Fantasy Readers! Come one, come all to March’s Young Adult Book Reviews! Here you will find enough fairy tales filled with princesses, ladies in waiting, heroes, heroines, magical creatures, spells, high adventure, conflict, and romance to leave you sighing long after each story is told.
Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
A delightful book, based on the fairy tale of the twelve dancing princesses, Wildwood Dancing is the story of Jena and her four sisters who have a wonderful secret that no one knows. On the night of the full moon, the five girls don their finest gowns and slippers to escape down a hidden staircase through the woods into the “Other World” where they spend a night dancing with magical creatures. While their daily world as daughters of an ailing merchant seems to come crashing down all around them, at least they have the happiness of their secret world……or do they? Trouble for the sisters and for their “Other World” friends begins to build and arises from an unlikely source, which takes them all by surprise. Will Jena and her sisters be safe from the evil that lurks on both sides of the door that leads to the magic staircase? Find out in Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier.
A lively, compelling story that is not only exciting, but full of adventure, romance, and intrigue. As a friend of mine so expertly said, “I was just so worried about these girls and their lives that I couldn’t put the book down until I made it to the end in hopes that everything would be alright.” My thoughts exactly! I recommend this book to readers of all ages.
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Young Galen returns home from war, in hopes that his mother’s family will take him in as he has lost both of his parents to the battle. He is grateful to gain employment with his uncle as a grounds man in the beautiful gardens of the palace. It is there that he meets the lovely princess Rose and her 11 sisters and learns of the strange circumstances that surround their lives. Every night the princesses are locked in their room with new slippers. Every morning the 12 princesses are found exhausted in the same locked room with ruined slippers. When questioned, the 12 girls are elusive and no matter how many times they are questioned, will never tell how their slippers are ruined and what happens to them each night behind locked doors.
Galen fancies Rose and grows concerned for her life as each day she grows paler and paler, obviously overtaxed and emotionally drained. Armed with a few magical gifts, his military skills of deduction, and his wits, Galen sets out to do what no one has ever succeeded in doing: unraveling the mystery of the twelve dancing princesses.
Very different from “Wildwood Dancing”, I also enjoyed reading Jessica Day George’s retelling of the story of the twelve dancing princesses. Her charming story is beautifully woven into a fairy tale of good vs. evil, where courage and a pure heart are ultimately the very qualities needed for the hero to succeed. I recommend this book to all teens and especially to readers who enjoy fantasy.
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
This delightful retelling of the Grimm’s fairy tale, Maid Maleen, is a lyrical, enchanting read by Shannon Hale. As the book begins, young Dashti and her mistress (Lady Saren) are imprisoned in a stone tower to serve a seven year sentence. The mistress has refused to marry her father’s chosen suitor, Lord Khasar, claiming that she has already been betrothed to a younger suitor Khan Tegus. In his anger, Lady Saren’s father locks her and her new maid in the dark tower, in hopes that his daughter will come to her senses and marry Lord Khasar. Without much to do but survive inside the prison walls, Dashti begins a journal, in which she documents their imprisonment, their escape, and the pathways that both their lives take as they both travel on a journey of self-discovery, courage, and love.
I loved this story! While it was slow starting, after a few chapters I found myself emotionally enthralled with Dashti, her honesty, her humility, and her beautiful loyal heart. Reminiscent of my first read by Shannon Hale “Goose Girl”, the voice in this book is straight-forward, honest, and sweet. Book of a Thousand Days will not disappoint. I recommend this book for all readers.
The Seventh Daughter by Frewin Jones
Faerie Princess Tania and her sisters are thrilled to have escaped the Gray Nights and made it safely back into the faerie world with their mother, Queen Titania But her joy is short-lived when she realizes the havoc and despair that the Sorcerer King has wracked on the world of Faerie and its inhabitants. Immediately, it becomes evident that unless Tania, Edric, and the Faerie sisters can release King Oberon from his island prison, the Sorcerer King will never be defeated, dooming their life in the Immortal Realm.
I have enjoyed Faerie Path series, as I have followed the story of Anita/Tania in her discovery that she is a lost Faerie Princess and a modern-day teenager all rolled up into one great girl. This third book has a different tone than the other two and has more elements of fantasy than the first two books. I await the fourth book, “Immortal Realm” with anticipation, as I am anxious to find out what adventures and lie ahead for Tania and Edric. I recommend this book for all teens.
Warrior Princess by Frewin Jones
After witnessing the terrible tragedy of her brother’s death, 15 year old Princess Branwen’s heart is filled with pain and despair. Unfortunately her father’s kingdom is on the brink of war and in order to secure her safety, Branwen’s father sends her away with Prince Llew to Doeth Palas. Upon her arrival at Doeth Palas, Branwen finds that Queen Elain is determined to refine the princess and rid her of a lifetime of “country living”. Branwen not only feels out of place when faced with the doldrums of palace life- she feels a much different destiny calling to her; a destiny that will determine the future of her family, of her country, and will require all of her heart and soul.
A much different story than the Faerie Path series, Jones has written a compelling novel about a princess who must decide between her destiny and her heart. Lovers of fantasy and adventure are sure to find an excellent read in The Warrior Princess . I recommend this novel to all readers.
