Plot Summary:  On her second case for the Agency, Mary Quinn finds herself in the seamy side of Victorian London, pretending to be a boy while she spies on the construction site of the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament where a mysterious death occurred.  Was it murder or an unfortunate accident?  When the handsome James Easton arrives to do some investigating of his won, she worries both that he’ll recognize her and he won’t.

Critical Analysis:  A solid second book in The Agency trilogy.  Interesting enough, I find it more squarely in the conventional mystery column than the previous, and perhaps a little less interesting to me personally.  Except for the climatic scene  near the end, there wasn’t was much danger and suspense as in the first book.

What was very well done was showing the contrast between the classes, the haves and the have nots, made very plain by Mary’s moving between the two, as Mark on the construction site and as a rich lady doling at alms to the dead man’s family.  The return of James Easton is a welcome one, although again not as much fun as book one.  A little more of Mary’s past is revealed, but I hoped for more from her and for her in this story, as in many places it felt like she was less participant than observer.  I would have liked more details about the agency and the women behind it as well, but you can only put so much in one book.

I cheer any and all true mysteries for teens, so this is a welcome addition.  The promise of the third book awaits.  Dare I hope that Lee and Candlewick have considered giving readers more Mary Quinn and the Agency?

Readalikes:  Mary Quinn reminds me a little bit of another Mary who has her series of mysteries:  Mary Russell.  They are both independent and intelligent with secret or mysterious pasts.  Of course, this series by Laurie King also features the greatest detective of all, Sherlock Holmes.

Reviewed from publisher provided advanced copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography

Plot Summary:  In 19th century England, Bet and Will, childhood friends though she is a daughter of a maid and he the son of  wealthy family, concoct a plan so both can get what they want.  Bet, an education, and Will, a chance to become a soldier in the army.  Pretending to be a boy can’t be that hard, can it?  But Bet didn’t think about how to deal with her period, undressing in the same room as a boy, and falling in love.

Critical Analysis:  I found this book to be very refreshing.  First of all, it is less than 200 pages long.  In a time when so many writers for teens have followed in J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer’s wake penning books that seem to go on and on (and often for no apparent reason other than they can) I am glad that there are still writers out there to display the skill that is needed to create a whole world and a story in fewer pages with less words.  Secondly, so glad to see a story like this that doesn’t feel like it needs magic or paranormal elements to make it complete.  Instead Baratz-Logsted gives us a charming heroine living in a well described historical setting.

Bet is probably the best thing about this book.  From the moment she is introduced, you can’t help but want her to succeed, to pull of her attempts to disguise herself as a boy, to get the education she wants.  You root for her to find solutions to problems she didn’t anticipate and hold your breath when she comes close to being discovered.  A close second is the setting, description, and events at the boys’ boarding school.  It reminds me so strongly of other such schools in books and movies, from Dead Poet’s Society to Harry Potter.  I think this is a rare work of historical fiction that might have wide appeal across ages, grades, and genders.

Readalikes:  The book reminded me strongly of the first Song of the Lioness book, Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce where Alanna trades places with her brother Alan disguising herself as a boy so that she can train to become a knight.

Review Excerpts: “…Bet’s descriptive, intimate, first-person narrative incorporates historical details and diverse characters….Despite some improbable elements, historical-fiction fans will likely find Bet an appealingly lively heroine as she pursues her dreams and makes unexpected discoveries in learning, life, and love.”–Booklist

“Baratz-Logsted amusingly describes the lengths to which Bet goes to pass as a boy (cutting off her hair) and keep her secret (insisting on changing clothes in the dark). Readers will root for Bet to the very end, as she proves that from lemons can come the sweetest lemonade.”–Publisher’s Weekly

Reviewed from publisher provided advanced copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography

Plot Summary:  Disgraced and dismissed at the end of A Beautiful Place to Die, former Detective Sargeant Emmanuel Cooper is working on the docks of Durban trying to catch corrupt cops when he stumbles on the body of a murdered child.  As much as he wants to leave the investigation to the authorities, he can’t ignore it when others around him turn up murdered and he becomes the chief suspect.

Critical Analysis:  A Beautiful Place to Die was one of my favorite books that I read last year, so I was VERY excited to see that the next in the series was out.  Completely different from Place, with an urban setting, complex and complicated mystery and a new set of characters, Cooper remains compelling, one of my favorite character types, a good honest man seeking justice in the face of unbelievable odds and at great personal cost. 

The historical details of the place and time only add to the suspense of the mystery, and to the veracity of all the characters.  When the reader becomes aware of what is really happening, the story reaches another level, and the return of Constable Shabalala and Dr. Zweigman is very welcome with a resulting satisfying ending which sets up Cooper’s and Shabalala’s future working relationship which will hopefully last for many volumes to come.

Readalikes: It won’t be published until October, but I recently read the perfect readalike for Nunn and Detective Cooper.  The Sleepwalkers by Paul Grossman is the story of a Jewish police detective in Germany at the end of the Weimar Republic who is faced with solving an awful crime while his country moves towards a new reality.

Review Excerpts: “With this gripping sequel set in South Africa in 1953, Nunn…proves that her impressive debut …was no fluke….deftly balances suspense and deduction as she offers a revealing glimpse into South African society under the segregation laws promulgated by the ruling National Party.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“Hard-boiled ex-detective Emmanuel Cooper returns to solve the murder of a young boy in 1950s South Africa…. Casual and institutional racism form a fascinating backdrop for the action, giving readers a feel for how apartheid actually looked and felt to those on both sides of the color line.”–Kirkus Reviews

Reviewed from public library copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography

Plot Summary:  Thief and housebreaker Mary Quinn is rescued from Old Bailey and educated at Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls for a chance at a better life. She tries her hand at several careers but is bored and uninspired.  Two of the school’s teachers make her an interesting offer:  to work for the Agency as a spy.  The Agency uses society’s ideas about women as foolish and weak to their advantage in observing and gathering information.  Mary is placed in a household of a merchant as a paid companion to his spoiled daughter Angelica to listen and observe anything suspicious about his ships and shipments.  She becomes anxious and frustrated by her limited role and decides to do a little extra snooping to help the case, only to find herself hiding in a wardrobe with James Easton, brother of Angelica’s biggest admirer with his own concerns about her father’s business.  Mary doesn’t tell him the whole truth about her role, but they agree to work together to gather information.  Along the way there will be breaking and entering, an elopement, a kiss, and a secret revealed about Mary’s past.

Critical Analysis:  A reader and lover of mysteries almost my entire life, I am thrilled that this series is being published for young adults.  Unlike adult fiction, there are few high quality true mysteries to offer teens.  The idea of the Agency is a little contrived, and it does take quite a bit to set up the whole story with Mary, but once it gets going the pace picks up. In my opinion, this could just as easily been picked up by an adult mystery imprint, that’s how good it is.

Mary is a likable character who though sometimes shy is determined and will do anything to help solve the case she is on.  Readers will rejoice when she first escapes the gallows and later escapes being caught breaking and entering a warehouse to try and gather information.  Mary’s kind heart reaches out to a young servant girl and even manages to crack bratty Angelica’s facade.  Her looks and behavior sets her apart from other women in James Easton’s eyes, and readers will happily see their romance coming from the start.

James is perhaps wise beyond his years, but he has had a lot of  responsibility from an early age working at the family business of civil engineering.  His concern for his brother is a concern for the business as well.  Thank goodness he isn’t too smart, as he can’t quite figure Mary out and remains both intrigued and infuriated at turns.

The mystery itself is well handled, with a few red herrings thrown in for good measure and several suspenseful scenes that will have the reader turning pages to find out how things turn out in the end.  The details of Victorian England add to the mystery and suspense with the heat and the smells, the carriage rides, chases on foot, messages delivered by errand boys, servants who see and are seen.  The true villain is a surprise but not surprising as should be in the best mysteries.  I think that this title will appeal not only to readers of historical fiction, but will also have crossover appeal with readers of Victorian and Regency fantasy and steampunk.

Readalikes: Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman by Eleanor Updale.  Also set in England in the past, like Mary, Montmorency is a thief who tries to make a new identity for himself only to find a new use for old skills.

La Petite Four by Regina Scott.  Set in Regency England, four best friends do a little spying to try and find a reason why Lady Emily shouldn’t marry a determined Lord Robert.

The Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Victorian mystery series by Ann Perry, especially Buckingham Palace Gardens:  At a loss when a murder is committed at Buckingham Palace, Pitt calls in maid Gracie Phipps to be his eyes and ears to help catch the murderer.

Companion by Ann Granger:  The first thing Lizzie Martin sees when she arrives in London in 1864 as a paid companion is a young woman’s body being taken away on a wagon.  She discovers her predecessor disappeared suddenly in mysterious circumstances and is a determined to discover the truth.

The Blackstone Key by Rose Melikan:  In 1795 England, Mary Finch escapes her dull teaching job at an academy for girls to visit her estranged uncle’s estate.  Along the way she encounters a mysterious dying man and upon arrival discovers her uncle has died and his estate is connected to a gang of smugglers.

Review Excerpt: “Set in the richly described underbelly of Victorian London, Lee’s debut novel…introduces feisty Mary Quinn….Through the many and somewhat contrived plot twists, Mary’s skills are tested; she prevails with Easton’s help and attentions…Mary’s lively escapades, on the whole, will hold readers’ attention and whet their interest for the next installment.”–Publisher’s Weekly

Reviewed from publisher provided advanced copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

I think I first read the Little House on the Prairie series in the summer time, but it is the winter scenes that really stick with me still.  Snow angels and sugaring snow, making pictures in the frost on the window, twisting hay and grinding wheat, Pa getting lost in a snow storm…Maybe because this was so different from my world and yet I felt a kinship with Laura.  I had a sister too, and I loved to run around outside and sometimes it was so hard to be good.

Christmas plays a big role in many of the Little House books.  In Little House in the Big Woods, several chapters are devoted to it, with the cousins visiting and staying the night, stockings and snow candy and presents–Laura’s rag doll Charlotte and Ma’s hand carved little shelf for her china shepherdess.

In Little House on the Prairie, Mary and Laura have resigned themselves to the fact that maybe there would be no Santa this year.  Laura was worried he wouldn’t be able to find them in their new home, and Mary didn’t think Santa and his reindeer could go where there was no snow.  Ma and Pa couldn’t do anything because it had been raining for days, and there was no way to get to town because the creek was overflowing and no one could get across.   Mr. Edwards a bachelor homesteader has been invited to Christmas dinner but it is doubtful he can cross the creek either.  But cross the creek he does, and he carries a package wrapped and tied on his head to keep it dry.  In the package?  Santa’s presents for the girls, for Mr. Edwards met him in Independence and walked back through the rain and flood to deliver their gifts.

In On the Banks of Plum Creek, there was Pa getting lost in a snow storm and ing shelter and eating all the oyster cracker crackers and Christmas candy, special Christmas horses and a beautiful tree filled with gifts and candy at church.  Laura is so happy with her little fur muff, not the least because it is nicer than Nellie’s.

By the Shores of Silver Lake finds the Ingalls wintering in the Surveyor’s house.  Everyone has secrets of presents made and hidden away, and the family is enjoying being warm and snug sharing company and song when the Boasts arrive half frozen from the cold and snow.  Ma again works her magic, making wonderful meals to share and finding gifts for their new friends which she places on the Christmas breakfast table, which sounds just as lovely as hanging stockings.

The hard winter weather of The Long Winter made it hard to feel merry about much, but every time the weather broke and a train got through, it felt like Christmas–letters and papers from back east, a special Christmas barrel full of gifts for everyone, it didn’t matter what day it was.  But the girls and Ma make Christmas special just the same–pooling pennies to buy a present, taking nice things they had made for themselves and giving them to others, Ma makes dinner from the last few cans of oysters from the general store, and Pa even has some Christmas candy to share.

What I take away from these scenes is the true spirit of Christmas, of having a generous soul, a loving heart, and being with family and friends.  It makes me want to reread all the books for the I don’t know which time.

Bibliography: Wilder, Laura Ingalls. (1932).  Little House in the Big Woods. New York: HarperCollins.  ISBN: 978-0061289804 (2007 75th Anniversary hardcover).

—-. (1935). Little House on the Prairie. New York: HarperCollins.  ISBN: 978-0064400022 (1994 paperback).

—-. (1937). On the Banks of Plum Creek. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 978-0064400046 (1953 paperback).

—-. (1939). By the Shores of Silver Lake. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 978-0060581848 (2004 paperback).

—-. (1940). The Long Winter. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN: 978-0060581855 (2004 paperback).

Reviewed from public library copies.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

]]> http://readspace.net/2009/12/holiday-reading-christmas-with-laura/feed/ 0 http://readspace.net/2009/11/review-a-beautiful-place-to-die/ http://readspace.net/2009/11/review-a-beautiful-place-to-die/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:54:23 +0000 Susan http://readspace.net/?p=669 Bibliography:  Nunn, Malla.  (2009).  A Beautiful Place to Die. New York: Atria Books ISBN: 978-1416586203

Plot Summary:  In the early 1950s South Africa where new apartheid laws have recently gone into effect, Detective Sargeant Emmanuel Cooper is called to the small town of Jacob’s Rest when white Afrikaner police captain from a prominent family is found murdered.  The family is sure that one of the coloureds is to blame, but Cooper wonders about the role the Captain’s sons and wife might have played.  Then there is the shy coloured girl and Zulu police officer who know more than they are saying.  Just when it seems like Cooper will win the day, the security branch swoops in, claiming the blame lies with a black Communist radical.  It is up to Cooper to find the real killer, but he will uncover secrets many wish would stay hidden along the way.

Critical Analysis:  I listened to this book on audio CD and I highly recommend that experience.  It allows for the full appreciation of the language and description that Nunn uses and feels authentic, as the reader has a slight accent and beautiful pronunciation of Afrikans and Zulu words and names.  What struck me most about the book was how real everything felt.  The murder, the town, the land, the people even secondary characters are fully described and fleshed out.  The details are what make the story, you can see it, feel it, hear it.  The separation between whites and coloureds, the laws they must obey are in stark contrast to the beautiful setting and wildlife.

Emmanuel Cooper is very compelling, sort of one man fighting for justice against the world, and doesn’t care to make friends with right people or play politics, but yet he displays his loyalty through his actions and determination to make sure the murderer is caught.  In addition, he works on a secondary case at the same time involving coloured women being bothered by a peeping tom, a case the Jacob’s Rest police had let slide earlier.  He is not perfect, haunted by his service in the Second World War, and hiding a secret that could be used against him.

This is the first in a series featuring Cooper, and I am looking forward to reading the next one.

Readalikes:  The Inspector Rutledge historical mystery series by Charles Todd features a detective struggling with his ghosts from World War I and fighting for justice regardless of personal or political consequences.

Review Excerpts: “Nunn’s stellar debut explores a divided society through the frame of a classic murder mystery….Smooth prose and a deft plot make this novel a welcome addition to crime fiction set in South Africa.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“What holds the reader in this debut historical mystery (the first of a projected series about Detective Cooper) is the fabric of secrets and lies, supported by the Immorality Act, which makes it a crime to have sex across the color line….but the story is consistently engaging, with revelations right up until the very end. Born in southern Africa, the author gets the politics exactly right: the farce, cruelty, sorrow, and rebellion in daily life.”–Booklist

Reviewed from public library copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography

Plot Summary:  Mr. Socrates rescued Modo from traveling freak show when he was just a baby.  He recognized his special morphological skill, and had him trained as an agent for his secret society in Victorian London.  Together with another teen agent, Octavia Milkweed, Modo is trying  to solve the mystery of  the city’s orphans that keep disappearing, the threats on the lives of important men, and the kidnapping of the prince.

Critical Analysis:  Full of adventure, hair raising schemes and narrow escapes, the genius of this story lies in how the author takes an almost Victorian Dickensian tale and turns it on its head with the addition of secret societies, conspiracy theories and steampunk elements.  Literary allusions and direct references abound, from the afore mentioned Dickens to the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Frankenstein, making readers familar with them feel as though they are in the know.

But there is more then just adventure here.  Modo is disfigured and hides his face when out in public behind masks or his ability to morph into something other than what he is.  He has feelings for Octavia, but doesn’t think she could love him for what he is.  He and Octavia are fighting on what they consider to be the side of right, but they are not any freer than the orphan children who have been kidnapped by the other side for nefarious purposes.  If the ends are right, are any means justified?  I hope these are themes that Slade continues to explore in the next entry in this series.

Readalikes:  Airborn by Kenneth Oppel tells the story of teenage Matt, a cabin boy on a  luxury cruise ship and his adventures in the air, as this steampunk has dirigibles like the Hindenburg, which makes for fun discoveries of air creatures and fights with air pirate.

My favorite YA steampunk is Mortal Engines and the rest of the Hungry City Chronicles by Philip Reeve.  There was a scorched earth war resulting in land that was mostly unlivable, so survivors live in giant cities on wheels that roll around, looking for other cities to conqueror.  Romance, adventure, bad guys with evil plans who must be stopped by our hero and heroine, the best part is there are three more books in the series.

Not steampunk, but very reminiscent of the feel of some of these titles is Montmorency:  Thief, Liar, Gentleman by Eleanor Updale.  Set in Victorian times in England, Montmorency is a cat burglar who is caught and thrown in jail because he falls and suffers what would have been fatal wounds on a job one evening.  The prison doctor fixes him up with the promise that he can study Montmorency as he heals.  Montmorency assumes a dual persona, gentleman by day, sewer rat and thief by night.

Review Excerpts:  “[A] thrilling tale of an unusual and talented young man caught between two idealistic, ruthless organizations. Fourteen-year-old hunchback Modo has been raised from infancy by Mr. Socrates to use his shape-shifting abilities in service to the Permanent Association, secretive defenders of the status quo in Slade’s steampunk Victorian England….With its self-loathing hero and exploration of themes of identity and self, the novel is more than the straightforward adventure it may appear.–Publisher’s Weekly

“Steampunk is hot, and here the tropes are further enlivened by literary shout-outs….The escape of most of the baddies is almost welcome as it means they can all lock horns again, and the question of whether Modo will show Octavia his true self remains unanswered. An excellent start to a promising new series.”–Kirkus Reviews

Reviewed from author provided advanced copy. Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Plot Summary:  Playwright and mystery writer Josephine Tey is traveling to London to see the last week of her hit play on stage.  On the train she meets a fan, who is found brutally murdered soon after arriving at the station.  Tey’s friend from Scotland Yard, Inspector Archie Penrose is investigating and finds out the victim was adopted.  When a second murder occurs, a link is found to the trench warfare of World War I, and Tey herself may be in danger.

Critical Analysis:  It is always interesting to me when someone builds a mystery series around a real historical figure.  It means the author has to be careful not only in how he or she portrays that character, but also in how events are laid out and unfold.  In the case of Tey, a pseudonym of Scottish author and playwright Elizabeth Mackintosh, the events are not that long ago, and while perhaps not as well known as some, her book, The Daughter of Time is still widely available.  Because of this, Upson has more latitude than if she had chosen a more public figure to helm her series.

The fictional Tey is very engaging, amicable and caring, whether of a fan she just met, old friends, a family in mourning.  The historical and physical setting is also very well done, Upson makes the reader feel as though they were there, at the train station, in the wings of the theater, at the run down flat.  Inspector Archie Penrose is a nice foil to Tey, in that he is rather serious and measured reminding her at every turn to be carful, not to take chances.  (But what kind of mystery would that be?)  Some seasoned mystery readers might see the resolution coming far in advance, but the story is so charming and full of life that I don’ t think most people will care.

Readalikes:  Upson and Tey join a growing group of mystery series set after World War I with detectives still dealing with the ravages of war : The Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear,  Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries by Charles Todd, and the Daisy Darymple series by Carola Dunn.  For a view of the war itself, try Anne Perry’s World War I mystery series.

Review Excerpts:  “While the heroine falls conventionally into the killer’s clutches before a solution many will anticipate, the engaging prose will leave even readers unfamiliar with Tey’s fiction eagerly looking forward to the next in the series.”–Publisher’s Weekly

“Upson’s debut is a most promising valentine.” –Kirkus Reviews

Bibliography

Plot Summary: Four best friends, La Petite Four, are determined that Lady Emily’s father, Lord Southwell, will not ruin their dreams of a lavish coming out ball and season in Regency London by forcing Emily to marry Lord Robert.  So they set out through London to spy on him and find a reason why the marriage should not take place.  Along the way they get into all kinds of mischief, and Emily finds someone she can love.

Critical Analysis: This is a jaunty, fun book that mixes Regency romance with girl power and much lighter in tone than many other recent titles in the same vein.  I suppose the some would argue that girl power was not the thing in Regency England, but having recently reread Pride and Prejudice, I would disagree, seeing as how Elizabeth expresses some of the same ideas as Emily and her friends.

I have seen other reviewers argue that the four girls are somewhat indistinguishable, but I have to disagree with that.  There is scandal in Priscilla’s past that she worries will come out, Ariadne lives to gossip, and Daphne longs too find love if she could only manage to have a conversation dance with someone of the opposite sex.  Along the way, Emily learns something about her self, and it helps her in her other pursuit, becoming a well respected artist who is invited to join an esteemed group of other artists.  In the end, Emily does exhbit the most growth and change.

I think it is easy to dismiss this book as shallow, because it seems like the girls are after one thing, having a lavish ball and they will not be denied.  BUT this story is really about best friends and the bond they share and how determined they are that one of their own will not be forced into a marriage with someone that not only she doesn’t love, but whom they sense is not a very nice person.

I hope that there are plans for more books about La Petite Four, I would definitely put them on my to be read list.

Readalikes: The Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle in which two twin sisters have their coming out.  But they have to be careful to hide their magic powers while uncovering a plot against the royal family.

The charming series of books featuring Kate and Cecelia by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia Wrede.  The first one is Sorcery and Cecelia or the Enchanted  Chocolate Pot.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Review Excerpts: “The language is often poetic, with words such as “reticule” and “puce” and old-fashioned phrases like “havey cavey.” The story line is predictable, with each of the La Petite Four resolving issues cleanly, but readers will push through and find the ending satisfying.”–School Library Journal

“…it contained mystery, suspense, and love. What more could a girl ask for? Regina Scott created a great story where the characters were three-dimensional and you felt like you were walking the cobbled streets of nineteenth-century England.”–TeensReadToo.com

Reviewed from library copy.

Bibliography: George, Jessica Day.  (2009). Princess of the Midnight Ball. New York: Bloomsbury USA Children’s Books. ISBN: 978-1599903224

Plot Summary: Princess Rose and her 11 sisters are exhausted and wearing through a pair of dancing shoes almost every night.  But no one knows how or why.  Others have tried to discover their secret with no success, but Galen, a handsome kind-hearted young soldier with a talent for knitting, has help from unexpected places and both ingenuity and perseverance to discover the truth and help the princesses.

Critical Analysis: This is a wonderful, lush, full, romantic and engaging retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses.  I have read a lot of fairy tales and retold fairy tales.  The public library where I went as a small child had what seemed like a whole shelf of Andrew Lang’s color fairy books.  My grandfather gave my sister and me a set of gilt edged tales, and I don’t know how many versions my mother had in her collection.  I even asked for a complete volume of Grimm’s fairy tales when I was in college for Christmas.  So the story of almost all fairy tales and the dancing princesses were very familiar.  That probably explains why I enjoy retold fairy tales so much.  When I heard this was based The Twelve Princesses, I thought that was interesting, considering that another newish title,  Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier used the same tale of inspiration, and I know that there are many picture book versions, some with twists to the story as well.

What makes George’s unique and so satisfying to read is that she has taken the original Grimm tale and filled in and fleshed out all the details.  If the Grimm version is a penciled sketch, then George has made a lush oil painting full of shadows and light and color and little details.  The soldier has a name and a family that he is looking for and a talent for knitting.  The princesses, especially the older ones have their own personalities, likes, dislikes, wishes.  But all the details fit with the original, even down to the imagined version of Bavaria and the Germanic names and words.  George has taken the story that some readers imagined in their minds and committed it to paper.  And I didn’t want it to end.  I guess I’ll have to go check out Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow and hope that Day has more wonderful retellings waiting in the wings.

Readalikes: Wildwood Dancing, as mentioned above, is another version of the Twelve Dancing Princesses.  For me though, this book reminded me the most of Robin McKinley’s retold tales, especially the earlier ones.  Beauty and Deerskin, and one of the stories in The Door in the Hedge has the dancing princesses as its source as well.  For a series that starts with a retold Grimm’s tale then creates a cast of characters living in a different version of a historical and magical Bavaria, check out Shannon Hale’s The Goose Girl and the rest of the Books of Bayern, Enna Burning, River Secrets, and Forest Born.

Review Excerpts:  “This is a well-realized and fast-paced fantasy-romance that will find favor among fans of fairy tales, feisty heroines, and dashing young men with strength, cunning, and sensitivity.”–Booklist

“As she did so deliciously with 2008’s Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, George takes another fairy tale, “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” and turns it into a rich and engaging novel.”–Kirkus Reviews

Reviewed from public library copy