Customer Reviews

The Scarlet Stockings

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Daphne can't say exactly how she came to find herself at the Orphanage of St. Jude. The most she can gather from the Sister's at St. Jude's is that she was found on the doorstep of the orphanage when she was just a tiny infant; bundled into a basket, a note pinned to her. Since then, she has spent her days doing nothing even remotely exciting, and having very little contact, if any at all, with the world outside the walls of St. Jude's. That is, until she receives a mysterious package that changes her life forever.

The year is 1923. Thirteen-year-old Daphne has resided at the Orphanage of St. Jude's in Hoxton - an area of London - her entire life, never feeling the love of a mother, or the doting affection of a father. The closest she has ever come is her friendship with Sister Mary Euphoria - the music mistress. Sister Mary is the only person who has encouraged Daphne's passion for dance, and for that, Daphne loves her. Daphne has dreamed of being a ballerina since she could walk. Over the years, she has spent countless hours creating dances of her very own, much to the chagrin of many of the people surrounding her. But with no professional lessons to perfect her form, Daphne feels that there may be no hope for her to ever fulfill her dream. Until she receives an unexpected package, from a mysterious stranger, containing a pair of scarlet stockings that are magic, and a book full of information about ballet, which is home to a confusing riddle which Daphne must solve in an attempt to fulfill her destiny. With the arrival of this package, Daphne is convinced that the life she longs for is within her grasp, and begins perusing the book whenever she has a free moment. But as Daphne delves deeper and deeper into the world of competitive ballet, she comes face to face with horrors that she never knew existed. Ballet isn't just about dance, passion, love, excitement, physical hardships, and discipline. On the contrary, it involves competition between dancers, and hatred. Two things that will chew Daphne up and spit her out, if the magic she now holds within her is not enough to battle the demons and the loneliness of her past, which threaten to bubble up and overtake her.

There are two things that I very much enjoy reading: historical fiction and ballet. Newcomer Charlotte Kandel has managed to weave both of these things into one splendid little package, which will keep you entranced from the very first to the very last page. Daphne is an interesting character whom you hate to love and love to hate. At times she is the sweetest thing ever, other times she is nasty and mean, and you want nothing to do with her. Her flip-flopping personality makes it confusing and difficult to pinpoint whether you want her to succeed or fail at her task. The people surrounding her seem to come and go, but Daphne remains the main focus of the story, and it's hard to tear your mind away from her situation long enough to truly meet the other characters. Even so, Kandel manages to create an intoxicating tale that is neither boring nor dull; but leaves you wishing for a sequel. A riveting debut that nicely mixes magic and morals.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

What a perfect blend of history and the art of dance! As an "auntie," I look for quality books to give as gifts. After reading "The Scarlet Stockings" myself, I knew it would be ideal for the young readers in my life. The highest compliment came from a fifth grader who left her brother's birthday party to pull her chair around the corner to start reading the book! I knew this combination of fantasy and ballet would entrance the young girls I know...and it has. Brava to Charlotte Kandel...and here's to the sequels.

Charlotte Kandel's The Scarlet Stockings will be a delightful read for any aspiring dancer, ballet or otherwise. She crafted an amazing setting, characters you could love (or hate), and used a riddle throughout the book to keep our attention. I can't wait to read the sequel!

Abandoned at birth, Daphne was raised in the dreary Orphanage of St. Jude in Hoxton, England. This shy girl has only two aspirations: to find the truth about the family that didn't want her and to become a prima ballerina. Then one day, as if by magic, Daphne receives a mysterious package containing a book on ballet, a pair of scarlet stockings, and a strange riddle. As if suddenly spurred by this present, Daphne's life becomes a whirlwind of good fortune, from a kind and caring adoptive family all the way to dancing ballet on the French stage. But Daphne has to be careful, because although her new world is filled with unbelievable excitement and beauty, it also contains loneliness and dangerous rivalry. Daphne will have to find magic, both from the stockings and within herself, to overcome the challenges of the competitive ballet world and finally realize where she belongs.

The Enchanted Riddle is a sweet and heartwarming debut novel. Daphne is such an interesting main character, which made it so easy to get attached to her story. The "unloved orphan with big dreams" scenario is thankfully not overdone and really helps set the scene for many of Daphne's later exploits. Daphne's earnestness makes her so lovable as well as sympathy for many of her plights. Kandel did a great job of portraying the competitive entertainment industry of that day, ballet; it wasn't too romanticized and felt very realistic. I truly loved reading Daphne's story partly because of how well-sculpted her character was, but mostly because it was just so cute. Daphne's story is kind of an "old-fashioned" version of those stories of people trying to make it big in the entertainment world in modern day, only with more morality and innocence. The ending felt a little rushed for my taste, but it wrapped up neatly.

The Enchanted Riddle is the perfect antidote for a dreary day. I think this novel was intended for the younger audience but readers older than the middle grade group will also enjoy this sweet story.

Daphne was left in the care of an orphanage when she was just a baby, and has lived there for thirteen years. She dreams of becoming a prima ballerina, but without lessons or money, her dreams are far off.

But then one day she receives a book containing a mysterious riddle and all the information she'd ever want to know about ballet. As she hones her skills and enters the seemingly magical world of dance, she'll find that she's up against more than she bargained for -- bitter competition and hatred from the other dancers.

Daphne's insecurities begin to overwhelm her, but she has something that no one else has: the magic of her book and stockings.

This book is a delightful read that anyone of any age can enjoy. Combining the best of historical fiction and magic, Kandel has created an engaging and suspenseful read. Though Daphne can sometimes act surprisingly mean, she is a lovable character and her story is one that will mesmerize. There's never a dull moment in this first installment, and it will certainly leave you wanting more.

Overall, the author has crafted a good, wholesome read.

Reviewed by: The Compulsive Reader

I thought at first this was another "Annie"(and I loved Annie) but that thought was diminished after the 5 pages. The Character Daphine imediatly takes by the hand. This is a book children will want read again and again.

I have read and re-read The Scarlet Stockings by Charlotte Kandel. This is the first book of a trilogy and I can't wait for the second and third volumes.

The story is lovely, something to be shared with your children, The main character, Daphne, connects with the reader in the first few sentences.
She is an orphaned child who aspires to become a ballerina and follows her dreams, with the assistance of these magical stockings. In become a ballet star, she assumes the haughty demeanor of an aloof, and very self-absorbed individaul. "How stars are supposed to act" until she deeply hurts her three best friends from her small town with her caustic comments'and nasty attitude. Daphne is injured in a suspicious fall and sustains multiple serious injuries that endangered her life and caused by a jealous prima ballerina who risked everything to get rid of her main competition. Daphne returns home to recuperate and realizes the mistakes she made with her friends and how her grand atitude had caused her to lose more than just her friends. She lost sight of her goals and realized the fame and fortune she had experienced had made her into a very shallow and un-caring person.
Through the intervention of her friends, including a fabulously famous actress who had befriend her years previously, Daphne pushes herself to retrain and be able to walk

As an Elementary School Teacher and Librarian I come across many children's books on a daily basis. This one stands out way above the rest!!! It is a page turner...I couldn't put it down. When I read the first chapter to some of my classes, they were so captivated by Daphne and the package that she received, that they begged me to continue reading more! I absolutely loved the characters (the good and the bad), the language, the accents, and the setting (1920's London and Paris). The Scarlet Stockings was filled with magic, suspense, glamour, hope and humor. The riddle throughout the book kept me on my toes. I highly recommend this book to any girl who has a dream!

I enjoy reading books with my 11 year-old granddaughter and discussing them with her. Scarlet Stockings is a terrific story, easy to follow, engaging, and interesting for the target age group. The clever storyline, the mix of early 1900's history, the dream of dancing keeps the reader rooting for dear Daphne and her dreams. I look forward to more books by the author, Charlotte Kandel. Delightful!

Abandoned as a baby, Daphne has spent the first thirteen years of her life in the Orphanage of St. Jude. She dreams of being a ballet dancer and though she knows the chances are as slim as being adopted at age thirteen. But when she received a package containing a strange book, a mysterious riddle, and a pair of scarlet stockings, everything changes. The stockings promise her a chance at the life she has always dreamed of, if only she can solve the riddle.

The story itself is pretty solid, serving as a cautionary tale about how fame and success can go to a person's head if they lose touch with their roots. (Think "Jenny from the Block.") It also serves as a reminder to always hope, work for what you want, and the unconditional love of family and friends.

The story has a few weaknesses, to be sure. It moves so quickly from place to place that it is difficult to really settle in and get to know any of the characters particularly well. Daphne, the character we follow throughout, is somewhat inconsistent and not just because she changes. She claims to be closed off emotionally and somewhat shy, but all we ever see is her showing her emotions to anyone who will stand within twenty feet of her and a willingness to talk to just about anyone and put herself out there despite her lack of formal training.

The bigger problem for me is that the riddle is not really a riddle but a not so well written outline of what she will experience. There's not actually anything for her to do or figure out so much as see how it comes true.

Despite this, there's something fun and fanciful about this tale. It's sweet and ultimately joyful, even when Daphne's worst personality traits come out. Her pure and whole-hearted love of dance is something everyone can relate to.