I absolutely love twisted fairy tales, and this one was no disappointment. I actually just read the typical version of this to my kids not too long ago and found it for me slightly boring. This will be among my favorite twisted tales.

A tale of twelve dancing princesses, a tale retold the world over in many variants, from Russia and Bengal and Turkey and France, told in Armenia and Slovokia and India in versions with bits of magic and shoes danced to bits, a story that speaks of the feminine seeking escape and freedom from its expectations of servitude and strict behavior protocols, stay in your place or be punished.

Here is a retelling, again, but with a new empowering idea.

Retold in Grimm style with sisters reclaiming their power in ways of wielding magic themselves, instead of simply visiting a land of magical enchantment or being double crossed by an old magical woman who gifts the winning male his power to become victor. (What *was* that old version anyway?! The typical telling of female double-crossing females, dooming them to what society demands to "sit-and-look-pretty-then-get-married-and-serve" -- how did we not see this as children, these tales we read of feminine complete disempowerment, in this old tale the one strong old female dooming the young females to their servitude, ending their nights of freedom?!)

Here is a brief reimagining. But it is brief, I wish for more.

Here the sisters each claim a power and embody it. Here the feminine (mosly) rises.

I see this short poetry-short story as seed for more. Some author will take this idea and amend-expand to some epic that needs telling.

I rate this 4 stars because it must be read, but it feels an hors d'oeuvre. It clings to me, and that is a good sign, like something trying to grow. Grow it should. I'm glad to have read it. I think it good counter to fairy tales told every evening at bedtime the world over. Read this telling as parents to be seeded with ideas for retelling ALL fairy tales in ways to empower our daughters. Perhaps this telling here is not the story to tell your child, or perhaps it is, but it is a seed that can pollinate our own creative genius, to retell to our daughters what *must* be retold. For that I rate this a must read.

The author's note, if any part, is the must read. Wonderfully said Ms. Blythe.

Thank you to the author for such an intriguing telling. Thank you to the publisher and author and to NetGalley for an ARC.

As a kid, I was obsessed with the illustrated book of Grimm’s fairy tales that my mother read to me. As an adult, it’s a little insane to note that we read things this dark to children. I enjoyed this author’s lyrical tale on Grimm, usually from the princess or sister’s point of view. I was not as familiar with this particular fairy tale, “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.” I think you might want to read or reread the original tale first - I was intrigued enough that I will read it now. I also really enjoyed the author’s note which tied it all together and let me know I was not the only dark little girl who enjoyed these tales.

Thanks to NetGalley, Andrea Blythe and Interstellar Flight Press for this cool and piercing little book in exchange for my honest review.

Four stars for great writing - but I bet I might have given it five if I knew the original fairytale better.