Princess Academy

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death, bullying, and child abuse.

Miri Larensdaughter is a 14-year-old girl who lives in Mount Eskel, which is a mountain village in the country of Danland. One autumn morning, she tells her father that she wants to work with him in the quarry, but he refuses to let her. After he leaves for work, she does chores with her older sister, Marda; however, soon, Marda also goes to the quarry to help their father. Alone at home, Miri continues her chores and pretends that she is not bothered by her father’s refusal to let her work in the quarry. 

While tending to the goats, she finds a miri flower and thinks of her mother, who named her after the flower. Her mother died shortly after Miri was born. Miri thinks of making a wish, as is done with a miri flower. Since she has always been on the smaller side, she contemplates wishing that she were big enough to work in the quarry. Then, she sees her childhood friend, Peder Doterson, and Miri realizes that she is developing romantic feelings for him.