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The Lost Prince
THIS BOOK HAS BEEN UPDATED AND EDITED WITH CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO THE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. IT IS UNDER THE GENRE: MIDDLE-GRADE AND WILL BE RELEASED AS "A PECULIAR ROYAL." THANK YOU! SYNOPSIS BELOW:
The time has come for King Dorian Lockridge to find an heir for the country of Odsia; after the murder of his son, daughter-in-law and grandson fifteen years ago, he knew that sooner or later he’d need to find someone worthy to take the throne...
Spending fifteen years on the streets, doing whatever it took to make sure he and his friends survived from day to day, hasn’t been easy for Seventeen-year-old Tristan.
Having never found remains of his grandson, doubt of his demise lingers in Dorian’s heart; until one day, he finally makes a proclamation, searching for the orphaned Prince of Odsia. When Tristan discovers the truth about himself, his whole world changes.
How will he adjust to royal living after such a difficult upbringing? And who was behind the murder of his parents so long ago?
The time has come for King Dorian Lockridge to find an heir for the country of Odsia; after the murder of his son, daughter-in-law and grandson fifteen years ago, he knew that sooner or later he’d need to find someone worthy to take the throne...
Spending fifteen years on the streets, doing whatever it took to make sure he and his friends survived from day to day, hasn’t been easy for Seventeen-year-old Tristan.
Having never found remains of his grandson, doubt of his demise lingers in Dorian’s heart; until one day, he finally makes a proclamation, searching for the orphaned Prince of Odsia. When Tristan discovers the truth about himself, his whole world changes.
How will he adjust to royal living after such a difficult upbringing? And who was behind the murder of his parents so long ago?
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
356 pages, Paperback
First published September 20, 2020
43 people want to read
About the author
Alonna Williams
10 books104 followersAlonna Williams is a children's book author and has been writing ever since she was a little girl. It started with a short story and soon progressed to novels. Alonna has worked on, and grew up with a Pirate series entitled, Pirates of the Withering Coast, her favorite series of all, as well as a mystery series, a Sci-Fi/Superhero series and more! When she's not writing you'll most likely find her dancing, whether it be, Tap, Ballet, Jazz or Lyrical, or watching a good classic movie or cozying up to a Disney film!
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 20, 2020
An entertaining book that describes the drama and problems experienced within a royal family from a distant country. I have always liked books that include princes and princesses. This is no exception, the time has come for King Dorian Lockridge to find an heir to his country, Odsia. However, 18 years ago the kingdom suffered a heinous crime, King Dorian's only son was killed, along with his wife. But it is believed that Prince Tristan survived he must be found for the throne to be secured. I loved King Dorian's personality because he shows concern and responsibility towards his people. I also liked how the prince's story unfolds, I was intrigued so I want to be able to read book 2. I thank NetGalley, Blue Gingham Publishing, and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2020
I didn't particularly like this book. It's sad, because the synopsis was good and the book has a lot of potential, but it feels unfinished and juvenile. I could see this book as a MG rather than a YA. I love rags to riches stories, but some parts of the book felt incoherent and could use some enhancements, like:
- Tristan is over confident when he is a thief, but he's constantly stammering and whimpering in his new life. I wanted to shake him up! It's normal, in his situation, to feel insecure... But crying like he does for absolutely nothing? No excuses.
- He is 20 years old, but he is acting like a 12 year old. Everyone is treating him like a 9 year old.
- The villain is so obviously mean, bullying everyone just because he wants to... It needs to be more subtile.
- The plot is SO predictable and obvious. (Did I say it's obvious? Because it is.)
What I did like:
- His escaping attempts were really funny.
- The emerging romance that begins somewhat weirdly with Princess Aliona.
- Dorian and Elandra are adorable.
- I loved Meggin. I would have loved for her to have a bigger role in the book.
- The way Tristan learned about his parents was fabulous!!!
In retrospect, the book isn't bad. It may be for younger readers rather than me.
Many thanks to Blue Gingham Publishing for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
- Tristan is over confident when he is a thief, but he's constantly stammering and whimpering in his new life. I wanted to shake him up! It's normal, in his situation, to feel insecure... But crying like he does for absolutely nothing? No excuses.
- He is 20 years old, but he is acting like a 12 year old. Everyone is treating him like a 9 year old.
- The villain is so obviously mean, bullying everyone just because he wants to... It needs to be more subtile.
- The plot is SO predictable and obvious. (Did I say it's obvious? Because it is.)
What I did like:
- His escaping attempts were really funny.
- The emerging romance that begins somewhat weirdly with Princess Aliona.
- Dorian and Elandra are adorable.
- I loved Meggin. I would have loved for her to have a bigger role in the book.
- The way Tristan learned about his parents was fabulous!!!
In retrospect, the book isn't bad. It may be for younger readers rather than me.
Many thanks to Blue Gingham Publishing for the complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
September 30, 2020
I love books with happy endings and fluffy backgrounds amd this was one of them! It’s a common trope but everyone does there tropes differently I guess.
We follow 17 year old Tristan, a kid living on the streets of a city called Iscarius; he’s getting over his bashful behavior and trying to impress his fellow street buddies.
After the King makes a declaration searching for men of his age, he soon runs into the kings guard and is whisked away to palace life.
We see his transformation from rags to riches and his learning to become a gentlemen and most importantly, his getting to know his family and warming up to them.
I love a good heartwarming read and this is one of them.
Thanks to Blue Gingham Publishing for the arc
We follow 17 year old Tristan, a kid living on the streets of a city called Iscarius; he’s getting over his bashful behavior and trying to impress his fellow street buddies.
After the King makes a declaration searching for men of his age, he soon runs into the kings guard and is whisked away to palace life.
We see his transformation from rags to riches and his learning to become a gentlemen and most importantly, his getting to know his family and warming up to them.
I love a good heartwarming read and this is one of them.
Thanks to Blue Gingham Publishing for the arc
July 12, 2020
The Lost Prince is one of its kind. The storyline is not that extra-ordinary but the way Alonna Williams represents the whole story makes it a beautiful piece of work. I literally laughed, cried, and felt every mood the author tried to mention during the whole plot.
The throne of Odsia is heirless, the king and the queen's son and his wife had been killed with the baby boy they had. Yet, King Dorian thinks that his grandson is alive and must be found out soon. Tristan had been living on the streets for eighteen years with his friends, mugging, and begging for food. His life takes a turn when the royal guards take him to the king realizing he is the lost prince. But, he is not ready for life as a royal and wishes to run away from the palace.
WIll the throne of Odsia remain vacant? You really need to find out by reading the beautiful work!
There are no parts of the book I did not enjoy! Kudos to the author for an amazing story.
The throne of Odsia is heirless, the king and the queen's son and his wife had been killed with the baby boy they had. Yet, King Dorian thinks that his grandson is alive and must be found out soon. Tristan had been living on the streets for eighteen years with his friends, mugging, and begging for food. His life takes a turn when the royal guards take him to the king realizing he is the lost prince. But, he is not ready for life as a royal and wishes to run away from the palace.
WIll the throne of Odsia remain vacant? You really need to find out by reading the beautiful work!
There are no parts of the book I did not enjoy! Kudos to the author for an amazing story.
June 10, 2020
Sweet adorable story that felt like an old fashion fairy tale.
My biggest critique is that it read more for a younger audience, such as middle grade. The main character Tristan is sensitive and loving. He’s very emotional and always speaks his mind. The characters around him treat him like a child despite being 20 years old and he often acts like one as well. It would have been more believable had he been five years younger.
The plot was predictable but enjoyable. I was constantly looking forward to reading the story simply because it always put a smile on my face.
My biggest critique is that it read more for a younger audience, such as middle grade. The main character Tristan is sensitive and loving. He’s very emotional and always speaks his mind. The characters around him treat him like a child despite being 20 years old and he often acts like one as well. It would have been more believable had he been five years younger.
The plot was predictable but enjoyable. I was constantly looking forward to reading the story simply because it always put a smile on my face.
June 9, 2020
The Lost Prince is a story which can be seen to be influenced by aspects of Disney's Aladdin, Hercules, The Lion King and maybe a little bit of Anastasia, knotted into a bow in the YA genre.
The story begins with how King Dorian needs an heir and his belief that his grandson may still be alive somewhere. This then jumpstarts the search for the missing prince and whether there could be the possibility that he survived where his parents did not. He sends out a search with some of his men where they believe that it is less suspicious for them to say to the public that the royal family is one the search for a missing person, rather than the missing twenty year old prince. But doesn't this already make such a search by the royal family quite suspicious? Any search from a royal family rings some sort of alarm bells doesn't it? However, I find this part of the story to be less believable due to how there would always be some rational person seeing behind the veil of this deception. Luckily this is where the main protagonist steps in.
Throughout this book I felt like there were some places where I found the story to be far-fetched. For instance, there seemed to be some events which take place simply out of convenience to move the story forward, rather than to make conflict and throw in some twists which could have thrown the reader off track. This can be shown throughout the first half of the story where we discover Tristan and what he is to become and how this would relate to rest of the characters through out the story. It also seems like there is little conflict with the King and Queen themselves, they seem a little too good for my liking and very forgiving of Tristan. I know blood is thicker than water, but if it was me, I would have given Tristan a few stern talks or two! On the other hand, it seems as though the more the relationship progresses, the more that it is felt that these talks are easier to take place.
I have found that throughout the book there are some likeable characters. For instance, Queen Elandra, Princess Aliona and Meggin have kind and strong personalities that shine throughout. In fact, I find that Elandra is one of the better characters as it feels as if she is kind-hearted grandma who not only is a lovely grandma to Tristan, but she also feels as though she is coming through the pages and giving the reader a warm hug and telling that everything will be ok.
There were laugh out loud moments the more the story progresses, as it feels as if the author begins to settle into the story, rather than set up the scene. The villain in the story can be seen to be a little predictable, but the flashbacks were a joy to read with the love story that can be reflected in the present day.
Overall, the story feels as though I should give a three star rating, as there are some promising moments but at times it felt like there were something missing. It might have been how the narrative progressed, the voice of the author or the characters themselves. I just can’t seem to put my finger on it.
The story begins with how King Dorian needs an heir and his belief that his grandson may still be alive somewhere. This then jumpstarts the search for the missing prince and whether there could be the possibility that he survived where his parents did not. He sends out a search with some of his men where they believe that it is less suspicious for them to say to the public that the royal family is one the search for a missing person, rather than the missing twenty year old prince. But doesn't this already make such a search by the royal family quite suspicious? Any search from a royal family rings some sort of alarm bells doesn't it? However, I find this part of the story to be less believable due to how there would always be some rational person seeing behind the veil of this deception. Luckily this is where the main protagonist steps in.
Throughout this book I felt like there were some places where I found the story to be far-fetched. For instance, there seemed to be some events which take place simply out of convenience to move the story forward, rather than to make conflict and throw in some twists which could have thrown the reader off track. This can be shown throughout the first half of the story where we discover Tristan and what he is to become and how this would relate to rest of the characters through out the story. It also seems like there is little conflict with the King and Queen themselves, they seem a little too good for my liking and very forgiving of Tristan. I know blood is thicker than water, but if it was me, I would have given Tristan a few stern talks or two! On the other hand, it seems as though the more the relationship progresses, the more that it is felt that these talks are easier to take place.
I have found that throughout the book there are some likeable characters. For instance, Queen Elandra, Princess Aliona and Meggin have kind and strong personalities that shine throughout. In fact, I find that Elandra is one of the better characters as it feels as if she is kind-hearted grandma who not only is a lovely grandma to Tristan, but she also feels as though she is coming through the pages and giving the reader a warm hug and telling that everything will be ok.
There were laugh out loud moments the more the story progresses, as it feels as if the author begins to settle into the story, rather than set up the scene. The villain in the story can be seen to be a little predictable, but the flashbacks were a joy to read with the love story that can be reflected in the present day.
Overall, the story feels as though I should give a three star rating, as there are some promising moments but at times it felt like there were something missing. It might have been how the narrative progressed, the voice of the author or the characters themselves. I just can’t seem to put my finger on it.
November 19, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an E-ARC of this title prior to its release. in exchange for an honest review.
I have mixed feelings about this book however I would like to acknowledge the fact that the team behind this book has taken criticism on board and has changed the marketing from YA to Middle Grade. This is a set in the right direction for sure however I do think there are still some minor issues with it.
Do I think that it works better in the Middle-Grade genre however multiple factors still don't completely add up for me. The main character's age for one seems pretty inconsistent in terms of his behaviour. A lot of the time he acts a lot younger than his age (supposedly seventeen) especially considering he had to survive on the streets and would have had to grow up fast. That being said I understand considering the plot of the book his age is appropriate and making him younger would cause more clashes. So it's definitely hard for me to process that and in that respect, the change of genre seems like a quick fix. One critique that I have read multiple times is also the appearance of his stutter and heightened anxiety. I disagree with this completely and I am glad the author included it within the book. It is perfectly understandable that Tristan's anxiety would increase in a new situation and with the added responsibility brought on by court life, so these critiques seem unfair and sometimes devalidating. It is great in my opinion that a child or young teen with a stutter or anxiety could see someone like them do great things and be told by people around them that their supposed weaknesses can be used as an advantage. It is such a good message.
Tristans character did have a lot of growth and I also enjoyed the other range of characters that we had. Are they all as developed or layered as they could have been but considering once again the audience has been changed I see nothing wrong with that.
The writing was quite basic in my opinion and nothing to really write home about, it did pull me out of the story at the beginning but once I got used to it I really sped through the novel. For this reason, I can again see a younger audience finding it more accessible. The pacing was also pretty good in my opinion.
The plot however was very basic, there were the classic troupes and I would have liked to seen some more conflict to increase the suspense or intrigue. I totally get that it is a coming of age story and a good one at that but unfortunately for a book like this to stand out it needs to be more unique to capture people's interests.
Overall not a bad book and will definitely be enjoyable for a lot of people, but not particularly memorable for me, unfortunately.
Rated:2.5 Stars
I have mixed feelings about this book however I would like to acknowledge the fact that the team behind this book has taken criticism on board and has changed the marketing from YA to Middle Grade. This is a set in the right direction for sure however I do think there are still some minor issues with it.
Do I think that it works better in the Middle-Grade genre however multiple factors still don't completely add up for me. The main character's age for one seems pretty inconsistent in terms of his behaviour. A lot of the time he acts a lot younger than his age (supposedly seventeen) especially considering he had to survive on the streets and would have had to grow up fast. That being said I understand considering the plot of the book his age is appropriate and making him younger would cause more clashes. So it's definitely hard for me to process that and in that respect, the change of genre seems like a quick fix. One critique that I have read multiple times is also the appearance of his stutter and heightened anxiety. I disagree with this completely and I am glad the author included it within the book. It is perfectly understandable that Tristan's anxiety would increase in a new situation and with the added responsibility brought on by court life, so these critiques seem unfair and sometimes devalidating. It is great in my opinion that a child or young teen with a stutter or anxiety could see someone like them do great things and be told by people around them that their supposed weaknesses can be used as an advantage. It is such a good message.
Tristans character did have a lot of growth and I also enjoyed the other range of characters that we had. Are they all as developed or layered as they could have been but considering once again the audience has been changed I see nothing wrong with that.
The writing was quite basic in my opinion and nothing to really write home about, it did pull me out of the story at the beginning but once I got used to it I really sped through the novel. For this reason, I can again see a younger audience finding it more accessible. The pacing was also pretty good in my opinion.
The plot however was very basic, there were the classic troupes and I would have liked to seen some more conflict to increase the suspense or intrigue. I totally get that it is a coming of age story and a good one at that but unfortunately for a book like this to stand out it needs to be more unique to capture people's interests.
Overall not a bad book and will definitely be enjoyable for a lot of people, but not particularly memorable for me, unfortunately.
Rated:2.5 Stars
July 29, 2020
I received an eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
2/2.5 stars
I had high hopes for this story of a lost Prince finding his way home, discovering who he is and his past whilst tackling the new challenges that come with his identity.
It had great potential to be a fantastic self discovery book, wrapped in a murder mystery. However the execution and writing style didn't feel polished enough for my liking.
The main character Tristan, is supposed to be a young man in his early twenties that has spent the vast majority of his life living it rough, on the streets, without realising he is actually the lost prince his kingdom needs. Unfortunately his character comes across extremely juvenile, I kept being confused by his mannerisms and speech as he read as a young boy of between 10 and 12. And sadly it wasn't just his, almost all the characters, including his grandparents speech is all over the place. The storylines momentum seemed a little all over the place and I wanted there to be more depth and meaning to some scenes that were glossed over completely.
A really great concept, and I think if this had had more time to be thought over and ideas developed further, it could have been something really compelling.
2/2.5 stars
I had high hopes for this story of a lost Prince finding his way home, discovering who he is and his past whilst tackling the new challenges that come with his identity.
It had great potential to be a fantastic self discovery book, wrapped in a murder mystery. However the execution and writing style didn't feel polished enough for my liking.
The main character Tristan, is supposed to be a young man in his early twenties that has spent the vast majority of his life living it rough, on the streets, without realising he is actually the lost prince his kingdom needs. Unfortunately his character comes across extremely juvenile, I kept being confused by his mannerisms and speech as he read as a young boy of between 10 and 12. And sadly it wasn't just his, almost all the characters, including his grandparents speech is all over the place. The storylines momentum seemed a little all over the place and I wanted there to be more depth and meaning to some scenes that were glossed over completely.
A really great concept, and I think if this had had more time to be thought over and ideas developed further, it could have been something really compelling.
September 23, 2020
I received a E copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This did not change my opinion on this book. Thank you Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book.
This story is about Tristan. He's a street rat and a thief. Tristan has grown up without a family to support him. He has learned to survive over the years by stealing food and other ways for his street rat family. Tristan is a kind soul that can't stand to see his friends hungery.
King Dorian is getting old and is now having to hand his throne to someone not in the family. Since king Dorian no longer has heir's due to a tragic murder of his son and family. King Dorian believes that his grandson is still out there. Dorian has to find his lost grandson so he can take the thrown.
I'm 46% into the book and I feel like I'm losing interest. I feel like I could honestly stop reading and it wouldn't bother me. I feel like Tristan is a big whinner. Now I can understand that this is a huge change in his life. He went from having nothing to having more than he could ever ask for. I know that it is a huge jump for his old life. My only thing is that Tristan is 20 years old. I feel like it's time for him to start gowning up. He also uses his past as an escape goat. We know that Tristan use to be a street rat for 15 years, but you have a new life and new responsibility. He has to take care of his country and is new family. Granted he has to learn new things like being a ruler, which I'm sure would be hard. His grandparents are helping him as much as they can. They want him to become a great ruler. I just feel like Tristan should start acting his age. Also hate Marcellus and Tristan's friends since he became prince.
This book has so much potential. I was totally into the idea of rags to riches and a murder mystery! It sounded so good but I feel like this didn't hit the mark. I would definitely say this is more middle grade than young adult. Overall the last few chapters where interesting and cute. It ended on a good note so that's nice. I feel like this could have been more.
This story is about Tristan. He's a street rat and a thief. Tristan has grown up without a family to support him. He has learned to survive over the years by stealing food and other ways for his street rat family. Tristan is a kind soul that can't stand to see his friends hungery.
King Dorian is getting old and is now having to hand his throne to someone not in the family. Since king Dorian no longer has heir's due to a tragic murder of his son and family. King Dorian believes that his grandson is still out there. Dorian has to find his lost grandson so he can take the thrown.
I'm 46% into the book and I feel like I'm losing interest. I feel like I could honestly stop reading and it wouldn't bother me. I feel like Tristan is a big whinner. Now I can understand that this is a huge change in his life. He went from having nothing to having more than he could ever ask for. I know that it is a huge jump for his old life. My only thing is that Tristan is 20 years old. I feel like it's time for him to start gowning up. He also uses his past as an escape goat. We know that Tristan use to be a street rat for 15 years, but you have a new life and new responsibility. He has to take care of his country and is new family. Granted he has to learn new things like being a ruler, which I'm sure would be hard. His grandparents are helping him as much as they can. They want him to become a great ruler. I just feel like Tristan should start acting his age. Also hate Marcellus and Tristan's friends since he became prince.
This book has so much potential. I was totally into the idea of rags to riches and a murder mystery! It sounded so good but I feel like this didn't hit the mark. I would definitely say this is more middle grade than young adult. Overall the last few chapters where interesting and cute. It ended on a good note so that's nice. I feel like this could have been more.
June 6, 2020
I picked this up because the long lost royalty trope is a favorite of mine, and the cover was pretty, but I decided to DNF @ 30% because I couldn't really connect to the writing style, and hence, the main character, Tristan, or anyone else. That's not to say it's an awful book - it's not - but it didn't really do anything new in the part I read with the trope I picked it up for, which I have admittedly read loads of books in. I think this book might work better for a newcomer to the long lost royalty sub-genre of fantasy. That said, it was funny at times, and Tristan was realistically portrayed in his reactions to the big revelation of becoming the heir to the throne. 2.5 stars.
June 14, 2020
Interesting tale with lots of twists and turns. Can I just go ahead and say that my favorite character here was August? I mean a knight/soldier who is good with dogs?
So, the story introduces us to King Dorian who is looking for his grandson, 20 years after the murder of his son and daughter in law...and when he finds him, Tristan, or Tricks as he's known to his street family- is afraid, hasn't learned how to read or write and is scared of life as a royal.
I know the author had a plan for this plot- however something about Tristan's age does not mesh well with his personality and behavior, he seems more under the age of 16.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
So, the story introduces us to King Dorian who is looking for his grandson, 20 years after the murder of his son and daughter in law...and when he finds him, Tristan, or Tricks as he's known to his street family- is afraid, hasn't learned how to read or write and is scared of life as a royal.
I know the author had a plan for this plot- however something about Tristan's age does not mesh well with his personality and behavior, he seems more under the age of 16.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.
June 24, 2020
[this ARC was kindly provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
DNFed at 31%, unfortunately.
The scenes were flat, there was no conflict in the non-existent plot and it genuinely felt like this was some unedited draft a kid wrote.
→1 star
DNFed at 31%, unfortunately.
The scenes were flat, there was no conflict in the non-existent plot and it genuinely felt like this was some unedited draft a kid wrote.
→1 star
December 13, 2020
I read the book, it’s more middle grade than ya, and I’m happy they changed it in the subscription of this book.
It’s an easy read, an bit to simple for me as an adult, but it means the group it is focused on should have an easy and fun time reading this book.
The world building could have been an bit more and deeper, but for this book it’s okay.
Have fun
It’s an easy read, an bit to simple for me as an adult, but it means the group it is focused on should have an easy and fun time reading this book.
The world building could have been an bit more and deeper, but for this book it’s okay.
Have fun
June 30, 2020
This E-arc was requested from Netgalley; Thank you, Alonna Williams, and
Blue Gingham Publishing & (IBPA) for this reviewing opportunity. All thoughts stated below are of my own.
Summary
Thoughts
All in all, this book albeit full of potential to an enjoyable read fails to be entirely wholesome of a novel.
Blue Gingham Publishing & (IBPA) for this reviewing opportunity. All thoughts stated below are of my own.
Summary
A tale about a lost Prince, who spent 2 decades of his life thieving and surviving in the slums.
However, his life is turned around when the King announces his attempt at searching for his heir who was rumored to be assassinated 17 years ago...
Tristan considers himself a pro in his lifestyle and way of living, and when the fated announcement is made he does everything to avoid being detected but obviously that doesn't go to plan.
His entire word is turned over as soon as he steps into the palace...from rags to riches, the transition frightens him endlessly but Tristan might just be the key to find the person behind the assassinations all those years ago.
Thoughts
This book had so much potential it had a very intriguing concept of a boy going from literally rags to riches not just in clothing and food but mannerisms, outlook and so much more. But the way the story was presented, I think it would have better worked out a play since we weren't given any worldbuilding or adequate description of our character and his surroundings; we were told everything in internal monologue and intermittent flashbacks to the time around the assassination.
Another problem was the MC himself his mannerisms were way too juvenile for a 20-year-old especially the one who lived his life braving the streets.
Fainting spells, hiding behind his guard out of shyness or uncertainty and everything was delivered in specific scenes and dialogues ( see what I meant by this having a greater chance at being a play)
What I liked, This book managed to realistically grasp the downside of the transition as he grappled to get his bearing s and his friend s consider him a traitor, and his court finds him akin to a fool.
We were even given attempts at sabotage as he tries to secure alliances and to final honor his family's legacy, furthermore, I liked how we uncover what really had happened that fateful day.
All in all, this book albeit full of potential to an enjoyable read fails to be entirely wholesome of a novel.
September 30, 2020
Actual star rating: 2.5/5
"A Peculiar Royal" by Alonna Williams starts out strongly, with the reader being thrust into Tristan's life as a street rat. The first few chapters are all about his life on the streets, and the found family he's surrounded himself with, and the relationships he's grown up with.
Once he's found to be the prince, the tone of the novel changes considerably. With a focus on Tristan's education and shenanigans around the palace, the novel becomes much lighter, almost reading as a middle grade novel rather than YA.
In fact, this is the main problem of the novel. Everything from the characters to the plot are strangely exaggerated. It's something that's usually found in middle grade novels, and it works really well, but it comes off as cartoonish when in a YA setting. I should note that I place it as a YA book because the main character, Tristan, is 17 and the depictions of violence (however minute). Tristan's mannerisms correspond to characters between the ages of 11-14, while violence that draws blood is something generally reserved for older audiences.
However, this doesn't extend to the writing. Williams' uses a 3rd person POV and omniscient narrator, which allows her to jump from character to character mid chapter or sometimes mid conversation. Not only do we get the thoughts of the main characters, but the POV shifts to secondary and even background characters, given the readers a much fuller view of a scene than many other books. More generally, the writing was good. Being easy to read combined with the dynamic plot, made the book fast to get through. It never bored me, and I finished it within a few days.
"A Peculiar Royal" could be a fantastic Middle Grade book, but it loses out being labelled as Young Adult. I recommend this shift in mentality as I enjoyed it more that way.
"A Peculiar Royal" by Alonna Williams starts out strongly, with the reader being thrust into Tristan's life as a street rat. The first few chapters are all about his life on the streets, and the found family he's surrounded himself with, and the relationships he's grown up with.
Once he's found to be the prince, the tone of the novel changes considerably. With a focus on Tristan's education and shenanigans around the palace, the novel becomes much lighter, almost reading as a middle grade novel rather than YA.
In fact, this is the main problem of the novel. Everything from the characters to the plot are strangely exaggerated. It's something that's usually found in middle grade novels, and it works really well, but it comes off as cartoonish when in a YA setting. I should note that I place it as a YA book because the main character, Tristan, is 17 and the depictions of violence (however minute). Tristan's mannerisms correspond to characters between the ages of 11-14, while violence that draws blood is something generally reserved for older audiences.
However, this doesn't extend to the writing. Williams' uses a 3rd person POV and omniscient narrator, which allows her to jump from character to character mid chapter or sometimes mid conversation. Not only do we get the thoughts of the main characters, but the POV shifts to secondary and even background characters, given the readers a much fuller view of a scene than many other books. More generally, the writing was good. Being easy to read combined with the dynamic plot, made the book fast to get through. It never bored me, and I finished it within a few days.
"A Peculiar Royal" could be a fantastic Middle Grade book, but it loses out being labelled as Young Adult. I recommend this shift in mentality as I enjoyed it more that way.
October 25, 2020
A peculiar royal
By Alonna Williams’
May contain spoilers
I love these kind of books anything two with kings and queen and a prince I’m in. The story was brilliant well written and easy two follow I read this book in two days I couldn’t put it down I was so additive it was a great read that I enjoyed so much.
Tristan is a street rat he lived on the streets for 15 years his body was marked with the sign of a prince he didn’t know he was a prince he stole and beg for food most of his life he also had a dog that went everywhere with him. Till one day he had a command two the palace he was scared he didn’t want two go he knew he stole from the king and was hopping they never found out. The king and queen told him they wanted him two be prince of his city that it was his duty they told him how his mother and father died and they fought he died in till someone saw him in the market with his mark on him. He agreed two stay in the palace after a while he learnt two read write play piano visit a ball he met princess Alliona who he started two fall in love with. He met august the knight who taught him everything and when every wear with him and protected him from certain people.
He loved the palace life he help the homeless with food he visit the town with his friends and asked his friend two the palace for dinner everyone in the end started two like him.and he had is coronation and it was lovely. I loved how Tristan had his happy life from being poor two be rich has a prince he was caring kind give two the homeless food enjoyed spending time with his grandparents king and queen learnt knew things as well. I loved this book it’s worth a read I enjoyed learning about the palace about his parents how they died and how he survived and he learnt how two steal and beg for food for fifteen years on the street he was a nice character after. I gave this book five stars .
By Alonna Williams’
May contain spoilers
I love these kind of books anything two with kings and queen and a prince I’m in. The story was brilliant well written and easy two follow I read this book in two days I couldn’t put it down I was so additive it was a great read that I enjoyed so much.
Tristan is a street rat he lived on the streets for 15 years his body was marked with the sign of a prince he didn’t know he was a prince he stole and beg for food most of his life he also had a dog that went everywhere with him. Till one day he had a command two the palace he was scared he didn’t want two go he knew he stole from the king and was hopping they never found out. The king and queen told him they wanted him two be prince of his city that it was his duty they told him how his mother and father died and they fought he died in till someone saw him in the market with his mark on him. He agreed two stay in the palace after a while he learnt two read write play piano visit a ball he met princess Alliona who he started two fall in love with. He met august the knight who taught him everything and when every wear with him and protected him from certain people.
He loved the palace life he help the homeless with food he visit the town with his friends and asked his friend two the palace for dinner everyone in the end started two like him.and he had is coronation and it was lovely. I loved how Tristan had his happy life from being poor two be rich has a prince he was caring kind give two the homeless food enjoyed spending time with his grandparents king and queen learnt knew things as well. I loved this book it’s worth a read I enjoyed learning about the palace about his parents how they died and how he survived and he learnt how two steal and beg for food for fifteen years on the street he was a nice character after. I gave this book five stars .
June 19, 2020
I read the synopsis and was instantly hooked by it. A story about a lost prince, oh I was so excited. I thought it would be a really fun reading but unfortunately I didn't like it.
If this story was a disney movie maybe it would've been netter but not as YA. I was really disappointed.
I picked up this book for the review and also the cover is really pretty. But I DNF'ed it at 20% cz I really couldn't connect with the story. I didn't like the writing style nor the characters. I mean it wasn't a horrible book it's just my personal preference.
If this story was a disney movie maybe it would've been netter but not as YA. I was really disappointed.
I picked up this book for the review and also the cover is really pretty. But I DNF'ed it at 20% cz I really couldn't connect with the story. I didn't like the writing style nor the characters. I mean it wasn't a horrible book it's just my personal preference.
September 30, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, if you’re not a fan of simple and charming stories you’d probably want to go for something more complex, but this was a cozy children’s read that flowed nicely :) it has ups and downs, interesting characters and such a Disney feel to it, which is perfect for someone like me, who loves Disney! I definitely recommend for families with kids around 15 and under. It’s really sweet.
I received an arc for an honest review, which doesn't affect my review.
I received an arc for an honest review, which doesn't affect my review.
June 23, 2020
The Lost Prince is an exciting and gripping read about a lost royal. It's extremely easy to connect to and enjoy. The only thing is the main protagonist acted and spoke in ways which seemed much younger than the age he was supposed to. Either he was written to be extremely immature for his age or it was slight oversight., but it doesn't make too much difference to the overall story.
July 31, 2020
I liked the Synopsis and the story had a lot of potential to be explored but sadly it failed. It fell flat in terms of building anticipation and suspense. A lot of the cards are already on the table by the time you reach midway. Tristan was a sweetheart, he had so much potential to be a great prince, notorious but compassionate.
July 14, 2020
I'm afraid to say I gave up on this book and didn't finish. This retelling of a classic story was far too predictable.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 30, 2020
Really fun story for children! I love stories of royalty and so on! Excited for the next one.
August 17, 2020
The story had promise but fell flat. Prince Tristan is 20, somehow escaped the same fate as his late parents and was found living on the streets not knowing he is the prince. I had a hard time with this being a YA book it really reads more like a middle grade with the way Tristan acts and pouts.
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