Zea Calico comes from the Echelon, the lowest rung of society in a future America carved up into kingdoms and ruled by royal families. When a competition is announced to find a bride for Prince Kevon, Zea enters knowing she has no real standing among the other contestants. She is outmatched in wealth, connections, and social polish, but she is resourceful and harder to get rid of than anyone expects.
The competition itself is brutal. It is framed as a romantic selection process, but the trials are physically dangerous and politically loaded. Zea’s presence as an Echelon girl draws hostility from other contestants and attention from people who see her either as a symbol or a threat. Over the course of five books, her story moves well past the competition and into the larger conflict between the ruling class and the people they keep down.
Cordelia Castel built Zea as someone who does not fit the mold of a typical competition heroine. She is angry, practical, and suspicious of power. Readers who like the setup of The Hunger Games or The Selection will find familiar territory here, but Zea’s working-class perspective gives the story a different edge.
Reading Order
See the complete The Princess Trials reading order for all books in the series.