Review: A Dark Fairytale
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 8, 2014
After the death of her beloved Prince Charming, Snow White settles into melancholy. Not even the marriage of her daughter can cheer her. While exploring the castle grounds, she visits the room once inhabited by her evil stepmother only to discover that the magic mirror is still there and functioning. Taking a look inside, the aging queen reflects on the events of her past.At first I thought this was going to be a new telling of Snow White with different twists and turns along the way. That isn’t quite what it is, though. This is a much more in-depth look at the old fairytale, which allows the reader to see the details of Snow White’s life. The beginning of the story is rather dark. It isn’t quite to the level of Carrie, but it’s close. We all know the stepmother is evil, but we are normally spared the details of just how bad this woman treated her young stepdaughter. This book fills in those details, allowing us to see the horrors a little girl experienced at her hands.It is clear how much Snow White loved her father, and how she laments him still. This is true to life, as a beloved parent is often mourned for the rest of a child’s life. I could sympathize with the character in this regard, and her pain felt real to me. Her sorrow at the loss of her husband and even the dwarves who had been her friends reminded me of the slow decline of Queen Elizabeth I. When all her friends had gone, she faded from a strong woman and eventually succumbed to time herself.This book contains vivid descriptions of the world that further help to immerse a reader. The prose is nicely written, and I particularly enjoyed reading about Snow White’s flight and succumbing to the poison that rendered her in a state of sleep. Her partial vision and being neither truly asleep nor awake is reminiscent of what some people recall experiencing under anesthesia.  It seems a most unpleasant sensation, and it is nicely described here.I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.