Book 2: A Little Princess

"If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside."

My Rating: ★★★★

Happy World Book Day!

Synopsis:

"When Sara Crewe, the seven-year-old daughter of a rich and loving father, arrives at her new school in London from India, she is nicknamed the Little Princess by her classmates. She has all the comfort and fine things she could want, but she also reveals a kind and loving heart, a lively mind and a rich imagination. When her father dies, bankrupt, Sara is suddenly reduced to a life of poverty and is forced to live in a cold, damp attic, with only her dreams to support her. But will they be enough?"

It's fair to say that 'A Little Princess' is, for me, the perfect example of nostalgia. I remember reading this book as a child - and then seeing the film, and having the audiobook too. You would think that this means I know it by heart by now, but when I decided to re-read this book, while clearing my bookshelves to make some new space, I found that I barely remembered it, and that I got to relive a story that I used to adore. 

Before I say anything else, let me make it clear that I know that this book is for children. It isn't for me - I'm twenty three, and the protagonist is seven. But. This book isn't just for children. Yes, when I was little I loved this book, but I loved it even more now because of the memories it held for me. Sara is a relatable protagonist despite her age, and that truly shows how great Frances Hodgson Burnett's writing is.

Overall, this story is a unique look at the emotional journey of a small girl, mixed with her semi-magical view of the world. When I was little, I wished that the world could be magical in the same way that our hero Sara does - and doesn't everyone? 

The incredible thing about this book is that while it is very based in the real world, Sara's perception of everything is magical, and its hard not to love that. The world she lives in is grey - dark, foggy London in the 1900's, the unfriendly Seminary for Young Ladies, the damp, squalid attic room where Sara and Becky reside - all of these places are so beautifully described and well managed that they seem to be entirely different worlds to the reader, as they do to Sara.

Let me just say again that I absolutely adore Sara Crewe as a protagonist. She is brave, determined and kind, and above all else, optimistic. And she's seven. Looking at the trials she faces in this book, I marvelled at what this little child went through. I read somewhere once that when children read books like this, they identify with the protagonist and believe that they too could overcome the struggles that are presented in the book, while adults reading the same thing are horrified, and often terrified of the thought of having to live through that same experience. I love that. 

I hope everyone has read this book. Its truly beautifully written. Please please, if you haven't read it, or your children haven't read it... go. Get a copy and enjoy the nostalgia and the wonder.

Happy reading!

~iccarus~