Snow & Poison
De la Cruz’s lush retelling of “Snow White” is set in 17th-century Bavaria. The central figure is Sophie, the Duke of Bavaria’s daughter, and her love interest is Philip of Spain. They meet at her debut ball, which is also the marriage of her father to a woman called Claudia, who hails from a remote region of Bavaria. Events are set in motion that will test the strength of Sophie’s resilience as well as the bond between Sophie and everyone she loves.
There are many things to like about this book. In particular, the relationship between Sophie and Claudia was delightful; it’s always refreshing when an author makes a traditionally negative character into one worthy of love and respect as she does with Claudia. She turns the trope of the wicked stepmother on its head.
There are several drawbacks to the novel as well, though. The pacing is generally poor. The first three-quarters of the book are a straightforward historical story, leaving readers to wonder when or if there will be any elements of the Snow White tale. I wondered if this was perhaps the first part of a duology or trilogy. Then, in the last quarter of the book, the dwarves’ and the wicked witch’s characters are introduced, and the rest of the fairy tale proceeds in a rushed manner. Mostly because of the inconsistent pacing, the characters in general lack development, and a couple of them with the potential to be fascinating are more or less glossed over in favor of concluding the story. The pacing deficiencies result in many unanswered questions.
The novel should appeal to younger teens or established fans of de la Cruz but will likely disappoint older teens or adult YA readers.
