Review: Fantastic Read
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 24, 2013
What if "happily ever after" isn't really the end?Ms. DeJesus has worked her magic once again by taking a classic fairytale, and making it her own. She has done more than simply rework an old folktale for a modern audience. She shows readers what happened to Snow White, Cinderella, the seven dwarves, and many other favorite characters after their stories were recorded. Did they truly live "happily ever after?" As a huge fan of fairytales, my curiosity was piqued. I dove into Glass Frost, eager to join Bianca on her latest adventure into the beautiful yet dangerous world of Everafter, a place where happy endings aren't guaranteed.I grew to care about Bianca in First Frost, so reading Glass Frost was like spending time with an old friend. I strongly recommend reading First Frost before this book in order to have a better understanding of Bianca, her family, friends, and the land of Everafter. Bianca definitely begins to realize just how strong she is in this tale. She faces some very difficult choices and I'm pleased to say that she handles them extremely well. Bianca is only seventeen, but she can't afford to simply live in the moment. She has to consider the future and what sort of witch she wants to become because magic, even good magic, comes with a price. Her maturity, strength, and desire to protect those she loves and put their needs before her own are very admirable, but what makes Bianca an even more realistic character is her fear. There is no shame in being afraid, and Bianca has the good sense to be more than a little apprehensive of what she might encounter in Everafter. She perfectly demonstrates the meaning of courage by doing what she needs to do even though she is frightened.I enjoyed watching Bianca and Terrance grow even closer in this romance. Their relationship is more than a little complicated since they literally live in two different worlds, giving the term "long distance" a whole new meaning. Bianca again faces a tough choice. Is she willing to leave everything she knows behind and join Terrance in Everafter?Bianca isn't the only character growing and changing in Glass Frost. Prince Ferdinand is back and more entertaining than ever. In First Frost, Ferdinand struck me as a slightly self-absorbed, but good humored young man always up for an adventure. In this installment of the series, Ms. DeJesus reveals some different sides of Ferdinand. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that he can be serious and thoughtful. He even puts his charismatic nature to good use in some delicate negotiations with some bad tempered fairies. I think Ferdinand has what it takes to be a great king someday.There are so many things to love about Glass Frost. The characters are compelling and unique and the land of Everafter is absolutely breathtaking. I sincerely hope Ms. DeJesus continues Bianca's saga because I'd love to visit Everafter again.Originally posted at Long and Short Reviews