Princess Ben short for Benevolence is orphaned after the assassinations of her uncle, the reining king, and her mother, her father’s body is not found. As the last remaining member of royal blood, Ben is forced to move into the castle and endure her aunt, Queen Sophia. Sophia insists that Ben act like the princess she should and insists that Ben learn to dance, sew, proper penmanship, and control her appetite. She later learns these "lessons" are to make her appealing to a suitor, so that the queen may marry her off! Once Ben learns of this notion, she is anything but cooperative. The Queen, upset by Bens actions locks her away. But in her moment of despair Ben discovers a room that may be her escape from Sophia and an unwanted marriage, perhaps even provide vengeance for the death of her parents.After reading Murdocks’s other books, I was expecting a lot from Princess Ben. Not only did this book meet my expectations, it extended far beyond them! It is beautifully told in a way that only Murdock can. She is able to create such characters that you can’t help but admire. The growth that Ben undergoes throughout the story only increased my admiration for her. The plot was beyond captivating!! It was full of magic, adventure, and fantasy!!! I absolutely recommend this book!!! I can’t wait to read more from Murdock! ( )

A spoiled and unattractive teenage princess learns magic, self-discipline, and some unappealing truths on the way to a happy ending for herself and her mountain kingdom. ( )

Princess Benevolance is not your ordinary princess. She's not willowy, blonde or graceful. She has no manners to speak of and is a bit spoiled. When her parents die mysteriously, she is put under the care of her Aunt Sophia. Sophia starts shaping Ben to become a proper princess which Ben is sure that all she is doing is torturing her. To make matters worse, she gets locked into a small tower. The tower, however, holds a mysterious workroom where Ben learns how to do magic. Slowly, she finds herself as well as the killer of her parents.

A nice combination of fairy tales. Sort of reminded me of Ella Enchanted but Ben wasn't nearly as likable as Ella until more towards the end. Good read. It could've used a bit more magic, I thought. I wish Murdock had left it open for a sequal. ( )

I thought this book was well written and the plot was lively and entertaining. ( )

It has many implausible moments, but it's a fairy tale, so I guess you can't hold that against it. It's a fun story. ( )