The Tin Princess was an amusing story with a tangential relationship to the Sally Lockhart stories. The book was highly entertaining, and you do not need to have read the Sally Lockhart books to appreciate it (although those are also highly amusing stories). The only thing disappointing about this book was the ending. Not plot wise, just its structure. It had the Neil Stephenson "oh, I have to finish this?" feel to it. But I will forgive it, because it amused me.

This book in the series was a bit different. Still solid plots and characters, just different. ( )

Full of adventure, but way too short. The plot and character development seem very rushed, especially for Adelaide (her transformation into a monarch just isn't convincing). and I felt like the politics were rather sketch as well. It might've helped if Pullman had slowed down the action enough to develop his imaginary country's politics, culture, etc. beyond a sprinkling of names and historical "facts." At least Jim from the Sally Lockhart trilogy gets to co-star. ( )

Probably liked this the best after (or tied with) The Ruby in the Smoke. It had the same heightened adventure feeling, and I loved the faux European setting. Adeline could rub me the wrong way but I loved when she was being her regal self the way no one else could be, and I adored Becky. I'd forgotten how wonderful Jim is but how frustratingly he and Fred became almost the same character (except he has none of Fred's most frustrating qualities). On the whole I loved the expansive setting this took place over, the dramatic air it held from start to finish. I wish Pullman had written more about these characters. ( )

"The Tin Princess" features characters from the other books in this series (Sally Lockhart), but is only a slightly-connected story. It's the somewhat-familiar story of an English girl, Adelaide, of no breeding but innate intelligence and wit, who marries the exotic prince of a small European country. Seeking a job, the young Becky Winter is hired to be Adelaide's tutor, and soon finds herself helping Adelaide negotiate a maze of dangerous politics and social situations, and he unexpectedly becomes Queen... ( )