How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Her eyes lingered a moment on Selia, and she found herself thinking, She would be better at playing princess than I am. The thought stung. Ani wanted so badly to do it right, to be regal and clever and powerful. But too often her only truly happy moments were the bursts of freedom, stolen afternoons on her horse's back, brief, breathtaking rides past the stables to where the gardens turned wild, her lungs stinging with the cold, her muscles trembling with the hard ride. (2.7)
Oh, snap—when Ani realizes that Selia would make a better princess than she does, we're not sure what to think. We could feel a little sorry for Ani—it seems like everyone wants her to be someone she's not—but then another part of us wonders why Ani doesn't use her unique skills to be a rockin' princess.
Quote #2
"Come now, Father, you know the queen would never permit such nonsense from me. 'Anidori, a crown princess, like a queen, can succeed only by staying apart. Separation, elevation, delegation.'" (2.43)
We're not sure Ani's dad believes this line from the queen, and we sure know Ani doesn't. Before we all go condemning her mom though, we should think about whether her mom has a point. Are these qualities important for rulers? Would Selia have challenged Ani if she were more like her mom?
Quote #3
Those who did address her clipped her title to "Princess" and the "Crown" was passed on to her brother. All except for Selia. Stubbornly loyal, her lady-in-waiting still insisted on using her full and original title. (3.1)
Selia's refusal to call Ani anything but Crown Princess at first seems like she's thumbing her nose to the queen, but when we really think about, we realize she's mocking Ani. Even though the princess doesn't get it at first, she soon figures out that Selia uses that fancy pants title against her.
Quote #4
"All I have ever wanted is what you have. And you, you don't even care about what you are. And I have had to serve you and call you mistress and wait and wait and wait." Selia put a hand over her eyes, and her shoulders began to shake. "What a horrid title, lady-in-waiting. I have waited and waited until I thought my bones would crack and my muscles freeze and my mind shrivel like a raisin. And there you were, with horses and tutors and gowns and servants, and all you did was hide in your room." (4.37)
Oh no she didn't… Selia pushes the boundaries with Ani, who is usually pretty relaxed about her royal status, and it's a classic case of the grass always being greener on the other side. Selia wants to be a princess, and Ani can't wait to get rid of her royal duties. The question is: should there be a difference in class between the two girls?
Quote #5
Ani listened and tried to piece together what life must be like living in the Forest on the edge of Bayern—difficult, impoverished, backbreaking work and the persistent question if they would last through another winter, she guessed. But she envied their commonality. (6.34)
Again Ani thinks about being someone else entirely, and this time it's the working class forest folk like Gilsa and Finn. So what if they don't have much money or prominence? They've got love and care for one another, and those emotions don't have any regard for what social class you are.
Quote #6
Not crown princess. Not a princess anymore. The serving girl's face was just a round stone in the wall. The mean dullness came crashing back into itself, hard and bleak and small. Ani sat on the bed and stared at her soft, uncallused hands. (7.42)
When Ani commits to being a goose girl, at first it's just to hide from Ungolad and his scary crew of guards—but eventually she finds happiness as a serving girl. Even though she doesn't know it yet, she fits in with the forest workers. Hmm… what does that say about her mom's idea of social class?
Quote #7
Ani lowered her head and peered at the horsemen from under her hat brim, wary of any familiar faces or light-colored hair. There was no need. The nobles on their grand horses never turned an idle eye on the goose girl. (9.15)
She's used to being recognized and pampered, but Ani can walk right past the nobles while she's disguised as a goose girl.
Quote #8
Ani laughed. "A goose girl should feel honored to be mistaken for a lady with land to put a horse on, sir."
"You didn't say 'sir' when you stole my horse. Geric. My name's Geric." (9.86-87)
It's love at first sight… well, almost anyway. We would like to point out that Ani and Geric's first conversation hinges on ideas of social class, so even though neither seems to care much about what rank people are, they have to act like they do because of where they live and their society.
Quote #9
"You're not so shy as you let us think when you first got here. You can face a king. He's just a man in a crown who eats potatoes and has gas." (15.62)
Razo says this about the king when Ani gets a chance to go before him. His off-handed joke reminds us that perhaps royalty and social class are only performances—that is, maybe being royal is nothing more than wearing a crown and acting royal. Perhaps there's nothing special about the king himself beyond that.
Quote #10
Ani took down the pale lake green dress that had been dyed to match her eyes, held it to her chest, and looked at the long mirror. She thought, I look like a goose girl holding up a fancy dress. (18.115)
Getting her dress from Selia's closet, Ani remembers what it's like to be royal again. Since no one recognized her when she was a lowly goose girl, she's got to dress the part if she wants to convince everyone she's a princess—so yet again, we're asked to think about whether being royal is only about what you wear and how you talk, and nothing else.