I always love reading about court politics – since Reveka is a part of it all as a herbalist, we get looks into several different interesting areas.

I really appreciate the fact that the story has so many layers. The consequences of their actions and the lengths they go to in order to keep others free of the curse definitely make for some intrigue though. We don’t get to know most of the princesses on any level at all – this is definitely not (directly) their story. However, she does come to imagine a future with someone, so we do get a glimpse into what her happily ever after might be! I’d hate to have left the book without a look into how Reveka’s life might turn out. What would be the fun in that? But the simple fact that Reveka is too young to prioritize romance keeps anything from really developing. Of course, that isn’t to say that the story doesn’t contain a few men, y’all. That right there is the best part about reading middle grade! We get to focus on the world and the story instead of getting tangled up with a bunch of romance and teenage angst. But, in fact – one of the best things about the book is her age. Reveka is such a strong heroine – she is incredibly brave and plenty smart…but is also not without her faults. This is one stand-alone I would give anything to see made into a series. I absolutely couldn’t get enough of the story! What follows brings the best of fairy tale lore alive with fantasy and determination. Show More herself into the task with no concern for herself. A pleasant read and one I can freely recommend to all ages who love a good fairy tale. On the whole, though, I found it refreshing to read a fairy-tale retelling in which the heroine is smart, kind, practical-minded and largely free from the romantic cliches and personality-squelching love triangles that seem to populate the genre in recent years. There is a little turn toward the end, which I shall not spoil here, that may not sit well with everyone, but it was probably inevitable.

While the end implies potential continuation, the story does have enough closure to stand on its own. Some of those imperfections even become interesting connections as the book unfolds. The book isn't perfect: there are minor issues - the conflation of Romanian and Greek mythic references, for example, though interesting and ostensibly logical through the Roman connection, comes across as muddled on occasion, but sorts itself out more or less by the end - and more significant ones - our protagonist frequently speaks like someone way older than her years - but the story carries the reader through. Haskell has created likable and unlikeable characters in equal measure, but each is more complex than he or she seems at first, which is a pleasure to find in a children's novel. I was on board with this heroine from page one.

Show More dancing princesses in order to use the reward money in pursuit of her career.

The Princess Curse by Merrie Haskell