Crown of Coral and Pearl

Gr 8 Up–Twins Nor and Zadie descend from a long line of people who reside at sea in a village made of boats, condemned by an age-old legend and oddly resigned to their fate. Their people scrape together a meager living diving for pink pearls, which are highly prized by their inland rulers, the wealthy Ilarans. Every generation, the girls in the floating village are groomed for a beauty contest. The winner will marry the Ilaran prince, and since Nor has been knocked out of the running, it’s all up to Zadie and the twins’ striving mother, the ultimate stage mom, to secure this dubious prize. When Zadie is selected, fate intervenes (with a little help) and Nor goes in her place, impersonating her twin sister, which seems inevitable from the start. The ruse takes Nor into the bizarre inland fortress lair of her betrothed, Prince Ceren (though his seductive brother Talin is never far off). Nor is a courageous and believable character, but many of the characters are known YA tropes. The story’s plot feels half conceived and is full of teasers that never pan out, and the climax strains credulity.