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    Wildwood Dancing
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    Wildwood Dancing
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    Wildwood Dancing
    Audiobook12 hours

    Wildwood Dancing

    Written by Juliet Marillier

    Narrated by Kim Mai Guest

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    High in the Transylvanian woods, at the castle Piscul Draculi, live five daughters and their doting father. It's an idyllic life for Jena, the second eldest, who spends her time exploring the mysterious forest with her constant companion, a most unusual frog. But best by far is the castle's hidden portal, known only to the sisters. Every Full Moon, they alone can pass through it into the enchanted world of the Other Kingdom. There they dance through the night with the fey creatures of this magical realm.

    But their peace is shattered when Father falls ill and must go to the southern parts to recover, for that is when cousin Cezar arrives. Though he's there to help the girls survive the brutal winter, Jena suspects he has darker motives in store. Meanwhile, Jena's sister has fallen in love with a dangerous creature of the Other Kingdom--an impossible union it's up to Jena to stop.

    When Cezar's grip of power begins to tighten, at stake is everything Jena loves: her home, her family, and the Other Kingdom she has come to cherish. To save her world, Jena will be tested in ways she can't imagine--tests of trust, strength, and true love.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJan 13, 2009
    ISBN9780739379394
    Unavailable
    Wildwood Dancing
    Author

    Juliet Marillier

    Juliet Marillier holds advanced degrees in music and languages, and has had a lifelong passion for both Celtic music and Irish folklore. She is the author of the internationally acclaimed Sevenwaters trilogy, Wolfskin, Foxmask and The Bridei Chronicles. She resides with her family in Perth, Western Australia.

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    Reviews for Wildwood Dancing

    4/5

    565 ratings40 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      This was a sweet story with a wonderful blend of magic, fantasy, forbidden love and suspense. I really like how Marillier can take a child's fairytale and re-tell it to suit an adult audience.
    • 4/5
      Quite a wonderful little book that balanced and incorporated very well both the encounters with the Other Kingdom and the issues facing Jena in reality. A lovely fairytale quality to it, with some great characterisation and established relationships, particularly between Jena and her frog. The only thing that deterred me a little was the final romantic encounter- a bit ick, but what can you expect from a book based on fairytale- there was always going to be a happy ending.
    • 5/5
      Really enjoyable. I admire the way Marillier incorporates legend and myth in her stories, making her imaginary worlds seamlessy believable. Now I must look for Wildwood #2.
    • 5/5
      Listened to this book via audiobook this time ... just as good as I remembered! :) On to the next in the series: Cybele's Secret
    • 5/5
      I absolutely LOVE this book. Readers follow five sisters who every month travel to the Wildwood and dance with the magical creatures that live there. The tale is narrated by Jena who has her own unique story that unfolds throughout the story. Marillier craftily incorporates different mystical creatures in a way that makes this book so different from others. Beautiful writing.
    • 5/5
      A re-telling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses story, and a thumpin' good one. Set in the Carpathian Mountains, it has dancing young ladies, fairy folk, Night People, good guys in disguise, bad guys who think they're the good guys, suspense, a healthy dose of romance (of course), and a helpful and adorable sidekick frog. It felt a bit slow to get going, but once it did, I loved it.
    • 4/5
      It was a great mix of the stories of the twelve dancing princesses, the princess and the frog, and a little bit of romeo and Juliet with a dash of vampires thrown into the old world Romania. A slower read, and dry in some places, but overall a wonderful modern fairy tale.
    • 4/5
      It's the early 1500s in wintery Transylvania, and five sisters are left on their own as their father leaves for the coast for the sake of his health. Second eldest sister Jena is managing the estate and business just fine until their Uncle Nicolae dies. Their cousin Cezar take the opportunity to seize control of their assets and takes over their castle Piscul Draculi. Every full moon, the sisters journey to the Other Kingdom through a portal to dance with various magical creatures. Cezar suspects that they are involved in the Other Kingdom which he blames for the death of his older brother Costi ten years before. Jena tries to warn the magical people's and also stop Tati from seeing Sorrow who lives in the Other Kingdom and whom, Jena suspects, is one of the Night People. Jena's treasured constant companion is a most unusual frog.I like how this book is loosely related to the fairy tales, The Frog Prince and The Twelve Dancing Princesses, as well as cleverly incorporating Transylvanian vampire lore. A good fantasy read.
    • 4/5
      Wonderful retelling of the 12 dancing princesses, set in Transylvania. I was enthralled and it surprised me.
    • 1/5
      Seems like the kind of book I would enjoy but instead I hated it. Its not like, offensively bad, but its pretty bad. I was forcing myself to keep reading most of the way through (400 pages?!) and I didnt particularly like the characters. All the relationships suck and I figured out the end and the twists by halfway through. How did this get so many positive ratings?
    • 5/5
      Originally posted at The Scribbling Sprite.

      Eventually I'll get around to writing a full review in which I praise the content of this book from page 2 to page 400. Not page 1, though. I was rather bored with page 1.

      Right now, I'll just say that I liked it. A lot. More than a lot.

      Except for page 1. 399/400 pages is pretty good though, isn't it?

      **UPDATE:

      For nine years Jena, her sisters, and her beloved enchanted frog have visited the Other Kingdom. Disappearing through a portal in their bedchamber, never have they felt any sense of danger—until the Night People arrived.

      Terrible rumors surround these creatures, and are given all the more credit when their arrival wreaks havoc in both worlds. But the Night People aren't the only ones spelling danger. When the girls' father goes away, their cousin Cezar arrives to help the girls—but Jena's afraid that he's doing more harm than good.

      Feeling the heavy weight of responsibilities thrust upon her all at once, Jena has many decisions to make. Can she trust Cezar? The Night People? Her insticts tell her no.

      What it really boils down to, is can she protect her family, her world, and the Other Kingdom from disaster?

      My review: This is not your average fairy tale. Aside from the enchanted frog, it's a far cry from your favorite Disney Princess movie. Of course, as much as I love Disney, that's a good thing!

      In Wildwood Dancing, Marillier spins together two familiar tales—The Frog Prince and The Twelve Dancing Princesses—while giving them original twists.

      In the Author's Note, Marillier explains some about Transylvanian mythology, which plays an instrumental part in the book. She did a very good job at avoiding stereoypes, especially with the villains(that's Night People, NOT vampires, mind you!), and I really appreciate the authentic feel her research brought to the book.

      The five stars pretty much lay it out for you. I loved this novel. The romance was sweet; the villains suitably distasteful. At first I wasn't sure whether or not to like the controlling cousin, Cezar(Cheh-zahr). One moment I was thinking of how he could be redeemed; the other I was hating his guts. Although, as much as I liked him as a potential “bad guy,” I do wish there would have been more of a spotlight on the Night People, particularly Tadeusz and his...er...sister? Still not clear on that....

      If you're reading this on Goodreads, you might be wondering about that first part of my review. About me disliking the first page? Well, I was serious! It was a bunch of names. Tedious and confusing. Though I must say, technically it was only half a page and, obviously, it picked up for me after that. The names really aren't at all confusing to keep up with(although you may have trouble pronouncing some of them—there is a pronunciation guide). I just wish they weren't all dumped into that first paragraph.

      Enough of that. This is a positive review! Now go read this book! I really do highly recommend it. Especially for lovers of fantasy and fairy tales, and young adults. But don't be put off if you don't normally read YA. You might be surprised by how well written and unique this novel is.

      Lastly, the cover art. It's beautiful.

      Content: Clean!
    • 4/5
      It's the early 1500s in wintery Transylvania, and five sisters are left on their own as their father leaves for the coast for the sake of his health. Second eldest sister Jena is managing the estate and business just fine until their Uncle Nicolae dies. Their cousin Cezar take the opportunity to seize control of their assets and takes over their castle Piscul Draculi. Every full moon, the sisters journey to the Other Kingdom through a portal to dance with various magical creatures. Cezar suspects that they are involved in the Other Kingdom which he blames for the death of his older brother Costi ten years before. Jena tries to warn the magical people's and also stop Tati from seeing Sorrow who lives in the Other Kingdom and whom, Jena suspects, is one of the Night People. Jena's treasured constant companion is a most unusual frog.I like how this book is loosely related to the fairy tales, The Frog Prince and The Twelve Dancing Princesses, as well as cleverly incorporating Transylvanian vampire lore. A good fantasy read.
    • 4/5
      This is the second of the three books I read that retell Grimm's The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Of the three, this one follows the story the least. Only five sisters, and they aren't princesses, merely the daughters of a rich merchant. This story is woven with the Transylvania myths of Baba Yaga and the Vampires, and told from the viewpoint of the second sister. Combine all this with a villain who is thinks he's right, a magic frog and dark promise made as children, and you have a wonderful story. Of the three, this elicited the most emotion and this is the one I stayed up late to read. I connected easily with Jena, the main character, and with her sisters. They danced every night by choice, their dancing a place of refugee and joy amidst a deepening pool of sorrow in the real world. The love was the best kind - a friendship that became love. It was sweet. I highly recommend this work, particularly for those who like myths and fables and talking animals.
    • 5/5
      What a marvel this book was. Truly enchanting, with exquisite descriptions of faerie, a wonderful tale of female friendship and a top-notch feminist-friendly heroine. Lovely romance too. I loved this so much. My first book by Marillier, but certainly not the last.
    • 4/5
      Wildwood Dancing may be, externally, a fairytale retelling, but on a deeper level, it is a commentary on feminism and the role of women. Jena, the main character, is strong and perceptive, but trapped and stifled by her role as a young girl, forced into dependence by the men around her. My feelings about the book are as mixed and torn as Jena is between her roles of subservience and strength.
      The antagonist of the story, Cezar, is actually pretty standard fare for fairytales and romance stories: domineering, controlling, passionate, and angry. Yet although Cezar mouths all of the proper Heathcliffe remarks, despite his "passion" or "love", Jena continues to note how he is driven to stifle and control Jena. Marillier does an absolutely stellar job in capturing the myriad ways in which he seeks to dominate her, including noting each time he physically invades her space--taking her arm, brushing her shoulder, even leaning into her so that their legs touch; for example, "I could feel the imprint of his hand on my waist, like a brand of ownership."

      But this is still a fairytale, so we still have the ridiculously young heroines (ages 15 and 16, no less) seeking and finding their "true loves." We still have women obsessing over dressing and dances and parties and planning to effectively sell themselves as property. We still have "true love" as so important and significant that it makes one girl become detached and withdrawn and starve herself--and apparently that's OK, because it's the prerogative of one in the throes of True Love. I felt, when reading it, like a bemused Elinor watching the starstruck Marianne in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility.
      Overall, I found the story enjoyable, and I loved Jena's strength and sense. The story is a fantastic YA novel, a beautiful blend of fairy tales with themes that are both relevant and articulately delivered.
    • 4/5

      Wildwood Dancing (2006)

      by Juliet Marillier

      11 audio discs
      YA

      "Five sisters who live with their merchant father in Transylvania use a hidden portal in their home to cross over into a magical world, the Wildwood. "

      Every month on the night of the Full Moon, 5 sisters together open a secret portal into the Other Kingdom for a night of dancing among fairies, dwarves and trolls.
      They dance the night through with the fey creatures.
      Father's illness and villainous cousin Cezar complicate life in the Romanian castle.
      Jena, responsible 15 yr old sister narrates and she is a bit unusual because she travels with a confidante frog named Gogu .
      Themes like bravery, betrayal, trust and true love are woven through the tale.
      Each sister is distinctively portrayed.

      The audio presentation enhances the story's enchantment.
      (narration by Kim Mai Guest)

      4*

      "The story of Jena's younger sister Paula continues in Cybele's Secret, a companion to Wildwood Dancing "
    • 3/5
      Three and a half stars. So close to rounding up to four stars but the ending just fell short of that magic. I love this story, I really, really love this story.
      It has all the right touches of a redone fairy tale. Enough newness and enough oldness blended together.
      Jena and her four sisters find a portal to a Dancing Gale every Full Moon, where they slip between being daughters of a manor in the wildwoods and dancers in the Other Realm.
      She's a great protagonist. Practical enough get though the story without idiocies, but romantic enough to bring the romance in the book.

      I knew the big plot twist of Gogu and Costi early in the book because fairy tales do have a certain type of format, but that doesn't make the moment of fruition any less amazing.

      I was enthralled by the world created here. But I thought towards the end the book fell into tropes and cliches and a lot of false dialogue. The tasks that Sorrow had to fulfill was just ridiculous because it had no meaning behind them. I didn't like how Jena turned into a empty headed romantic later in the book.
      I really didn't like the whole idea of "believing in true love" to survive. That just felt cliche and pointless except to drive across the idea of love love love.
      It could have been done a lot more subtly, in my opinion.
      The book couldn't seem to end itself without a lot of fairy tale cliches, and that was the problem. I would have liked to see something more realistic, or more appropriate for this book that is set in a more real world scene rather than a fairy world scene. it just didn't fit.

      But overall, I am so glad I read this book. It's been a long time since I've read such a great rewrite of a fairy tale. Reminded me a little of Entwined.

      Three and a half stars but rounded down to three because I love love this book, but thought it had a weak conclusion. Very much recommended for people who love fairy tales.
    • 4/5
      4.5 stars15-year old Jena is the second of five sisters. All five, on nights where there is a full moon, find their way to a portal to the “Other Kingdom”, another world where they are able to dance the night away. Tati is one year older than Jena and falls for one of the “Night People” from the Other Kingdom, but the tales of the Night People are scary, so Jena is worried for her sister. In the regular world, their father is ill, so their cousin Cezar steps in to take over the girls' father's business, despite their father's wish that his perfectly capable daughters take care of things. This surprised me! I really, really liked this. I loved Gogu, Jena's pet frog! There were fairy tale elements that I hadn't expected, and although I often am not a fantasy fan, I do like fairy tales. I enjoyed this so much and I kept wanting to read. I will definitely be reading the next in the series, and will likely try other books by this author, as well. I also found the author's note at the end interesting. She talked a little bit about Transylvania (where it was set), mythology and vampires.
    • 3/5
      I'd rate this 3 1/2 stars.

      This is the story of Jena, her enchanted frog, and her 4 sisters. It is a full length fairy tale and is well told. It evoked emotion in me, most often frustration for Jena over Cezar's doings, and frustration with Jena over her reaction to Gogu's transformation, but I also experienced Jena's wonder and the magic of the Dancing Glade along with Jena and her sisters.

      I enjoyed this story, and although it is a fairy tale, I'm not sure I would categorize it as a YA novel. Although there was nothing specifically in it to categorize it as an adult novel, (i.e. no sex, extreme violence, foul language, etc.) I felt the story to be far more maturely written than I would expect in a YA novel.
    • 5/5
      I don't know if I'm just getting better at this, but I predicted everything that would happen by (about) the second chapter; so I'd be dishonest if I didn't call this book predictable. Usually when I can see what's comming I lose interest but not with this book. I love this book. The writing is excellent the characters developed and the story captivating.
    • 3/5
      Wildwood Dancing is a very interesting blend of several different fairytales and folklore: the seven dancing princesses, the princess and the frog, stories of vampires and fairies. I love fairytale retellings, and it was interesting to see the way these were all put together in a reasonably historical framework, in Romania -- with strong touches of realism, when the girls were going about their ordinary lives.

      Unfortunately, for me, there was something all too predictable about it. I'd answered all the questions long before the narrator, Jena, even thought to ask them. I knew the identity of Gogu, and what Cezar had done, and what would happen to Costi... At some point, I've read a book very like this, or enough books that were like this to tie them all together and make an Ur-Wildwood Dancing in my head! That made it rather less fun for me, since I knew how it would all go and I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop, constantly.

      With that in mind, I'm not sure how much I actually enjoyed reading it. Everything just seemed so familiar -- and I'm absolutely positive I haven't read it before. If you enjoy fairytale retellings, I think it's worth a try, and I haven't been put off Juliet Marillier entirely: I'm going to read Cybele's Secret, at least, which is the sequel to this. I'm told the narrator is one of the sisters from this story, but not Jena. I wanted more depth in Paula, Iulia and Stela, so perhaps Cybele's Secret will provide. If not, I'll give one of her other books from a different series a try, and then perhaps give it up if that doesn't work out... I really want to like what Marillier does -- and in some ways, her work reminds me of Robin McKinley's: that was a part of the familiarity I had with the writing, I think -- but this was just too, too predictable for me.
    • 4/5
      (4.5 stars) Unexpectedly excellent. I read Daughter of the Forest by the same author, which was decent but with several major flaws. But I'm happy to say I loved pretty much everything about Wildwood Dancing - it has some of the best characters, writing and plot that I've seen in any YA novel for a very long time.
    • 4/5
      Summary: Jena and her sisters have always been warned to stay out of the woods surrounding their home: dangerous creatures live there, and their cousin Costi drowned in a pond during a childish game. However, the five girls have a secret - on the full moon, they're able to open a portal into the faerie woods, for a night of dancing and celebration with the folk of the forest. When Jena is 15, though, their father becomes ill and is taken to the coast for the winter to recover his health. Jena tries to keep things in order, but her sister has fallen for a mysterious and potentially dangerous man she met at one of the full-moon dances; her cousin Cezar seems intent on taking over not only the household, but also the lives of the girls; fear among the neighbors, drummed up by Cezar, is threatening the future of the Wildwood; and the only friend Jena has to turn to is her pet frog, Gogu. How can she manage to save not only herself and her sisters, but also the entirety of the faerie realm?Review: This book had a lot of things going for it - most prominently the way it wove together a number of fairy tales into one historical Eastern European backdrop - and there wasn't anything really wrong with it. However, I felt like it always was missing some spark that would make truly unputdownable, and as a result, while I enjoyed it, I felt like it could have been more than it was.The characterizations were well-done; Jena was a independent but not infallible narrator, her sisters all had distinct (if somewhat two-dimentional) personalities, and Cezar was a realistically drawn but still incredibly menacing villain. (Not that he starts out as a bad guy - Cezar's motivations and decisions, and the path on which they lead him, form one of the most complex and fascinating aspects of the book.) The relationships among the characters felt real, with a good eye for some of the more subtle nuances that could easily have been ignored. The fairy realm was also well done, with a clear sense of magic and wonder, but also a distinct undercurrent of danger and darkness, where bargains must be carefully worded, and every gift has its price. I also really enjoyed all of the elements of various fairy tales that cropped up throughout, and how Marillier managed to make the entire book fit the rhythm and feel of the old stories. However, this also worked against the novel: because the rhythm of fairy tales is so familiar, it meant that the ending of this one was pretty predictable, even from fairly early on. That meant that at times this book felt kind of slow, and parts where Jena was pondering the identity of the green-eyed man from her visions, or waffling about what to do about her sisters felt overly dragged-out, since the answer should be obvious to anyone who was ever told a bedtime story. Technically, since Jena was living at a time when such stories were still being written, I can't really fault her for not knowing, but I still felt like there were places where I wanted the story to get to the point a little faster. I listened to the audio version of this book, and I had somewhat of a mixed reaction. Kim Mai Guest does a nice job of differentiating the voices, and providing an appropriately-froggy-but-not-overly-silly voice for Gogu. It was also nice to hear all of the names pronounced correctly... but she also frequently carried that pronunciation over into the rest of the prose, so that many lines were read with a vaguely Eastern European accent, but some were not. It was distracting, more so than it would have been to have the whole thing read in an unaccented voice, and makes me inclined to recommend the text version rather than the audio. 3.5 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: For fans of fairy tale retellings, especially those in a realistic historical setting, it's definitely worth trying.
    • 4/5
      The main drift of the story follows the five sisters, who live in the Transylvanian countryside, fending for themselves for the winter as their merchant father travels to warmer weather for his health. More specifically, it follows the second oldest sister, Jena, who is in charge of the family business while their father is away, with support from her uncle's family who live nearby. Unfortunately, her cousin's idea of help is to take control of the household of girls, and to pursue his goal of clearing the woods to take revenge on its supernatural inhabitants for the death of his older brother when they were kids. This threatens the household and their trips to the other kingdom to dance every full moon, as well as their independence and hopes for the future. The book feels increasingly suffocating as the the smart, practical and independent Jena and her sisters find themselves increasingly controlled, and face how little power they have as women in their time period. These are the books that made me cry as a kid, the infuriating and senseless injustice of someone abusing their power over others. It makes for a similar reaction as an adult, the same helpless feeling of suffocation. Jena battles with her cousin and works to look after her sisters as events in the both worlds lead to a crisis, with the help of her frog. Did I mention there's a love story?There's a lot going on, and its a great fairy tale, coming-of-age story. Some parts of the plot and exposition felt a bit rushed toward the end, and the characters had a couple of moments of not noticing the obvious, but overall really enjoyed this book. I liked the love story, and I liked the relationship between the sisters. Though some the sisters were in danger of seeming two-dimensional at times- the smart one, the flighty one, the baby- for the most part this was avoided due to the clearly strong relationship they had, which allowed them to be fleshed out, and this relationship is sketched in well, the sisterly love, tensions and all.
    • 5/5
      can't explain, it's amazing, love love love it!
    • 5/5
      Wildwood Dancing is retold fairy tale set in Romania of a century ago. Five sisters (beautiful Tati; sensible Jena, who narrates the story; lively Iulia; smart Paula and young Stela) are left to take care of their estate, Piscul Dracului, when their father travels south for his health. They try to go on with their lives as before: doing chores, watching over his mercantile business, and sneaking out of their bedroom once a month through a secret portal that lead to a fairy realm where they dance until dawn. But when Tati begins to show feelings for a potentially dangerous creature from the Other Kingdom, and the girls’ cousin, Cezar, shows up to take over the affairs of the castle, Jena begins to fear that the world she knows is falling apart. With her best friend, a talking frog named Gogu, at her side, Jena struggles to maintain her independence and control while keeping her family together and her fairy friends safe. Wildwood Dancing retells the classic Twelve Dancing Princesses, as well as weaving in other traditional tales and bits of mythology in an interesting and clever way. Marillier’s use of Romania as a setting provides great depth to the story, layering in interesting culture and an appropriately untamed setting. Her writing is well-suited to the story, making it lush and fully fleshed out. The world she creates and the characters who inhabit it are detailed and dynamic, and though some things work out a little too conveniently and quickly for all the build-up, the story is enchanting and I was sad when it was over. Perfect for those who love retold fairy tales, historical and paranormal romance, and strong female characters. (On a personal note, I want my own Gogu)
    • 4/5
      Wildwood Dancing is a retelling of the fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses with The Frog Prince and vampires put in as well. Jena is the heroine of the story, her and her four sisters are left alone in their home when their father becomes ill and must go to a warmer climate for the winter. They are left to endure the harsh Romanian winter with only the help of their cousin, Cezar. The only true enjoyment they find in their lives is every full moon they pass through a magical portal to an enchanted place called the Other Kingdom where they spend the night dancing with magical creatures. Joining the sisters to this kingdom is Gogu, Jena's constant companion, a pet frog that she carries in her pocket who can speak to her. Of course Jena must face trouble and they are found in her sisters falling in love with one of the magical people and her cousin Cezar taking more control from her and taking more power over the family. I thougth this was good retelling of some well known fairy tales. Juliet Marillier does a good job of describing the Other Kingdom and the creatures the sisters find there. These were the best parts of the book. Cezar made a very believable villain and there was lots of tension in the book because of him that made it more interesting. The vampires were shown in a little different light and really just played minor characters in the book. The one thing that I really didn't care for was the love story between Jena's sister Tatiana and Sorrow. Tatiana spends most of the book pining for Sorrow and is no help to her sisters at all. Other than that it was fun to read this fairy tale story.
    • 3/5
      Not sure how to rate this. Somewhere around 3.5 stars rounded up to generous 4 I guess?I really do like Juliet Marillier's writing, even though it always takes me a while to get into any of her books. I like how descriptive and atmospheric her stories are. Wildwood Dancing offers an interesting blend of traditional fairy tales (The Twelve Dancing Princesses and The Frog Prince) and Transylvanian vampire lore. The characters are likable - the heroines are strong and resourceful, the heroes valiant and loving, the villains sufficiently despicable. And of course, there is always LOVE, a sweet and touching type of love.I am starting to see a bit of a pattern in Marillier's books though. The story here is basically the same as I've read in her first 2 Sevenwaters books - the same cast of characters - a self-sufficient heroine, a suddenly weakened father, loving siblings, fairies, a family member villain, etc. The main conflict always has something to do with fairy games and the human villain trying to force himself on the heroine.This particular story is also a little bit convoluted and muddy. I never got the clear picture what happened and why. Jena and her sisters, when her father is absent, start experiencing troubles in both fairy realm and real world. Then these difficulties are all resolves, but interestingly enough, without any kind of effort on the sisters' part. Basically, a witch messed with them all and then all her spells are gone. All that the sisters need to do is endure and wait for changes to come. It's just weird.And then some actions by the main character - Jena - are strange too. I often didn't understand why exactly she did certain things. For example, her sexist pig cousin tries to take away the authority Jena has over her household and her father's business' finances, and all she does is argue with him without actually exercising the power she has to stop him. And it happens on several occasions. So, you see, she is pretty much all talk no game. It is frustrating. And then the way she reacts to her best friend's transformation doesn't make sense either.Now, looking over my review, I think I am going to downgrade my rating to 3 stars. I am, however, still very much interested in reading the sequel - Cybele's Secret.
    • 5/5
      I'll write this when I'm sober... buuuuut it was AWESOME!!
    • 3/5
      Juliet Marillier throws everything but the proverbial kitchen sink into Wildwood Dancing. Like Kinuko Y. Craft’s inspired cover art, the novel is a whirlwind combination of various themes and motifs. Mostly it is a retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” but there are also elements of “The Frog Prince,” vampire lore, the Fey, and other legends.In a Transylvanian castle live the five daughters of an ailing merchant: Tatiana, a dreamy beauty; Jenica, our headstrong heroine; Iulia, a typical, petulant teenager; Paula, bookish and plain; and five-year-old Stela, full of wonder and love. Every Full Moon the sisters go through a portal into the Other Kingdom, and spend a night in Dancing Glade. But after their father leaves to spend the winter in the south, it looks as though both their domestic tranquility and visits to the Other Kingdom may be in serious danger. Their cousin Cezar has begun infringing upon their privacy: he evidently wishes to take over the farm and destroy the Wildwood while he’s at it. Meanwhile, the Night People have come to Dancing Glade, bringing with them a young man named Sorrow, who falls for Tati. Luckily Jena has her trusty frog Gogu with her to sort things out, although she is beginning to have her doubts even about him....Though Marillier’s prose is mostly unobtrusive, there are some little gems here: for example, when she says that the Night People “moved to some silent, dark music that was all their own,” or describes the forest folk’s beauty as lacking “the flaws that give individuals character.” Marillier was probably wise in reducing the number of “princesses” to five; even then, making each unique and interesting is a challenge, but she manages nicely. Unfortunately, the two romances are not quite as convincing, mostly because she devotes comparatively little time to them.Neither do the villains pose much of a threat: both Cezar and the Night People drop out of the story long before they should have, and Cezar was two-dimensional to begin with. On reflection, he’s really less of a character and more of a means for Marillier (and Jena) to speechify on the need for acceptance and the value of women: admirable notions, to be sure, but a trifle anachronistic given the medieval setting.The ending is exactly the sort I dislike, not because it is bittersweet—I love a good bittersweet ending, the kind that makes you walk around for hours afterwards with a lump in your throat—but because it seems so pointless. Really, why?In spite of these quibbles, I did enjoy Wildwood Dancing, although not as much as I would have liked. I would recommend it to fans of YA fairytale retellings, and look forward to reading more from this author.