Review: The Thirteenth Princess

I recently received an ARC of The Thirteenth Princess by Nina Clare, a retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," one of my favorite fairy tales. Most adaptations of this story present the magical underground world and magnificent nightly balls as a curse that needs to be broken, a trend that began with Jessica Day George's Princess of the Midnight Ball. Although this is one viable interpretation of the fairy tale, I prefer to think of the enchanting balls as a form of escapism that the princesses use to escape their stressful lives, as in the Barbie interpretation. This version takes a middle ground. Although there is a curse involved, the princesses are happy for the opportunity to enter the enchanted realm and dance with their beloved princes until they can be together without the confines of a curse.

As the title suggests, this book is told from the perspective of the unknown thirteenth princess, who shares the other princesses' experiences in the fairy tale but is considered an outcast because of her unlucky placement in their birth order. Though her twelve sisters are named after precious gems, the thirteenth is not given a name a simply known as "Princess." Her late parents' treatment of her does not seem to extend to her sisters, who treat her with the same kindness and respect they show each other, but her stunted placement in line to the throne allows her to fall into the "unassuming princess" trope. For most of the book, she sees herself as inferior to her more polished sisters.

When the princesses' uncle decrees that the throne will not be passed on until all thirteen princesses are betrothed, a series of balls is held to find suitors for each one. This seemingly impossible task is accomplished with very little effort. Within a few short chapters, all thirteen princesses are engaged, although there is some confusion regarding who the thirteenth is betrothed to since he did not ask for her hand directly. Though it was obvious to me as a reader, Princess spends the majority of the book thinking she is engaged to a different prince, which prevents any romantic tension that could have built up over the course of the book.

This is the second book I've read from this author and is consistent with her writing style, which focuses on beautiful imagery and dreamlike descriptions rather than character or plot development. The story is mostly a direct retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," but the lovely descriptions of palaces, gowns, gems, and underground passages make it a pleasant way to reexperience a familiar tale. Nina Clare's whimsical imagery is accompanied in this edition by lovely black and white illustrations that precede each chapter. These illustrations evoke the classical fairy tale imagery of Andrew Lang's Fairy Books and complement the author's unique form of expression.

The Thirteenth Princess is a beautifully written retelling of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" that offers a fresh perspective on the classic tale by focusing on the unknown thirteenth princess. While the story may follow a familiar path, Nina Clare's enchanting descriptions and dreamlike imagery bring new life to the narrative, making it a delightful read for fans of fairy tale retellings. The addition of classical illustrations adds to the book's whimsical charm, making it a lovely addition to any fairy tale collection. If you're looking for a lighthearted, visually stunning retelling with a strong focus on atmosphere, The Thirteenth Princess is a great choice.