Diane ZahlerReviews

A retelling of The Princess and the Pea couched in the traditions of Norse Myths and fairy kings and changelings. There were some fun twists involved, too.

For years, a certain king hoped for a son to inherit his crown. As each successive daughter is born, the king became angrier with his wife for her failure to produce an heir. The queen dies when Zita, the thirteenth daughter, is born. Unable to bear the child’s presence, the king sends her to live with the house servants. So, from a young age, Zita assists the cook and helps with other household chores. One day, when Zita is seven, Cook lets it slip that Zita is a princess. After this, Zita begins paying close attention to her father and her twelve sisters who knew about her birth. When the princesses discover a hidden dumbwaiter that leads from their bedroom to the kitchen’s pantry, Zita begins spending every Sunday night with her sisters in their room. After a while, Zita notices her princesses’ tattered dancing slippers. Something is making them so exhausted that, one-by-one, they begin to fall ill. One night at midnight, Zita, Breckin, the king’s stable boy and Zita’s friend, and Milek, Breckin’s soldier brother, follow the twelve sisters down the dumbwaiter into the bowels of the castle. They find an enchanted world where the princesses are forced to dance for hours. This unrelenting scene repeats itself every night. Zita steals some stationary from her father and writes letters in his name soliciting help from princes in the neighboring kingdoms. The king finds her closing the letters with the royal seal and throws them into the fire. In desperation, Zita, Breckin, and Milek turn to an old witch, who lives in an enchanted cottage in the king’s forest, for help. They discover that someone very close to the princesses is to blame for the enchantment and manage to break the spell before it is too late.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

I am a sucker for kids' books set in the middle ages, and I find the terrifying stories of plague times fascinating. I really enjoyed this one -- the setting is unusual, spanning Norway, Frisia, France and England. the characters are believable, interesting and likeable. I loved the LGBTQ representation, and it seemed solid on most details. I do feel like there was rather a lot of new clothing that miraculously fits and an odd notion that guests of the Pope in Avignon would not wear/bring their eating knives to dinner, but I'm willing to believe that these were things the author researched. It was highly adventurous -- from ship to witches to wreck and troubadours and wealthy princes of the church, but it was also very emotionally satisfying. The book really shines as Rype begins to process her trauma, and as the world wavers between overwhelming grief and fear and the need to live and continue on.

Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss

A traumatized young Norwegian girl is discovered by English sailors and taken aboard. Mute at first, the girl - they call her Rype - slowly begins to learn their language and communicate, especially with the shipmaster's son, Owen. But the plague that killed off everyone in her village is on the ship as well, and Rype and Owen go ashore when the sailors turn on them after the death of his father, and try to make their way back to Owen's home together. Northern ports are closed, so they journey south through France toward Marseilles. Along the way, they meet up with troubadors Raymond and Jacme, and Jacme's twin sister, troubaritz Ysabella. They entertain their way through cities and towns, sometimes escaping danger, other times being sheltered in abbeys or palaces. Although Owen wants to bring Rype home with him as a sister - assuming his mother and younger sister Alice are still alive - but Rype eventually realizes she loves the life of a troubaritz, and decides to stay with Ysabella and Raymond. In a sweet coda years later, Rype and Owen are reunited.

For a novel pervaded by the horrors of death, Rype's story is ultimately one of survival and hope.

See also: The Book of Boy

Quotes

Everybody died; how could I have forgotten that? How stupid, to love someone - anyone - who would suffer unbearably and then die. (28)

It doesn't take long for people to turn on one another....Mama says people must always have someone to blame. (33)

"We have nothing, but we have no choice. So whatever happens happens, and we will simply do our best." (Owen to Rype, 46)

"Men do not know what to do when they are not at war." (Raymond, 79)

"You have such a funny way of looking at things...Everything is new for you." (Owen to Rype, 84)

I liked this idea, that people were the same everywhere. I liked the way Owen saw the world. It wasn't all new to him, for he'd traveled far, but he noticed things. He thought about them. (86)

My own burdens were so heavy, and I feared that speaking of hem would make their weight even harder to bear. (103)

Perhaps what I'd always thought bad and good meant, what I had been taught they meant, wasn't entirely true. But then what was true? How could you tell good from bad? (136)

"Reason can't reason with love" (Owen, 138)

"...I got sick. I was afraid - I knew I would die. I knew it! Everybody died. But I lived. I didn't know why. I still don't know why." (Rype to Ysabella, 214)

""Everybody has a story....But yours is yours alone..." (Ysabella to Rype, 215)

But I had learned that was what always happened. People died, and those remaining tried to live. (254)

"There's no one else to tell us what to do anymore - no parents, no elders, no priests. We have to choose our ways ourselves." (Owen to Rype, 279)

Lizzie and Minka, Minka and Lizzie -- that's the way it's always been. They're more than sisters, they're best friends. Their differences in personality balance each other out: Minka is extraverted and charming, while Lizzie is empathic and easily overwhelmed by sensory input. That's why Minka takes on chores like going to the market each week to sell the family's crops, while Lizzie prefers to help her parents around the farm. One week, Minka returns with a strange tale: a beautiful boy with a table full of fruit of all kinds, in season and out, who singled her out and gave her a taste of his wares. Minka can't wait to see him again, but Lizzie is concerned about this sudden infatuation. Emil, the handsome stranger, is all Minka seems to be able to think about. After Minka's next visit to the market, she has more tales of Emil's sweet words and strange fruit, but she soon falls into an illness that Lizzie is convinced has something to do with Minka's obsession. Can Lizzie find the courage to rescue her sister?

Zahler, one of the most prolific authors of fairy tale retellings for children, turns her hand to Christina Rosetti's poem of the same name. I found this an enjoyable, fast read. Kids who enjoy fairy tales with a creepy edge would do well to seek this one out.

This book was a great retelling of the fairy tale Six Swans (by The Brothers Grimm) / The Wild Swans (by Hans Christian Andersen). This story combines features of both these related fairy tales and is filled with great characters as well as a wonderful story that draws the reader in and kept my interest till the end. I would have liked an epilogue for when Princess Meriel and Liam were older but the story left off on a good point and I plan to read more by this author.

S3BXX3C2

Rype's Norwegian village is decimated by the black plague and she flees with the English ship that rescues her. When the crew is also killed by the plague, she and the captain's son must journey across Europe to a safe harbor to find a ship back to England. Along the way they meet friends and foes, joining a group of troubadours to stay alive.

This book reminded me of Company of Liars by Karen Mailland. That book also features a groups of travelers trying to escape the Black Death, though our 'heroes' are much more sinister. Wild Bird is a more uplifting story. Despite the horrors happening around her, Rype grows from a scared little girl to strong and capable person. She learns to make decisions for herself and to help those around her.

I was a little skeptical of how fast she learned languages, though I guess for the story to move along it had to happen. Or maybe people back then were better at learning languages than we are now.

With the spread of Covid 19, this is very timely book. It's a good intro for kids to the horrors of the black plague and to our modern pandemic.

Lizzie and Minka are sisters. Extremely close, they are best friends, despite being nothing alike. After her weekly visit to the market, Lizzie begins to change : she only speaks about the handsome boy she met, constantly craving fruit he gave her and distances herself from Minka. Then Lizzie shows strange sickness symptoms. For Minka, everything points to the boy, who may not be as human as he pretends. Ready to do anything to save her sister’s life, Minka gets into a dangerous journey.

Goblin Market is an extraordinary adventure, full of dreams, danger and death. It is a dark fairytale that takes root in Polish Folklore and the legend of the zduzses, forest goblins that steal children and attract young women to marry them. Diane Zahler created a very rich story with a very interesting and unique atmosphere. In this novel nothing is really what it seems, and the Fae Folks lure the characters, as much as the reader.

Goblin Market is also a powerful emotional testimony about sisterhood and the love between sisters. The relationship between Lizzie and Minka is really sweet. I love how they understand each other, despite their differences. But also how they both have their own dreams, hoping for a future where they can be together. They both are strong characters with a very interesting backstory.

I really loved Goblin Market. The fairytale atmosphere is wonderful and I couldn’t drop the book before finishing it. It is a great Middle Grade novel, that adults will enjoy as well.

I was cautious to read a book about goblin markets since...they're supposed to be dark, and yet "a dark retelling" is a common blurb. Say "gory" if it is, not dark. Say "chilling," even. Not "dark retelling"! Kids getting kidnapped is already dark. So, I read this one and the blurb was straightforward. Two sisters go into a wood and a goblin does his thing. This was -great-. Ooh, I was so eager to find out what would happen next. The wedding and rescue was my favorite. What a way to set up such a scary home, and combine unsettling with scary in itself! It never let up, which I appreciated. And the sleepiness and zoning out constantly. rather than being physically kidnapped, was a nice twist. It raised the stakes in a lot of ways I wasn't expecting. The difference between what little kids versus teen girls wanted was excellent. I've seen in done so well in one other book, which is also excellent but about vampires and was written by Mary Downing Hahn. So, back to this. The details were folded in so neatly. The relationships seemed believable. I was glad everyone seemed to help each other out.

Lizzie is coded as autistic and as having synesthesia (voices and music have color), and I -adored- that. Oh, seeing the world through her perspective was great. And what a way to identify goblins versus humans, versus other animals in terms of shapeshifting! What a great concept. Different Polish folklore was folded in here in tiny ways, which I thought was neat. I looked up different things out of curiosity. I like doing that, as opposed to googling things in order to keep up with a story. The ending was a little convenient in some ways, but I was still glad for it overall. I'm glad I chose to read this.

This is the third retelling of the same fairytale (the 12 dancing princesses) Ive read this year. They've gotten progressively better so maybe I should look for a fourth and see if its a 4 star read.

This book contains inacurate foraging information (morels and walnuts at the same time of year?!)

After two weighty books—The Speckled Monster was long and God’s Demon dragged a bit—I was ready for something light and fluffy. How better to do that than to return to my roots with a good old-fashioned fairy tale retelling?

I’m amazed that Zahler managed to pull this off! I’ve always thought The Twelve Dancing Princesses must be a hard one to redo given the vast assortment of characters to keep track of—and yeah, the sisters didn’t all have distinct personalities, but Zahler did a remarkable job getting us to follow a few and appreciate the others. Though I can’t say I was very appreciative of the fact that the sisters’ names all started with A. Going alphabetically (maybe with twins sharing a first letter) would have been a huge help for keeping everyone straight and figuring out quickly where they fell in birth order.

Overall, it’s an enchanting book, one that would probably have been a favorite when I was in fourth or fifth grade. The idea of the one daughter being set aside as a servant surrounded by a sprawling family is actually one that I turned to relatively frequently when I was playing with dolls, animals, and Legos. (I have no idea why!) The description of the palace and surrounding land is also something I might have imagined—so maybe part of the reason I found this book so lovely is that it reminded me of my own childhood imagination. Most of the book had the same childhood innocence, the kind of detachment from reality/not totally consistent logic that is harder to get away with in even young adult books.

So with that said, the one thing that caught me up a bit was that this book had some very adult moments. It’s advertised as being for 8 to 12 year olds, but there are intimations of bastard children that ruin the lives of the mothers while the fathers get off the hook (69), “stopping at kissing” (126), and pedophilia with a side of rape (128). I’m trying to imagine an 8-year-old asking me why these two moments in the book are important, and what I would say—and it’s not easy. Neither moment is necessary, but their presence threw long shadows on my enjoyment of the rest of the book. With such adult themes, it was harder for me to make the logical allowances that I normally give for children’s books.

Yeesh, these reviews always end up being about the things I don’t like, don’t they? But seriously, all in hall, The Thirteenth Princess was absolutely charming and I would definitely recommend it to fellow lovers of fairytale retellings, particularly to those who like Gail Carson Levine and Donna Jo Napoli.

Quote Roundup

34) As an adult, I was a bit uncomfortable with how Zita’a older sisters treated her like a pet rather than a person, pressuring her into things she was uncomfortable with, like piercing her ears, so that she could be a “real” princess. This was another subtly dark theme, really, the Marie-Antoinette-ish obliviousness the sisters had for the situation of those in lower stations—stealing food from the cook even though it got the cook into trouble with the king (25) and making Zita a lavishly beautiful blanket that she will have to hid from other servants (41).

43) Props to the author for having the oldest daughter want to rule in her own right. There were some feminist issues in this book, but this at least was refreshing.

65-66) “After your father banished magic, she did not come to see me anymore. She wanted to much to please him—it was her undoing.”
Okay, feminist points for this message: don’t live only for your husband.

86) Boys were so proud—you always had to let them think they were good at things.
Aaaaaand feminist points canceled out for a comment that could have easily applied to both sexes. Deal with it, dudes

223) Zita magically recovers from years of psychological trauma.

232) I was a bit disappointed by Zita’s end-of-book transformation. I was hoping she’d be happy somewhere between royalty and peasantship.

241) I was also super disappointed that Zita, a 12-year-old girl, ended up with a love interest. Sheesh, at least give them one or two more years for puberty to set in!

Where is all the imagination and brilliance of the Children's authors of the past? This is a bland, insipid excuse for "fun reading." The voice isn't unique, the characters don't live, and the plot is overly emotional. No wonder children are slipping behind in literacy.
Another prerequisite for the next generation of Twilighters.

For as long as I remember I've loved HCA's story "The Wild Swans." It's a lovely tale of sibling love and doesn't seem to moralize as much as some. So I try to read the adaptations (which are much less plentiful than "Cinderella"). I've tried [b:The Swan Kingdom|2124206|The Swan Kingdom|Zoë Marriott|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320421543s/2124206.jpg|2129646], and [b:Daughter of the Forest|13928|Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters, #1)|Juliet Marillier|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1343589988s/13928.jpg|1897725] and found much to admire and some to dislike. In keeping with that childish love, I decided to read this one.

This adaptation didn't really please me. I might have been the wrong age for it (it really seemed aimed at 8-year-olds) but the danger never seemed real nor did the sibling love. The book seemed rushed and the telepathy really made things too easy. It really brings home the talent of writers like [a:Laura Ingalls Wilder|5300|Laura Ingalls Wilder|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1347574987p2/5300.jpg] who speak to me across a vast majority of ages.

Perfect for at 10-year-old--- which I'm not.

I received a complimentary digital and temporary audiobook copy of "The Marvelwood Magicians" direct from the publisher Live Oak Media via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Being a Middle Grade novel, I knew there would be some cleverly disguised life lessons threading into the background. I was happily surprised though to see how Zahler wanted to offer two different perspectives on a travelling life of artistes - wherein Selena and Mattie both were envious of their lives - from how Selena lived a more normal life with school and a permanent house where her family went home as a 'base' vs the travelling life Mattie had with her family. It showed how sometimes when you appear to have 'it all' sometimes you're missing something someone else has themselves.

When it came to 'seeing' The Marvelwood's act for the first time - wow, was I impressed! Each of the Marvelwood's have such an individually distinct talent - Zahler does well in giving her readers such a wondrous of JOY in reading about this circus and the magical family at the centre of it! It brought back wicked wonderful memories of my own childhood attending the circus and being lost in the magic of the events and shows therein. There is something about a circus - about the unexpected and the impossible merging together to create this 'othersphere' of action and intrigue which captivates you into this world of where everything seems a bit larger than life and you can't help but feel pulled into that environment. Zahler pulls you into this world as soon as you begin listening to the story but she dazzles you further by how she showcases the circus and the acts involved.

Zahler remained true to how she set the foundation of the story - she let her young heroes and heroines take the lead when it came time to formulating a plan of action but she also encouraged younger readers to beware of the smaller details. To take stock and notice revelations which at the time they were being shared might not paint the picture for everyone but it would give a lot of clues towards where she was wanting us to seek out the answers for everything that was happening at the Monroe circus. She was encouraging younger readers to question and become inquisitive about things they had both overheard or observed - to seek their own answers and to contemplate the fuller conclusions she was guiding them towards accepting.

There is a wonderful act of sacrifice (not a violent one, to say more is to spoil it but its a self-sacrifice) whilst there is also a gesture of conspiracy to save the greater good by the acts of the few. This is a plot I can always stand behind because sometimes it does take a small army of courageous persons to overturn adverse circumstances and situations. It is here where there is a bit of a division of sorts - between the adult and children characters, where they are each choosing to act in different ways but sorting out a way to bridge those actions into a conclusion that would benefit everyone. Again, trying not to get spoilery here!

The most heartwarming part of the story for me involved Ahmod and his tigers; as he was the tiger's keeper and they had all journeyed so far from home! He hadn't even seen his own family in more years than what were warranted. But its the fate and plight of his beloved tigers which was the most gutting to me. There is a bit of wildlife conservation and preservation peppered into the background as well as a lighter spin on the conversation about animal acts in circuses - which I felt was well-presented especially for the younger readers of this story. It is a conversation worth having with children - to help them understand the cycle of life as much as the reasons why we need to do no further harm to wildlife and be kinder on our footprints on the world.

For me, the greater theme appeared at the ending - the sense of restoration and redemption. It is best seen through Mattie's Mum and Da - of how their own story is threaded into Mattie's and how as a family there is a lot of personal growth happening outside the context of the suspense and the main story's central arc. By the time I reached the conclusion, I admit, I wasn't ready to say 'goodbye' as this had become an #unputdownable read of mine this #WyrdAndWonder! I wanted to hug the book not depart the lives of the Marvelwood's! It is so sombering to let yourself detach from characters you've become so attached too - which is why I was hoping this might become either a series and/or a duology. Where there could be another installment featuring this family and the rest of the characters who became dear friends on this journey with us!?

About the narrator Sarah Zimmerman:

I liked her vocal range and the depth she adds into her narration as a narrator. You truly feel as if both the world behind the characters and the story itself were lit alive by how she approached narrating the book. It is a pleasure of joy to find such a narrator and I love to follow a narrator's career once I find one I enjoy hearing such as Ms Zimmerman. I wasn't sure if this was the first novel in a series - if it were, I hope she'll continue to give voice to the characters and the installments of the series therein.

For me, what truly anchoured me into this story was her sensibility when it came time to choosing different accents for the characters. The adult character I loved listening to was Da - Mattie, Tibby and Bell's father. He had such a kind spirit in his voice and even though I'm not a fan of villain's, I must admit Master Monroe was executed brilliantly! She gave a performance as if this was an eclectically cast stage production - with multiple voice actors all taking their cues and entering/exiting through the scenes. Even the tigers (wish I could spell their names!) were delightful - not that they were voiced but it was how she implied their thoughts and captured our hearts as we heard about their plight in the story. I could not love this story more -- I can only hope my words did it justice and INSPIRED others to seek this lovely out for themselves!!

// This is a quotation of my full review originally shared via jorielovesastory.com

This was a free audio from the summer program. It is a story set in the Netherlands and it has priates, wizards and Mages, and social/environmental commentaries. The little girl, Bea, can do magic with her baking. She influences how people feel. This is definitely a middle school read.

A pleasant listen, featuring a sweet main character who so badly wants a home, stability and a friend. Mattie can read minds and her family all has special talents too. They're always on the move and join up with a traveling circus and shenanigans and some chaos ensue!

It's a sweet story to listen to with kids and the ending was very gratifying. I appreciate the full circle moment with Mom and how the book touched upon sensitivity around the word "gypsy" in an authentic way.

The only part I didn't care for was how the tiger story resolved. No spoilers, but I will note, if you're sensitive like me, that they don't get hurt. I just wanted something different for them!

Thank you, Netgalley.

A delightful book and listen. Recipe for cinnamon rolls (buns) at the end would be a fun project to do with youngsters. If you only have the audio version, you can find the recipe online, Bouts Buns.

Bee is an orphan, alone in a poor, crumbling kingdom. In desperation, she steals a bun from a bakery. To Bee's surprise, the baker offers her a place at his shop. As she learns to bake, Bee discovers that she has a magical power. When a new friend desperately needs her help against an evil mage, Bee wonders what a small orphan girl with only a small bit of magic can do. Bee's journey to help her friend becomes a journey to save the kingdom, and a discovery of the meaning of family.

A wonderful, magic story with pirates, princesses, bakers, and good-hearted townspeople; oh, let’s throw in a villain as well!

Bee has left her life of abuse with her foster family and has wandered to a new town where she takes a bun to eat because she’s so hungry! She’s accused of stealing which upsets her. Once the townspeople and the baker discover how hungry she is and that she’s alone, they want to help. The baker feeds her and offers her the back room where there’s a bed. She’s welcome to stay as long as she likes if she’ll help with the baking. Bee discovers that she loves baking, which surprises her because no one liked anything she baked at her former home.

Let’s start with the people. Mr. Bouts is the baker and he’s so sweet, becoming a father figure for Bee. Wil is the blacksmith’s son and apprentice who becomes Bee’s friend. Then there’s Princess Anika, the villain Master Joris, and pirates! Master Joris loves tulips, so there are beautiful tulips everywhere. What’s missing? Trees. They have no trees and don’t even know what they are, which means they’ve never tasted anything that comes from a tree: apples, nuts, spices, etc. They also don’t know what wood is. When Master Joris decides to marry Princess Anika off to an old man, Bee helps Anika escape and their adventure begins to free the kingdom from Master Joris.

I really enjoyed the joy of this book--it’s sweet. I can’t imagine not loving the baker, Mr. Bouts. He’s awesome! The book is so adorable and lovely that you must read it!½

Diane Zahler made my childhood magical, and while I can't say this book was my favorite now, I adored her books when I was a little girl!

I enjoyed this retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and I absolutely love the cover illustration. I do have to say that it is a pretty quick read, and there isn't necessarily a great deal of depth to it. But it holds up well, and younger audiences especially should enjoy it.

Excellent. Very much on par with Terry Pratchet.

We often think that our attitudes towards our work is reflected and felt in the outcome of our labor. In this story Beatrix who goes by B is an orphan who leaves her orphanage and travels inland to a city and ends up apprenticing with a baker. Within a short period of time the baker discovers that B has magical powers that allow her to add emotions into the baked goods that she bakes. Once the king discovers her ability she finds herself on an adventure that includes pirates, moss maidens and lots of baking. This is a fantasy world that takes place in a original world modeled after medieval Holland. It has a satisfying pace that is created much like a sweet pastry is created, slow but sweet at the end.