Review: Tuesdays at the Castle

Tuesdays at the Castle
By Jessica Day George
Expected publication October 11, 2011 by Bloomsbury Children's Books

The Kingdom of Glower doesn't follow the traditional rules of succession. That's because the Kingdom of Glower contains Castle Glower, a castle that grows rooms, halls and even whole wings nearly every Tuesday and isn't afraid to let its inhabitants know how it feels about them. Princess Celie is clearly the castle's favorite and she is making an atlas of the castle's rooms in an attempt to better understand it. The rest of her family is also loved by the castle, but when the King and Queen are attacked and their fate remains a mystery, it's up to Celie (with the help of her sister Lilah and their brother, heir to the throne and chosen by the castle himself, Rolf) to protect her beloved castle from those who would threaten her family's reign.

What a delight this book was! I love fairy tales and this reads just like one! It's full of magic and joy and intrigue and wonderful characters. Celie is a wonderful heroine - she is strong-willed and independent, she thinks for herself and she loves the castle. Castle Glower is a delightful character as well - I feel like a member of the royal family and my concern for the castle felt real. Lilah and Rolf and the rest of the secondary characters were well-developed and interesting as well. This book actually reminded me a lot of E.D. Baker's The Frog Princess series - and that is a wonderful thing! I just felt happy to be reading this book. Though some bad things happen, the overall mood of this book is one of fun and amusement. I loved every second I spent reading this book and am so happy to know that this is the first in a series. I will have to read more of George's book - this is a highly recommended read!

Thanks to the publisher for an advance reader's copy.