Review: Lame
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 04 8, 2013
The reason I disliked this book is that everything about it was unbelievable and rushed.I understand that this is a fairy tale/fantasy so there is a lot that is going to be unbelievable.  But everything about this book was too unbelievable.  Part of what caused this is that the author didn't spend enough time creating or thinking about the fake country of Severano.  Because the country is fake and only 1/4 created, its crown prince Paolo is as well.  The premise of the tale is equally unbelievable because Paolo is supposed to have fallen in love in pretty much an instant.  Of course in romance and fairy tales, people fall in love on sight, but it usually takes some dates and some time for the truth to settle in.  Here, this supposed playboy prince just suddenly falls in love with a girl from Des Moines.The writing is rushed, the timeline is rushed, the characters are not developed, and the end result is that I didn't particularly like any of the characters.  Yes, you kinda feel sorry for Paolo who is just trying to keep his country going, but then he should stick with the plan.  Not seduce some girl for one week.  And Dana is equally unlikeable because she goes and sleeps with another woman's fiance.  Fake or not, I still had a problem with it.Paolo didn't do anything for me as a hero because he simply wasn't really hero material.  He was being led and he allowed circumstances to rule rather than to make tough decisions.  Also, as stated, both Paolo and Dana's behavior bothered me.  Maybe this book would have worked for a less discriminating teen audience that is more willing to buy into a rushed and brief happily ever after.  On the other hand, the sex scene is a little too explicit for a teen audience.  In my opinion.