thewildnorry's review
5.0
“They had secrets, selves they kept hidden.”
The Twelve Dancing Princesses has always been my favorite fairytale. It's a mystery and fantasy all wrapped up into one. It's not a love story. Instead, it's one of the original stories of a strong sisterhood--predating Frozen and Lilo and Stitch. And yet for some reason this story often goes unread or gets forgotten.
Andrea Blythe's stories (because to me they read more like poetically written stories than stories wrapped in poems) honors the original tale while exploring the favored question of modern fairytale fans "What comes next?"
Story-wise, I loved how each sister spiraled in different directions after having their secret found out. It showed how there's not just one way to react to misfortune befalling.
Additionally, if you have not read the Twelve Dancing Princesses, Blythe does an excellent job at summing up the story without it feeling entirely like boring exposition to get on with the rest of the book.
But this book's greatest victory was at guiding the readers through a feminist reading without ever making them roll their eyes or feeling like they're being preached at. The misogyny of fairytales is there and treated as a fact that the sisters must sidestep or sigh and fight against. It does not have the warriors mentality but rather that of an every day woman going against the subtle bs of a world that's not fair. It felt more like a shared joke between the narrator and reader over the foolishness of men underestimating women as the reader no doubt would never do. An example from page 3 and a call-back to the original fairytale: "The soldier, we note, did not credit the old woman on the road, who had ensured this success by warning him to avoid the drugged wine and gifting him a cloak of invisibility."
The message does not get in the way of the story or its telling. Rather, it is amplified through the stories of the characters. Other authors should take notes!
She also plays with cliches and tropes like a master. They are there but tilted and used to leverage or understanding and preconceptions of the trope to place us in the group of characters underestimating these princesses.
Writerly-wise, this book was HEAVEN to read. I adored the cheeky narrative voice threaded throughout the prologue and some of the following chapters. (See the above quote.)
Blythe uses words the way a poet does (thus the categorization of these stories as poems), but bends language so it's easy for prose readers to navigate. (I myself am one such reader.) It wanted to pick out my favorite sentences to prove this point, but it was difficult given that there were so many.
Each word in this book is chosen on purpose. All of the verbs are powerful and poignant. She also uses sentence structure and punctuation to her advantage and to clearly convey certain ideas and emotions and to build a scene. For example,
This is a beautiful work. A literary masterpiece minus the pretension. I can't wait to read it again and again and again.
(Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!)
The Twelve Dancing Princesses has always been my favorite fairytale. It's a mystery and fantasy all wrapped up into one. It's not a love story. Instead, it's one of the original stories of a strong sisterhood--predating Frozen and Lilo and Stitch. And yet for some reason this story often goes unread or gets forgotten.
Andrea Blythe's stories (because to me they read more like poetically written stories than stories wrapped in poems) honors the original tale while exploring the favored question of modern fairytale fans "What comes next?"
Story-wise, I loved how each sister spiraled in different directions after having their secret found out. It showed how there's not just one way to react to misfortune befalling.
Spoiler
Their ends are also so bittersweet. For the most part, they are free to live the lives they choose for themselves, but the reader is left wondering if this truly counts as a happy ending.Additionally, if you have not read the Twelve Dancing Princesses, Blythe does an excellent job at summing up the story without it feeling entirely like boring exposition to get on with the rest of the book.
But this book's greatest victory was at guiding the readers through a feminist reading without ever making them roll their eyes or feeling like they're being preached at. The misogyny of fairytales is there and treated as a fact that the sisters must sidestep or sigh and fight against. It does not have the warriors mentality but rather that of an every day woman going against the subtle bs of a world that's not fair. It felt more like a shared joke between the narrator and reader over the foolishness of men underestimating women as the reader no doubt would never do. An example from page 3 and a call-back to the original fairytale: "The soldier, we note, did not credit the old woman on the road, who had ensured this success by warning him to avoid the drugged wine and gifting him a cloak of invisibility."
The message does not get in the way of the story or its telling. Rather, it is amplified through the stories of the characters. Other authors should take notes!
She also plays with cliches and tropes like a master. They are there but tilted and used to leverage or understanding and preconceptions of the trope to place us in the group of characters underestimating these princesses.
Writerly-wise, this book was HEAVEN to read. I adored the cheeky narrative voice threaded throughout the prologue and some of the following chapters. (See the above quote.)
Blythe uses words the way a poet does (thus the categorization of these stories as poems), but bends language so it's easy for prose readers to navigate. (I myself am one such reader.) It wanted to pick out my favorite sentences to prove this point, but it was difficult given that there were so many.
Each word in this book is chosen on purpose. All of the verbs are powerful and poignant. She also uses sentence structure and punctuation to her advantage and to clearly convey certain ideas and emotions and to build a scene. For example,
Spoiler
the second sister who cannot stop dancing has her story told all in one sentence.This is a beautiful work. A literary masterpiece minus the pretension. I can't wait to read it again and again and again.
(Thank you so much to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!)
scburhans's review
5.0
This book was nothing like what I expected, but it was still amazing! I'm not sure if it was the formatting on my phone (read through the Kindle app), but the poems felt less like poems and more like short stories. Not complaining, though, they were still amazing. I was surprised, however, that the poems were only based off of The Twelve Dancing Princesses - for some reason, I though it was going to be based off of 12 different fairytales. I must not have read the description very well. Still, the poems were beautiful and they gave so much more depth to characters that were just glanced over originally. I also really enjoyed the feminist take on the story as well. Definitely one of my favorite poetry collections!
Read for the 2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge, Prompt: The shortest book on your TBR list
Read for the 2021 Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge, Prompt #33: A collection of short stories, essays, or poetry
Read for the 2021 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge, Prompt: The shortest book on your TBR list
Read for the 2021 Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge, Prompt #33: A collection of short stories, essays, or poetry
readingisadoingword's review
4.0
Twelve by Andrea Blythe
Although this books describes itself as being twelve poems, they are more like short stories.
Inspired by the fairytale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, this short book looks at the tale from a different persepctive. Rather than following the "hero", here we look at the sisters.
How would they feel to have their nights of dancing ended?
Each sister has her own dedicated story - they turn to alchemy, study, adventure, revenge - each sister follows her own path.
The tales also retained teh tone and feeling of fairytales and fables.
I really enjoyed this and would recommend for anyone who enjoys Kirsty Logan or Jen Campbell.
I received this as an eBook from Netgalley on exchange for an honest review.
Although this books describes itself as being twelve poems, they are more like short stories.
Inspired by the fairytale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, this short book looks at the tale from a different persepctive. Rather than following the "hero", here we look at the sisters.
How would they feel to have their nights of dancing ended?
Each sister has her own dedicated story - they turn to alchemy, study, adventure, revenge - each sister follows her own path.
The tales also retained teh tone and feeling of fairytales and fables.
I really enjoyed this and would recommend for anyone who enjoys Kirsty Logan or Jen Campbell.
I received this as an eBook from Netgalley on exchange for an honest review.
bookworm_marija's review
3.0
I found this copy on Netgalley and was super intrigued to read it! Definitely not disappointed. Every page was magical describing the twelve sisters, the powers they hold and how each have a different way about life after the entrance was sealed with an iron door to the magical underworld. One sister learned how to poison and alchemy, the twin sisters began stealing, another sister simply chose a life surrounded by books while another found comfort exploring the love of baking and then falling in love with the cook and sharing warm evenings together. I would say that these are not poems but more like short stories. I would love to see this expanded into a larger novel since there are so many fantastic possibilities that can emerge! The author's explanation in the end was a very nice finishing touch over viewing parts we may have missed or what the author wanted us to take away from the story.
amandapgold's review
3.0
**I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
I liked this book, however it does not read as poetry to me. It seemed like mini-stories. One-three pages on what happened to each of the 12 sisters. I liked that the author explored what happened to each sister and felt like looking at the many paths women take in their everyday lives. Some became wives, mothers, lovers, explorers, hunters, loners, etc. Some followed convention and others made their own path. It was a cute read and would recommend to those who enjoy fairytales with strong women characters.
I liked this book, however it does not read as poetry to me. It seemed like mini-stories. One-three pages on what happened to each of the 12 sisters. I liked that the author explored what happened to each sister and felt like looking at the many paths women take in their everyday lives. Some became wives, mothers, lovers, explorers, hunters, loners, etc. Some followed convention and others made their own path. It was a cute read and would recommend to those who enjoy fairytales with strong women characters.
bookishkate517's review
3.0
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This collection of poems was so cute! These poems read more as short stories rather than poems. All of these stories were written in a way that left them open to be added on to. It would be super interesting to see if this author takes one of these poems and writes a full length story.
This collection of poems was so cute! These poems read more as short stories rather than poems. All of these stories were written in a way that left them open to be added on to. It would be super interesting to see if this author takes one of these poems and writes a full length story.
samanthaisonline's review
3.25
I love fairytale retellings. I especially love fairytale retellings that return a sense of agency to the too-often-ignored female characters. Thus I was immediately drawn to this poetic retelling of the 12 dancing princesses.
Blythe makes some interesting points, especially in the author's note at the end. However, the stories weren't quite poems - they were more similar to a couple of paragraphs per princess. The writing, though beautiful, was a bit strange. A smidgen too short to feel complete but too long to be what one usually thinks of as a poem.
There is some beautiful writing and some interesting characterization:
"When she was young, she ate apples whole, swallowing the core and bitter seeds along with the white flesh. Her sisters joked that a tree would take root and grow inside her. Now, as her belly swelled, her sisters whispered behind her hands, not quite meeting her eyes."
Personally, I enjoyed the "The Eighth and Ninth Sisters," "The Tenth Sister," and the beginning of "The Fifth Sister" the most. I say the beginning of that one because it felt like Blythe lost steam near the end of most of the poems, going from concrete and beautifully written characterizations to not-quite sticking the landing.
(A couple small notes. One, it strikes me as odd that a story meant to be centering the princesses doesn't give any of them names. Additionally, the last poem implies that the fairies were bad/draining the women's life force - does that not technically absolve the king of some of the blame, if his actions did protect his daughters? Just a thought.)
*Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
Blythe makes some interesting points, especially in the author's note at the end. However, the stories weren't quite poems - they were more similar to a couple of paragraphs per princess. The writing, though beautiful, was a bit strange. A smidgen too short to feel complete but too long to be what one usually thinks of as a poem.
There is some beautiful writing and some interesting characterization:
"When she was young, she ate apples whole, swallowing the core and bitter seeds along with the white flesh. Her sisters joked that a tree would take root and grow inside her. Now, as her belly swelled, her sisters whispered behind her hands, not quite meeting her eyes."
Personally, I enjoyed the "The Eighth and Ninth Sisters," "The Tenth Sister," and the beginning of "The Fifth Sister" the most. I say the beginning of that one because it felt like Blythe lost steam near the end of most of the poems, going from concrete and beautifully written characterizations to not-quite sticking the landing.
(A couple small notes. One, it strikes me as odd that a story meant to be centering the princesses doesn't give any of them names. Additionally, the last poem implies that the fairies were bad/draining the women's life force - does that not technically absolve the king of some of the blame, if his actions did protect his daughters? Just a thought.)
*Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
stregamorte's review
5.0
This collection was just want I wanted. We follow each sister of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" in the aftermath of their discovery. It had been years since I've read the fairy tale, but Blythe gives a rendition in her prologue. I loved how unique each sister's tale was, and you really got a sense of how each was their own independent individual. Often in fairy tales women/sisters often get lumped together as a homogeneous group, in this collection Blythe gives them all their own voices.