Wisdom's Kiss

By Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Magic, cunning, and one very special cat join forces in this hilarious, extraordinary tale by the author of the Dairy Queen trilogy and Princess Ben.Princess Wisdom, known as Dizzy, longs for a life of adventure beyond the staid old
kingdom of Montagne.  Tips, a soldier, longs to keep his true identity a secret. Fortitude, an orphaned maid, longs only for Tips.

These three souls might possibly attain their dreams while preserving their empire from ruin — if only they can bear one another’s company long enough to come up with a plan.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Aug 15, 2011
• ISBN: 9780547550824

Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Catherine Murdock grew up on a small farm in Connecticut and now lives in suburban Philadelphia with her husband, two brilliant unicycling children, several cats, and a one-acre yard that she is slowly transforming into a wee, but flourishing ecosystem. She is the author of several books, including the popular Dairy Queen series starring lovable heroine D. J. Schwenk,  Princess Ben, and Wisdom's Kiss.

Book preview

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

How to Use This E-Book

Copyright

Dedication

Wisdom’s Kiss

Title Page

Epigraph

An Introduction

1. In Which Trudy Finds Her Sight

2. In Which We Make the Acquaintance of the Booted Maestro

PART I

3. In Which Roger Proposes Marriage

4. In Which Roger’s Mother Applauds His Sense

5. Montagne

6. In Which We Meet Again the Miller’s Son

7. Alpsburg

8. In Which Adversity Delays the Royal Party

9. In Which the Princess Commends Adventure

10. In Which the Royal Party is Proffered Oysters

11. Escoffier

12. In Which Trudy Suspects a Sickness

13. In Which the Royal Party Needs a Bucket

14. In Which Innate Compassion Wanders Off

15. Froglock

16. In Which the Miller’s Son Returns to Lax

17. In Which Trudy Acquires One Gift and Two Presentiments

18. In Which Wilhelmina Welcomes the Emperor

19. Rüdiger IV

20. In Which Trudy Receives a Title and a Ride

21. Fortitude of Bacio

PART II

22. In Which the Princess Envies Natural Ringlets

23. In Which the Queen Mother Learns of a Suitor

24. Wilhelmina the Ill-Tempered

25. In Which Trudy Arrives in the City of Froglock

26. In Which the Booted Maestro Recounts a Battle

27. Circus Primus

28. In Which the Miller’s Son Arrives as Well

29. In Which Trudy Departs in Quest of Tips

30. In Which Princess Wisdom is Swept Off Her Feet

31. In Which Trudy Recalls a Better Day

32. In Which the Miller’s Son Warns of Risk

33. In Which Cupid Snares the Princess

34. In Which the Queen Mother is Sent an Invitation

35. In Which the Booted Maestro Delights a Queen

36. In Which the Queen is Not Actually Quite so Delighted

37. Elemental Spells

38. In Which Wilhelmina Concedes, Somewhat

39. In Which the Maestro Relates The Demon Vanquished

40. In Which a Circus Act Creates an Uproar

PART III

41. Wilhelmina the Ill-Tempered (Continued)

42. In Which the Royal Party Bemoans Marriage

43. In Which the Princess Admits Her Ardor

44. In Which the Miller’s Son Owns Up at Last

45. In Which the Duke Displays His Ignobility

46. In Which the Booted Maestro Counsels Action

47. In Which Trudy Attempts to Run Away

48. In Which the Princess Suffers Despair

49. In Which the Royals Break Their Vow

50. Doppleschläferin

51. In Which a Cat Unearths the Awful Truth

52. In Which Trudy Learns the Plot’s Yet Worse

53. Cuthbert of Montagne

54. In Which a Loophole Terrifies Montagne

55. In Which Wilhelmina Rubs Her Hands

56. In Which the Miller’s Son Queries Love

57. In Which the Princess Finds Herself Alone

58. In Which Wilhelmina Serenely Ponders Murder

59. In Which We Read of Wisdom’s Kiss

60. Wilhelmina the Ill-Tempered (Continued)

61. In Which Trudy, Fleeing, Foresees Her Death

62. In Which the Princess’s Adventure Ends

PART IV

63. In Which the Royals Spark a Fire

64. In Which the Princess Tells of Her Demise

65. In Which Trudy is Snatched Away

66. In Which They Race to Montagne’s Aid

67. In Which Trudy Confronts the Happy Couple

68. In Which the Princess Questions Virtuous Names

69. Montagne, Chateau de

70. In Which the Trio Reaches Solid Ground

71. In Which the Miller’s Son Risks Life and Limb

72. In Which the Princess Throws a Rope

73. In Which Trudy Finds Her Heart’s Desire

74. Fortitude of Bacio (Continued)

75. In Which Wilhelmina Gnashes Teeth

76. In Which the Emperor Presents His Hand

77. In Which the Queen Mother Wraps Things Up

78. Roger of Farina

79. In Which the Booted Maestro Claims His Part

A Glossary of One-and-Twenty Unusual Words

*Wisdom’s Kiss Enhanced

*Epigraph

*An Introduction

*1. In Which Trudy Finds Her Sight

*2. In Which We Make the Acquaintance of the Booted Maestro

*PART I

*3. In Which Roger Proposes Marriage

*4. In Which Roger’s Mother Applauds His Sense

*5. Montagne

*6. In Which We Meet Again the Miller’s Son

*7. Alpsburg

*8. In Which Adversity Delays the Royal Party

*9. In Which the Princess Commends Adventure

*10. In Which the Royal Party is Proffered Oysters

*11. Escoffier

*12. In Which Trudy Suspects a Sickness

*13. In Which the Royal Party Needs a Bucket

*14. In Which Innate Compassion Wanders Off

*15. Froglock

*16. In Which the Miller’s Son Returns to Lax

*17. In Which Trudy Acquires One Gift and Two Presentiments

*18. In Which Wilhelmina Welcomes the Emperor

*19. Rüdiger IV

*20. In Which Trudy Receives a Title and a Ride

*21. Fortitude of Bacio

*PART II

*22. In Which the Princess Envies Natural Ringlets

*23. In Which the Queen Mother Learns of a Suitor

*24. Wilhelmina the Ill-Tempered

*25. In Which Trudy Arrives in the City of Froglock

*26. In Which the Booted Maestro Recounts a Battle

*27. Circus Primus

*28. In Which the Miller’s Son Arrives as Well

*29. In Which Trudy Departs in Quest of Tips

*30. In Which Princess Wisdom is Swept Off Her Feet

*31. In Which Trudy Recalls a Better Day

*32. In Which the Miller’s Son Warns of Risk

*33. In Which Cupid Snares the Princess

*34. In Which the Queen Mother is Sent an Invitation

*35. In Which the Booted Maestro Delights a Queen

*36. In Which the Queen is Not Actually Quite so Delighted

*37. Elemental Spells

*38. In Which Wilhelmina Concedes, Somewhat

*39. In Which the Maestro Relates The Demon Vanquished

*40. In Which a Circus Act Creates an Uproar

*PART III

*41. Wilhelmina the Ill-Tempered (Continued)

*42. In Which the Royal Party Bemoans Marriage

*43. In Which the Princess Admits Her Ardor

*44. In Which the Miller’s Son Owns Up at Last

*45. In Which the Duke Displays His Ignobility

*46. In Which the Booted Maestro Counsels Action

*47. In Which Trudy Attempts to Run Away

*48. In Which the Princess Suffers Despair

*49. In Which the Royals Break Their Vow

*50. Doppleschläferin

*51. In Which a Cat Unearths the Awful Truth

*52. In Which Trudy Learns the Plot’s Yet Worse

*53. Cuthbert of Montagne

*54. In Which a Loophole Terrifies Montagne

*55. In Which Wilhelmina Rubs Her Hands

*56. In Which the Miller’s Son Queries Love

*57. In Which the Princess Finds Herself Alone

*58. In Which Wilhelmina Serenely Ponders Murder

*59. In Which We Read of Wisdom’s Kiss

*60. Wilhelmina the Ill-Tempered (Continued)

*61. In Which Trudy, Fleeing, Foresees Her Death

*62. In Which the Princess’s Adventure Ends

*PART IV

*63. In Which the Royals Spark a Fire

*64. In Which the Princess Tells of Her Demise

*65. In Which Trudy is Snatched Away

*66. In Which They Race to Montagne’s Aid

*67. In Which Trudy Confronts the Happy Couple

*68. In Which the Princess Questions Virtuous Names

*69. Montagne, Chateau de

*70. In Which the Trio Reaches Solid Ground

*71. In Which the Miller’s Son Risks Life and Limb

*72. In Which the Princess Throws a Rope

*73. In Which Trudy Finds Her Heart’s Desire

*74. Fortitude of Bacio (Continued)

*75. In Which Wilhelmina Gnashes Teeth

*76. In Which the Emperor Presents His Hand

*77. In Which the Queen Mother Wraps Things Up

*78. Roger of Farina

*79. In Which the Booted Maestro Claims His Part

*A GLOSSARY OF ONE-AND-TWENTY UNUSUAL WORDS

A Menu of Enhanced Materials Within Wisdom’s Kiss

Author Q&A

A Geographic Gazetteer

Queen of All the Heavens

Author Commentary on Queen of All the Heavens

The First, Awful Stab at Queen of All the Heavens

Queen of All the Heavens: Full Act I

Author Commentary on Queen of All the Heavens, Act I

Queen of All the Heavens: Deleted Scene

The Imperial Encyclopedia of Lax

Author Commentary on The Imperial Encyclopedia of Lax

Fairy Tales, Recipes, and More!

Discussion Questions for Wisdom’s Kiss

The Adventures Of Mommy Buzzkill

Puss in Boots

Cat Whiskers

The Dolorous Draper

Pass The Bucket, Queenie!

Deleted Prose: A Letter from Teddy To Ben

Recipe: Cuthbert en Croûte

Recipe: Poches célèbres

Recipe: Pumpkin Breakfast Pudding

The Wisdom’s Kiss Pitch Letter

Characters

Trudy

Tips

Felis

Teddy

Roger and Hrothgar

Dizzy

Wilhelmina and Edwig

Ben and Florian

Modesty and Patience

Escoffier

Handsome

Rüdiger

Providence

Pierre Stein

Author Commentary on Disparate Critical Bits

The Structure and Format of Wisdom’s Kiss

The Opening of Wisdom’s Kiss

Title and Cover

The Challenges of Magic

Trudy’s Sight

The Globe d’Or

Cuthbert of Montagne

Styles of Address

Feminine Nouns

Ladies in Waiting

Male Succession

Loopholes

Queen Mother

Castles

Solstice Terrace

The Empire of Lax

Excerpts from Princess Ben

Princess Ben Excerpt: Dangers of Magic

Princess Ben Excerpt: Ben’s Misbehavior

Princess Ben Excerpt: Edwig

Princess Ben Excerpt: Elemental Spells

Princess Ben Excerpt: Doppelschläferin

Princess Ben Excerpt: Ancienne

Princess Ben Excerpt: The Wizard Tower

Also by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Character: Trudy (3:52)

Character: Wisdom, Princess of Montagne (3:35)

Author Commentary: Structure (4:50)

Author Commentary: Magic Challenge (4:45)

Author Commentary: Feminine Nouns (4:26)

Author Commentary: Ladies-in-Waiting (2:05)

How to Use This E-Book

A Note from the Author of Wisdom’s Kiss

Congratulations! You are now the proud reader of a bouncing baby enhanced e-book. An e-book (as you know because you’re reading this) is like a regular paper book but in a digital electricity-based platform. An enhanced e-book, on the other hand, is akin to a director’s cut DVD, with commentary, deleted scenes, biographies, audio . . . It’s pretty marvelous. This enhanced e-book has three parts:

The original edition of Wisdom’s Kiss

This is the equivalent to the paper book—although unlike the paper book, the e-book has chapter titles and a Table of Contents, both exceedingly posh. I strongly recommend reading the original edition first; if you poke about in the enhancements too soon, you’ll stumble on plot twists and character revelations that give the story away.

The enhanced edition of Wisdom’s Kiss

The enhanced edition is identical to the original edition but with the addition of links—marked by colored text or an icon followed by a greater than (>) sign—to the enhancements. The chapter names are also marked with an asterisk (*) to aid navigation.

The ENHANCEMENTS!! (Cue dramatic music.) These are so much fun—well, granted, I’m the author, but they seriously are. Here’s a brief summary:

Catherine Murdock interviews the author

I quiz myself, and learn a lot.

A Geographic Gazetteer

An explanation of place names in Wisdom’s Kiss, with pronunciation, and jokes.

Queen of All the Heavens

The first act in its passionate, campy entirety, plus deleted scenes and author commentary.

The Imperial Encyclopedia of Lax

Never-before-seen entries on places, battles, and circus acts.

Fairy Tales, Recipes, and More!

The BIG section, this features questions for book groups, private letters, and three amazing recipes, plus original and reprinted essays and fairy tales and the lyrics to Pass the Bucket, Queenie!

The Characters, Explained

Seventeen characters (all of ’em, basically) examined in depth: their origins, relevance, naming . . .

Author Commentary on Disparate Critical Bits

The other big section, in which I discuss magic, plot twists, story structure, royal succession, and anything else that strikes my fancy that’s silly, significant, or odd—or, optimally, all three at once.

Excerpts from Princess Ben

I confess it: Princess Ben inspired no small part of Wisdom’s Kiss. Now you can read the crucial parts, with commentary.

Audio Enhancements

The author reads aloud six essays accompanying Wisdom’s Kiss. (A list of the audio files with links can be found at the end of the Table of Contents.)

See? Aren’t the enhancements intriguing? Wisdom’s Kiss isn’t simply enhanced; it’s vitamin fortified, with extra raisins.

Let me repeat: I suggest you read the original book first, as it was intended to be read. Once you’ve finished, move to the enhanced edition or to the enhancements proper and wander with abandon. If you find yourself lost, return to this page or to the Menu of Enhanced Materials (both of which, I confess, are far more navigable than the Table of Contents), so you can decide at your leisure what you’d like to explore next.

Happy reading.

Catherine Murdock

Use the images below to help you navigate the enhanced e-book and bonus materials:

Wisdom’s Kiss [Image]

Glossary & Geographic Gazetteer [Image]

The Imperial Encyclopedia of Lax [Image]

Queen of All the Heavens [Image]

Author Commentary [Image]

Character Commentary [Image]

Recipes [Image]

Extras [Image]

Excerpts from Princess Ben [Image]

Copyright © 2011 by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

All rights reserved. For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10003.

www.hmhco.com

The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:

Murdock, Catherine Gilbert.

Wisdom’s Kiss / written by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.

p. cm.

Summary: Princess Wisdom, who yearns for a life of adventure beyond the kingdom of Montagne, Tips, a soldier keeping his true life secret from his family, Fortitude, an orphaned maid who longs for Tips, and Magic the cat form an uneasy alliance as they try to save the kingdom from certain destruction Told through diaries, memoirs, encyclopedia entries, letters, biographies, and a stage play.

ISBN 978-0-547-56687-0

[1. Adventure and adventurers—Fiction. 2. Supernatural—Fiction. 3. Princesses—Fiction. 4. Soldiers—Fiction. 5. Household employees—Fiction. 6. Orphans—Fiction. 7. Cats—Fiction.] I. Title.

PZ7.M9416Wis 2011

[Fic]—dc22

2011003708

eISBN 978-0-547-55082-4

v3.0415

To Nick and Mimi

WISDOM’S KISS

[Image]

Truth requires many voices,

for it is a relentless foe

but a most unobliging mistress.

An Introduction,

Presenting Several Important Characters,

But Not All of Them

1

In Which Trudy Finds Her Sight

______

A LIFE UNFORESEEN

THE STORY OF FORTITUDE OF BACIO, COMMONLY KNOWN AS TRUDY, AS TOLD TO HER DAUGHTER

Privately Printed and Circulated

TRUDY’S SIGHT revealed itself one warm summer night when the child was no older than three.

The Duke’s Arms had been lively all evening, denying Trudy’s mother even a minute to put her to bed, for Eds made it clear that customers always came first, and Mina was the inn’s sole server. Trudy, however, was an easy child, happy to play in a kitchen corner with her yarn doll and tattered little basket, her head a halo of auburn curls streaked with gold. So settled, she did not observe the stranger’s arrival or his demand for a meal and a room, and right quick with them both. Nor for that matter did anyone else pay notice to this rawboned traveler missing half an earlobe, for dusty foreigners stopped there daily. Mina was just beginning to serve him when Trudy wandered in from the kitchen, caught sight of the man, and began to scream.

The room quieted at once, and Mina rushed over to take her away. Yet Trudy stood unbudging. Go! she shrieked, pointing at the stranger with one small shaking finger. Go away! Go away! Go away!

The man flinched at the clamor, and more so at the two dozen pairs of eyes now focused upon him. He flicked a hand toward Trudy and demanded that Eds take the brat from earshot; this place was supposed to be an inn for God’s sake, not a damned madhouse.

That may have been the man’s gravest mistake, for while Eds readily agreed about the racket, he abided no criticism of his beloved Duke’s Arms. He also knew, with the innate discernment of a successful host, that though this fatherless child meant little to him, she was a favorite with the locals, unlike, say, the miller’s youngest son, who—everyone agreed—was a rascal through and through. The regulars who kept the Duke’s Arms solvent during the lean summer months were now muttering among themselves, uneasy about this stranger who so distressed their wee sweet Trudy.

Eds thus, without another moment’s consideration, ordered him to leave.

Ye can’t toss me out! the man spat back. This is a public hostel, it is, and I’ve nowhere else to sleep!

It’s my establishment, and I operates as I please, Eds replied coolly. Besides, I hear tell the heavens make a very fine blanket—a riposte, it should be confessed, that he had wielded many times, always to widespread mirth. His patrons laughed now, but smiles faded as the stranger cursed Eds and with cold viciousness described his imminent and painful demise. It was only Eds’s girth, and cudgel, that got the stranger past the threshold, and no one objected when Eds slammed the door behind him.

Trudy’s mother by this time had managed to carry her up to their attic bed, though her wails reverberated through the building. The public rooms emptied soon thereafter, the locals heading home in twos and threes, and in twos and threes they searched their barns and outbuildings before locking every door, so unnerved were they by the child’s reaction, and by the stranger’s ruthless air. Trudy continued to sob about the awful man out there until Mina finally took her outside to see the empty road for herself. The girl peered through the moonlight in every direction and, inexplicably calmed, fell asleep on her mother’s shoulder.

Oh, how tongues wagged the next morning, and, oh, how the inn’s patrons were teased. What was Eds adding to his beer, the wives asked, that made men fearful old maids? Did a child’s tantrum turn Bacio into a village of milksops? Sheepishly the men shrugged, unable themselves to explain their spooked reaction to one ill-tempered customer. Vindication arrived soon enough, for not halfway through morning chores a squad of soldiers rode into town—imperial soldiers, not the duke’s preening guards, and their weapons were polished from use, not show. Halting at the Duke’s Arms, they asked if anyone had seen a lone traveler, a gaunt man with a severed ear. Eds had only begun to answer when the soldiers wheeled and galloped off toward the pass.

Well. Chores now stopped outright, and pigs and children whined unfed as the good folk of Bacio clustered to gossip over this unprecedented turn of events. Henpecked husbands stood tall, pointing out that their women were right grateful now. Little Trudy, muzzy yet from lack of sleep, received numerous kisses for being the first to notice the villain in their midst.

How much of a villain they did not learn until late that afternoon, when the soldiers returned grimly bearing two bodies: one of their own, who in searching an abandoned shepherd’s hut had drawn his weapon too late, and the mangled-ear stranger, whom the squad then set upon and killed at last. This man, the soldiers explained, had robbed and murdered his way across the empire, seeking in particular backwoods inns, and as evidence they displayed the wealth of a dozen victims found in his pack. How had the villagers known to turn him away? For otherwise they’d be burying, not chattering, this sunset.

All eyes turned to Trudy playing tag with the miller’s boy. She could provide no explanation other than that the man had looked bad, and shyly she asked if she could pet the ponies. Smiling, the sergeant hoisted her up to stroke the nose of his majestic warhorse, and over her copper curls he informed the villagers that they owed this child their lives.

Needless to say, the residents of Bacio began observing Trudy, and so noticed that she had a talent for staying out of trouble (unlike Tips, the miller’s boy, who would dance on the rooftops like the very devil himself). She was always elsewhere when Eds flew into one of his great rages, and often would coax Mina away as well before the man began seeking targets for his ire. When one day Trudy happened upon Tips and two other boys taunting Lloyds’s prize new ram, she begged Tips to play with her instead—to which he readily acceded, for they were the dearest of friends—and therefore the lad was (for once) innocent when the enraged ram burst from his pen, never to be seen again. Yet when young women asked Trudy to prophesy their true love, or Eds sought her opinion of an odd-looking customer, she could only shake her head sadly. Soon, ashamed that she provoked such disappointment, she took to hiding herself away at the approach of any would-be supplicant.

So, they concluded, the girl did have a talent. It was not magic, to be sure—there was no such thing as magic, and any fool claiming otherwise would end up in an asylum, or worse—but a certain limited gift. Tips in his inimitable fashion put it best: It’s simple, really: all the feeling most folks get after something happens, Trudy just happens to feel before. Phrased that way, then, yes, the girl could often see the future, but only her own, and the potential futures of those she loved—sometimes the near future, sometimes not for days hence. But she could not always see enough to avert trouble, and certainly not when it mattered most.

The day the beggar woman limped into town, Trudy, now aged ten, was hanging sheets to dry and so did not observe the woman pass from house to house seeking aid for her sick baby. Nor would Trudy speak, ever, of what her sight revealed when finally she laid eyes on the pair. But from her hysteria, and the sobbing manner she clung to her mother, the residents of Bacio knew it could not bode well. In the days that followed, the deadly fever claimed one life after another, and while some survivors muttered that Trudy should have done more to warn them all, the compassionate pointed out that the girl suffered as much as anyone, and praised how she had nursed her mother without respite until the woman left this earth.

But in truth they rarely paid much attention to Trudy at all. The girl’s sight was her own private blessing and her own private curse. The villagers had grief and toil enough, with no time for needless woolgathering. Yes, Trudy was an orphan now with nowhere to go, but others had it worse, others without a pretty face or that mass of Titian curls.

So alone, Trudy had no option but to remain at the Duke’s Arms as servant and drudge, her only solace in Tips, who had lost his father in the fever. Such was her life, its cramped bonds of village and labor, and such her life would doubtless have remained forever, were it not for the thunderbolt of upheaval that the world now knows as Wisdom’s Kiss.

2

In Which We Make the Acquaintance of the Booted Maestro

✦✦✦

Memoirs of the Master Swordsman

FELIS EL GATO

Impresario Extraordinaire ✦ Soldier of Fortune

Mercenary of Stage & Empire

LORD OF THE LEGENDARY

FIST OF GOD

Famed Throughout the Courts and Countries of the World

&

The Great Sultanate

❉ THE BOOTED MAESTRO ❉

WRITTEN IN HIS OWN HAND~ALL TRUTHS VERIFIED~

ALL BOASTS REAL

A Most Marvelous Entertainment,

Not to Be Missed!

✦✦✦

THIS DAY I WAS TRAVELING SOLO. My latest endeavor had failed, and the great campaigns for which I would become universally renowned were as yet only a promise, though a promise that burned in my breast with unwavering fire. Retaining a powerful memory of the reprobates I had encountered at Devil’s Rift, I chose prudence over valor and crossed into Farina via Alpsburg Pass. This route I found delightful in the extreme, for the alpine valleys in the heat of summer present no hardship beyond the cicadas, which crowd the forest treetops in such numbers that their screeching threatens to deafen the hapless traveler. Hardened by the cacophony of war, however, I greeted the buzzing uproar with a cheery smile and, doffing my hat toward their arboreal realm, wished the creatures success in their amorous pursuits.

Thus it was that I entered the village of Bacio lost in my own thoughts and ambitions, and thus would I have departed had I not paused to rinse the dust from my brow in a tributary that flowed aside my route. The residents of Bacio, industrious as ants, had dammed the stream with rocks and earth, creating a pond that fed a mill, the wheel of which turned with inexorable solemnity. I was descending the bank to dip my cravat, my weathered boots almost touching the dark water, when all other notions were chased from my brain by a most extraordinary sight.

Crouched on the opposite shore on the edge of the mill race were two children perhaps of twelve years, a redheaded girl and a boy with hair as sleek as an otter’s, each sporting an expression of profound anticipatory mischief. The boy, nut brown with only a scrap of cloth about his middle, kept his eyes locked on the girl’s face, his body taut with expectation. The girl in turn focused on the window of the great stone mill abutting the pond. Though I could perceive no activity within the structure, she shook her head slightly, and the boy settled back on his heels. Within a few heartbeats—and much to my surprise at her keen foresight—a scowling young man appeared, his hair dusted with flour. He glared out the window at the children, who feigned ignorance of his presence. The man lingered, doubtless hoping to witness their disobedience; the girl, I noticed, kept watch from the corner of her eye, and after a bit made a slight hand gesture to her companion. What she observed I could not tell, but the sullen man soon after disappeared from sight. Without warning, the boy leapt from his crouched position and landed, balanced as a cat, on the water wheel. As the massive wheel rose, dripping water like a leviathan, the boy effortlessly adjusted his footing on the mossy boards, his arms spread wide; reaching its apex, he launched himself into the air, arcing arrow-straight over the pond. He flipped twice and plunged into the dark water, scarcely raising a ripple.

Breathless as a maiden awaiting her lover did I watch for that black hair to reappear. Never in my life had I witnessed such capability, such physical acumen, in an individual so obviously untrained. That a village imp could conduct himself with so much strength and power left me dumbstruck. Once again, destiny had led me to my El Dorado.

***

The boy—christened Tomas Müller, though in this small hamlet known by the curious sobriquet of Tips—had sprung from a family of loutish millers much as a glorious rose might bloom, most remarkably, in a thicket of thorns. Indeed, the contrast between his talents and his two sulking older brothers reminded me so much of myself at that age that I redoubled my commitment to rescue the boy from this dismal hinterland and present him to the world and the acclaim that were so clearly his due.

Unfortunately, the brothers considered Tomas not so much sibling as slave. The eldest son, who had recently inherited the mill, demanded in no uncertain terms that Tomas remain in their service indefinitely. Emulating in every way the ass that was the second brother’s prize possession, the two young men stubbornly declared that he could not depart their workplace for even a day.

Yet again, my singular powers of persuasion were put to the test; polishing my silver tongue, and recognizing all too well that descriptions of glory would only set their heels more firmly in opposition, I appealed to the young men’s patriotism—and to their purses. Would not the career of a . . . soldier—guardian of empire, defender of justice, well compensated in victory—serve the family fortunes? Observing the attention paid my talk of compensation, I pressed the point by offering remuneration for their brother’s labor. Haggling commenced. For a few gold coins it was determined I would take the boy for my apprentice—as I at that point bore no knighthood, he sadly could not serve as page—for a period of eight years. His future beyond that day would lie in his own two hands. Having no regard whatsoever for the boy’s talent, the brothers left the table convinced he would then return to their service, a misconception I made no effort to rectify, as it would have only magnified the price of Tomas’s indenture.

Our conference concluded, I stepped outside to find the boy awaiting me, his few possessions in a sack that had quite recently held flour. How he learned of our negotiations I cannot say, as the room was quite preserved from eavesdroppers, but learn he plainly had, for he was now outfitted in stout boots and traveling clothes, a worn cap on his damp locks. His companion, her sweet face marked by tears, clutched his hand, and well could I understand her pain: the boy was already as handsome a specimen of humanity as ever I have observed. Attracting benefactresses, I could see, would not be a problem; the challenge would lie in the delicate deflection of female admirers.

Tomas proffered the girl his goodbyes with a maturity and tenderness that moved my heart; with his every gesture I rejoiced further on the brilliance of my acquisition. Verifying that he would be able to correspond regularly with Trudy—indeed, demanding my word and handshake on this matter—he gave her a final embrace and set his pace to mine.

I am ready, he announced with a most charming gravity, to begin my adventures.

PART I

SIX YEARS LATER

The Play (As It Were)

Commences

3

In Which Roger Proposes Marriage

Queen of All the Heavens

Act I, Scene iii.

Terrace, Chateau de Montagne.

An afternoon fete with musicians.

Enter Duke Roger of Farina and Queen Temperance of Montagne.

ROGER: This terrace is lovely, is it not? Your Majesty?

TEMPERANCE: Alas, my poor mother! She adored this terrace. My sister and I would play here and she, laughing, would applaud . . . But that was before . . . O woe!

ROGER: Take my handkerchief. Please, consider it a token of my affection . . . [Aside] I also mourn for my brother, but life must move past death.

TEMPERANCE: Were she alive, I would yet be cultivating herbaceous shrubberies . . . Now I am obliged to rule, though the throne holds no magic for me.

ROGER [aside]: How can I woo this Temperance? Queen Melancholia is a name more suitable.

TEMPERANCE: And, they say, I must take a husband.

ROGER: Surely some man would tolerate—er, desire you. I myself would delight . . . [Aside] No! I cannot speak the words! Rather bachelordom and my mother’s wrath than this!

TEMPERANCE: Behold—a weed amongst the rhododendrons. I must attend to it . . .

Exit Temperance.

ROGER: What a miserable female! What a miserable day!

Enter Princess Wisdom of Montagne.

WISDOM: A miserable day indeed. Your Grace, do not look so abashed! I do not envy you the challenge of courting my sister; ’twould foil Cupid himself.

ROGER: Your Highness. The day grows brighter with your approach, and the very sun slows its descent to linger in your presence . . . [Aside] If Temperance is melancholia, then Wisdom represents happiness supreme.

WISDOM: Your flirtation is more craft than art—though I am flattered nonetheless. In return I shall tender a confidence: I used to dance upon this balustrade when I was young.

ROGER: Step back! You shall fall and perish!

WISDOM: Your Grace, you are as green as this leaf! I shan’t perish: observe how far I lean over . . .

ROGER [aside]: Such courage! She has pluck enough for two. With her beside me . . .

WISDOM: I send this leaf on a great adventure. Fortunate leaf! How I envy you floating away . . . O, I yearn to see the world, yet never once have I left Montagne. Is that not piteous?

ROGER: Piteous indeed, for the world has wonders past counting, and I’d delight in presenting them all to you. But please: I have too little valor. Step away from the precipice or I shall be ill.

WISDOM [aside]: Too little valor—this I hear too much! All these suitors full of fear. But this one states it at least. And he has a handsome face . . .

ROGER: Your Highness—I am overcome. I fall to one knee to beg your hand in marriage.

WISDOM: To see the world is the richest of offers! Yet you mock me, Your Grace. It is my older sister you desire, not me. Farina has far too much ambition to wed a princess in lieu of a queen.

ROGER: ’Tis true my mother sent me to garner a kingdom with my bride. But with brave Wisdom beside me, I know I shall sway her otherwise. My life rests on this moment. Say the word and I shall be the most blissful of men.

WISDOM: I cannot resist such promise . . . Yes, Roger. Yes.

4

In Which Roger’s Mother Applauds His Sense

______

The Gentle Reflections of Her Most Noble Grace, Wilhelmina, Duchess of Farina, within the Magnificent Phraugheloch Palace in the City of Froglock

The idiotic buffoon!

The second Montagne daughter! That is the ninny to whom he has promised his heart, and a miserable yellow heart it is—for all the beatings I administered, he remains a coward.

Yet he steadfastly refuses to concede his error—or revoke his proposal!

If only I had another to replace him—would that my firstborn had not perished!—and that the third had never been born, for he refuses even to answer my letters, no matter how often I demand it.

How many times have I explained to Roger (better to have dubbed him Ignoramus!) that we have a plan to which we must adhere?

One cannot take the imperial throne as a lowly duke—we must be kings to manage this—and that title comes solely via marriage to a queen—which that idiot Wisdom most certainly is not!

Although—Montagne, with all its bleatings about feminine parity, may yet be turned in our favor.

The fact that Princess Wisdom does not occupy the throne means only she does not occupy it yet—her listless sister Temperance is all that blocks her way—

I must muse upon this most artful course of action . . .

5

Montagne

______

The Imperial Encyclopedia

of Lax

8TH EDITION

Printed in the Capital City of Rigorus

by Hazelnut & Filbert, Publishers to the Crown

MONTAGNE

The Kingdom of Montagne is the oldest continuously held domain in the Empire of Lax, predating by 163 years the establishment of the imperial federation. Unlike its neighbors, Montagne accepted the empire’s sovereignty without dispute, joining its mail service, adopting imperial currency, and, with one notable exception, espousing the principles of imperial jurisprudence. That exception is, of course, female succession, a convention the kingdom resolutely maintains despite its affront to every principle of decency and governance. Indeed, the kingdom will even crown a firstborn daughter over younger sons and send its queens into battle, Queen Compassion famously declaring during the Siege of Cheese that any strumpet can brace a shield. For many centuries the kingdom claimed a connection to sorcery. Virtue, foundress of Montagne, asserted on innumerable occasions that she was a witch, and furthermore that magic flowed in the blood of her descendants. Early Montagne historians credited supernatural forces for the kingdom’s victories in such battles as the Drachensbett Cloud Wars and the Magnanimous Goat Incident. Within modern Montagne, however, such babble of witchcraft is treated with derision, and its now-rational rulers ascribe past success to geography, military prowess, and not-inconsiderable—if inconsistent—good luck. The kingdom’s long-standing pacifism has been repeatedly challenged, most notably by the surrounding kingdom of Drachensbett, whose many attempts at conquest were rendered moot during the reign of Queen Benevolence when Montagne, in a stunning turn of events, absorbed its larger foe.

6

In Which We Meet Again the Miller’s Son

______

A Missive from ^ Tips

THE BOOTED MAESTRO

Dear Trudy,

Its been so long I know I shouldve written sooner Im sorry I havent written much in the last months—I didnt think we would be so busy! But I dont mind because Im making even more tips money. Felis works us so hard—he must say work harder Tomas 50 times a day! Or he says that hes wasted the last 6 years of his life on me and that the empire would be far better off if Id stayed home grinding wheat but I know thats not true + hes just saying that to make me consen consan concentrate. At least I think hope he is! At least he doesnt mind my using his stationary stationerie writing paper—maybe thats his way of saying hes not too cross.

I wish I could describe how strange different the Sultanate of Ahmb is, the smells + the feeling + the people. Its nothing like Bacio, thats for sure! Or anywhere in Lax for that matter! Its so hot here even at night—when I get back from work guard duty I cant bear even to light a candle. But today I have a holiday + Im sitting in the bazaar drinking tea with a bundle of presents for you + Hans + Jens—I think its obvious you can figure out who gets what!

Im so disappointed upset sorry to hear Hans didnt like the watch I sent, I can just hear him saying why does a miller need to know the time? Maybe someday he will like it. At least I know hope you liked the ribbons! No one here has hair so red your color, if you came here youd have to hide it or the sultan would kidnap steal you away make you one of his wives. I wish I could show you the gift he gave the emperor, its the most amazing thing Ive ever seen—I got to see him give it too, as I was working guarding the emperor that night. His majesty gave him a gift almost as nice: a clock made in Pamplemousse, with 12 gold birds with ruby eyes that sing the time. If everyone got wedding presents like that, Id get married be really happy for them.

You keep asking when Im going to return to Alpsburg + Im sorry but I dont think Ill make it back this year either. Another year, I know, but its for the best so difficult to get away. Please dont be sad. I think of you all the time + hope youre doing well. Im truly sorry Im not able to return. Maybe the fabric will help—I know it wont make up for me its the best I can do. Women here—rich women I think from the looks of them—use fabric like this for veils. They cover their faces but you can still see how pretty they are. But no ones as pretty as you—

—Tips

7

Alpsburg

______

The Imperial Encyclopedia

of Lax

8TH EDITION

Printed in the Capital City of Rigorus

by Hazelnut & Filbert, Publishers to the Crown

ALPSBURG

A province located in the central mountains of Lax, Alpsburg contains the only navigable pass through the Alpsburg Mountains south of Devil’s Rift and is thus essential when the Great River is in flood or ice. The land has been inhabited since ancient times. For centuries autonomous, recognizing the imperial throne, the country was absorbed by the adjoining Barony of Farina after Roberto the Lonely died without issue in Year 3 of the reign of Rüdiger II. Alpsburg produces wheat, lumber, wool, and stone in abundance, although the bulk of the province’s revenue has historically been drawn from tolls. The province’s former capital, Alpsburgstadt, remains a center of trade, and the village of Bacio serves an important if seasonal function as the western terminus of Alpsburg Pass. The lyric poem Bacio mi amore by Rundel of Gebühr describes the peerless beauty of this village, though his words should be interpreted in light of the poet’s relief at surviving a late spring blizzard while crossing the pass. The village is the birthplace of the renowned swordsman-artiste Tomas Müller and Fortitude of Bacio, the alleged seeress; and the two, remarkably enough, were childhood friends.

8

In Which Adversity Delays the Royal Party

From the Desk of the Queen Mother of Montagne, & Her Cat

To My Dearest Temperance, Queen of Montagne,

Granddaughter, this slog toward Wisdom’s nuptials, though not half-completed, has been most memorable—that I can assure you—and if by some blessing I manage to survive it, I shall regale you for hours with tales of our misadventures. I trust you are enjoying your newfound solitude, and I cannot wait to hear of your many successes as queen. As I have droned to you on occasions past counting, the decision to govern must come from within, and without your sister casting her gregarious if irreverent shadow upon the chateau, I know you will thrive as does a flower in fresh sunshine. Please comfort yourself with the knowledge that whatever matters of state might occupy you, they are surely more pleasurable than this trip.

You doubtless recall that our departure from Montagne was without incident, and the barge—quite handsome, freshly painted, with large and comfortable quarters—appeared undeniably regal even to my ancient and jaded eyes. Certainly the farmers and bargemen we passed seemed to think so, and it was uplifting indeed to accept their congratulations and best wishes. If there is any private resentment within our nation, it must be quite private indeed, to judge from the enthusiasm of the citizens—yea, and foreigners—we encountered.

Would I had curtailed my good cheer, for soon enough the fates punished my optimism. One day past Bridgeriver, the river was running so high that we feared to remain aboard our vessel, and only then did we learn that the spring rains, while abundant in Montagne, have been of historic and terrifying volume in greater Farina and that Devil’s Rift was therefore navigable only to madmen. Why our pilot, hired in Bridgeriver, had declined to reveal this critical piece of information I cannot imagine, for the gold he hoped to gain for his service was most certainly not forthcoming. Our royal ancestors would have taken much pride in the lashing I gave the man—only with words, though had I possessed a crop the punishment would have done credit to a boatswain. In any event, thus stranded in the forests of Pneu, we were forced to return to Bridgeriver by foot and farmer’s cart (pig farmer, should you desire that olfactory detail), our trunks in a precarious and swaying heap. Nor was the riverfront inn in which we spent the night quite of Montagne’s standards—I fear the ladies Patience and Modesty were quite decimated by bedbugs, or so it appeared the following morning.

At last we arrived, again, in Bridgeriver, where it took all our efforts to acquire a vehicle for crossing Alpsburg Pass. Given that their requirement of tribute has increased with every annum, the fine residents of Bridgeriver lose no love on the Duke of Farina, and fretted not at all that they were delaying the man’s union with his betrothed. After two days of negotiation—the mayor of Bridgeriver puts to shame the haggling of every wool merchant I might name—we acquired a carriage and set out. Last night we sojourned in the manor house of the Baronet of Savory, a most ill-suited name given that the dinner he served would have disappointed a prisoner. Tonight—our last in Pneu, I dearly hope—we shall stay in the mountain hamlet of Frizzante, which I hear tell contains an excellent tavern, and a treat it will be to dine as I am so indulgently accustomed.

Dizzy—or Princess Wisdom, as the Baronet of Savory insisted on calling her ad nauseam, lingering each time over Princess—to my relief has demonstrated only enthusiasm for our journey, an energy that bodes well for her future in Farina. Escoffier as well has served as a most satisfying companion; it helps that unlike this stout old lady he can be easily toted when he wearies. I wish you could have observed the cat glowering at the baronet, so disappointed in the paucity of the meal that he looked quite prepared to put the man on a skewer and roast him for dinner. I made sure to keep my friend close at hand lest he attempt what he should not. I declare, I occasionally wonder if our past connection affects us yet, as Escoffier at times behaves as though he believes himself in possession of hands and nimble fingers, while I on entering our chambers last night detected the scent of mice—and my heart sped at the promise of pursuit! You may be certain I did not act on this hankering, however.

Enough! I drone on, and the carriage is at last ready to depart—why the ladies feel it necessary to primp for a day of passing sheep meadows, I cannot understand. Soon enough, I trust, I can return to Montagne and your side. I know how heavy the crown weighs upon your young head, and how you mourn the premature suspension of your studies. But inscrutable Fate has ambitions for us that we cannot possibly comprehend. The death of your mother—my daughter—is the greatest tragedy of my life and a burden I will bear forever. We must strive, however, to shoulder the responsibilities thrust upon us with the eager determination that she would expect.

With that in mind, I shall scrutinize every bachelor in Froglock and return to you with a list of names ranked by their professed interest in, and knowledge of, horticulture. We shall find you a mate, my dear, one who will delight you as much as your father did your mother, and my Florian did me.

Your doting grandmother,

Ben

9

In Which the Princess Commends Adventure

______

The Supremely Private Diary of Wisdom Dizzy of Montagne

Any Soul Who Contemplates Even Glancing at the Pages of this Volume Will Be Transformed into a Toad Suffer a Most Excruciating Punishment. On This You Have My Word.

Tuesday—

I cannot believe these people! I finally get to see the world—only to find myself encumbered with a veritable battalion of worrywarts & fussbudgets! Nonna drones on as if we were starving—the food is not spectacular to be sure but we are certainly in no danger of famine. And the Sprats as I have taken to calling our l-in-w (it is unfair to call Lady Patience Jack Sprat as the fellow in the rhyme never complains—but Lady Modesty v. much matches the dimensions of his dame!)—the Sprats almost had hysterics over a few tiny insect bites tho I could barely see the marks not that they value my opinion. And our secretary sees highway robbers at every turn & wrings his hands if we’re even five minutes late. Well we’re a lot later than that now! But so what? This is more adventure than I’ve ever had in my life & probably more than they’ve had all put

Reviews for Wisdom's Kiss

[janientrelac · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

It might have been good as a straight narrative, as a mix of plays, letters, etc.it is horrible.

[mirandalg14 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed the various ways the story was presented from the multiple viewpoints.

[tjsjohanna_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a fun tale that references various fairy tales (Puss-in-Boots and Sleeping Beauty, for instance). Ben from "Princess Ben" is back and there is intrigue and magic and villains to be had in plenty. The format is fun as well - a mixture of drama, dictionary, memoir, and letter.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Although not obviously apparent for most of the book, this is actually a reimagined fairy tale. The whole thing does read like a fairy tale, with princesses and betrayal and cats and magic. What makes this book really stand out is the method that Murdock uses to tell the story. Most of the plot unfolds through characters memoirs written ex post facto, diary entries or letters written to others. There are also little snippets of plays interspersed between the other formats. These generally depicted a scene that had been already described but in extra-dramatic Shakespearean style. I thought this way of telling the story showed ingenuity and was surprisingly effective.

The characters, however, did not meet with similar satisfaction. So many of them were incredibly dumb, including the poorly-named wisdom. Really the only one I liked at all was Trudy, who had a seriously awkward ending. She's the first character you meet, but her story is rattled off like a note in the end credits. The Queen Mother, who I believe is Ben from Princess Ben, one of Murdock's earlier novels that I have not read, is awkward. If her young character is anything like this crazy grandmother, I'm not sure that I want to read that book. If young Ben is not this way, why would you do this to her? And what happened to her husband?

My only previous experience with Murdock was Dairy Queen, which I did not like. For one thing, I have no interest in football. For another, the main character was not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, which, since the story was written in first person, meant that the writing was not particularly good. Plus, she was a serious jerk to her best friend when the friend confessed that she was a lesbian. The writing in Wisdom's Kiss was, for the most part better, although Tips' letters drove me crazy.

All in all, this is a very odd book, but it was rather amusing and constructed in a unique manner. I enjoyed reading it and my opinion of Murdock has improved slightly, but she's still not going to be a favorite author.

[chasingfireflies_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The multiple POVs made it difficult to get to know any individual character. The characters we spent the most time with were Trudy, Ben and probably the encyclopedia (if that can be counted as a character). These two were the only ones to have any kind of fleshed out character. Trudy tended to come off as a little whiny and seemed to have little character past her absolute adoration of Tips and Ben lost all of her spunk from the previous book and was relegated to the “grandmother-who-loves-everyone” role. Likewise, we only really got to see anything about Wisdom through her sparse diary entries. The only thing that they really tell us is that she thinks her life lacks excitement. So, Wisdom never really amounted to anything past the genre’s stereotypical princess who for no apparent reason wants more. Her nickname, Dizzy, pretty much sums up her character. Likewise, Tips was never really given any kind of character. His personality based entirely on his letters and what Trudy tells us. Neither of which can be trusted.What annoyed me the most about this novel was the romance. Maybe it’s because the characters are so flat that it was really hard to feel happy for any of them. The whole love triangle just fell on its face. I found it very hard to believe that someone would spend their entire life in love with one person and then in five seconds decide that it could only be a sibling bond because he thinks that he’s in love with someone else who he only saw for about a grand total of five seconds. Then to top it all off, he can’t understand why the girl he just rejected is sad. I understand the author’s point that you don’t find love the first time you try. But this message might have come through a little more clearly had Tips and Dizzy not fallen in love at first sight. Also, since Trudy was one of the characters that the reader got to know the best, it would have been nice to have her love life explained a bit more than Dizzy or Tips, whose POVs we only see briefly. Maybe if this book was not advertised as a romance then it would have been more enjoyable.

[stephxsu · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Overexcessive stylistic writing, a lack of plot movement, characters who seem to be more concerned with the number of curlicues they can insert in their writings than in being complex and likable... It's a shame that the straightforward and heartfelt charm of her D.J. Schwenk novels has never translated into her fantasy forays. Tone down on the epistolary cuteness and focus more on giving readers a good and engrossing story!

[edgoldberg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Princess Ben, one of the original fairy tales by Catherine Gilbert Murdock (author of Dairy Queen) was a fun read, but it is surpassed by the enchanted Wisdom’s Kiss: A Thrilling and Romatic Adventure Incorporating Magic, Villainy and a Cat. Duke Roger of Farina, at his mother Queen Wilhelmina’s insistance, is sent to court Queen Temperance of Montagne. However, he falls in love with her sister, Wisdom (nicknamed Dizzy), much to Queen Wilhelmina’s dismay.When he proposes and she accepts, Princess Wisdom and her retinue must journey to Farina. Accompanied by the Queen Mother, (Ben)evolence and her cat Escoffier, her ladies in waiting and guards, they begin their trek. The ladies in waiting, however, get violently ill at one of the inns along the way (I won’t tell you why). In order to save face and arrive with a smidgen of a retinue, they ask a serving girl, Trudy, take on the role of lady in waiting.Arriving in Farina, Trudy comes face to face with Tomas, a boy from her childhood who had been sold off to an adventurer six years prior and with whom Trudy is love.Oh, the complications Murdock tells us. Why does Wilhelmina want the marriage? What has Tomas been doing for six years? What does Dizzy really want? Are Ben’s letters getting through to Temperance? How does Trudy fit into all of this? And what of the cat?All of this begins as a play Queen of All the Heavens: A Play in Three Acts penned by Anonymous. But it unravels in letters from the Queen Mother to Temperance, entries in Dizzy’s diary, a story told by Trudy to her daughters, letters from Tomas to Trudy and so many more writings, enough to make you dizzy. Wisdom’s Kiss has remarkable characters and a wonderful story. As it says in the title, it is “a thrilling and romantic adventure, incorporating magic, villainy and a cat.” It is a late entry into my 2011 Top 10.I don’t know whether I want Catherine Gilbert Murdock to continue her fairy tales or go back to realistic fiction. Whatever she writes, it is anxiously anticipated.

[summerskris_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Wisdom's Kiss is an innovative story told in an unconventional fairy-tale manner. Strange, no? Princess Wisdom, better known as Dizzy, yearns for adventure. Chambermaid Trudy becomes Lady Fortitude, but her love for her childhood friend Tips still burns. What she doesn’t know is that Tips is keeping secrets. That’s not all. The story is told from eight different perspectives, its sources ranging from letters to encyclopedias to straight narration. At first, it’s charming in a whimsical manner, and it rounds out the plot. However, it gets tiresome switching perspectives every couple pages.I do like how we get a feel for more characters through the multiple perspectives. Rather than rounding out the plot, however, the multiple perspectives ended up making it shallower, as the brevity of the time spent with each perspective in Wisdom’s Kiss prevented me from getting the depth that I look for in YA books. With the exception of braver teen readers, I feel that middle grade students will appreciate Wisdom's Kiss more, provided that they don’t mind the unconventional format.As I mentioned at the start of my review, Wisdom's Kiss is not your typical fairy-tale story. It is about falling in love and growing up. If you are looking for a magical romance, you’re looking in the wrong place. Murdock tells of the harsh reality of love and growing up. If you love realistic fairy tales, then give this a shot. I myself enjoyed reading Wisdom’s Kiss and found the realistic romance refreshing.. If you’re still looking for Prince Charming, however, you might want to postpone picking up a copy of Wisdom's Kiss.

[bell7_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Trudy has the ability to see the future - not always clearly, but she gets a general idea of something good or bad happening, and can often sense more specifics for people close to her. She lives her life as a maid in an inn, until the Queen Mother Ben and her granddaughter Wisdom turn up. Ben and Wisdom, or Dizzy, are traveling to Froglock, where Dizzy will marry the Duke of Farina.I'm looking at what I just wrote, and feel like it isn't a very good summary. But the story is written in such a way - multiple characters and points of view, told through later accounts by various players, a history, letters, diaries, and even a play (!) - that it is difficult to summarize sufficiently without giving away spoilers. Wisdom's Kiss is set in the same world as Princess Ben, which I thought had more humor and a tighter story. Besides having difficulty remembering things that happened in a book I read three years ago, there are references to events between the stories that I wasn't sure if I should have been familiar with or not. Between this and the constantly switching points of view (a device I enjoy when it's maybe two or three characters drawn very distinctly and well), I felt out to sea and never really fully engaged with these characters or their story.

[krista23 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As I sit to write this review I am still conflicted on how I feel about this book. I thought it was very clever to have the story told in different formats. Diary entries, memoirs, encyclopedia. letter, biography and stage play. I thought that the story was very funny, but the language in the book made it overwhelming at times. "Besides, I hear tell the heavens make a very fine blanket"-a riposte, it should be confessed, that he had wielded many tines, always to widespread mirth."I think I may have missed out on parts of the storyline because I was focusing on the wording instead of just the story in general. I was unprepared for this writing style when I first picked it up, and I'm always nervous about a book that has a dictionary in the back, it reminds me of homework.It took me some time to get into the story and the world, the development of what was happening. But I had a hard time keeping on track as well. I found myself having to read paragraphs over again to understand what was being said.This was not my first time reading a story with this vocabulary, but I was really caught off guard by it and could not maintain good concentration while reading.I am not a fan of classic novels, but if you are a fan of the classics and want something light, humorous and different I suggest you give this one a try.

[thelittlebookworm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Little Bookwormhaven't read Princess Ben so I was unfamiliar with the world and with the character. I might have to go back and read it because Nonna Ben was pretty fierce. As was Wisdom. She was very tenacious and curious and fairly unprincess-like. While she wasn't my favorite character (that honor going to Trudy) she was alright for a princess. Trudy was the sweetest and the one with the most to lose as an orphaned serving girl with psychic powers. The love triangle that springs up between Wisdom, Trudy and Tips, Trudy's childhood friend and first love, was inevitable. But the real meat of the story, for me, was in the intrigue between Wisdom's kingdom and the duchy she is meant to marry into. I loved the outcome and how clever they solved the problem.I liked this book, let me say, I did. But it is told in many random forms like diary entries, memoirs, letters, biographies, a play and all of that together felt mish mashed. Random bits of important information are thrown in through in encyclopedia entries which seems like a lazy way of importing things readers need to know. The conceit is cute at the beginning but loses its cuteness about half way through the book. But it doesn't make the book unreadable. On the contrary, it is a charming book that I enjoyed very much. It was just one of the those things I couldn't help noticing.

[lilibrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A variety of different characters tell their parts in this fairy tale story of romance and intrigue. The female ruling family of the kingdom of Montagne find their kingdom threatened by the plot of an evil duchess. A princess wants to join the the emperor's royal circus, a serving maid loves an acrobat who loves the princess who is to be married to the evil duchess's son.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This fairy tale-like story is told in a unique and humorous way. The story is pretty simple. A boy - Tips - and girl - Trudy - are each other's only friends. The boy has a chance to go out into the larger world and writes back to the girl. They grow up with the girl believing that one day the boy will come back to her. She gets a chance to go where the boy now is and finds that he has fallen in love with another - Princess Wisdom. Complicating matters is the fact the Wisdom is on her way to be married to a Duke and is accompanied by her grandmother and her grandmother's cat. Added to that we have a plot by an evil Duchess to take over Wisdom's kingdom by marrying her to his son and conniving a way to get her sister off the throne.What makes this story extraordinary is the style. This story is told from a variety of viewpoints. We have Princess Wisdom's stream of consciousness diary. We have the Encyclopedia of Lax. We have letters from the Princess's Grandmother back home to the Queen who is Wisdom's sister. We have Tip's letters home to Trudy. We have the memoirs of Felis El Gato who is the one who took the boy away and filters the subsequent events through his own self-centeredness and vanity. We have a play written to immortalize the story. We have Trudy's biography as told to her daughter. We have notes from the evil Duchess. All of these threads wind together to make up the whole story.The book is filled with humorous word play and is a treat to read. Each voice is so distinct and so different and does so much to illuminate each character. I recommend it, not so much for the story, but for the style of the book. I think anyone with a quirky sense of humor will enjoy this story.