Rating: WORTHY!
This story is based on a Grimm fairy tale about twelve dancing princesses, but this has been augmented and otherwise beefed-up to make a longer and more engrossing story. It’s really done quite well, and although I had some minor issues with it, the way the author has taken a short fairy tale and made a whole story out of is as commendable as it is enjoyable.
Zita comes at the end of a long line of princesses: Aurelia, Alanna, Ariadne, Althea, Adena, Asenka, Amina, Alima, Akila, Allegra, Asmita, Anisa. Zita was quite literally the red-headed child of the family, and the king disowned her, cluelessly blaming her for her mother's death as she gave birth to Zita. Let's face it: the truth is that any young girl who has eight children by the time she's twenty five is probably not going to survive long - not back in those days, anyway.
This diversity of daughters (isn't that the collective noun?!) includes two sets of twins: Alanna and Ariadne, and Amina and Alima. Anisa was named after the kitchen maid’s cat (but by a very round-about way, it must be said). Zita was sent to be raised and eventually to work in the kitchen so the king would never have to look upon the visage of the child who, he believes, killed his wife.
This author is yet another one who doesn't know the difference between 'stanch' and 'staunch' as she writes, "...trying to staunch the blood...". No, a doctor might staunchly try to stanch the blood flow, but I am seeing this mistake so often now that it’s really becoming a part of the language. How sad.
Her sisters have not abandoned Zita, they are just so afraid of their father's wrath - or upset - if they hang out with her, but family will out, and slowly the sisters draw close together again and find secret ways to enjoy each other's company. That's when Zita discovers an increasing problem with her twelve sisters that seems to be killing them.
I loved this story which was well-written and told beautifully. It was inventive and engaging, and told at a good pace. I recommend it.
