Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, December 1, 2006 (Vol. 74, No. 23))
Two Grimm’s tales, a Transylvanian forest and purple prose combine in an entrancing rush of romance. Jena, the second-oldest of five sisters, has responsibility thrust upon her when her ailing father leaves, her elder sister falls in love with pale Sorrow from another realm and her aggressive, bitter cousin Cezar takes over the castle and finances. In childhood, Jena, Cezar and his older brother Costi were granted magical wishes in exchange for something dear. Costi drowned that day and Cezar hungers to destroy the Other Kingdom, where Jena and her sisters secretly go dancing every Full Moon. Jena’s only solace is constant companion Gogu, a frog who shares her pocket, shoulder and pillow. Marillier falters in some ways; for example, Jena’s primary struggle is supposedly between instinct and duty, but both sides read like instinct. Also, the narrative blames Jena more than seems fair. However, the consuming gothic love of Tati and Sorrow, and Jena’s burdened but intoxicating relationship with her own slow-to-show true love, will sweep romance fans away. (author’s note, glossary, pronunciation guide) 2007, Knopf, 416p, $16.99. Category: Fantasy. Ages 10 to 14. © 2006 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Donna Scanlon (KLIATT Review, January 2007 (Vol. 41, No. 1))
Marillier turns to the magic and mystery of Transylvania for her newest novel. Jena, her older sister Tatiana, and her younger sisters Iulia, Paula and Stela all have a secret: every month on the night of the Full Moon, they open a secret portal into the Other Kingdom for a night of dancing among fairies, dwarves and trolls. The rest of the time, they keep house for their widowed merchant father and help with his business at Piscul Dracului. When her ill father leaves to spend the winter in a warmer climate, Jena’s cousin Cezar begins to try to control Jena, her sisters, and their home. Furthermore, Tatiana becomes enraptured with a young man she meets in the Other Kingdom, who may be one of the dangerous and frightening Night People. Only the support of her sisters and of her enchanted frog Gogu sustains Jena in her ordeal. Marillier blends a variety of fantasy elements into her story: the sisters who slip off to dance in the fairy kingdom, the enchanted frog, and the legends of the bloodthirsty vampires of the region. The narrative is mesmerizing and tightly constructed from the beginning to the wholly satisfying end. Light humor enhances the story and rescues it from potentially overwhelming gloom. Jena and her sisters are delightful characters, strong and determined even in the face of the disaster. Cezar seems a tad heavy-handed at times, but Marillier manages to inspire sympathy for his character as well. Wildwood Dancing will appeal widely to YAs who like authors such as Patricia McKillip. (The stunning and detailed cover is by Kinuko Y. Craft, illustrator for most of McKillip’s books.) In spite of its teenaged protagonist, it will appeal to older readers as well. Category: Hardcover Fiction. KLIATT Codes: SA*--Exceptional book, recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2007, Random House, Knopf, 408p., $16.99. Ages 15 to adult.

Paulette Goodman (Library Media Connection, April 2007)
People seldom venture into the woods around Piscul Draculai, home for five sisters, because its deep lake spurs tales of death and destruction. It is from their bedroom's secret entrance that the five sisters set off each month on another New Moon secret venture. The adventures have been taking place over the past nine years starting when one of the sisters acquired a unique pet frog who could speak, giving advice and sharing his wisdom. It is during one of their monthly visits into the Other Kingdom that an older sister, Tati, meets and falls in love with one of the Night People. The sisters know that the Night People are to be feared because they are rumored to consume those they acquire in one way or another. Their cousin and guardian, Cezar, suspects the sisters' dealings with the Other Kingdom. Tati's love for Sorrow, one of the Night People, sets a chain of reactions that endangers not only herself, but also her sisters and their lives within Piscul Draculai. Loyalties are tested, loves both lost and won, and a dramatic ending make this a truly must-read fantasy that will capture you right from the start and keep those pages turning to the very end! Highly Recommended. 2007, Alfred A. Knopf (Random House), 416pp., $16.99 hc. Ages 11 to 14.

April Spisak (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, March 2007 (Vol. 60, No. 7))
Jena is not the oldest of her family’s five daughters, but she has always been the protector and virtual leader in her family. In particular, she is the enforcer of the rules each full moon when the sisters leave their castle in Transylvania and travel to an alternative, magical world where they spend the night dancing at a ball. Though the most important rule for the five sisters is that romances are forbidden, Tati, the oldest sister, cannot help but transgress when she falls in love with a shadowy, tortured man who appears to be a prisoner of the Night People. While most individuals in the magical world are complex and mysterious, the Night People are downright dangerous, and the sisters’ involvement with them has implications in their own world as well. Warm, lush descriptions of the intricate elegance of the extravagant fantasy world contrast with the stark, often harsh environment of the girls’ everyday lives where their mother is dead, their father is ill, and their power-hungry cousin is trying to take over their lives. Unfortunately, as rich and well developed as the two settings are, the characters (especially the humans) are often flat and predictable: each sister is locked into a personality type (the scholar, the romantic) and none of them grow or change, even as their two worlds shift in profound ways. In addition, several key elements of the story are left unexplored, and readers may feel swept towards a conclusion that therefore feels sudden and incomplete. However, Marillier successfully juggles the inclusion of an impressive array of supernatural elements (including portals, vampires, and frog princes) while still creating a cohesive novel. Fantasy aficionados hoping to delve into an intricately explored otherworldly milieu may therefore, even if all of their questions are not answered, find this a satisfying read. Review Code: Ad -- Additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2007, Knopf, 416p.; Reviewed from galleys, $18.99 and $16.99. Grades 6-8.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Fall 2007)
The castle of Piscul Dracului, which sits at the threshold between two worlds, is home to five sisters. When their father becomes ill, their vengeful cousin threatens the future of both worlds. Drawing on folklore and the evocative Transylvanian setting, Marillier creates original characters. She plants clues early on and keeps pages turning with suspenseful twists and two romances. Category: Older Fiction. 2007, Knopf, 407pp, 16.99, 18.99. Ages 12 to 14. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.

Sarah Flowers (VOYA, February 2007 (Vol. 29, No. 6))
Teens have long been fans of Marillier's adult-marketed titles, and her first book, Daughter of the Forest (Tor, 2000/VOYA December 2000), was an Alex Award winner. Her first book for teens is another winner. Jena and her four sisters live at Piscul Dracului in Transylvania with their widowed father. Every month at Full Moon, the sisters pass through a portal to the Other Kingdom, where they dance with fairy folk, dwarves, and other forest people. But now their father is ill and has gone away to a warmer place for the winter, and their cousin Cezar has arrived, trying to take control over Piscul Dracului and the girls. Meanwhile, at one of the Full Moon dances, Jena's older sister Tati meets and falls in love with one of the Night People, and Jena is sure nothing good can come of it. Jena tries to keep her family together, encouraged by her oldest friend, a frog named Gogu who can communicate only with Jena, but Cezar thwarts her at every turn. Readers of folk tales will recognize elements of several different ones here and may even anticipate some of the events of the story as Jena learns some truths about trust, betrayal, bravery, and true love. Marillier is one of literature's finest storytellers, and this book continues her tradition of telling stories with a striking sense of place, magical elements, beautifully portrayed characters, strong heroines, and an emotional core that touches the heart. VOYA CODES: 5Q 4P J S (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2007, Knopf, 416p., $16.99 and PLB $19.99. Ages 12 to 18.