I'd read a book like the movie "Anastasia", any suggestions?


since91's avatar
Today I woke up and thought I'd watch Anastasia (the animated movie) again, but then I thought I'd rather read a book like it, with that witty dialogue and perhaps two main characters that quarrel a lot then fall in love. :D Don't know, I'm just in the mood for those kind of books and movies that are just magic.
Also a fan of Inkheart (just finished the 1st book and loved it) and Harry Potter if it says anything. :)
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Xarti's avatar
I forgot to mention the "Anastasia Club" manga by Chiho Saitou (It's on my "To read Manga list" But I don't like recommending books that I didn't read yet.)
Xarti's avatar
There's the Royal Diaries a must read (I don't know if I read the Anastasia one, but I'd read the Marie Antoniette and Cleopatra ones). Plus, there's another book that I would like to recommend but I don't remember the title, I don't even remember if it's about Anastasia, a fictional charrie base off of her, or one of her sisters that escape to the Amish community (It's told by her point of view and I don't remember if it was the Amish, all I know it was country people).
JZLobo's avatar
Witches Abroad by Sir Terry Pratchett if it's witty dialogue and princesses you're looking for. If you'd like a romance, then try Mort by the same author.
Witches Abroad_The little girl in the red cloak by BlackBirdInk Fan Art_Witches Abroad by BlackBirdInk
since91's avatar
I tried reading Terry Pratchett and didn't succeed but maybe I'll try these books since I haven't checked them out yet. :) he has a very particular style, maybe it's a little difficult to adapt to it at first.
JZLobo's avatar
I never had any problems with his style. It's very breezy and playful, but at the same time brilliant.
Mr-Timeshadow's avatar
Hmm...well, perhaps you might enjoy Diane Duane's Young Wizards series, or Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea Trilogy...? Not precisely what you described, but as close as I can remember.
If you don't mind graphic novels, you might consider the DC series The Books of Magic, which has a young wizard-to-be told he has awesome power...but no one will tell him how the hell to do it! And a local girl has appointed herself his girlfriend, and won't go away, but he evolves in his feelings on her...
since91's avatar
I've heard of Young Wizards and the Earthsea trilogy. I'll check them out again, thanks! :) Le Guin has been on my reading list for quite a while.
Mr-Timeshadow's avatar
You're very welcome! I normally don't read fantasy, but when I mentioned that in a forum post, another Deviant pointed me toward Young Wizards. I read LeGuin back in junior high.
DruidPeter's avatar
Anna Karenina. Absolutely.

"Anna Karenina", by Leo Tolstoy, is not only just a masterpiece of Modern Russian Literature, it's the closest you'll get to something like Anastasia. Hell, both stories take place in Russia. Trust me.

This is the book: "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy. I'm currently about halfway through with it, and I regret nothing. :D
Dagger-13's avatar
I've got Anna Karenina sat on my shelf waiting to be read :D I'm glad to hear that it's a good book! :D
DruidPeter's avatar
Thanks, Dagger-13. Although, to be honest I think I may understand where since91 is coming from. It's a pretty hefty book, plus classic Russian literature tends to have pretty... urm, dark, endings. I still love it though! :D
Dagger-13's avatar
I read War and Peace at the beginning of the year and found the 'war' parts particularly hard going.  I'm hoping Anna Karanina is less military based.  I haven't seen the movie either so it will all be new to me which is nice :D Your comment about the ending intrigues me :nod: I'll have to bump it up to next on my list once I've finished my current book!

I think once you get used to the Russian style of writing it's not so bad.
DruidPeter's avatar
Ooh, War and Peace. That book is literally right next to Anna Karenina on my bookshelf. A high quality read, although I know exactly what you mean about the war sections being tough reading.

No need to worry about such long military passages in Anna Karenina, though. It's a beast of a different color. Having said that, I'm still working through it myself, so I don't really know if it has the classic "dark ending". Sweating a little... 

You see, I was actually thinking of "The Brother's Karamazov" by Feodor Dostoevky when I mentioned it. Now that book is DARK. :stare:

As for the Russian style of writing, it really is different from the modern style, isn't it? Now that I think about it, I've read relatively few works of fiction published after the 19th century, so maybe I'm biased in that regard? No sé. :(
Dagger-13's avatar
I'm going through a 'classics' phase at the moment and my first read was Crime and Punishment.  I've heard that The Idiot is really good and was planning on getting that at some point - I might add The Brother's Karamazov to my list.

I find Russian writing to be very blunt, which is quite refreshing.  I do enjoy a bit of flowery prose where it's merited, but straight-to-the-point writing has it's place too :nod:
DruidPeter's avatar
Hmm... I never really thought about it, but Russian writing actually is much less flowery than the alternative English styles from that era. The French and the German writing was even more arcane, if I remember correctly. Huh.

Crime and Punishment is on my list, but I think I'll have to add The Idiot to it as well. Thank you for pointing that out! I'll have to remember it. :D

Speaking of blunt writing, you might like to try some late Meijii era Japanese literature if conciseness is your think. I wholly recommend the works of Natsume Soseki, although be forewarned! His work can have a very wistful, haunting feeling to it. It's very dark, but also a very different kind of dark than that of the Russians to the North! :D
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since91's avatar
I don't fancy classic Russian writers for some reason, I don't know why. Maybe one day I'll give it a try but right now this book is the opposite of "magic". :XD: Thanks for your input nevertheless! :)
Antilegion's avatar
It's not like Anastasia but you might enjoy the Depford Mice Trilogy by Robin Jarvis
since91's avatar
Thanks, I'll look into it. :)
midnightgravedigger's avatar
Did you ever think of reading the book "Warm Bodies", which is the book that a movie with the same title was based on? 
since91's avatar
Not into zombies, but I'll check it out, thanks! :)
midnightgravedigger's avatar
Well it's not your typical zombies story. In fact, I'm not a big walking dead fan either;
but that story was actually a pretty good one.