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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
The beginning felt a little slow to me, but picked up after the winter months finally set in. It was a compelling story, and I liked how Marillier made the five sisters distinguishable personalities from the get-go, but Tati's "true love" plot bothered me (a lot).
Beautiful, magical tale centered around 5 sisters and their adventures in a fantasy land. Loved the twists and the multiple romances. The lush descriptions added depth to the narrative. Well-drawn characters and a tense plot make this a real stand out in the young adult fantasy genre.
I first read this book over ten years ago, probably around the age of sixth grade, so picking this book up again today I didn't have much memory of this story besides the fact that it was a Twelve Dancing Princesses retelling with a breathtakingly gorgeous illustrated cover. I read this book in about a day, and I can remember now why I liked this book but don't consider it one of my favorites.
This is probably my favorite of Marillier's works - the prose is fast-paced and gripping, the descriptions of the fairy realm are creative and enthralling, and the way it weaves in elements of historical Romania alongside traditional fairy tale themes makes for an enjoyable fantasy story. That being said, just as when I read this book the first time, I found the ending somewhat lacking.It's odd to me that Tati's role in this book is mostly to waste away - she acts more as an object rather than a person. The few times she does speak or assert any agency, it's often for selfish reasons based on her single minded focus on true love. As an eldest sister she's shockingly unconcerned with her family's well-being, and as a secondary romantic lead she is incredibly dull and unwise. I kept waiting for her to acknowledge how selfish and careless she was, but it never happens, and in the end she is rewarded for "believing in true love" without having done much of anything on her part to deserve it. Its a strange note to end the book on, especially one that is so focused on sisterly relationships.
That being said, I did really enjoy this re-read. Jena is a compelling lead and the secondary characters are all uniquely and memorably rendered. The fairy realm is so vividly portrayed that it seems ripe for further stories, and it's a shame Marillier's Wildwood trilogy was never fully realized. Overall, I'm so glad I picked this one up again - it reminded me why I fell in love with fairy tale retellings in the first place.
This is probably my favorite of Marillier's works - the prose is fast-paced and gripping, the descriptions of the fairy realm are creative and enthralling, and the way it weaves in elements of historical Romania alongside traditional fairy tale themes makes for an enjoyable fantasy story. That being said, just as when I read this book the first time, I found the ending somewhat lacking.
That being said, I did really enjoy this re-read. Jena is a compelling lead and the secondary characters are all uniquely and memorably rendered. The fairy realm is so vividly portrayed that it seems ripe for further stories, and it's a shame Marillier's Wildwood trilogy was never fully realized. Overall, I'm so glad I picked this one up again - it reminded me why I fell in love with fairy tale retellings in the first place.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I just got the companion book to this one, and I wanted to reread it before I read the companion. I forgot how much I like this book. It should probably be on my list of favorite books. It is a retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” It’s set in Transylvania, and it’s just superb. Jena, the main character, is one of my favorite strong heroines. I love the feminism and the sisterhood in this book as well. Highly recommend.
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-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:
Complicated
More than anything, Wildwood Dancing left me feeling trapped. Not trapped-in-a-good-way, when awful things are happening and the heroine is struggling against adversity and I'm right there, feeling anxious and afraid but fighting alongside her. No, instead I felt trapped by my inability to jump into the book and make the characters behave sensibly. Or, at the least, admirably. And since there were just enough positive elements---Gogu, Drăguţa, the dancing partners---I couldn't quite make myself stop reading.
Which, as it turns out, is a shame. Because even those interesting characters failed to shine brighter than at their first, twinkling appearances, and at the end of the book, all I had for my pains was a predictable slog through a mess of flat characters, illogical and contradictory decision-making, lackluster relationships, uninspired magic, and a whole lot of chatter about love that never managed to illuminate its power and wonder at all.
Which, as it turns out, is a shame. Because even those interesting characters failed to shine brighter than at their first, twinkling appearances, and at the end of the book, all I had for my pains was a predictable slog through a mess of flat characters, illogical and contradictory decision-making, lackluster relationships, uninspired magic, and a whole lot of chatter about love that never managed to illuminate its power and wonder at all.
Still a favourite! I have read this novel over and over since receiving it as a present years ago.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes