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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
I love fairy tale retellings! So why didn't I fall in love with this promising book with such high ratings and raving reviews?
I have no idea. It just didn't click for me. I liked it but I wasn't deeply invested in it and I'll have to admit, the only thing that propelled me to keep reading was because I hate not finishing books. That's it :( I didn't finish reading it because I was engrossed in it. I was a little curious at the outcome but the plot was very predictable to me. On top of that, I didn't really feel any strong connections to the characters -- they were all just "alright" to me.
I have no idea. It just didn't click for me. I liked it but I wasn't deeply invested in it and I'll have to admit, the only thing that propelled me to keep reading was because I hate not finishing books. That's it :( I didn't finish reading it because I was engrossed in it. I was a little curious at the outcome but the plot was very predictable to me. On top of that, I didn't really feel any strong connections to the characters -- they were all just "alright" to me.
Wildwood Dancing combines a handful of fairy tale bits into one cohesive story, and is set in Transylvania. The names are Slavic and hard to pronounce in your mind, and so I suggest a consult of the pronunciation guide in the back of the book before diving in - it will make it easier on yourself. The pace moves slowly in places, but overall a nice escapist read. 3.5 Stars
I loved many things about this book—the setting and the Other World, the characters, the multiple plot lines and love stories. A few chapters into it, though, I almost put it down because it became so frustrating. The overbearing male cousin is pushing the narrator (Jena) around, and she is powerless, and it was just so frustrating. On one hand, I think the writing was well done, because it really made me feel how she feels; but without any reprieve, it made me not enjoy the reading experience. The moment coincided with another character becoming consumed by a love-at-first-sight romance, which felt over the top.
I kept going, and as the plot picked up, I wanted to keep going even when the book frustrated me. I liked the book! But it's so tempting to share the frustrating parts! For example, at one point Jena gets lured in by a bad guy. She escapes and recognizes that he was using a spell on her. But even though she knows he is a liar, she still thinks of following through on what he told her. What's more, even if he was not lying, it's not clear how following through will help her—she says something vague like "If I had the information, I would know what to do." Later, after she is told that all she needs to do is follow her instincts, she proceeds to not follow her instincts in the most obvious way. So at times, the plot felt a bit contrived, with characters acting irrationally to create more plot.
But it's a good book.
I kept going, and as the plot picked up, I wanted to keep going even when the book frustrated me. I liked the book! But it's so tempting to share the frustrating parts! For example, at one point Jena gets lured in by a bad guy. She escapes and recognizes that he was using a spell on her. But even though she knows he is a liar, she still thinks of following through on what he told her. What's more, even if he was not lying, it's not clear how following through will help her—she says something vague like "If I had the information, I would know what to do." Later, after she is told that all she needs to do is follow her instincts, she proceeds to not follow her instincts in the most obvious way. So at times, the plot felt a bit contrived, with characters acting irrationally to create more plot.
But it's a good book.
What a fun read! I curled up in bed and read this in one sitting, when I was feeling miserable and sick with a cold. Wildwood Dancing was the perfect self-care!
This is a wonderful fairytale retelling that is a mixture of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, The Princess and the Frog, and Dracula. The Twelve Dancing Princesses is my favorite fairytale and I haven't found a retelling of it before, which made this extra special. I liked how different tales were woven in, which made it more interesting and engaging that if it were a single tale. If you are familiar with fairytales, you probably will figure out what will happen, but that doesn't take away from the story.
This is a wonderful fairytale retelling that is a mixture of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, The Princess and the Frog, and Dracula. The Twelve Dancing Princesses is my favorite fairytale and I haven't found a retelling of it before, which made this extra special. I liked how different tales were woven in, which made it more interesting and engaging that if it were a single tale. If you are familiar with fairytales, you probably will figure out what will happen, but that doesn't take away from the story.
An amazingly written book, filled with bunches of fantasy, touch of romance, and all those evil things.
based on the fairytale: The Twelve Dancing Princesses, Wildwood Dancing is a book about five sisters: Jena, Tati, Iullia, Paula, and Stela who, at every Full Moon, would pass into the Other Kingdom to dance.
Their father leaeves before winter sets in to prevent his death, leaving the girls in charge of his estate, and his brother's son, Cezar, to help them.
No one knows of their dancing, but when evil from the Other Kingdom starts seeping into the real world, their cousin, Cezar, gathers the men from the village to hunt down whatever terror is out there, and in the process, making himself the person in charge of the girls, their money, their servants, and their lives.
Jena must find the mountain witch in order to help her sick sister, find out what's so different about her frog, and take back all Cezar has stolen from them.
based on the fairytale: The Twelve Dancing Princesses, Wildwood Dancing is a book about five sisters: Jena, Tati, Iullia, Paula, and Stela who, at every Full Moon, would pass into the Other Kingdom to dance.
Their father leaeves before winter sets in to prevent his death, leaving the girls in charge of his estate, and his brother's son, Cezar, to help them.
No one knows of their dancing, but when evil from the Other Kingdom starts seeping into the real world, their cousin, Cezar, gathers the men from the village to hunt down whatever terror is out there, and in the process, making himself the person in charge of the girls, their money, their servants, and their lives.
Jena must find the mountain witch in order to help her sick sister, find out what's so different about her frog, and take back all Cezar has stolen from them.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-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:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-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:
Yes
What a sweet book! I was indignant on Jena's behalf for a majority of the story, but adored the whimsical characters (a frog!! as a main character!!) and setting. Everything about Wildwood Dancing felt properly fit together (the cover, the traditional Romanian lore, the characters' quirks and details) and gave the sense of reading an old fairytale.
Time to face it, I'm a sucker for a good fairy/folk tale retelling with a healthy dose of romance and a strong female character. This book gets me.
I really adore Marillier. I've read around 7 books by her and have never given less that a 4.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved that Romanian setting. I've been super into Eastern European folklore and fantasy novels lately. When I was describing the book to a friend I told them that this book reminded me of a combination of Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy and Pride and Prejudice. Its like Winternight because of the atmosphere created. I loved watching this world where mythological creatures are very real and present in this society. The combo of magic vs reason really was an interesting theme to me. Its like P&P because of the relationship with the sisters. I loved reading about all of them. I almost felt like the girls must have been influenced by the Austen novel. Pretty Tati/Jane, Sensible Jena/Lizzie, Scholar Paula/Mary etc. I love books with close sisters, having two myself and so seeing their dynamics was wonderful.
The romances in this book were hit and miss for me. I ADORED Jena and Gogu/Costi. I was shipping them when he was a frog. It was so cute and wholesome and I loved every second of it. When Costi was stuttering at the end, I was dying in happiness. Tati and Sorrow however. I hated it. I didn't understand the connection. I also hated that she was dying from love-sickness. It just didn't work for me at all, so that is why I docked the book to 4 stars.
Overall Marillier is an auto buy author for me. I adore her writing in almost every way and can't wait to read the sequel to this book.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved that Romanian setting. I've been super into Eastern European folklore and fantasy novels lately. When I was describing the book to a friend I told them that this book reminded me of a combination of Katherine Arden's Winternight Trilogy and Pride and Prejudice. Its like Winternight because of the atmosphere created. I loved watching this world where mythological creatures are very real and present in this society. The combo of magic vs reason really was an interesting theme to me. Its like P&P because of the relationship with the sisters. I loved reading about all of them. I almost felt like the girls must have been influenced by the Austen novel. Pretty Tati/Jane, Sensible Jena/Lizzie, Scholar Paula/Mary etc. I love books with close sisters, having two myself and so seeing their dynamics was wonderful.
The romances in this book were hit and miss for me. I ADORED Jena and Gogu/Costi. I was shipping them when he was a frog. It was so cute and wholesome and I loved every second of it. When Costi was stuttering at the end, I was dying in happiness. Tati and Sorrow however. I hated it. I didn't understand the connection. I also hated that she was dying from love-sickness. It just didn't work for me at all, so that is why I docked the book to 4 stars.
Overall Marillier is an auto buy author for me. I adore her writing in almost every way and can't wait to read the sequel to this book.