A wonderful retelling of the classic Snow White story. From the evil queen (deftly told as a cruel stepmother who isn’t without her own angst and shades of grey), to the huntsman, the 7 dwarves (7 brothers with their own interesting story and supporting arc), and even the poisonous apple. I have read so many versions of Snow White - they all get mixed up in my head and I forgot about some of the other trials the evil queen put her through.
Snow White in this story is Sophie - a beautiful strong willed princess who has to hide her kind and sweet nature under a facade of indifference as demanded by her stepmother. Unfortunately for Sophie, the day before her coronation, the wicked Queen is told by her magic mirror that Sophie will be the cause of her downfall so she asks the Huntsman to take Sophie to the dark wood and cut out her heart, which she presents to Corvus the King of Crows (her confidant and advisor).
The story is a little convoluted because there are a number of bad guys and like all fairy tales you can’t always know who to trust. The bad guys are also not always bad guys because “sometimes they help” ... (but only sometimes). There are a number of new characters that have nothing to do with the original story (both good and bad) which makes this story fresh and interesting. Sophie shows character growth - both good and bad as she initially regresses to this idiotic overly trusting girl but then grows into a beautiful strong determined Queen who is willing to go to any lengths to help her people.
Overall I really enjoyed this story - I would classify it as YA with a grim edge - and would highly recommend it. Easy 4 Stars.
Snow White in this story is Sophie - a beautiful strong willed princess who has to hide her kind and sweet nature under a facade of indifference as demanded by her stepmother. Unfortunately for Sophie, the day before her coronation, the wicked Queen is told by her magic mirror that Sophie will be the cause of her downfall so she asks the Huntsman to take Sophie to the dark wood and cut out her heart, which she presents to Corvus the King of Crows (her confidant and advisor).
The story is a little convoluted because there are a number of bad guys and like all fairy tales you can’t always know who to trust. The bad guys are also not always bad guys because “sometimes they help” ... (but only sometimes). There are a number of new characters that have nothing to do with the original story (both good and bad) which makes this story fresh and interesting. Sophie shows character growth - both good and bad as she initially regresses to this idiotic overly trusting girl but then grows into a beautiful strong determined Queen who is willing to go to any lengths to help her people.
Overall I really enjoyed this story - I would classify it as YA with a grim edge - and would highly recommend it. Easy 4 Stars.