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irmathebookwhisperer's review
4.0
“Fairest one, Fairest son, All together, Under one”
This book is short, yet somehow the author manages to pack so much into it! Amazing.
The writing was captivating and description of scenery and events made me feel like I was there, sucking me in to every scene. Such a uniqe reteling of a Snow White.
This book is short, yet somehow the author manages to pack so much into it! Amazing.
The writing was captivating and description of scenery and events made me feel like I was there, sucking me in to every scene. Such a uniqe reteling of a Snow White.
sarah_taleweaver's review
4.0
A lovely fae retelling of Snow White from an author who happens to be a friend of mine! I enjoyed the use of the prophecy and the twist on the idea of the fairest one. Idris and Keeva are excellent main characters, and they work well as a couple too. The author did an excellent job weaving in many elements of the original fairy tale, often in very creative ways. And, of course, I'm always down for a good fae story!
My one quibble with this story is that I wish it was longer and had more room for character development. Other than that, it's a lovely story, and I'm glad I got to read it!
My one quibble with this story is that I wish it was longer and had more room for character development. Other than that, it's a lovely story, and I'm glad I got to read it!
sh3llr3ads's review
4.0
Reviewed for YA Books Central
A well-written and unique take on an old tale.
The Story:
The prince of the Seelie court is the subject of a prophecy stating he will unite the fair and foul courts of the fey. In order to thwart the prophecy, the king of the Unseelie disfigures him until none can look upon him without staring. He goes to live in the mountains where he meets a huntress claiming to be searching for a beast that has been terrorizing the area.
But she has secrets and she's going to be forced to choose between her new friends and a darker force.
What I loved: The writing style is enchanting, flowing effortlessly in an almost poetic tone. It's really beautiful and so well done.
There's a message in these pages about beauty and what counts for such. It leaves an impression on the reader. The prince may not have been physically appealing, but he was kind and generous and saw the good in others.
What was just okay: I wanted more. This story is too large to be told in a short format such as this. The book only scratches the surface of the characters leaving them without the depth to allow the reader to truly connect with them. The evil king is almost a caricature of a villain, lacking in the kind of development that could make us understand his motivations.
Final Verdict: A charmingly new take on a story we thought we knew well. It breathes new life into a fairytale that didn't have much to like about it, teaching us things we thought we already knew.
A well-written and unique take on an old tale.
The Story:
The prince of the Seelie court is the subject of a prophecy stating he will unite the fair and foul courts of the fey. In order to thwart the prophecy, the king of the Unseelie disfigures him until none can look upon him without staring. He goes to live in the mountains where he meets a huntress claiming to be searching for a beast that has been terrorizing the area.
But she has secrets and she's going to be forced to choose between her new friends and a darker force.
What I loved: The writing style is enchanting, flowing effortlessly in an almost poetic tone. It's really beautiful and so well done.
There's a message in these pages about beauty and what counts for such. It leaves an impression on the reader. The prince may not have been physically appealing, but he was kind and generous and saw the good in others.
What was just okay: I wanted more. This story is too large to be told in a short format such as this. The book only scratches the surface of the characters leaving them without the depth to allow the reader to truly connect with them. The evil king is almost a caricature of a villain, lacking in the kind of development that could make us understand his motivations.
Final Verdict: A charmingly new take on a story we thought we knew well. It breathes new life into a fairytale that didn't have much to like about it, teaching us things we thought we already knew.
mudder17's review
5.0
This is a retelling of the Snow White fairy tale and at first I thought it was just a gender reversal since "Snow White" is a faerie prince. But it was so much more than that. Although there are very similar elements to the original tale--the prince lives with 7 goblins, the huntswoman is ordered to kill the prince, etc.--there were added elements of a prophecy and the death fairy as well as other small details. I love the author's writing style and I am so glad I took a chance on her [b:Moonscript|50433328|Moonscript|H.S.J. Williams|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1578941430l/50433328._SY75_.jpg|75402641] ARC! She's a very talented writer and I look forward to future books from her!
kathleenschwab's review
5.0
I was charmed by this retelling of the Snow White story. It flips genders, casting the man into the role of persecuted 'fairest child,' and the woman as the outsider who stumbles across him. This novella adds a layer of faerie lore, which will be appreciated by fans of all things fey, without disturbing the original tale. The author slipped in a reference or two to the Disney version, which made me smile. The prose style is simple and graceful, and there were just enough plot twists to keep me up past my bedtime. All right, way past my bedtime, because I had to finish it.
rgyger's review
5.0
It has admittedly been a little while since this novella was released, and honestly I am wishing that I had read it long before now. This is an amazingly well written narrative of Snow White and makes it feel like something new.
The writing style is highly reminiscent of many original fairy tales, while the story itself is far more modern. With a gender bent cast of characters, the huntress is Williams' heroine, a strong woman who has earned that title, and the prince is her "damsel in distress", though both characters do some saving of each other.
The only thing that could have made this better is perhaps if there were a few more of the wonderful art pieces like those shown at the beginning and end. But maybe for a future edition.
I have provided an honest review after receiving an ecopy from the author.
The writing style is highly reminiscent of many original fairy tales, while the story itself is far more modern. With a gender bent cast of characters, the huntress is Williams' heroine, a strong woman who has earned that title, and the prince is her "damsel in distress", though both characters do some saving of each other.
The only thing that could have made this better is perhaps if there were a few more of the wonderful art pieces like those shown at the beginning and end. But maybe for a future edition.
I have provided an honest review after receiving an ecopy from the author.
ladyfives's review
5.0
"I...do not deserve forgiveness, fair lord."
"Forgiveness is a gift, not meant to be deserved," he said.
What a beautiful surprise! I'd seen art of this floating around, and dove into it without even reading the summary. Was swept away by the first page. It pulled off my favourite thing in retellings - was distant from the source material when it comes to the concrete details, but instead referenced it in clever (subtle and not-so-subtle) ways that made how it all came together more satisfying.
It's a little novella but a powerful one, and super, super pretty. And can I just say it's so nice to read a male love interest who is that sweet and soft and earnest.
"Please, you are not thinking, you will dishonor your people forever."
"Honor," Adoh spat, eyes glowing with the most unholy of fires. "Only the Seelie care about honor."
justasking27's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A dark yet beautiful gender-swapped Snow White tale that leaned a little too much on the patriarchy for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
carina_shephard's review
5.0
4.5 stars // read July 2021
A sweet and hopeful Snow White retelling with some unexpected twists.
A sweet and hopeful Snow White retelling with some unexpected twists.
the_bookish_raven's review
4.0
4/5 stars
When a fae prince of the Seelie Court is prophesied to do great things, the Unseelie King sets out to thwart the prophecy. Ashamed, the prince leaves his people and lives in the woods where he can be alone with his animal friends, along with some goblins. However, a human huntress ends up staying with him. She has dark secrets of her own that could result in disaster. Both the huntress and the prince have a lot to lose.
This is such an original Snow White re-telling! I loved so many things about this book! The messages in particular are amazing! Beauty was shown as being a reflection of character and not just appearance-based. Forgiveness was extended to those who probably did not deserve it. Not to mention, the characters themselves were so cute! The swapping of the gender roles was a nice touch, and I loved that this was a completely clean story! Ultimately, the only thing I disliked was that this was a novella and not a novel! I would have loved a novel-length version of this book where the characters and plot could have been explored more! H.S.J Williams is such a talented author and I would love it if she ever wrote more re-tellings!
Lovers of re-tellings and clean fantasy novellas should give this book a try!
When a fae prince of the Seelie Court is prophesied to do great things, the Unseelie King sets out to thwart the prophecy. Ashamed, the prince leaves his people and lives in the woods where he can be alone with his animal friends, along with some goblins. However, a human huntress ends up staying with him. She has dark secrets of her own that could result in disaster. Both the huntress and the prince have a lot to lose.
This is such an original Snow White re-telling! I loved so many things about this book! The messages in particular are amazing! Beauty was shown as being a reflection of character and not just appearance-based. Forgiveness was extended to those who probably did not deserve it. Not to mention, the characters themselves were so cute! The swapping of the gender roles was a nice touch, and I loved that this was a completely clean story! Ultimately, the only thing I disliked was that this was a novella and not a novel! I would have loved a novel-length version of this book where the characters and plot could have been explored more! H.S.J Williams is such a talented author and I would love it if she ever wrote more re-tellings!
Lovers of re-tellings and clean fantasy novellas should give this book a try!