
“Snow and Rose didn’t know they were in a fairy tale. People never do….
Once, they lived in a big house with spectacular gardens and an army of servants.
Once, they had a father and mother who loved them more than the sun and moon.
But that was before their father disappeared into the woods and their mother disappeared into sorrow.
This is the story of two sisters and the enchanted woods that have been waiting for them to break a set of terrible spells.”
Snow and Rose is an endearing retelling of the Grimms’ “Snow White and Rose Red”. It focuses on the theme of family which feels like a good choice considering this is middle grade fiction.
This story was so whimsical and the world-building was absolutely magical. I wanted to visit the forest and all the other little places we hear about. A part of me felt like I should put my shoes on and take myself outdoors to read this book because it makes the outside world and nature seem so beautiful.
Snow & Rose feels much like reading a typical fairytale. In each chapter, the two sisters meet a new person, challenge or object. These are key to the story but the sisters only realise them at the end. Just like any other fairytale. I did enjoy this aspect but do wondering if it could have been done better.
The pacing of this book was a little bit all over the place. At first, the story seems to be moving along very slowly but then suddenly everything happens all at once and the story comes to an abrupt end. I did have questions at the end that were left unanswered, most regarding the huntsman too.
I have mixed feelings on the characters in this book. They felt slightly annoying and hard to connect to. It always felt like the reader was trying to get to know the two sisters more but they were just out of reach.
Overall, this book was lovely and cosy, but ended up feeling just average. I’d definitely recommend it to younger readers who love fairytales though.
Also, if you read the physical copy of this book, there are some absolutely beautiful illustrations in there.
My rating: ★★★☆☆
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Have you read Snow & Rose? If you did, what did you think? Do you have any book recommendations for me that sound similar?