She is a decoy for potential assassins. The real princess is on her way to the castle for the wedding.

That night Prince Garrett overtakes the castle and kills her parents in an effort to get the real princess's location. He sends assassins after her to keep her from reaching the castle and says he will marry Tess instead, since no one else knows she is not the real princess. She escapes from the castle and with the help of a gambler, Duncan, gets out of the city. Her plan is to reach the real princess and the chancellor before the assassin. The captain of the guard, Jeck, continues to thwart her plans and attempts to recapture her. If she does not succeed in her quest her kingdom will be conquered, and she will die.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Romance Yes
Romance plotlets: - two lovers coping with tough mission
Political power play Yes
Political plotlets - saving govt/kingdom from external overthrow
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20 %
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 %
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20 %

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's
If magical mental powers: - can talk to animals

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status:
Eccentric: Yes
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character?
Intelligence - Average intelligence

Setting
Terrain
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a primitive/fantasy society
Planet outside solar system? Yes

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only) - some scientific explanation
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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