The Enchanted Forest Chronicles

Cimorene is a princess, but she's not the normal blonde haired, prince-seeking kind like her sisters. She wants to do such much more than embroider and curtsy: she wants to fight, learn magic, and have adventures! This series follows her adventures after running away from home to become the dragon Kazul's princess -- a very respectable position. Fighting off princes trying to "rescue" her against her will and melting evil wizards with soapy water and lemon juice are just the beginning...

I absolutely loved this series and was enthralled by the first book. I didn't mind when there was romance later in the series, but I have to admit that I disliked what happened with Cimorene's husband and the fact that her child was a male. I'd have loved to see a female child of Cimorene as the protagonist of the fourth book, which is why I could only give this series 4 stars. It's still a solid and engaging read, and I would still recommend it as a good fantasy series for kids.

It's really too bad when you're excited to reread a series that you think you may not have fully appreciated as a child, and it turns out to be worse than you remembered. And yet you kept reading anyways in the hope that things would improve. (They didn't.)

I reviewed each book individually:

Dealing with Dragons review
Searching for Dragons review
Calling on Dragons review
Talking to Dragons review

And I have a few more gripes. Who else found the formulaic titles utterly forgettable? I can't remember where any of the books fall in the series, as the titles have so little to do with what actually happens in the story (Dealing with Dragons is the exception; I do know that one's first). Perhaps I'm expecting too much creativity here.

But worse show more than lame titles is the underlying message of the series. It's fun on the surface to have Cimorene impatient with all her well-intentioned rescuers and to poke fun at the fairy tale tradition, but I'm not a fan of the subtext. Basically if you don't defy convention, you are brainless, boring, and fair game to be laughed at and made fun of. That's just... intolerant. show less

1 - Dealing with Dragons
I think I first read this in my teens, and was thrilled to find a no-nonsense princess in Cimorene. Most princesses either hang around to be rescued, or go on the quest disguised as a boy; Cimorene actively rebels against all the cliches, which was a novel approach, I thought. Plus I really empathised with her spirit.

Growing up, Cimorene preferred learning magic, fencing and Latin to embroidery, etiquette lessons or how loudly to scream. At sixteen (her fairy godmother having proved equally hidebound), she ran away to become a dragon's princess, instead of having to marry an insipid prince, and has adventures aplenty, including fighting the Society of Wizards.

This was great fun to read; I like the way Ms Wrede show more pokes fun at all the princess cliches. And whoever heard of anyone volunteering to keep house for a dragon? Or melting wizards with soapy water - but it must have lemon juice in it. I like this book the most of this box set.

(December 2010)

2 - Searching for Dragons
I like the way this book starts, in the castle of the king of the Enchanted Forest, and with the quirky magic of the Forest.

Mendanbar, who has recently become king of the Enchanted Forest, goes to talk to Kazul, the king of the dragons, but finds that she is missing. He meets her princess, Cimorene, and they realise that the Society of Wizards is up to something sinister again, trying to start a war between the Enchanted Forest and the dragons of the Mountains of Morning. They set off to find Kazul, meeting up with Morwen the witch and Telemain the magician, who help them fight the wizards.

This book was fun to read, with lots of little side stories that hint at other fairytales, such as Herman the dwarf, who has ended up with lots of little children because he can spin straw into gold (Rumpelstiltskin).

(December 2010)

3 - Calling on Dragons
Our heroine, Princess Cimorene has married her king, and is now queen. Now they have to go on a quest to save the Enchanted Forest from wizards with old allies and new friends, including a blue flying donkey - who is actually a rabbit named Killer. Not to mention dragons, of course.

This is a nice YA adventure. Cimorene is as feisty as ever, and the wizards are as pesky as ever.

(February 2011)

4 - Talking to Dragons

This is the fourth and final book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, and is told from the point of view of Daystar, Cimorene's son. She gives him a magic sword and sends him off into the Forest with no explanation - other than telling him not to come home until he can explain why he had to leave.

Though this is a nice story, I have to say I prefer the characters of Cimorene and Mendanbar, and, therefore, their stories. But the old cast is there (with the exception of Zemenar, who has been eaten), and there's lots of magic and mayhem.

(February 2011)

Overall: 3.5 stars show less

Love this book - this series. I read them in publication order originally which is a trifle confusing - the fourth in universe order is the first in publication order, and set up some things that had to be rearranged in the first three books. That is, she wrote a one-off that made some assumptions and then wrote three prequels that didn't quite fit some of the assumptions...oh well, still a good book. I think I like Dealing With Dragons best - I do love Cimorene. Searching for Dragons is also excellent - Mendenbar is great too, and we get to see more of Morwen and meet Telemain. Calling on Dragons is - I think the weakest of the four, which means it's merely amusing instead of really good - it tries just a little too hard for pokerfaced show more silliness. And Talking to Dragons is an old friend - the one written first and placed last. Daystar and Shiara are fun too, but I like Cimorene and Mendenbar better. Also, Talking tries for the silly too - the first two books are the best. But all of them are most definitely worth reading. show less

Dealing with Dragons
This book was really cute. The main character will make you laugh with the things she says or the situations she gets into. The story line is original and fun. While the book is well written, there is an almost complete lack of complexity in the story line or depth in the dialog. I really like books in this genera (fantasy, young adult fiction) and I'm glad I read it, I think this book is best for 7-12 year olds. But that's not going to stop me from reading the rest of the series!

My daughter (age 10) requested the entire series for her birthday after reading this book. She loves Cimorene (the main character) because she is funny and clever. I love Cimorene because she's smart, resourceful and makes her own path. The book is entertaining with plenty of humor and adventure. I highly recommend it.