I have read several retellings of The Twelve Dancing Princesses and I've yet to tire of the story. Haskell takes the bare bones of the story and merges it with the Persephone story and a hint of Beauty and the Beast and gives us a strong female heroine who desires to free herself from societal expectations. I loved the story and finished it quickly and feel that it will be enjoyed by fairytale fans of all ages.
Appropriateness: There is no adult content in this book although there are some talk as to how royal marriages worked with very young brides and why the girls did not get pregnant until they were older. Nothing that would bother me as a parent even for a young child I would recommend this book to a middle grade audience 11-15 (although it is interesting enough for older readers who are fairy tale fans).
Review Copy Obtained From Amazon Vine
