#cimorene

From: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (book series)

Description: A princess who would rather live with dragons than deal with princessy bullshit

*****

It took me about half a page to get hooked on Dealing with Dragons, the book where I first met Cimorene. The detailed description of a pristine, traditional fairy-tale kingdom followed immediately by the line, "Cimorene hated it," was memorable and particularly impactful to me. I was growing up in a household that pressed a lot of traditional values and gender roles on me, and like Cimorene, I resented it. I wanted more than a pre-determined role set for me by others, and I was continually frustrated not only by the expectations on me, but by the fact that so many of the people around me seemed more than content with things just the way they were. So content, in fact, that my lack of the same was seen as defiant, improper, and weird.

I would have loved to run away and live with dragons, if only I had known where I could find them, but that's not the world we live in.

And, to be fair, doing so hardly solves all of Cimorene's problems. Several of the dragons are shocked that she would come to them instead of waiting to be kidnapped, as is proper, with at least one being absolutely incensed that any proper dragon would indulge such behavior. Several well-meaning knights pester Cimorene's new home attempting to rescue her despite her not wanting to be rescued, because of course she wants to be rescued. Is she not a princess? Speaking of, she struggles with the other princesses she meets. After all, none of them want to be there. For them, it's just a suitable path to finding a husband.

Despite these struggles, Cimorene is happy with her new life. She's not kept as a prisoner by Kazul, the dragon who accepted her offer. (After all, Cimorene came of her own accord, so it's only fitting she be able to leave when she chooses, as well.) Instead, Kazul indulges Cimorene's interests and curiosities, and soon becomes something of a mentor to her, and definitely a friend despite their working relationship.

Kazul's not the only friend Cimorene makes, as she finds camaraderie with Morwen, a less-than-traditional witch, and even with one of the other princesses. This story isn't really about how great and wonderful it is to be "not like other girls." It's more about how, if you find you're "not like other girls," then you should keep searching, because somewhere out there is a group of weirdos who will absolutely accept and care for you just the way you are, and some of those weirdos may indeed be "other girls." Maybe they're not quite your brand of weird, but that doesn't mean you can't support each other. It doesn't mean they are lesser and you are greater. It doesn't mean you can't still be friends.

The struggles of living in a fairy-tale land never quite leave Cimorene's life. Challenges still come her way, some of which are definitely rooted in the traditional life she left behind. But she finds that having a life where she's mostly content and being surrounded by a group of people who support her makes them easier to face.