Serena hates the Royal School of Ladylike Manners. Instead of focusing on her tea party, curtsying, and dance lessons, Serena likes to spend her time spying on the Knight School that has lessons just outside the window. They get to learn fencing and horseback riding, along with many other things that are actually interesting and important. When Serena gets home one evening, she asks her father two things. First, she asks to be called Princess Pulverizer, because Serena means 'serene', and the princess knows she is anything but that. Next, she asks to go to knight school. Her father refuses, and when he refuses, the princess asks him why. He says that she doesn't have the grace and manners to be a knight. When he re-considers his daughter's request, though, he decides on a compromise. If princess Pulverizer can complete eight good deeds on a special 'quest of kindness', then she will be allowed to go to knight school. The princess sets off to begin her quest immediately.
AGE RANGE KIDS
THEMES
Fantasy
Adventure
Royalty
Dragons
OVERALL RATING 5/10
I think this book is supposed to empower little girls to be strong and brave, but I don't think that it does it in the right way. Princess Pulverizer is certainly strong and brave, but she is also extremely rude and doesn't care about others. In the first book, she is basically rescued by a knight and a dragon. Though she ultimately saves them all with her brains, she couldn't have executed her plan without them. Also, Princess Pulverizer is just completely unlikable, so how is that going to make people respect girls and women? Lastly, she doesn't really seem to have any emotions or any cares in the world besides going to Knight School.
PROS
A strong and smart female protagonist
CONS
Unlikable and rude female protagonist
Only one significant female character
Princess gets rescued by a knight
Basically no emotions from the protagonist
Just kind of boring and not well thought-out?
NOTES
I have only read the first book in this series, but I suspect that the others are similar.