The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

 Princess Ani never had the way with people that her powerful mother has.  Still, as the crown princess, she tries hard to prepare to rule her country when she becomes of age. When the time comes, however, her brother is chosen to rule instead, and she is sent away to marry the prince of a neighboring kingdom.  On the way to her arranged marriage, she is betrayed by a friend who kills her guards and takes on her identity.  Alone, Ani must go into hiding and eventually takes a job as the royal goose girl.  As Ani gets to know the other palace workers she starts to have friends for the first time in her life, and to learn things about herself that give her strength and confidence she never had before. Her betrayer is leading the two kindoms toward war, and Ani must decide if her new life has taught her enough to challenge her usurper and save two kingdoms. 

This is another book that I read years ago and that I am reading again now because it is a parent/child book club title.  It was fun to read again.  Shannon Hale really is a good writer.  Her characters are good and her discriptions are lovely.  The magic system in the book is a little amorphus, but, if I remember right, Ms Hale tightens it up a bit in subsequent books in the series.  The whole horse head thing is a bit odd, and I hope it isn't too much for my book club families.  Still, the book has some good discussion potential and I am looking forward to it in January. (400 p. 2003)