So you think you know the story? Of an evil queen, and a magic mirror, and a girl with skin as white as snow?
This is not that story.
In her latest novel, Jennifer Donnelly takes Snow White back to its Grimm origins, with her usual feminist twist. Fairytale retellings have become a common occurrence in recent years, and it’s hard to imagine how many more different variations authors can come up with, but Poisoned gives us a darker take on the classic tale we all know and love.
What I liked about this book was that we saw the story from multiple points of view, which gave the narrative a fresh feeling and allowed for a change in pace, rather than getting stuck with the same character throughout. Sophie is a well rounded protagonist whose personality develops as the story progresses, while the range of supporting characters all add to the story in their own way.
While on the surface, Poisoned seems to simply be a fairytale retelling, the messages and themes that Donnelly conveys throughout the story are complex and well delivered, giving power to both her characters and the reader them self.
This is not that story.
In her latest novel, Jennifer Donnelly takes Snow White back to its Grimm origins, with her usual feminist twist. Fairytale retellings have become a common occurrence in recent years, and it’s hard to imagine how many more different variations authors can come up with, but Poisoned gives us a darker take on the classic tale we all know and love.
What I liked about this book was that we saw the story from multiple points of view, which gave the narrative a fresh feeling and allowed for a change in pace, rather than getting stuck with the same character throughout. Sophie is a well rounded protagonist whose personality develops as the story progresses, while the range of supporting characters all add to the story in their own way.
While on the surface, Poisoned seems to simply be a fairytale retelling, the messages and themes that Donnelly conveys throughout the story are complex and well delivered, giving power to both her characters and the reader them self.