My Destiny is of My Own Making • Nobody's Princess

Nobody's Princess by Esther Friesner
Series: Nobody's Princess #1
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 24, 2007
Source/Format: Bought || Paperback

She is beautiful, she is a princess, and Aphrodite is her favorite goddess, but something in Helen of Sparta just itches for more out of life. Not one to count on the gods—or her looks—to take care of her, Helen sets out to get what she wants with steely determination and a sassy attitude. That same attitude makes Helen a few enemies—such as the self-proclaimed "son of Zeus" Theseus—but it also intrigues, charms, and amuses those who become her friends, from the famed huntress Atalanta to the young priestess who is the Oracle of Delphi.

I've always been fascinated with mythology, especially Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology. NOBODY'S PRINCESS is a wonderful example of a story that takes elements from Greek mythology and weaves them into a unique, realistic plot. Intriguing and easy to read, Esther M. Friesner really opens up an entire new aspect to the world of Helen of Troy in NOBODY'S PRINCESS.

The Characters

Helen in NOBODY'S PRINCESS is extremely different from the Helen of Troy we know from the myths. She's still a child, so her excessive stubbornness and her tendency to view the world through a very limited viewpoint became more understandable to me. Helen is intelligent and determined, and that she has a good heart with lots of loves for her family and friends. It was definitely fun to see how adventurous she was - since that completely challenged my presumption of her based on the myths. She matured a little towards the end of the book - and it made me want to read the next one in the series.

The Story

The plot of NOBODY'S PRINCESS interested me immensely, because it gave me a look at what Helen's life as a child might have been like. It presented an alternative to the Helen I had always known in my mind - the one who was just prized and fought over for her beauty. I actually really liked reading about this alternative Helen. Friesner did a brilliant job characterizing Helen in a way that felt authentic.

The story was jam-packed with adventures and friendships. It had just the right amount of surprises, action scenes and turns of events to suit me. I was never bored reading it - and was completely intrigued when I realized that there was going to be an additional book to the series.

Personally, I think you should...

Read this if you're a fan of mythology being integrated into stories. It was written for readers who are towards the younger age of the spectrum, but I didn't feel like it was any less interesting or fun to read. NOBODY'S PRINCESS was a fun adventure, showcasing an alternative to the famous Helen of Troy's character as the beautiful prize to be won.

This review was posted as part of Rewind & Review.

Rewind & Review is a great monthly feature started by Ginger of GReads! and Lisa of Lisa is Busy Nerding. Each month, participants will set aside some "older" titles to read and review on their blogs. This feature is the perfect opportunity to get around to reading that title you've been eyeing for years or that book that's been in your TBR for what feels like forever. For more information, you can visit this post.