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344 pp.
| Houghton |
May, 2008 |
TradeISBN 978-0-618-95971-6$16.00
(1)
YA
Fifteen-year-old Ben--plump, petulant, indulged--happens upon a mysterious tower, where she learns conjuring and enchantment. Political intrigue, romance, and self-actualization are skillfully interwoven in this frothy yet substantial fairy tale. Murdock's prose blends a formal syntax with an intimate tone that bonds readers with Ben as she transforms from a selfish child into a competent, compassionate woman.