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This young adult fantasy novel was first published when I was in middle school and -- if the other Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ reviews and social-media effusions can be taken as evidence -- it seems to have become a fiercely loved cult classic among women fantasy readers my age, yet I somehow hadn't heard of it or its author until now. It appears I've been missing out, for Crown Duel is tremendous fun: battles, intrigues, machinations, betrayals, a compelling first-person female narrator, an emotionally authentic coming-of-age arc, and, best of all, an utterly enchanting Shop Around the Corner-inflected subplot -- one of the best uses of that exquisitely delightful trope that I've seen in a long time. In my previous Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ reviews, I've pointed out how two of my other all-time fantasy favorites, Howl's Moving Castle and Uprooted, are thematic descendants of Jane Eyre, so I was interested to see other Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ reviewers trace a lineage from Crown Duel back to Pride and Prejudice, making me wonder again whether I'm drawn to stories based on those archetypes simply because of early exposure to them or because maybe there are only a finite number of great story archetypes around (?).

Anyway, this is generally one of the most enjoyable novels of its genre that I've ever come across, and if I had a teenage sister or cousin, I would jump to put this book in their hands right now.