The Princess and the Hound | 
 enlarge | Author: Mette Ivie Harrison
Publisher: Eos
Category: Book
List Price: $18.89
Buy New: $13.99
You Save: $4.90 (26%)
New (20) Used (9) from $9.47
Avg. Customer Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 3852725
Media: Library Binding
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 416
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.7 x 1.6
ISBN: 0061131881
EAN: 9780061131882
ASIN: 0061131881
Publication Date: May 1, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: c5-1
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Product Description
He is a prince, heir to a kingdom threatened on all sides, possessor of the animal magic, which is forbidden by death in the land he'll rule. She is a princess from a rival kingdom, the daughter her father never wanted, isolated from true human friendship but inseparable from her hound. Though they think they have little in common, each possesses a secret that must be hidden at all costs. Proud, stubborn, bound to marry for the good of their kingdoms, this prince and princess will steal your heart, but will they fall in love?
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 A Creative Masterpiece August 29, 2008
At first glace, The Princess and the Hound has one of the most beautiful covers. A sucker for YA romances, I couldn't wait to dig in. It's a magical, cute, and tragic fairy tale of complex, lovable characters. This is one book that will keep its place in my personal library.
Review Courtesy Of TL's Book Nook ( tlbooknook.blogspot.com ) August 16, 2008
The Princess and the Hound is a wonderful (non)-retelling of The Beauty and the Beast, but this time, the girl is the beast. The story begins with Prince George as a young boy first discovering his animal magic. However, in the kingdom of Kendel, having animal magic is seen as a great evil, for which a person is burned. Throughout the book, George struggles with having animal magic, and eventually finds a solution for all.
Meanwhile, when George is an adult, he must marry Princess Beatrice of Sarrey, to unify the two kingdoms after a long war. When he goes to visit Princess Beatrice, he discovers that she is never without her hound, Marit. He later discovers that Marit and Beatrice have actually switched bodies, and he is the only who can switch them back.
I found The Princess and the Hound to be a wonderful story of its own, and didn't really find it to be a retelling at all (this is a good thing, in my book). The characters had depth and the writing was wonderful. There was also a little something for everyone; romance, adventure, magic. The only problem I had with it was that I found the bond between Beatrice and Marit confusing. All in all, I loved it, and would recommend it to anyone, especially those who enjoy fairy tales.
A beautifully woven tale July 24, 2008
I am incredibly impressed by how Mette managed to create a world where there is descrimination against a people who are unable to help what they are, and an aim to allow those people to not only escape their forced internal imprisonment but also allot for a potential change. She does not create "the perfect world" where once Prince George proclaims his own animal magic, but shows that not everyone is willing to change or show tolerance to those different to themselves; that bridges gaps beyond a fantasy world, and touches home to our own world.
I absolutely adore the fact that she wanted this to be a "Beauty and the Beast" type of novel, but in fact I see more relevance in comparing it to "Deerskin". While Deerskin is far more tragic, it has the same change-like qualities as well as the Princess and her own hound who share an unbreakable bond. That bond ultimately saves the main character's life. If you liked "The Princess and the Hound" definitely check out "Deerskin."
Pleasantly surprised July 19, 2008
Great book--more thoughtfully developed and sophisticated than a lot of YA novels. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on this author.
 Huh. June 30, 2008
I did not have the highest expectations for this book, but I figured that even if it were a bit silly that it would be a quick, enjoyable read. The story itself is engaging enough, but due to the poor quality of the writing, finishing the book quickly came from duty rather than interest and ease.
The writing is my biggest complaint. I mean this sincerely--it read as beginner's fanfic. The author tells you what the character is thinking rather than shows you, and then after she tells you, she reinforces the telling by saying it again a little differently (which I imagine was the attempt to build upon the sentiment in effort of complexity). I could literally predict what the next sentence would be because Prince George's thoughts were not but cliches.
The attempt at creating a believable, slow-building romance just fell flat. Granted our hero and heroine take long enough to fall in love, but once the actual declarations are made, it's forced and unconvincing. The potential is there, but the book ends at the promise of potential rather than showing us two people who fall in love. Do not get me wrong, this is not a complaint for want of true love, but rather a complaint that the book does not develop what it promises to develop; the whole book is contingent upon an even that never comes.
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