Sunday, April 22, 2012

The Twelve Dancing Princesses: Review



I loved fairy tales back when I was a little kid- and I still do. Yes, I know I already reviewed a fairy tale back in January, but I couldn't help it! The Twelve Dancing Princesses was one of my favorites, and I've read it tons of times over and over again. 


So why did I pick this certain book this month? Well, a few weeks ago, I read Entwined by Heather Dixon. It was a retelling of this certain fairy tale, but with a darker, more suspenseful edge. And I absolutely loved it. I also read Night Dance by Suzanne Weyn a few years ago, also a retelling of this, but with an Excalibur twist, and I also enjoyed it. So I got the idea of choosing this one, and went with it. 

Okay, so as I said, its been a long time since I've last read this story, and through the years, I guess my mind has warped it, remembering all the great parts, and forgetting all the bad ones. It had magically become a perfect fairy tale in my head- but now? Not so much. 

So first off, I loved the idea and the main plot of the story. I gotta admit, the thought of having a secret place where you danced all night, a place filled with magic, is simply enchanting. The story was mysterious, and even suspenseful!

But then again, the way the story was written- the narration was a bit dry. It was like the story was rushed and forced out, thus kinda ruining the experience for me. And also, the "romance". I don't really like the way the man who solved the puzzle just managed to marry the eldest princess like that. I dunno- it might have been nicer if the princess actually liked him back- but then, that's not even mentioned in thr fairy tale. 

So... I guess I'm giving this one 3 stars. A good fairytale, with a really unique premise- it was just the way it was written that threw me off. A shame really, since I love most fairy tales. (And on a side note- I'm kinda hoping there will be an episode in Grimm about this fairytale. :D)

Jen @ Midnight Book Thief

1 comment:

  1. I think it depends on which version you are reading—for example in some there was an emphasis on the princess loving him, on others she does not seem to care one way or the other.

    What I loved most growing up with this story were the woods with precious metals. I liked imagining walking through them!

    ReplyDelete

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