Princess of the Midnight Ball

Princess of the Midnight Ball

First edition cover
Author Jessica Day George
Cover artist Larry Rostant, Donna Mark
Country United States
Language English
Genre Fantasy
Publisher Bloomsbury
Publication date
2009
Published in English
2009
Pages 272
ISBN 1-59990-322-9
Followed by Princess of Glass

Princess of the Midnight Ball is a 2009 young adult fantasy novel written by Jessica Day George. It is based on the fairy tale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses".

Plot summary

Princess Rose and her sisters Lily, Jonquil, Hyacinth, Violet, Daisy, Poppy, Iris, Lilac, Orchid, Pansy, and Petunia are trapped in a curse. Every third night, they have to dance at the Midnight Ball with the twelve sons of the King Under Stone, who lives in a realm below the earth. The curse prevents them from speaking of it, and every prince who attempts to learn their secret in hopes of marrying one of them and inheriting the crown ends up dead by the next full moon.

Galen Werner is a soldier who is returning from the Westfalin-Analousia war. On his way to the city of Bruch to live with his mother's sister Liesel Orm, Galen meets an old woman. After he shares his food with her, the woman gives him white and black yarn and an invisibility cloak, saying that he would have to use them when "He" tries to get to the surface.

When Galen meets Rose, she knows that he can try to break the curse, but will he succeed despite the complications they come across?

Characters

  • Jonquil, the third eldest princess, well-known for her good looks and her tendency to dress ostentatiously. She shares a room with Lily and Rose; the three eldest princesses are known as the "Older Set." She is 16.
  • Hyacinth, the fourth eldest princess, known to be extremely pious and prays often, but is also said to be an exquisite dancer. She shares a room with Violet and the twins. She is 15.
  • Violet, the fifth eldest, is musically inclined. She loves to play the pianoforte and is a fine singer, but is also good at cards. She is 14.
  • Poppy and Daisy, twin sisters, the sixth and seventh eldest in their family. Poppy is tough and outspoken and an excellent cardsharp, while Daisy is easily frightened and well-behaved. Poppy is the heroine of the sequel, Princess of Glass. Poppy is the eldest of the twins. The twins are 13 during the novel.
  • Iris, the eighth princess, known to be kindhearted. She is 12.
  • Lilac, the ninth princess, who enjoys watching plays. She is 11.
  • Orchid, the tenth princess, who also enjoys watching plays and is rather studious. She and Iris are often mistaken for one another, even though Orchid distinctly wears spectacles. She forms the "Youngest Set" with her sisters Pansy and Petunia. She is 10.
  • Pansy, the second youngest princess, a delicate girl who hates dancing to the point of hysteria and Rose fears that Pansy may lose her sanity over time if they are forced to continue. Her favorite sister is Lily. She is 9.
  • Petunia, the youngest princess who still loves to dance, not fully understanding the implications of the curse of the King Under Stone. She is described as being very short in her adolescence, which strengthens her resemblance to her mother, Queen Maude. Petunia is the heroine of the series' third book, Princess of the Silver Woods. She is 8.

See also

External links

References

  1. Princess of the Silver Woods, Chapter 2 - "Kidnapped"
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