phoebejeziel 's review for:

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

4.5

adventurous 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

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I loved this one. I have read many of Juliet Marillier's books and each one has a different flavor. I find that so interesting because with some authors, they tend to re-use their structure and voice in a book and don't really deviate from that. I feel like Juliet's books- while all have the whimsical feel of a fantastical fairy tale, the characters and stories are all each their own. I love that.

I really enjoyed this story and Jena as our main character. I thought it was a wonderful twist to go with the main point of view of the second eldest sister- the sensible, logical sister who's first instinct isn't to just fall in love and into the arms of the first dark enchanting man she meets. Jena had a head of sense on her shoulders and I love that. She is strong, independent and absolutely wonderful. The romance is sweet- I always enjoy the way Juliet writes the romances and the male characters- though it's the magic and whimsy that always draws me in. 

I do wish her characters (in particular her female characters) were older, though I know this is due to the medieval time period Juliet tends to write in, which I understand; if the characters were in mode times, that would be a different conversation. But the girls in this age became women quick, due to a variety of reasons. Regardless, I am really, really loving Juliet as an author and am excited to get into more of her books!