Crown Duel - Sherwood Smith

[goodreads]

Title: Crown Duel
Author: Sherwood Smith
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.5/5
# pages: 224
Date read: October, 2013

A deathbed promise to their father sends a daring girl and her brother off to war. Filled with intrigue, romance, and magic, this spellbinding novel is a dramatic coming-of-age story about a girl who rises from impoverished beginnings to take command of her own fate.

Unfortunately rather disappointing. I had had this book recommended very highly to me, but while it was certainly okay, I never felt it went beyond that. The plot was predictable, and I never really got to care for the characters. Besides, how often do we need to be told that Mel is tiny and no matter whose clothes she borrows, she'll go swimming in them? I don't usually notice such repetitions, but here it got tedious even for me.

I didn't dislike it, and it kept me okay entertained, but I'm not particularly fussed about reading the sequel.