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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I younger YA book and very sweet. Nice take on fairy tales. I'm wondering how old my girls will need to be to enjoy this 10 or 11 ish?
This book was so good, one of the best fairy tale adaptations I’ve read in a while. I loved the main character Jena, and most of her sisters felt fleshed out. In most 12 dancing princesses adaptations, the authors try to write all 12, which is just too many in my opinion. But in this one there are only five, which is way more manageable.
I was annoyed with Tati, she was much more of a flat, fairy tale princess than the rest of the sisters. Most of the time she was just wasting away, all woe begone and useless when she was the oldest and supposed to be helping out. Being in love is a poor excuse to be entirely useless. Also, her nearly dying in the end caused a lot of problems for her poor lover in the end who had gone on this huge quest only to come back and found her unable to escape with him because she could barely even sit up in her bed.
Okay, enough about that, it’s my only complaint. The fairy and night people were well-written, a good blend of believable and mysterious. The magic wasn’t over the top, but you always knew it was there. Plus there was some cool stuff that you don’t often see in retellings but often come up in fairy tales. I usually scoff at vampires, but the ones in this story felt foreboding and evil, instead of just there to be a love interest (though they were, in part). The fairy tales 12 dancing princesses and the frog prince were well blended with Transylvanian (Russian?) folk tales and culture.
The villain and love interest, Chezar was interesting because I couldn’t quite bring myself to hate him until the very end. You could tell he was trying to do what he felt was the right thing, so you felt a little bad for him, despite him being an overbearing bully.
Jena, the main character felt very human. You understood and empathized with her fears and struggles, especially as she wrestled with Chezar for control. She was a perfect embodiment of an older sister, loving her sisters and wanting the best for them, but also wanting to do her own thing and being annoyed at their mistakes.
All in all, this was an amazing book. The plot kept me engaged and was only slightly predictable, the magic was Patricia McKillip worthy, and the romance was fresh.
I was annoyed with Tati, she was much more of a flat, fairy tale princess than the rest of the sisters. Most of the time she was just wasting away, all woe begone and useless when she was the oldest and supposed to be helping out. Being in love is a poor excuse to be entirely useless. Also, her nearly dying in the end caused a lot of problems for her poor lover in the end who had gone on this huge quest only to come back and found her unable to escape with him because she could barely even sit up in her bed.
Okay, enough about that, it’s my only complaint. The fairy and night people were well-written, a good blend of believable and mysterious. The magic wasn’t over the top, but you always knew it was there. Plus there was some cool stuff that you don’t often see in retellings but often come up in fairy tales. I usually scoff at vampires, but the ones in this story felt foreboding and evil, instead of just there to be a love interest (though they were, in part). The fairy tales 12 dancing princesses and the frog prince were well blended with Transylvanian (Russian?) folk tales and culture.
The villain and love interest, Chezar was interesting because I couldn’t quite bring myself to hate him until the very end. You could tell he was trying to do what he felt was the right thing, so you felt a little bad for him, despite him being an overbearing bully.
Jena, the main character felt very human. You understood and empathized with her fears and struggles, especially as she wrestled with Chezar for control. She was a perfect embodiment of an older sister, loving her sisters and wanting the best for them, but also wanting to do her own thing and being annoyed at their mistakes.
All in all, this was an amazing book. The plot kept me engaged and was only slightly predictable, the magic was Patricia McKillip worthy, and the romance was fresh.
Was a good read, but I did expect something more from the story.
The cousin was probably one of the most infuriating characters, I have read about for a long long time. I just wanted to jump into this book and slap him on the face, shouting “Dude, stop treating women like that! “
The cousin was probably one of the most infuriating characters, I have read about for a long long time. I just wanted to jump into this book and slap him on the face, shouting “Dude, stop treating women like that! “
Deftly interwoven magic of fairy- and folktales and deeply real, human difficulties create a story where you are /almost/ certain you know how it’s going to turn out.
I wished for a little more of the dancing princesses storyline, but by that point in the book the plot it really did need to be winding towards closure, so I can let it go.
Just a really great story.
My main sticking points are wholly and entirely personal:
And I never have liked stories of women wasting away for love, even if it does prove a narrative point that “true love heals all” or is worth believing in or that broken hearts can mend. I personally couldn’t ever imagine doing it, or finding someone who would appealing.
I wished for a little more of the dancing princesses storyline, but by that point in the book the plot it really did need to be winding towards closure, so I can let it go.
Just a really great story.
My main sticking points are wholly and entirely personal:
And I never have liked stories of women wasting away for love, even if it does prove a narrative point that “true love heals all” or is worth believing in or that broken hearts can mend. I personally couldn’t ever imagine doing it, or finding someone who would appealing.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wildwood Dancing is a really beautiful book, full of magic and romance. Recommended for those looking to escape for a while.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
yummy, delicious, scrumptious, ate it up and left NO CRUMBS !!! hehehe truly such a magical story and made me so nostalgic with its ties to ‘the twelve dancing princesses’ and magical lands i dreamt of as a child. can’t wait to read cybels secret and more of juliet’s works !!! so much warmth and love in one book🤍🥰
also… I WOULD DIE FOR GOGU 🥹🥹
also… I WOULD DIE FOR GOGU 🥹🥹
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Incest, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment