Book Review: The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: September 2011
Pages: 336
Source: Review copy from publisher
For: Review

Summary (from goodreads):

In the fifteenth-century kingdom of Sylvania, the prince offers a fabulous reward to anyone who cures the curse that forces the princesses to spend each night dancing to the point of exhaustion. Everyone who tries disappears or falls into an enchanted sleep.

Thirteen-year-old Reveka, a smart, courageous herbalist’s apprentice, decides to attempt to break the curse despite the danger. Unravelling the mystery behind the curse leads Reveka to the Underworld, and to save the princesses, Reveka will have to risk her soul.

Things I Liked:
This was definitely not the same kind of twelve dancing princesses retelling I've read before. I loved Reveka and how her story played out. It was well written and interesting and I liked how unique it felt despite being a retelling. At times, it felt a little mature for the cover and recommended ages, but rather more like the way an original fairy tale would go. Also, it almost felt like two stories, what with the second part being quite different from the first.  I believe it was two stories being retold and there was a definite separation point (sort of a Persephone retelling, though the description says it's Beauty and the Beast). But overall, different and good!

Things I Didn't Like:
I had a hard time getting into the story at first, and I was also a bit put out at first after the first half of the story sort of ended and the second half began.  Those two halves seemed a little mismatched, but I still enjoyed them both.

Read-alikes:
Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

BOOK CONTENT RATINGS:
s-factor: none
that I recall

mrg-factor: X
just a little bit of talk

v-factor: ->
a few more frightening moments

Overall rating: ****

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