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The Phoenix Dance
A journey through madness and mania.
On the island of Faranor in the kingdom of Windward, twelve princesses dance their shoes to shreds each night. No one knows why. Not the king or queen. Not the knights, lords, or ladies-in-waiting. When the queen blames the royal shoemaker, his apprentice, Phoenix Dance, puts her life at risk to solve the mystery. She braves magic spells, dragons, evil wizards, and the treachery of the princesses themselves. As Phoenix faces these dangers, she finds herself caught in the dangerous dance inside herself - a dance of darkness and light, a dance that presents her with the greatest challenge of her life.This captivating companion to "Aria of the Sea "weaves a retelling of Grimm's fairy tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses with the story of a young woman's inward journey toward an understanding of a scary, unpredictable part of her own nature.
On the island of Faranor in the kingdom of Windward, twelve princesses dance their shoes to shreds each night. No one knows why. Not the king or queen. Not the knights, lords, or ladies-in-waiting. When the queen blames the royal shoemaker, his apprentice, Phoenix Dance, puts her life at risk to solve the mystery. She braves magic spells, dragons, evil wizards, and the treachery of the princesses themselves. As Phoenix faces these dangers, she finds herself caught in the dangerous dance inside herself - a dance of darkness and light, a dance that presents her with the greatest challenge of her life.This captivating companion to "Aria of the Sea "weaves a retelling of Grimm's fairy tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses with the story of a young woman's inward journey toward an understanding of a scary, unpredictable part of her own nature.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2005
5 people are currently reading
1625 people want to read
About the author
Dia Calhoun
10 books41 followersAuthor, essayist, and poet Dia Calhoun won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature for her novel Aria of the Sea. Three of her eight novels are American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults. Calhoun’s contemporary novel Eva of the Farm was a Hornbook Magazine Best Verse Novel. Reviewing Calhoun’s most recent book, After the River the Sun School Library Journal wrote—“Lovers of gaming and Arthurian legends will thoroughly enjoy this one.” Calhoun’s 7:30 BELLS blog essays explore creativity and inspiration.
Calhoun is a cofounder of the literacy social media project, readergirlz, recipient of the National Book Foundation’s Innovations in Reading Prize. Calhoun has taught at Seattle University and the Cornish College of Arts. She currently offers private coaching in writing to kids and adults. Calhoun lives beside the wild Nisqually River in Washington state. Not only does the natural world inspire her writing, it’s also the basis for her new work as a sculptor.
Calhoun is a cofounder of the literacy social media project, readergirlz, recipient of the National Book Foundation’s Innovations in Reading Prize. Calhoun has taught at Seattle University and the Cornish College of Arts. She currently offers private coaching in writing to kids and adults. Calhoun lives beside the wild Nisqually River in Washington state. Not only does the natural world inspire her writing, it’s also the basis for her new work as a sculptor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
September 22, 2011
Young Phoenix Dance has ambitions of being a great shoe designer. Some days her talent is immense, other days... it isn't. Phoenix suffers from what is essentially bipolar disorder by a more fantastic name. Medication is available, but is being "normal" worth losing her periods of intense energy and creativity?
The mental health aspect of this book is well-developed and sensitively treated. Unfortunately, I was really expected to get a more fairy-tale-ish fantasy, what with the blurb and being based on the 12 Dancing Princesses story. I wouldn't say the world-building was poorly done, exactly, but it definitely seemed secondary to the coming-of-age and dealing-with-mental-illness stories. I felt as if that's what Calhoun really wanted to write about and was surprised to see that all her publications seem to be in the fantasy genre.
Recommended for shoe fashionistas who think Lisa, Bright and Dark would be better rewritten by Shannon Hale.
The mental health aspect of this book is well-developed and sensitively treated. Unfortunately, I was really expected to get a more fairy-tale-ish fantasy, what with the blurb and being based on the 12 Dancing Princesses story. I wouldn't say the world-building was poorly done, exactly, but it definitely seemed secondary to the coming-of-age and dealing-with-mental-illness stories. I felt as if that's what Calhoun really wanted to write about and was surprised to see that all her publications seem to be in the fantasy genre.
Recommended for shoe fashionistas who think Lisa, Bright and Dark would be better rewritten by Shannon Hale.
May 2, 2013
I love the Twelve Dancing Princesses. I've read different adaptations of this fairy tale and have always been intrigued. However, this particular book did not impress me.
Its a quick read,focussing on Phoenix Dance, a 13 year old girl who longs to be a shoemaker. She's also bipolar, which is the focal point of the story. In the midst of her struggles (which were handled gently, even if they did take up the entire story)she tries to find a way to rescue the 12 princesses from the spell which is draining them of all their life. Phoenix is not my favorite character ever, but she didn't drive me crazy.
As others have pointed out, Phoenix's struggle with bipolar is compellingly portrayed, and it drove the story well. I suppose it just didn't jive with what I expected of an adaptation of the fairy tale.
My main issues with the book were the weak supporting characters, the predictable plot twist, a few anachronisms, and heavy handed social commentary.
The book centers around Phoenix, which is fine, but everyone else fades into the background. The 3 aunts, (whose names I can't remember even though I JUST finished the book) are indistinguishable except that one is not a Royalist. *GASP* Similarly, the love interest is not that interesting--perhaps if we ever got to see inside his head he would be. The shoemaker, who is supposed to be a father figure, seems to be OOC quite often. The twelve dancing princesses fair a little better, since Phoenix empathizes with them, giving them more screen time. Finally, Rosa, the obligatory revolutionary best friend receives so little screen time that I don't understand her--apart from what Phoenix TELLS me.
My main problem here is that the author TELLS us almost everything, rather than SHOWING us. UGH.
The plot twist is incredibly predictable (seriously, I saw it coming the first time the twistee was mentioned,) but I will refrain from spoiling. :)
Anachronisms troubled me too. First, Rosa, (the obligatory revolutionary bestie) is labeld as a "bomb about to explode," <---Excuse me, did they HAVE bombs in the equivalent of 17th century Europe? Cannons and gunpowder, yes, but not BOMBS.
Also, the social commentary is so heavyhanded! Rosa is a young revolutionary, and is trying to pull Phoenix into it as well. I'm all for democracy, but either the author did not give enough time to the "revolutionaries" or she spent the time the wrong way.
In short, the book made for an entertaining read at the time, but when I finished I felt unsatisfied and a little disgusted with the obvious, and rather random social commentary. If you want a better story based on the Twelve Dancing Princesses, try Jessica Day George's Princess of the Midnight Ball. I wanted to like it, but the author never really showed me why I should. /rantover
Its a quick read,focussing on Phoenix Dance, a 13 year old girl who longs to be a shoemaker. She's also bipolar, which is the focal point of the story. In the midst of her struggles (which were handled gently, even if they did take up the entire story)she tries to find a way to rescue the 12 princesses from the spell which is draining them of all their life. Phoenix is not my favorite character ever, but she didn't drive me crazy.
As others have pointed out, Phoenix's struggle with bipolar is compellingly portrayed, and it drove the story well. I suppose it just didn't jive with what I expected of an adaptation of the fairy tale.
My main issues with the book were the weak supporting characters, the predictable plot twist, a few anachronisms, and heavy handed social commentary.
The book centers around Phoenix, which is fine, but everyone else fades into the background. The 3 aunts, (whose names I can't remember even though I JUST finished the book) are indistinguishable except that one is not a Royalist. *GASP* Similarly, the love interest is not that interesting--perhaps if we ever got to see inside his head he would be. The shoemaker, who is supposed to be a father figure, seems to be OOC quite often. The twelve dancing princesses fair a little better, since Phoenix empathizes with them, giving them more screen time. Finally, Rosa, the obligatory revolutionary best friend receives so little screen time that I don't understand her--apart from what Phoenix TELLS me.
My main problem here is that the author TELLS us almost everything, rather than SHOWING us. UGH.
The plot twist is incredibly predictable (seriously, I saw it coming the first time the twistee was mentioned,) but I will refrain from spoiling. :)
Anachronisms troubled me too. First, Rosa, (the obligatory revolutionary bestie) is labeld as a "bomb about to explode," <---Excuse me, did they HAVE bombs in the equivalent of 17th century Europe? Cannons and gunpowder, yes, but not BOMBS.
Also, the social commentary is so heavyhanded! Rosa is a young revolutionary, and is trying to pull Phoenix into it as well. I'm all for democracy, but either the author did not give enough time to the "revolutionaries" or she spent the time the wrong way.
In short, the book made for an entertaining read at the time, but when I finished I felt unsatisfied and a little disgusted with the obvious, and rather random social commentary. If you want a better story based on the Twelve Dancing Princesses, try Jessica Day George's Princess of the Midnight Ball. I wanted to like it, but the author never really showed me why I should. /rantover
February 9, 2016
I love the 12 Dancing Princesses and so wanted to love this book. The introduction of a bipolar shoemaker takes a bit from the retelling actually and none of the characters are really very likable. A nice story for the YA group, but not so much for adults.
February 3, 2010
The Phoenix Dance takes place in the same city as Aria of the Sea, years later; several of the characters from the first book appear, but not as main characters. Here, Calhoun takes on a challenging subject: bipolar disorder (which she says in the book's afterword that she has herself). Phoenix is a young apprentice shoemaker who suffers from what the healers call the Illness of Two Kingdoms: the Kingdom of Brilliance, and the Kingdom of Darkness. When she is drawn into a mystery surrounding the twelve princesses of the kingdom, whose shoes are mysteriously in tatters each morning, she must confront her illness and learn to handle it.
I didn't like this quite so much as Aria of the Sea; I thought Calhoun was maybe trying to shoehorn a little too much into the book and didn't quite do justice to the "Twelve Dancing Princesses" part of the plot. I admired her portrayal of Phoenix, though, and her courage in taking on what must have been a difficult thing to write about.
I didn't like this quite so much as Aria of the Sea; I thought Calhoun was maybe trying to shoehorn a little too much into the book and didn't quite do justice to the "Twelve Dancing Princesses" part of the plot. I admired her portrayal of Phoenix, though, and her courage in taking on what must have been a difficult thing to write about.
June 4, 2009
I just read The Phoenix Dance It is about a girl, named Phoenix, with bipolar set in the fairytale of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. It feels contrived in places (because of some therapy sessions with a healer explaining her condition), but it was really interesting to get inside this girl's head. The author has bipolar and so it feels authentic that way. The language that she uses to describe how Phoenix sees the world is beautiful in places.
*****Spoiler: If you are very romantically inclined, this book may not be for you! The romance basically fails. It's a little bit important to the story, but.....I was kind of sad about it.
*****Spoiler: If you are very romantically inclined, this book may not be for you! The romance basically fails. It's a little bit important to the story, but.....I was kind of sad about it.
April 16, 2009
This book does an amazing job of introducing all the issues and challenges of having a bipolar disorder. At the same time, it is an engaging story. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to understand more about this disorder or who wants to start a discussion about it.
July 18, 2017
Dia Calhoun does it again... she is rapidly becoming one of my most respected authors for her excellent writing, the fantastic societies she describes, and her realistic heroines she uses!
This is a loose sequel to "Aria of the Sea," in that a few of the main characters from that novel appear in this one in minor roles. This book focuses on a young girl (15) named Phoenix Dance, who lives with her aunts in the capital city of the Archipelago. Phoenix is an excitable girl who dreams of being a shoemaker, and she is ecstatic when she gains an apprenticeship for the royal shoemaker. Although she learns quickly, her master is devastated when the shoes he made for the 12 royal princesses come back worn through after one night... and the same thing quickly begins to happen to every shoemaker selected.
Sound familiar? It's the 12 dancing princesses.
The Good: But this time, the story comes with a twist, which is where Calhoun really displays her talents: While this story does use the fairy tale, it really focuses on Phoenix, who we discover has a special condition... she is or as they say here, she has the Illness of the Two Kingdoms. (In an afterword, the author reveals she also has this condition.) This story is really the story of her dealing with this difficult condition, and the author does a nice job of not only describing it so that it is understandable, but comparing it to and weaving it with what is happening to the princesses.
It's an admirable feat, for sure. Using a fairy tale in such a way is amazing, and if you already know the story of the princesses, it makes you care all the more for Phoenix and her (perhaps more relatable?) problem.
The Bad: There isn't too much I can say negatively about this book! I thought it all fit together nicely, considering what the book was REALLY about... in the middle, while Phoenix discovers and begins to consciously deal with her condition, it seems like the story of the princesses takes a hiatus, which is a little strange because it seems like so much of the main story is about them.
Also, Phoenix's friend Rora is part of a anti-royalist movement, and while this is touched upon and used to exacerbate Phoenix's mental condition, it is never really resolved, and really, never really implemented in full. It's like a footnote, and honestly, I feel that it was unnecessary, drawing away from the story and honestly, from Phoenix as a character. I couldn't believe she still wanted to be friends with her friend by the end of the story... However, besides this, the story was pretty enjoyable.
Recommendation: I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy, especially when it deals with real-world concepts and is applicable to daily situations; to anyone who enjoys good writing or Calhoun's other novels; to anyone who wants to understand this disorder or who has it and wants to read about it.
I would hesitate before recommending it to anyone who wants to read a retelling of the "12 Dancing Princesses," only because while it does an excellent job of doing so, it really is not the focus of the story, and the bulk of the retelling is in the last quarter of the book. If you want a book where that fairy tale is the focus, try reading "Wildwood Dancing," or "the Amaranth Enchantment".
This is a loose sequel to "Aria of the Sea," in that a few of the main characters from that novel appear in this one in minor roles. This book focuses on a young girl (15) named Phoenix Dance, who lives with her aunts in the capital city of the Archipelago. Phoenix is an excitable girl who dreams of being a shoemaker, and she is ecstatic when she gains an apprenticeship for the royal shoemaker. Although she learns quickly, her master is devastated when the shoes he made for the 12 royal princesses come back worn through after one night... and the same thing quickly begins to happen to every shoemaker selected.
Sound familiar? It's the 12 dancing princesses.
The Good: But this time, the story comes with a twist, which is where Calhoun really displays her talents: While this story does use the fairy tale, it really focuses on Phoenix, who we discover has a special condition... she is or as they say here, she has the Illness of the Two Kingdoms. (In an afterword, the author reveals she also has this condition.) This story is really the story of her dealing with this difficult condition, and the author does a nice job of not only describing it so that it is understandable, but comparing it to and weaving it with what is happening to the princesses.
It's an admirable feat, for sure. Using a fairy tale in such a way is amazing, and if you already know the story of the princesses, it makes you care all the more for Phoenix and her (perhaps more relatable?) problem.
The Bad: There isn't too much I can say negatively about this book! I thought it all fit together nicely, considering what the book was REALLY about... in the middle, while Phoenix discovers and begins to consciously deal with her condition, it seems like the story of the princesses takes a hiatus, which is a little strange because it seems like so much of the main story is about them.
Also, Phoenix's friend Rora is part of a anti-royalist movement, and while this is touched upon and used to exacerbate Phoenix's mental condition, it is never really resolved, and really, never really implemented in full. It's like a footnote, and honestly, I feel that it was unnecessary, drawing away from the story and honestly, from Phoenix as a character. I couldn't believe she still wanted to be friends with her friend by the end of the story... However, besides this, the story was pretty enjoyable.
Recommendation: I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy, especially when it deals with real-world concepts and is applicable to daily situations; to anyone who enjoys good writing or Calhoun's other novels; to anyone who wants to understand this disorder or who has it and wants to read about it.
I would hesitate before recommending it to anyone who wants to read a retelling of the "12 Dancing Princesses," only because while it does an excellent job of doing so, it really is not the focus of the story, and the bulk of the retelling is in the last quarter of the book. If you want a book where that fairy tale is the focus, try reading "Wildwood Dancing," or "the Amaranth Enchantment".
March 1, 2020
I loved Phoenix's desire to be a shoemaker. Even before she saw the notice, she was obviously working on it and she made shoes her aunt's were able to use. Some of her designs were really intriguing and part of me kind of wished there'd been like an index of illustrations or something. I did think it was interesting as things evolved and she realized what caused her flighty moods and everything. I liked the way the book showed her learning to work with The Illness of the Two Kingdoms. Before Mederi Gale was called in (although I did have to wonder why it took so long for someone to actually call in a healer), it seemed that everyone was just like, "yeah, she either talks a thousand miles a minute or she won't leave the apartment. There's no inbetween but she's just flighty!" And her aunts did seem to have realized her symptoms so they could kind of gauge when one mood was going to hit, but still.
Whelk was interesting. I did feel bad that things kind of sputtered between he and Phoenix, but I felt like the whole "now there's never going to be anything between us" attitude was a little premature. Yeah, she ran off that day and really hurt his feelings (I definitely don't blame him for being mad about it), but maybe she should push to be friends and then things still have a possibility. Granted, the relationship wasn't the focus of the story, but that's just my two cents about how things ended. Anyway, I liked how determined Whelk was to be a wizard. He acknowledged that he needed training, yet when it came down to it, he was still able to pull through even without being trained up at the school. I felt bad that things were revealed to be what they were and he'd been so mislead.
I'm sad to say that I just didn't like Rora. I know she was Phoenix's best friend and everything, but just no. She was such a brat and after everything happened with the statues, she really turned the corner from brat to bitch. Sorry, but really? Just no, sorry.
I did feel like there was some stuff that was left way open-ended and threads that were placed like this was trying to set up a second book that never came into being? Like the whole thing between Fengal and Phoenix's mother. Why was that literally left until the last 100 pages and then never talked about except for a "oh, he mentioned this"? There was also something about the "treachery of the princesses themselves" in the book description, but aside from the incident with Aurantica in the gondola, there literally wasn't anything the princesses did. I mean, yeah, they did go dance and sneak away and everything, but even the wine was due to the spell. I guess I just felt like there was supposed to be more to that tidbit? It kind of felt a little misleading? And the whole thing with Phoenix's struggle with The Illness of the Two Kingdoms; yeah, she liked the Kingdom of Brilliance, but she'd realized that a world that bright wasn't worth it if she sacrificed the princesses. Great, so now she's just going to take her potion and not fight it? I don't know, I was glad that she made that choice but it felt like a cop-out considering how much she'd fought since being given the potion, to not slip completely away from the Kingdom of Brilliance.
Anyway, not necessarily my favorite take on the 12 Dancing Princesses, but it was a decent story.
Whelk was interesting. I did feel bad that things kind of sputtered between he and Phoenix, but I felt like the whole "now there's never going to be anything between us" attitude was a little premature. Yeah, she ran off that day and really hurt his feelings (I definitely don't blame him for being mad about it), but maybe she should push to be friends and then things still have a possibility. Granted, the relationship wasn't the focus of the story, but that's just my two cents about how things ended. Anyway, I liked how determined Whelk was to be a wizard. He acknowledged that he needed training, yet when it came down to it, he was still able to pull through even without being trained up at the school. I felt bad that things were revealed to be what they were and he'd been so mislead.
I'm sad to say that I just didn't like Rora. I know she was Phoenix's best friend and everything, but just no. She was such a brat and after everything happened with the statues, she really turned the corner from brat to bitch. Sorry, but really? Just no, sorry.
I did feel like there was some stuff that was left way open-ended and threads that were placed like this was trying to set up a second book that never came into being? Like the whole thing between Fengal and Phoenix's mother. Why was that literally left until the last 100 pages and then never talked about except for a "oh, he mentioned this"? There was also something about the "treachery of the princesses themselves" in the book description, but aside from the incident with Aurantica in the gondola, there literally wasn't anything the princesses did. I mean, yeah, they did go dance and sneak away and everything, but even the wine was due to the spell. I guess I just felt like there was supposed to be more to that tidbit? It kind of felt a little misleading? And the whole thing with Phoenix's struggle with The Illness of the Two Kingdoms; yeah, she liked the Kingdom of Brilliance, but she'd realized that a world that bright wasn't worth it if she sacrificed the princesses. Great, so now she's just going to take her potion and not fight it? I don't know, I was glad that she made that choice but it felt like a cop-out considering how much she'd fought since being given the potion, to not slip completely away from the Kingdom of Brilliance.
Anyway, not necessarily my favorite take on the 12 Dancing Princesses, but it was a decent story.
March 11, 2018
My daughter recommended this book, and what drew me to it was its imaginative retelling of the fairy tale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," and also its incorporation of a mental disorder, bipolar disorder, and in engaging and believable way. I believe we need more visibility on what it's like to live with a disorder or disability, and this book was a refreshing take on that. As a young adult novel, it holds up pretty well; I found myself skimming much of the book because it didn't really hold my interest, although for a younger age audience it might be fine. Vivid details of the fantasy world inhabited by the main character, although my taste for the final battle with the villain wasn't as good; I thought the bloody and violent action went on too long. One thing I especially appreciated was the ending didn't "wrap things up" tidily in a happily-ever-after ending quite as you might expect. Courage on the part of the author! Definitely worth reading for the treatment of a mental disorder, if nothing else!
May 15, 2021
First off I will start by saying this book was not at all what I thought it would be. While it is a re-telling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, the book focuses more on the main character (who is not one of the princesses.) and her struggles with her own mental illness. The book does a good job of describing some of the trials and frustrations of Bi-polar Disorder in a tasteful way and it is interesting how the author used the story of the "Twelve Dancing Princesses" to lead the protagonist to a way to help herself. That being said, the book doesn't spend a lot of time on the story behind the twelve dancing princesses and it felt like the enchantment was resolved too quickly; almost like saving the princesses from enchantment was a side task that the author just wanted to get out the way. I won't say I did not like this book. I did, it was an interesting exploration on dealing with mental illness and the author writes well. But I would have liked a bit more of the actual fairytale in this re-telling.
January 2, 2018
A retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses. The main character is bipolar and a shoemaker. The story and characters were engaging but the world needed some fleshing out. It always felt like the history/religion/culture of the Windward was seen through a dirty window. I would read key sections but it seemed like a brief blurry glimpse into something significant but you never get to see the connections.
January 26, 2015
When I started this book and realized where it was heading I thought for sure I was not going to like it. The reason being is I have found most junior books that try to tackle mental illness and explain it to a younger audience do a horrible job, but "Phoenix Dance" was a pleasant surprise. This retake on the fairytale of the Twelve Princesses and the Dancing Shoes is told from the eyes of a young girl named Phoenix who wants to be a shoemaker. She is a wonderful character who is pleasant and realistic enough so that a reader can relate to her and appreciate her actions and thoughts. While she has these grand dreams of being the greatest shoemaker in the world she also has these ups and downs where sometimes she feels on top of the world where everything is great the smells and colors stand out to her, and her thoughts flow like water and along with her mouth. Unfortunately, after these periods she goes down in a spiral where suddenly things are too loud and too much. She feels like she can't get out of bed and that she just wants to close her eyes to the world. The author take bipolar. manic-depressive' disorder and shows youth and anyone who reads this book how it can effect someone who has it. I felt as though the author did an amazing job in incorporating the illness in the story and showing how a girl can go through it and use medicine get help herself with it and that it is an illness not a curse. SPOILER SPOILER
Instead of sugar coating it as a lot of authors do when putting mental illness into books, bipolar disorder was the showcase of this book- even being the reason why the princesses were suffering so badly during the day. I really enjoyed the story and would rerommend it for anyone
Instead of sugar coating it as a lot of authors do when putting mental illness into books, bipolar disorder was the showcase of this book- even being the reason why the princesses were suffering so badly during the day. I really enjoyed the story and would rerommend it for anyone
March 11, 2016
Phoenix dreams of making shoes, so it seems like a dream come true when the shoemaker's shop she lives close to advertises for an apprentice. Somehow, she gets the job. The shoemaker must have seen her passion underneath all that dirt.
So she begins as an apprentice, but it is nothing like what she hoped. She mostly does all the menial chores that no-one else wants to do. Then a Royal commission comes in, to make shoes for the 12 princesses who dance their shoes to tatters every night. Phoenix has proven herself enough that she is allowed to draw up some designs. But soon she and the rest of the kingdom will find that the problem with the princesses goes beyond shoes. It is a matter of the mind and soul.
Overlaid on this retelling of the classic fairy tale, is the story of Phoenix's struggle with being bipolar. She experiences the glorious manic episodes, where every sense is more vivid and shoe designs practically draw themselves. She also experiences the devastating blackness of depression. Her aunts (whom she lives with) seek treatment for her through an herbalist, and as the medicine comes with undesirable side effects, she has to decide whether it's worth it to give up the highs to avoid the lows. As she comes closer to the princesses, she discovers certain similarities between their conditions, which allow her to succeed where others have failed in figuring out their secret.
I thought the dual storyline was woven together well. This would be a good one to discuss with the teens in your life.
So she begins as an apprentice, but it is nothing like what she hoped. She mostly does all the menial chores that no-one else wants to do. Then a Royal commission comes in, to make shoes for the 12 princesses who dance their shoes to tatters every night. Phoenix has proven herself enough that she is allowed to draw up some designs. But soon she and the rest of the kingdom will find that the problem with the princesses goes beyond shoes. It is a matter of the mind and soul.
Overlaid on this retelling of the classic fairy tale, is the story of Phoenix's struggle with being bipolar. She experiences the glorious manic episodes, where every sense is more vivid and shoe designs practically draw themselves. She also experiences the devastating blackness of depression. Her aunts (whom she lives with) seek treatment for her through an herbalist, and as the medicine comes with undesirable side effects, she has to decide whether it's worth it to give up the highs to avoid the lows. As she comes closer to the princesses, she discovers certain similarities between their conditions, which allow her to succeed where others have failed in figuring out their secret.
I thought the dual storyline was woven together well. This would be a good one to discuss with the teens in your life.
December 30, 2008
Phoenix Dance becomes an apprentice to the royal shoemaker. When the 12 princesses keep wearing out their shoes each night, the shoemaker is blamed for making lousy shoes. The queen declares that anyone who can solve the mystery of the shoes will get a handsome reward. Phoenix takes on this challenge, while also facing her own internal problems- the Illness of Two Kingdoms, or as we call it in our world- bipolar disorder.
I found this book quite enjoyable- the story was exciting and drew me in and Phoenix is a believable, sympathetic character. Windward is an original, well-realized world with a nautical culture- it does not really have any fantasy cliches. The author is very good at writing beautiful, evocative depictions of scenery without falling prey to having them be too long.
P.D. is a companion to Calhoun’s earlier novel, Aria of the Sea- it is set in the same place, the archipelago kingdom of Windward probably about a decade later, and features a few of the same characters in the story like Cerinthe Gale and Elliana Nautilus. I read that one several years ago, and will probably have to read or look over it again in order to give it a proper review here, but it’s also a very good read- it isn’t necessary to read it before Phoenix Dance, but I would recommend it as you will get more out of it that way
I found this book quite enjoyable- the story was exciting and drew me in and Phoenix is a believable, sympathetic character. Windward is an original, well-realized world with a nautical culture- it does not really have any fantasy cliches. The author is very good at writing beautiful, evocative depictions of scenery without falling prey to having them be too long.
P.D. is a companion to Calhoun’s earlier novel, Aria of the Sea- it is set in the same place, the archipelago kingdom of Windward probably about a decade later, and features a few of the same characters in the story like Cerinthe Gale and Elliana Nautilus. I read that one several years ago, and will probably have to read or look over it again in order to give it a proper review here, but it’s also a very good read- it isn’t necessary to read it before Phoenix Dance, but I would recommend it as you will get more out of it that way
February 5, 2009
Phoenix Dance wants more than anything to be a shoe apprentice to the greatest shoemaker in the city. When she gets her wish, she ends up in the middle of a royal mystery- the 12 royal princesses received new pairs of shoes, but overnight they wore them out with dancing, when all wittnesses say they were actually asleep in their beds! Can Phoenix solve the royal mystery, as well as the one that seems to be affecting her?
What is with these OBVIOUS BOOKS, Dia Calhoun???? This book was less about the original fairy tale that she claimed the book was about, and more about being manic depressive. Which, I mean, was fine. But AGAIN I felt like she was shoving things from our world into a fantasy world just to make a point(see Avielle). All through the book I was like, "I bet she wrote this for some relative who is manic depressive to make them feel better." And sure enough, at the end she "clues her audience in" to the fact that the book was about her struggle with manic depressive behavior. Psh, as if any of her readers REALLY needed to be told. I'm all for her writing about issues, especially serious ones like manic depression, hoping it will help people. But seriously, don't lie to me and try to tell me it's a fairy tale.
What is with these OBVIOUS BOOKS, Dia Calhoun???? This book was less about the original fairy tale that she claimed the book was about, and more about being manic depressive. Which, I mean, was fine. But AGAIN I felt like she was shoving things from our world into a fantasy world just to make a point(see Avielle). All through the book I was like, "I bet she wrote this for some relative who is manic depressive to make them feel better." And sure enough, at the end she "clues her audience in" to the fact that the book was about her struggle with manic depressive behavior. Psh, as if any of her readers REALLY needed to be told. I'm all for her writing about issues, especially serious ones like manic depression, hoping it will help people. But seriously, don't lie to me and try to tell me it's a fairy tale.
April 3, 2013
The best part of this story is it's portrayal of the main character's illness of two kingdoms (involving a high bright energetic mood phase and an extreme dark low mood phase, it has another name here of course) which meshes with the 12 dancing princess story very well.
I can't give it 4 stars because the societal anachronism jarred me out of the story. Repeatedly. Yes it's a fantasy setting. But certain issues arise in certain societies for a reason. You can't just put in your favorite or most sympathetic cause for dissent and tack it onto a society structure that has different problems, power structure, reactions, and concerns. The main character's 'best friend' didn't stand up as any sort of fried or even as a person. She was a composite caricature at best. It would have been a much stronger story without that side plot line. And although it was supposed to yield insight to the true situation and the eventual solution of the problem, it wasn't necessary. The information could have come other ways.
Though, other than that one friend, the other characters were convincing. Maybe not hugely dynamic, but this isn't their plot line.
I can't give it 4 stars because the societal anachronism jarred me out of the story. Repeatedly. Yes it's a fantasy setting. But certain issues arise in certain societies for a reason. You can't just put in your favorite or most sympathetic cause for dissent and tack it onto a society structure that has different problems, power structure, reactions, and concerns. The main character's 'best friend' didn't stand up as any sort of fried or even as a person. She was a composite caricature at best. It would have been a much stronger story without that side plot line. And although it was supposed to yield insight to the true situation and the eventual solution of the problem, it wasn't necessary. The information could have come other ways.
Though, other than that one friend, the other characters were convincing. Maybe not hugely dynamic, but this isn't their plot line.
February 21, 2011
I enjoyed parts of this book. I am familiar with the 12 dancing princesses and I have enjoyed many versions of the story, but I wasn't in love with this version. The author has put bipolar disorder into the story making the main character, Phoenix bipolar and the princesses suffering from a magic version of the disorder. When they dance at night they are in their high or mania, in the morning they are tired, worn out and in their depressed stage. Phoenix is the shoemaker suffering from bipolar or the curse of the two kingdoms light and darkness. I did like the ingenious spin she adds to the story, but I got a little tired of reading when Phoenix was lost in the dark kingdom/depression, it was too much for the type of book I like, but I do understand the author wanted to express the hard and rough times that someone with bipolar disorder will suffer through.
I think this would be a good book for kids who are going through rough times, to learn that things are they way they are and you have to make the best out of what you have.
I think this would be a good book for kids who are going through rough times, to learn that things are they way they are and you have to make the best out of what you have.
July 9, 2017
The Twelve Dancing Princesses is one of my favorite fairy tales, and Dia Calhoun writes a neat treatment of the familiar story. In it, the main character Phoenix is a shoemaker's apprentice who also has bipolar disorder, which is described very poetically. The inclusion of bipolar was an interesting choice that added a lot to the story, but in the end these descriptions of the disorder became very repetitive and the sole focus of the story. (I suppose that's the point, that these highs and lows keep coming and going and define one's life, but the author used the same lyrical descriptions to define them every single time, and I got bored with them even as they eclipsed the rest of the plot.) I read this as an older teen, perhaps 18 or 19, so I'm not sure if I would have noticed how heavyhanded the references were had I been younger (I seem to have developed an appreciation for subtlety with age). Still, for me, the novel became a vehicle for the description of bipolar disorder, and lost a star from me because of it.
January 10, 2013
Phoenix Dance loves to make shoes. She dreams of becoming an apprentice to the royal shoemaker. And soon, she does! Her dreams finally came true. She can design shoes in a heartbeat. The 12 princess in the castle kept wearing out their shoes each night. No one knows how and why. The queen blames the royal shoemaker for this. The queen proposes that if anyone can solve the mystery of the worn out shoes, she'll give a reward. Phoenix Dance goes up for the challenge. She noticed that the princess used to be lively and they loved both arts and performing arts. But now, they seem gloomy and tired. She then goes through a hard battle, through magic spells and an evil wizard. It's going to be a tough adventure, cause she also has her own battle, the Kingdom of Two Illnesses. The Kingdom of Darkness (madness), and the Kingdom of Brilliance (mania). In our world, this is known as bipolar disorder. But soon she has to face her sickness and control it, and solve the treacherous mystery of the tattered shoes, and also defeat the evil wizard.
June 15, 2014
The Pheonix Dance is an imaginative retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. The story is told from the perspective of the princesses' unexpected hero. Calhoun pours one of the most difficult aspects her life into the character of Pheonix Dance. Though imaginitive, strong-willed, and talented, Pheonix suffers from the illness of The Two Kingdoms, better known in our world as Bipolar Disorder. As we follow Pheonix through her quest to solve the mystery of the twelve princesses, we also experience her battle between two emotional realms. Through both Pheonix's affliction and the princesses' enchantment, we learn that sacrificing "the kingdom of brilliance" to avoid "the kingdom of darkness" is much more difficult than it may seem. Pheonix soon discovers a way to break the spell that binds the princesses, but only if she first frees herself from the illness that binds her.
November 29, 2009
I really liked that fact that this was from the perspective of a bipolar/manic-depressive young girl. It was interesting in the time setting, and the struggle to deal with her affliction and the imperfect treatment for it was very poignant. I like to see childern's and middle grade books that give perspective on life problems in a kid-friendly style. Reading gives you insight; the more understanding of problems a person is or will, or other people are and will, experience the better.*
However, it wasn't a terrific book. I just liked the fact that there is a book that deals with this painful affliction.
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*Not sure what went wrong there, but I'll leave it for personal reference until I figure out exactly what I was trying to say... :/
However, it wasn't a terrific book. I just liked the fact that there is a book that deals with this painful affliction.
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*Not sure what went wrong there, but I'll leave it for personal reference until I figure out exactly what I was trying to say... :/
April 11, 2014
I loved this book. Before this book, I did not really know about bipolar disorder. Therefore, this book enlightened me to the struggles of bipolar disorder, while also providing an interesting twist on the story of the 12 Dancing Princesses. The description of Phoenix's feelings when she is depressed or high was captivating, and it really made me sympathize with Phoenix. I liked how the author realistically portrayed that Phoenix not only had a fear of what would happen if her disease progressed, but also the fear of losing a part of herself if she took the medicine. In short, this book was a compelling read which provided a unique perspective on bipolar disease with a re-telling of a fairy tale.
June 9, 2015
This book is a retelling of the Twelve Dancing Princesses with a focus on mental diseases - Bipolar II Disorder in particular. That isn't a bad thing it just felt like someone used a fairy tale to make people listen to their soapbox speech in a way. There were other things I didn't like about the book - the manipulative and rude best friend Rora, the empty romance that only served to show how giving in to the disorder can negatively impact your life, the weird renamings but not reworkings of the months and days of the week...
The book was still interesting, I still liked it, but it wasn't my favorite.
The book was still interesting, I still liked it, but it wasn't my favorite.
September 21, 2019
This is an interesting adaptation of The Dancing Princesses. The Princesses each had a different quirky personality. And instead of a Prince discovering their secret, a young girl, Phoenix Dance, who had an extraordinary gift helps the Princesses. What I did not like about this story was the resolution of Phoenix's story. Without giving too much away, when fairy tale writers take a wonderfully magical, creative story, and then end it by introducing some real world circumstance that just feels like an easy way out I as a reader feel very let down. You read books like this to be transported to worlds where amazing things happen, not to be reminded of real world issues.
August 12, 2015
I have always loved retellings of the story of the 12 dancing princesses, and this book did not disappoint! I really enjoyed how the author told the story from the different perspective of the shoemaker's apprentice :) It was such an incredible journey.
Not only was the tale done justice by superb writing, but the book tied in some major themes as well. Much of it was centered around a young girl's struggle with manic-depressive (bipolar) disorder, and the story really touched on how people who are affected may cope with that disorder. Phoenix is such a sweet character...one that I really loved to love, mostly because she was incredibly relatable.
A very well written story indeed.
Not only was the tale done justice by superb writing, but the book tied in some major themes as well. Much of it was centered around a young girl's struggle with manic-depressive (bipolar) disorder, and the story really touched on how people who are affected may cope with that disorder. Phoenix is such a sweet character...one that I really loved to love, mostly because she was incredibly relatable.
A very well written story indeed.
July 13, 2009
3.5 I first learned about this book when I saw the author speak and talk about how she decided to write a fantasy book (based on the fairy tale, the 12 Dancing Princesses) about bipolar disorder , since she personally had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The book does an excellent job portraying bipolar disorder from a fantasy standpoint. Phoenix is an apprentice to a shoemaker and her emotions swing from the Kingdom of Brilliance to the Kingdom of Darkness. Can she help save the 12 princesses?
August 7, 2009
Phoenix always wanted to design shoes, and she has plenty ideas. When the shoemaker gets blamed for making bad shoes that the princesses destroy every night, Phoenix gets a job at the shoemakers to help out the overwhelming need for shoes. But those shoes get destroyed too! So Phoenix follows the princesses at night and discovers a magical place where the princesses dance and destroy their shoes. They are possessed by a magician who Phoenix destroys in an epic battle of sorts. Based on a children's story, Phoenix Dance is a great book for all ages.
June 3, 2015
Although the plot has cameos from Aria of the Sea, it is not necessary to read it first.
In this version of Grimm's: "Twelve Dancing Princess," the reader is introduced to Phoenix, a young woman who wants to design shoes.
Calhoun draws on personal experience to describe Phoenix's mental illness(bipolar disorder) and links it to the curse that forces the twelve princesses to wear out their shoes every night.
Calhoun maintains a good balance between the fairytale world and the reality of living with a mental illness.
In this version of Grimm's: "Twelve Dancing Princess," the reader is introduced to Phoenix, a young woman who wants to design shoes.
Calhoun draws on personal experience to describe Phoenix's mental illness(bipolar disorder) and links it to the curse that forces the twelve princesses to wear out their shoes every night.
Calhoun maintains a good balance between the fairytale world and the reality of living with a mental illness.
June 8, 2010
This one would get three and a half stars if Goodreads allowed for half stars. There was enough invention to keep it entertaining while staying fairly true to "The Twelve Dancing Princesses." It was interesting to read the author's use of a mental disorder in the main character, but it seemed a little too prominent, as if the story of the dancing princesses was contrived to make a book about her disease. But perhaps that is what the author intended.
March 31, 2010
This is a quirky take on the twelve dancing princesses tale. Calhoun did her worldbuilding quite thoroughly, but she's very heavy-handed with the bipolar metaphor. This is a great book for kids diagnosed with bipolar disorder and struggling with taking the medication, but I found it overloaded with the bipolar story--it eclipses the fairy tale almost completely.
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