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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
You know, I wasn't expecting to like this book, but I did. A nice surprise. And I think I will check out Marillier's adult books too.
More when YABC meets and discusses the book.
More when YABC meets and discusses the book.
Loved this magical, mysterious, but also romantic story! The audiobook version was great!
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
This was a second read, and I thought I'd like it better this time. (Had a violently negative reaction to Tati pining away, literally, for her love.) Nope. Still didn't like it much.
Sumptuous. A feast of prose, danger, romance, dreams. Marillier’s story is set in Transylvania and draws upon its mythical nature. She plays the fantastic and the mundane against and with each other in an intricate homage to the nature of the fairy tale. Although you may recognize some of the magical elements, the resolution takes a path that is both effortless and original. Themes of love and power, reward and price, faith, trust, and fear raise the stakes of the drama and ultimately provide a rewarding reading experience. This novel fits the young adult category well by touching on mature themes without being explicit. However, the delicate nature of the story and its stakes will not bore an adult reader.
“If a man has to say trust me, Gogu conveyed, it's a sure sign you cannot. Trust him, that is. Trust is a thing you know without words.”
I had heard from a few people that Marillier’s writing was a thing of beauty. Thus, my expectations for this book increased and, needless to say, I was not left disappointed. The world building was remarkable, the friendship’s created and the folklore, everything was beautiful and to be cherished. When one hears of Transylvania, one thinks of vampires but there was so much more to this part of the world, legends and folklore that Marillier, too, wanted to bring to light.
I came to this story for the faeries and the darkness that surrounded them was everything that I desired. Faeries aren’t just those one sees in Peter Pan, they’re selfish and feared and always look out for themselves. The portrayal in this book was excellent, the faerie queen was beautiful and deadly and respected. But there was an innocence as well. The story is told from the perspective of Jena, the second oldest of five sisters who all live at Piscul Dracului (don’t worry, there is a pronunciation guide at the back of the book!) with their sick father and no mother. The five sisters are very close and every full moon they travel through a portal to the other world to spend the night dancing with dwarves and trolls and other magical creatures. Jena is stubborn and intelligent and her best friend is her pet frog, Gogu, whom she trusts with everything.
There are multiple plot twists in this story, some I was able to predict but then Marillier still managed to surprise me! After a while, I became fully immersed into Jena’s world, so much so that reality slipped away and I knew that this book deserved a high rating, it had been so long since a book had had that effect on me.
There are dresses as delicate as butterflies, old castles and secret passages, the full moon showering the world in her silver light. There’s an old witch, those who wander with garlic in their pockets to ward off evil, there’s dancing until the stars disappear and the watery dawn light washes across the land. There’s a longing for love, secrets whispered in the woods, in the dead of night, beneath the stars. There’s an abundance of flowers and suffocating darkness. It’s the difficulties of being a women, the struggle for freedom, of being told what to do, who to be, what to wear. There’s billowing dresses, the feeling of silk against skin, the knowledge that you are beautiful. It’s boat rides across lakes, the rolling mist, the long shadows and strange sounds in the heart of the night. There’s music and nature and mirrors never to be trusted.
Please, please read this book. You won't regret it, I promise <3
I had heard from a few people that Marillier’s writing was a thing of beauty. Thus, my expectations for this book increased and, needless to say, I was not left disappointed. The world building was remarkable, the friendship’s created and the folklore, everything was beautiful and to be cherished. When one hears of Transylvania, one thinks of vampires but there was so much more to this part of the world, legends and folklore that Marillier, too, wanted to bring to light.
I came to this story for the faeries and the darkness that surrounded them was everything that I desired. Faeries aren’t just those one sees in Peter Pan, they’re selfish and feared and always look out for themselves. The portrayal in this book was excellent, the faerie queen was beautiful and deadly and respected. But there was an innocence as well. The story is told from the perspective of Jena, the second oldest of five sisters who all live at Piscul Dracului (don’t worry, there is a pronunciation guide at the back of the book!) with their sick father and no mother. The five sisters are very close and every full moon they travel through a portal to the other world to spend the night dancing with dwarves and trolls and other magical creatures. Jena is stubborn and intelligent and her best friend is her pet frog, Gogu, whom she trusts with everything.
There are multiple plot twists in this story, some I was able to predict but then Marillier still managed to surprise me! After a while, I became fully immersed into Jena’s world, so much so that reality slipped away and I knew that this book deserved a high rating, it had been so long since a book had had that effect on me.
There are dresses as delicate as butterflies, old castles and secret passages, the full moon showering the world in her silver light. There’s an old witch, those who wander with garlic in their pockets to ward off evil, there’s dancing until the stars disappear and the watery dawn light washes across the land. There’s a longing for love, secrets whispered in the woods, in the dead of night, beneath the stars. There’s an abundance of flowers and suffocating darkness. It’s the difficulties of being a women, the struggle for freedom, of being told what to do, who to be, what to wear. There’s billowing dresses, the feeling of silk against skin, the knowledge that you are beautiful. It’s boat rides across lakes, the rolling mist, the long shadows and strange sounds in the heart of the night. There’s music and nature and mirrors never to be trusted.
Please, please read this book. You won't regret it, I promise <3
Si hay una autora que domina como nadie el arte de contar historias de magia, leyenda, hadas, duendes y doncellas enfrentándose a fuerzas oscuras tanto mágicas como terrenales, esa autora es Juliet Marillier (Nueva Zelanda, 1948). Y con Wildwood Dancing vuelve a demostrarlo.
Wildwood Dancing toma como base el cuento de los hermanos Grimm Las doce princesas bailarinas. Y en cierto modo es un retelling, pero este cuento no es el único en el que se inspira Marillier para crear esta increíble historia, hay más. Para empezar porque la historia se desarrolla esencialmente en Otro Reino, que es un mundo totalmente imaginario y en Transilvania (siglos XV o XVI calculo), con todo lo que ello conlleva: de hecho en el postfacio la propia Marillier da un breve repaso a la historia de Drácula (mas que a la novela en sí, a su creación) que, además, da nombre al castillo donde viven las cinco hermanas, Piscul Dracului, aunque tambien es un juego de palabras ya que piscul dracului en rumano significa devil's peak, es decir pico del diablo (en las últimas páginas del libro hay un glosario con las palabras rumanas utilizadas en la historia). El mundo imaginario de la reina Ileana es una mezcla de leyendas, mitos, espíritus y folklore europeo que Marillier domina a la perfección. Es muy fuerte la influencia de los cuentos, leyendas y mitos de la vieja Europa en la obra de Marillier, especialmente los de origen celta, aunque en este libro los celtas los ha dejado aparte.
Reseña completa: https://wordpress.com/post/senorasytacitas.wordpress.com/2954
Wildwood Dancing toma como base el cuento de los hermanos Grimm Las doce princesas bailarinas. Y en cierto modo es un retelling, pero este cuento no es el único en el que se inspira Marillier para crear esta increíble historia, hay más. Para empezar porque la historia se desarrolla esencialmente en Otro Reino, que es un mundo totalmente imaginario y en Transilvania (siglos XV o XVI calculo), con todo lo que ello conlleva: de hecho en el postfacio la propia Marillier da un breve repaso a la historia de Drácula (mas que a la novela en sí, a su creación) que, además, da nombre al castillo donde viven las cinco hermanas, Piscul Dracului, aunque tambien es un juego de palabras ya que piscul dracului en rumano significa devil's peak, es decir pico del diablo (en las últimas páginas del libro hay un glosario con las palabras rumanas utilizadas en la historia). El mundo imaginario de la reina Ileana es una mezcla de leyendas, mitos, espíritus y folklore europeo que Marillier domina a la perfección. Es muy fuerte la influencia de los cuentos, leyendas y mitos de la vieja Europa en la obra de Marillier, especialmente los de origen celta, aunque en este libro los celtas los ha dejado aparte.
Reseña completa: https://wordpress.com/post/senorasytacitas.wordpress.com/2954
This was such an enchanting, magical book. The entire time I read this, I had stars in my eyes and the prospect of magical other worldly kingdoms didn't seem so far-fetched.
Juliet Marillier is a master storyteller. She waves tales so bewitching and so alluring that you find yourself utterly lost in her world. As is the same with her other books that I've read, I absolutely adored this book. I know I keep on stressing that it was magical, but that's the only world I can think of for this book. It made me, for just a few days, believe in fairy tales again. 5 enchanting stars. Such a beautiful book.
Juliet Marillier is a master storyteller. She waves tales so bewitching and so alluring that you find yourself utterly lost in her world. As is the same with her other books that I've read, I absolutely adored this book. I know I keep on stressing that it was magical, but that's the only world I can think of for this book. It made me, for just a few days, believe in fairy tales again. 5 enchanting stars. Such a beautiful book.
É um conto de fadas fofo e leve. Transita muito entre os clichês de história de bruxas e florestas mágicas, então acaba que o destaque fica no romance que não me conectei tanto. Ainda sim é uma leitura fofa e recomendada para jovens iniciantes em fantasia e/ou que gostam algo leve e divertido.
I really liked this fantasy set in the Transylvania area in Romania. Spells, mystical creatures, dancing, beautiful gowns, a witch, and a frog--how could I resist? I loved seeing the growth in the main character. The only thing I didn't like was that it was a little slow in the beginning. After 60 pages I almost gave up, but then the story picked up and I couldn't put it down.