PRINCESS NEVERMORE

Princess Quinnella of Mandria, set to turn 16 and be married off, has often longed for the world she has seen on the other side of the wishing pool (Earth). When she accidentally finds herself there, she learns that life, though difficult, is far freer than in Mandria, and she falls in love. An odd amalgam of genres—part fantasy, part romance, part teen problem novel—this book is overlong but engrossing. Quinn is an interesting heroine, and the whole Mandria/Earth relationship is fascinating. There are mysteries to solve, villains to overcome, and an intriguing view of life on this planet from an outsider's perspective. The story falters as several promising storylines are launched, then dropped. Readers won't be ready for the sheer nastiness of the climax, which reads almost like an attempted rape. Regan (The Curse of the Trouble Dolls, 1992, etc.) pledges more than she delivers; the result is a good story when readers were prepared for a great one. (Fiction. 10+)