Palace of Stone

Palace of Stone continues the story of Miri from Princess Academy as she leaves Mount Eskel to study at the royal capital. She and other mountain girls travel to Asland to attend the queen's castle-turned-school while preparing for her friend Britta's wedding to the prince. In the city, Miri discovers new ideas about education, equality, and justice that challenge her previous worldview. She becomes involved with a group of scholars and revolutionaries who question the monarchy's power, forcing her to navigate complex political tensions. Miri must balance her loyalty to her mountain home, her royal connections, and her growing understanding of social change. The story explores themes of revolution versus reform, the power of education, and the meaning of true justice in society. The novel asks questions about the price of progress and what people owe to both tradition and the future. Through Miri's experiences, it examines how individuals find their place between competing values and obligations.

Readers found Palace of Stone to be a solid sequel to Princess Academy, though not reaching the same heights as the first book. The story expands beyond the mountain setting to explore themes of revolution, class struggle, and loyalty. Liked: - Character development of Miri and her growth in the city - Complex moral questions without easy answers - Integration of poetry and rhetoric into the plot - Exploration of social class dynamics Disliked: - Slower pacing compared to the first book - Less focus on the academy setting that readers enjoyed - Some found the political elements too heavy for middle grade - Romance subplot felt predictable to many Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (26,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (180+ reviews) "A thoughtful look at revolution but missing some of the magic of the original," noted one Goodreads reviewer. Another Amazon reader commented, "The politics went over my daughter's head, but she still enjoyed Miri's journey."

Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith A young noblewoman leads a rebellion while navigating court politics and an unexpected romance in a fantasy kingdom.

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The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen An orphan competes against other boys to impersonate a lost prince in a contest of political deception.

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale Girls from a mountain village attend a special academy where one will be chosen as the next princess through education and diplomacy.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine A cursed girl must navigate royal politics and overcome magical compulsion while finding her place in the kingdom.

🏰 "Palace of Stone" is the second book in The Princess Academy series, following the success of the original Newbery Honor-winning novel. 📚 Author Shannon Hale was inspired to write the series after questioning why "princess stories" were often dismissed as frivolous, when leadership training for young women is a serious and valuable topic. ✍️ The book explores themes of revolution, social class, and the power of words—particularly how rhetoric can be used to both unite and divide people. 🗺️ The story expands beyond the mountain setting of the first book, taking place in the capital city of Asland, where protagonist Miri encounters a completely different world of politics and sophistication. 🎭 Shannon Hale wrote this sequel eight years after the first Princess Academy book, partly due to reader demand and her own curiosity about what would happen to the characters after their initial story.