Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

Food to Eat While Reading:  Rose Orange Julius

I thought about Princess of the Midnight Ball when I wasn’t reading it and even dreamed about it once while taking a nap. The fact that the story crossed over into my daily life means the author was successful in getting her characters into my head. This re-telling of the twelve dancing princesses is a quick and enjoyable read.

Read the synopsis here

What I liked:

The writing felt effortless and flowed nicely. I soon forgot all about the author behind the scenes and immersed myself in Roses’ story.

The tale evolved so naturally, and with such creativity that I can hardly believe it was a fairy re-telling.

Jessica Day George handled the many sisters very well, giving most of them unique personalities and letting others fade into the background appropriately.

I loved Gaven, a humble, wool-knitting, gardener who had the courage to face powerful magic for his princess.

The use of German names added a sense of place.

The ending was lovely-all the ends were tied into a neat bow and it left me satisfied and happy. The side plot of Lily and Heinrich added a sweet dimension that made the ending that much more enjoyable.

What I was unsure of:

Many times the power of names was spoken of in the book. When it came down to it, I was disappointed with how the characters used the power that a name can have to deal with the evil in the book. I had been waiting for a powerful symbol of truth and ended up being a bit disappointed.

The verdict:

Princess of the Midnight Ball is a lovely read for anyone who enjoys a cleverly re-told fairytale. A “curl up with a good book” kind of read.

Purchase: Princess of the Midnight Ball

Genre: YA, fantasy
Publisher: Hardcover, 280 pages, January 20th 2009 by Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
Where I got the book: Library