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kebreads's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this story.
Content: some violence, a couple dozen mild swear words
Content: some violence, a couple dozen mild swear words
geekcharming270's review
4.0
This one genuinely made me cry. It was beautiful to see the trust bloom between the two leads. And the breaking of generational trauma was masterful.
a_ab's review
3.0
Based on the first 2 books in this series I had high hopes for this retelling, even though the base story is one I don't care for.
I appreciated the deviations from the traditional fairytale — they were both meaningful and unexpected, breathing fresh life into the old plot. But I did not enjoy the setting and the characters populating it.
I appreciated the deviations from the traditional fairytale — they were both meaningful and unexpected, breathing fresh life into the old plot. But I did not enjoy the setting and the characters populating it.
story_sanctuary's review against another edition
5.0
I've been a huge fan of this whole series. I like that each book branches out further into the storyworld, with a mix of both familiar and new characters. The relationships between characters always draw me in. One of my favorite things about the series is that these aren't strict retellings of the stories. Pirouette bears some similar elements to The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but it has a lot of additional political intrigue and some romance as well. I think this author really has a gift for retelling a familiar story in a new way and crafting interesting worlds and characters I immediately care about. I definitely recommend this series to readers who like fairytale retellings. They remind me a little bit of the stories by Robin McKinley.
brii_brii's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lilytholfsen's review
5.0
This book was my favorite in the series (so far, heh heh heh), and was a brilliant twist on the classic fairy tale, that to be honest, I have grown a bit bored with. I think this book has a lot more representation than most in the genre (disability, race), although still no gays (I'm holding out though). Some parts of the plot were predictable, but towards the climax, most things took me by surprise. I also appreciated that the romance wasn't I-just-met-you-now-let's-get-married, and actually built up to love (unlike other books in this series). So good.
emmylou5's review
3.0
This book was fun to read. And Kyril is my favorite male protagonist in Davidson's series. Still, the world-building is unfortunately lack-luster, considering that the entire book's plot depends the politics and culture of the Caelan Empire. I think part of problem is that Davidson goes too far out of her way to adhere to the classic "Twelve Dancing Princess" storyline. The classic is so outlandish that trying to apply it to a more realistic setting doesn't work very well.
Spoiler
After all, the idea that so many people secretly have magical talents and aren't exploiting that fact? And the fact that no one knows about silver's magic-negating qualities in spite of having dealt with magic for centuries? And then there's the over-emphasis of dance as a desirable feminine trait. It's all a little hard to swallow.amandasbookreview's review
5.0
One of my favorite fairytales is the 12 Dancing Princesses. So when I found out that Pirouette by Kenley Davidson is a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses, I was ecstatic! It is the 3rd book in the Andari Chronicles and we FINALLY get Kyril’s story!!! Kyril and a few other spies are on a mission to find out more about the country of Caelan. One of his fellow spies, Brenna seems to have some sort of vendetta against him. It could be that he has quite the reputation at court. But that is the least of his worries. The Caelan palace is massive, magic is forbidden, and they have arrived right in the midst of the scandal. The King seems to be losing his mind, and his 12 daughters refuse to dance. Dancing is an important part of their culture. The only thing is, there are 13 daughters. The king refuses to acknowledge Ilani. Ilani was beaten when she was 7, causing her leg to be damaged for the rest of her life, so she can’t dance. Kyril is bewitched by Ilani’s beauty, wit, and strength. He has a mission but now will stop at nothing to help her.
I think this book has to be my favorite book in the series so far! We have a main heroine that has a disability, we visit a land that is not similar to English culture but to Middle-Eastern culture. I am loving all the diversity represented. I thought Kyril would be the highlight of this book because I have been looking forward to his story, but I was wrong. First, let’s discuss Ilani. She can no longer dance, walks with a cane, and is condemned by her family. She uses her invisibility to investigate what is happening in the palace. I love how the author discusses Ilani’s disability, but not making it the focus of the novel and she also doesn’t create some magical cure. Ilani accepts her disability, exudes strength, and has incredible smarts and wit! I want to see more characters like her.
Second, most fairytale retellings take place in a European-like setting. We get a different culture, different beliefs, and different rituals and our spies need to navigate this world. While there is something sinister behind the scenes, it is actually the work of a single villain. No spoilers. But the country itself isn’t sinister. It is a beautiful country with a fascinating heritage, that is ready for progress.
Overall, the pace is outstanding from beginning to end. I was desperate to figure out the mystery. The author does like to keep the readers guessing. I highly recommend this fairytale-fantasy-mystery-romance. It is delightful from beginning to end. 5 out of 5 stars!
I think this book has to be my favorite book in the series so far! We have a main heroine that has a disability, we visit a land that is not similar to English culture but to Middle-Eastern culture. I am loving all the diversity represented. I thought Kyril would be the highlight of this book because I have been looking forward to his story, but I was wrong. First, let’s discuss Ilani. She can no longer dance, walks with a cane, and is condemned by her family. She uses her invisibility to investigate what is happening in the palace. I love how the author discusses Ilani’s disability, but not making it the focus of the novel and she also doesn’t create some magical cure. Ilani accepts her disability, exudes strength, and has incredible smarts and wit! I want to see more characters like her.
Second, most fairytale retellings take place in a European-like setting. We get a different culture, different beliefs, and different rituals and our spies need to navigate this world. While there is something sinister behind the scenes, it is actually the work of a single villain. No spoilers. But the country itself isn’t sinister. It is a beautiful country with a fascinating heritage, that is ready for progress.
Overall, the pace is outstanding from beginning to end. I was desperate to figure out the mystery. The author does like to keep the readers guessing. I highly recommend this fairytale-fantasy-mystery-romance. It is delightful from beginning to end. 5 out of 5 stars!