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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Ugh, I instantly fell in love with this book the second I started reading it.
It was just like everything that I love in books came together into one: whimsical worlds; fantastical creatures; 1800s-esque setting; strong female characters; beautiful writing; a proper antagonist; and overall just a good story, like an adult version of a fairytale.
Oh and, there's a talking frog. Extraordinary.
Jenica lives with her four sisters and their father in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Dracul. Ever since they were children, the sisters would sneak away every full moon through a magical portal into the Other Kingdom, where they would dance and celebrate with fantastical creatures.
No one else can know about this, however, as the Other Kingdom is just a whispered fear among the townsfolk - if they ever found out it was real and how to access it, they would do anything in their power to destroy this beautiful world the sisters love so dearly.
When the sisters' father gets sick and has to leave town to seek medical attention, it relies on Jenica to handle the family business and affairs. However, her busybody ass cousin Cezar doesn't think that a girl is fit for such a role, and is slowly but surely inserting himself into the household. The longer his stay, the more controlling and suspicious he grows.
When a creature from the Other Kingdom is found within the Transylvanian woods, Cezar sets out on a mission to find this world and destroy it - and once his mind is set on something, there's no convincing him otherwise.
How can five teenage girls and a talking frog prevent the Other Kingdom from being destroyed? Will they ever regain claim over their own house, or are they destined to be prisoners under Cezar's rule indefinitely? Will their father ever return home, or has his illness gotten the best of him?
Oh, and there's some sweet forbidden love in their, but I didn't know how to work that into the summary ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This book was just so fun and magical. There are so many mysteries interwoven throughout the story, and I loved the way everything unfolded and resolved.
The writing was wonderful; as I said before, it reads so much like a fairytale, but for adults. I was never bored, never felt like the story was dragging, and I just really enjoyed every moment of it - I was sad to see it end!
Gnomes. Vampires. Witches. Fairies. Enchanted frog. Promises. Spells. Curses. Prophecies. Oh yeah boy, this books got it all
It was just like everything that I love in books came together into one: whimsical worlds; fantastical creatures; 1800s-esque setting; strong female characters; beautiful writing; a proper antagonist; and overall just a good story, like an adult version of a fairytale.
Oh and, there's a talking frog. Extraordinary.
Jenica lives with her four sisters and their father in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Dracul. Ever since they were children, the sisters would sneak away every full moon through a magical portal into the Other Kingdom, where they would dance and celebrate with fantastical creatures.
No one else can know about this, however, as the Other Kingdom is just a whispered fear among the townsfolk - if they ever found out it was real and how to access it, they would do anything in their power to destroy this beautiful world the sisters love so dearly.
When the sisters' father gets sick and has to leave town to seek medical attention, it relies on Jenica to handle the family business and affairs. However, her busybody ass cousin Cezar doesn't think that a girl is fit for such a role, and is slowly but surely inserting himself into the household. The longer his stay, the more controlling and suspicious he grows.
When a creature from the Other Kingdom is found within the Transylvanian woods, Cezar sets out on a mission to find this world and destroy it - and once his mind is set on something, there's no convincing him otherwise.
How can five teenage girls and a talking frog prevent the Other Kingdom from being destroyed? Will they ever regain claim over their own house, or are they destined to be prisoners under Cezar's rule indefinitely? Will their father ever return home, or has his illness gotten the best of him?
Oh, and there's some sweet forbidden love in their, but I didn't know how to work that into the summary ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This book was just so fun and magical. There are so many mysteries interwoven throughout the story, and I loved the way everything unfolded and resolved.
The writing was wonderful; as I said before, it reads so much like a fairytale, but for adults. I was never bored, never felt like the story was dragging, and I just really enjoyed every moment of it - I was sad to see it end!
Gnomes. Vampires. Witches. Fairies. Enchanted frog. Promises. Spells. Curses. Prophecies. Oh yeah boy, this books got it all
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Violence
My first re-read of the year - it's been 5+ years since I last read this!
adventurous
lighthearted
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
This was a truly fantastic story. It's difficult for me to describe, but there's a quality to it that you don't find with most YA fantasy novels. It has heart, and while not everything is perfect, I can't help but feel that this should be shared with anyone wanting adventure, romance, and a meeting with fairies.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Although this book took me awhile to get into, and there were a few parts that were a little slow, I ended up really enjoying it. It's kind of a twist on the 12 Dancing Princesses, with a couple other surprises mixed in. If you like fairytales retold, I think you will like this one!
A Dança da Floresta, de Juliet Marillier, é uma história muito mágica. As cenas narradas pela autora, pra mim são muito vívidas e cheias de cor. Me fez desejar ser uma das irmãs que, em todas as Luas Cheias, vão para Outro Reino, através de um portal, festejar com os seres da floresta. Acho que esse foi o primeiro livro que ambientado na Transilvânia que tive a oportunidade de ler (ainda não li Drácula). Eu sou muito apaixonada por todos os livros de Marillier! Eles possuem uma magia inegável, que nos prende do início ao fim. Dou 5 estrelas para A Dança da Floresta porque é realmente cativante. Só esperava que o final se desenvolvesse com mais calma, parece que terminou um pouco às pressas. Fora isso, perfeito.
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I'm not sure if I liked this book quite as much as the other series I've read by the author. I had a problem with the heroine at times, but even so I understood why she acted and felt the way she did. I still enjoyed the novel anyways with it's fantastic story and Juliet Marillier's writing was beautiful as usual.