The Secret Life Of Prince Charming
Posted by Mary Ann Harlan on June 22, 2009
If Sarah Dessen’s books make me wonder about her mother issues (which she says she doesn’t have, and I believe her so maybe I should have said her character’s mother issues), Deb Caletti’s books makes me wonder about her father issues.
In The Secret Life of Prince Charming Quinn (my step daughter’s name btw – which she hates, says its a boy’s name but I’m thrilled a fictional girl has it) lives with her mother, grandmother, aunt, and sister after their father abandon them. After a long absence he has become a part of their life, but all is not perfect. When Quinn realizes some of her father’s prize objects belong to women he has dated, married, etc. (and some other traumatic events happen) this good girl contacts her half sister, and a trip to restore the items to their rightful owners, and maybe learn who their father really is materializes.
I have to admit I read this through adult woman eyes. Which is to say I related to the older women’s stories of their loves more than Quinn’s journey. I’ve had my share of the bad boys, the relationships that consume you even though you know they just aren’t right, and I have the “right one” now, and it isn’t what I thought it would be – its better. And the stories and lessons the women left behind by Quinn’s father resonated with me. At one point I thought – this isn’t really for teens, its for women my age. But that isn’t entirely true because there is self discovery, what it means to be the child of divorce (which may be why I didn’t truly connect with Quinn, I have my own issues with that as a step mom), and a (predictable) romance.
One note – Sprout, the younger sister, while fun may have been a bit too precocious. But I liked the other secondary characters.
Also the best “secret” being kept was Ivar, the dogs. Laughted out loud.
My favorite Deb Caletti remains The Nature of Jade.
Also reviewed on my blog The Fortunes of Indigo Skye
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Kelly said
Thanks for posting this (timely for me) review! I brought this title along as a beach read on my summer vacation. I think I’ll go ahead and read it since I’ve never read her stuff before.