Title: Snow White and Rose Red
Author: Patricia C. Wrede
Publishing Information: December 15, 1993 by Tor Books
Genre: Fantasy, Fairy tales, Young Adult, Romance
Series Information: Standalone
Format: Hardcover, 288 pages
Source: Bought for my personal library
Recommended For: Fans of fairy tale retellings, and for those of you who don’t shy away from dialect from Elizabethan England.
You guys, Snow White and Rose Red is easily one of my favorite books of all time, and Patricia C. Wrede is by far one of my favorite authors. When the girls and I decided to choose our favorite book to read during our own birthday months it was no question that this was the way to go for December. This book was part of The Fairy Tale Series created by Terri Windling. The covers are absolutely gorgeous (I have all but one!) and the retellings are superb, and some of the authors who contributed to the series are Jane Yolen, and Charles de Lint. For this post I am going to share some wonderful fairy tale retellings with you guys. Also let it be known that I am going to share some (I believe) lesser known titles here so you don’t see yet another list filled with Cinder, and Cruel Beauty (P.S. I also loved those books)…
Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier
Original fairy tale: Beauty and the Beast
Synopsis: Whistling Tor is a place of secrets and mystery. A curse lies over Anluan’s family and his people; those woods hold a perilous force whose every whisper threatens doom. For young scribe Caitrin it is a safe haven. This place where nobody else is prepared to go seems exactly what she needs, for Caitrin is fleeing her own demons. As Caitrin comes to know Anluan and his home in more depth she realizes that it is only through her love and determination that the curse can be broken and Anluan and his people set free.
My thoughts: As is her style, Marillier included some dark elements to the tale that really drew me in as a reader. I was invested in the characters, I felt their pain and disappointment as they did, and found myself on the edge of my seat hoping for a happy ending. As many of you know, Juliet is the queen of slow burning romances. This story did not disappoint, every look and small gesture radiated with something more and as always, Marillier broke my heart a little just to put it back together. Thankfully, Juliet Marillier made my heart sing per usual, she stayed true to her path of weaving so many elements into a beautifully layered story. She creates friendships between characters (both human, Other, and animal) that bring tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart. This book comes highly recommended; it is an absolutely unique and gorgeous retelling of an age old tale.
Title: Cruel Beauty
Books Take You Places 