The Night Dance: A Retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses

I love fairy tales. I love retellings of fairy tales. And I love Arthurian legend. If you're anything like me, you will absolutely love The Night Dance by Suzanne Weyn. It's a re-telling of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale The 12 Dancing Princesses, interwoven with tales of the Lady of the Lake.

Years ago a woman vanished into the woods leaving a husband and 12 girls behind. Her husband built a large wall around their home, to prevent the girls from disappearing the same way. Since that time, the girls never entered the woods, until the day the youngest chipped a hole in the wall.

As she begins exploring the woods, the visions begin. Some are of a man she's never met, but feels strangely connected with. The others are of a woman who resembles stories of the mother she doesn't remember. Convinced that her mother is still living, she tells her sisters about the woods and the adventure truly begins.

The retelling is excellently done, and is set shortly after King Arthur is slain in battle. I found the concept brilliant, and as soon as I read the back cover I knew I had to read this. I borrowed this from my sisters personal collection, and read it for the YA Reading Challenge, Speculative Fiction Challenge, and 100+ Challenge.