YA Book Review: The Princess Who Flew With Dragons by Stephanie Burgis

The Princess Who Flew With Dragons
Author: Stephanie Burgis
Publication: Bloomsbury Children's Books (August 8, 2019)

Description: Sofia is the other princess. Not the crown princess - that's her perfect big sister, Katrin. Sofia is the princess who always says the wrong thing; who hates going to parties; who doesn't like people; who just wants to sit and read her books. So when Sofia is shipped off on a stomach-churning dragon flight to make another royal visit, she decides it's time for this princess to take a little break. In disguise, Sofia soon finds herself discovering a magical city of learning, new friends and freedom. In short, everything is going wonderfully . right up until it goes horribly wrong. And that's before the ice giants show up.

From the author of The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart comes a magical third adventure about acceptance, family and friendship, perfect for fans of Cressida Cowell and Cornelia Funke.

My Thoughts: This story was an excellent middle grade adventure with a heroine to root for. Princess Sofia is the other princess in Drackenheim. Her older sister is the perfect heir who keeps manipulating Sofia into dangerous situations. Sofia would much rather stay in her room sipping hot chocolate and reading philosophy books by Gert van Heidecker.

Sofia's sister decides to sent her on a diplomatic mission to Vallenne to view the Diamond Exhibition and hobnob with other Royals from other kingdoms. However, Sofia arrives after three days of motion sickness in a carriage carried by a dragon and makes a totally awful first impression. She's exiled to a distant house. But Sofia is determined to find her way around the city and meet people. She is especially eager to sit in on a lecture by her favorite philosopher. She doesn't expect to meet and become friends with goblins and see Gert van Heidecker arrested for his revolutionary views.

She also doesn't expect the finally meet her friend Jasper who is a young dragon who has run away from home to come and share adventures with her in Vallenne. Nor does she expect her perfect sister Katrin and Jasper's mother to come chasing after them. And she really doesn't expect the find herself the only Royal left after an attack by Ice Giants who freeze all the other Royals into blocks of ice and take them off to their frozen kingdom.

Sofia is determined to find a way to free her sister and Jasper's mother. She has Jasper as her companion and Fedolia, a kobold girl with her own goals in mind. They face hardships along the way to find the kidnapped Royals but Sofia learns a lot about herself. And her actions with the Ice giants give her a chance to show strengths she didn't know she had.

I loved the setting and Sofia. I liked that she underestimated her talents until she had to show them all. I liked that she learned about friendship and loyalty and learned her place in her family.

Favorite Quote:

So that was how I entered the fabled city of Vallenne on my first-ever diplomatic mission: hanging halfway out the open door of my carriage, with dried dragon spittle covering my hair and skin and my two guards gripping tightly to my legs as I dangled a heavy Drachenheim flag in midair.

It was a good thing I'd never expected to be the perfect princess for this mission...because this had to be the most embarrassing first impression ever. 

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.