Book Review: Twelve

Book Review: Twelve by Joan Marie Verba

Once upon a time, there was a soldier named Alden. He had traveled far and wide, and fought in many battles, though he avoided fighting when possible. War has a way of eating at a man, stealing his composure and making him less than he was. So when Alden heard of a faraway kingdom where there was no war, he set out in search of it. He found that land, or perhaps it found him, and this is the story of what he found and did there.

As the cover states, this book is a retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses”, first collected in print by the Grimm brothers, but with variations from many nations. This version takes place in the Eighteenth Century, though the location is deliberately vague.

One of the reasons the kingdom is so peaceful is that it cannot be found by anyone who intends harm. The debris of several lost armies lies along the roads that presumably lead there, abandoned. Alden, who wants no more of violence, passes into the kingdom, but discovers that somehow he has missed hearing about one of the attractions that bring people there. The twelve princesses vanish each night from the castle, and each morning their dancing shoes are worn clear through. The king has promised a reward of marriage to any man that solves the secret.

Alden isn’t particularly interested in the riddle. He’s found a handsome woman right there in the town that he would like to court. That doesn’t mean, however, that the riddle is uninterested in him.

Good: There’s a fair amount of thought and logic put into how the utopian peaceful kingdom works. While there is no war or murder there, that does not exclude death or dissension. People, most people anyhow, still have to work and make a living. Alden is a former soldier not to give him combat skills, but to have him travel widely and have new ideas. Both his good heart and his love of dancing are needed to bring the story to a successful conclusion.

Less good: The story feels like it’s “on rails”. Alden is repeatedly stage managed by another character that has chosen him for the task at hand. His skills and personality are important, but this other character feels more responsible for what happens.

The peaceful kingdom sometimes comes across as more a 21st Century idea of a utopia despite the setting. For example, Catholics, Protestants, and those of other faiths all mix together freely without religion ever being a source of conflict.

i don’t have any particular content notes on this one, but will say that younger readers may get a little bored during the long sections when “nothing is happening.” This is a book about mature adults who have done their growing up and are ready to take responsibility for themselves in the community.

Overall: A pleasant variant on the old fairy tale where most of the characters are reasonable and have good reasons for their actions. Recommended to readers who love fantasy and are mature.

If you’d prefer a version that concentrates more closely on the princesses, we have a Barbie movie: