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Summary
Summary
From master storyteller Diane Stanley comes a spellbinding tale, based on Shakespeare's The Tempest, of two princes--one chosen, one lost--and a mysterious girl on a magical island, all caught in a great web of destiny.
On the day of his birth, Prince Alexos is revealed to be the long-awaited champion of Athene. He grows up lonely, conscious of all that is expected of him. But Alexos discovers that being a champion isn't about fame and glory--it's about sacrifice and courage.
Alexos follows the course of his destiny through war and loss and a deadly confrontation with his enemy to its end: shipwreck on a magical, fog-shrouded island. There he meets the unforgettable Aria, and faces the greatest challenge of his life.
Author Notes
Diane Stanley was born in 1943 and was raised in Abilene, Texas. She later attended both Trinity University and Johns Hopkins University.
Her portfolio of children's book illustrations was creative enough for her to begin publication in 1978. She became an art director for G.P. Putnam & Sons and later began retelling and illustrating classic children's books.
Stanley has revamped the fairy tale, Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter and has also researched the children's biographies Cleopatra and Leonardo Da Vinci. She also illustrated her mother's book, The Last Princess.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-Alexos is born to privilege; as heir to the throne of Arkos, he was chosen as the champion of the people during his presentation to the goddess as an infant. However, privilege does not mean a life of ease. Alexos was raised by a domineering and forceful father who demands perfection, and the only bright spot in his life is his little brother, Teo, and the joy he finds in running. Then on Alexos's 12th birthday, disaster strikes. Heartbroken by the loss of his running ability, facing rejection by his father in favor of Teo, and haunted by dreams of a mysterious girl on a magical island, Alexos commits an act of betrayal that will change the course of his life and the future of his country. Only when all is put right will his world be whole again. Robertson Dean's narration is reminiscent of the omniscient oracles of Greek myths. As he recounts Alexos's trials and tribulations in the unusual immediate present tense, listeners will imagine themselves in the story. VERDICT Perfect for mythology junkies looking for their next fix.-Michaela Schied, Indian River Middle School, Philadelphia, NY © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
On the day of Prince Alexos's birth, the gods decree that he is destined for greatness, catalyzing a life of hardship as the prince attempts to fulfill this prophecy. An outsider among his peers, afflicted with an illness that damages his legs, 12-year-old Alexos is finally driven by anguish to leave his helpless younger brother, Teo, for dead by casting him out to sea alone. But through the goddess Athene's intervention, Alexos finds his way to a magical island where the brothers' purpose is revealed. Stanley's (The Silver Bowl) lush descriptions of the fog-shrouded island, which comes alive to respond to inhabitants' needs, hark back to the mythological roots from which she draws inspiration. Much of the story is relayed through dialogue, and Stanley's characters are prone to lengthy speeches used to explain the Arcoferrans' long suffering and espouse their feelings, making for some stilted exchanges. But, overall, Stanley's storytelling infuses each character and hardship with distinct purposes that coalesce and become clear to readers by book's end for a tidy finale that leaves no unanswered questions. Ages 8-12. Agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Twelve-year-old Alexos, crown prince of the kingdom of Arcos, was recognized at birth as the champion for whom everyone has waited generations, the one promised by the goddess Athene to end generations of pestilence and war. He is also a burdened, friendless outcast, unloved by his cold father, and takes his only real joy from time spent with his younger brother, Teo. But when the dreaded, polio-like "summer sickness" leaves him semi-paralyzed and he overhears his father's plan to leave the kingdom to Teo, Alexos commits an unthinkable act and must live with the consequences. Percy Jackson fans will not be put off: Stanley uses short sentences, an immediate present tense, and basic vocabulary, and the plot races along. Alexos is a touchingly relatable character, and his relationships make the plot meaningful, as he learns to balance princely dignity with having friends and finds an alternate father figure in his doctor, Suliman. Eventually the two brothers are reunited on a mysterious island, where together they sort out all the hows and whys, which will satisfy readers who like their plot lines neatly tied up. susan dove lempke (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Alexos, prince of Arcos, doesn't have an easy life. His father, King Ektor, is disapproving and demanding and spends most of his time far away, supervising their country's unending war against neighboring Ferra. Schoolmates keep their distance from the prince. His mother is dead. Only his little brother, Teo, brings light and fun into Alexos' life, and soon, Teo, too, is taken from him in a hideous act of treachery. Alexos must shoulder these burdens and more as he becomes a young man and assumes responsibility for his impoverished kingdom. Echoes of Shakespeare's The Tempest reverberate through this classically set court story, where male friendships and loyalty are the focus, and the gods interfere in human affairs. The story is told in third-person present tense, as if observed from on high, lending a sometimes off-putting distance to the action. Fans of Stanley's Silver Bowl books will relish the vivid settings, but The Chosen Prince is not her strongest work.--Willey, Paula Copyright 2015 Booklist
