Runaway Princess, by Valerie Anne Hudson, is a story about Princess Louise-Marie who feels trapped in the Royal Palace of Limolou. After a botched runaway attempt when she was nine, Louise quietly accepts being stuck in the palace. This attempt opened her eyes to the plight of the commoners. Louise learns as much as she can from her tutor. It’s not until she’s seventeen and being forced to marry an abusive Duke that Louise finally takes action again.

This riveting historical fantasy is written in the first person point of view which enables readers to be pulled into this story from the start and I was able to really connect with Louise’s character.

We don’t meet Louise until she’s nine years old. Author Valerie Anne Hudson speeds us through the years until shortly before her seventeenth birthday. With the first person point of view, we get to see and feel what Louise does, which is important in this emotionally resonant story coming-of-age story. It means that we don’t get the intrigue of the palace. I find that I’m glad that Hudson didn’t focus on that. She focused on Louise’s story, her growth, and what needed to be done for the people.

While I heartily enjoyed this effervescent historical novel, especially the beginning I felt like the ending was a bit rushed, as I felt that she was able to fix the problems of the commoners rather quickly.

Runaway Princess is an enchanting historical fiction novel in the depths of the tumultuous French Revolution. This is a vibrant story that takes readers on a subtle but deep exploration of a character that never ceases to be intriguing.

Pages: 133 | ASIN: B0981FXW22