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nightwithbooks's review against another edition
This book pissed me off. For fans of OUAT and Grimm... Are you facing insane? The author can't track her own characters' storyline. The erotic element was so unnecessary. Good ideas so bad execution
velosaraptor's review
2.0
bro what was the ending for this book i have never been more disappointed like??? do not read unless you don’t mind incredibly abrupt and unresolved endings
two stars for some interesting potential story points, but they didn’t go anywhere and i’m upset
two stars for some interesting potential story points, but they didn’t go anywhere and i’m upset
gabriellen's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
tiffani_reads's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review against another edition
5.0
One of the main reasons I love social media is that social media always introduces me to books I somehow missed. Last week someone was trading an arc of this book in a bookgroup on Facebook and since the title sounded interesting I decided to look it up. Needlessly to say, everyone knows about my love for fairytale retellings and fairytale inspired stories, half an hour later I had ordered all three books in the series and was excited to get them.
Although I love loose retellings borrowing elements from the original fairytales and twisting them, I quite enjoyed how close this book actually stayed to the original fairytale. The core of the tale stood very firm. It were mostly the details that were twisted a little to make them a little less magical and a little more meaningful. Even though it still was in every possible way a fairytale, it felt like the tale was made a little more realistic.
That's also because the characters are just that little bit more than the stereotypes and carbon copies they are in the original. Pinborough added a little more background, a little more explanation, more humanity. We understand how things get out of hand like this, how the Queen and Snow White end up where they are and we even understand why the prince falls in love with the sleeping girl in the coffin and why the dwarves allow him to leave with her.
However, it's the ending of the book that makes the entire story. I understand that some people might not like it, since in a way the tale is unfinished. I loved it. Even if there hadn't been other stories where questions were gonna be answered. The ending tells me everything I need to know. It's a fairytale. One doesn't need to be a genius to know how the pieces of the puzzle will eventually click. However, I can't wait to dive into the other books and to find out if I'm right!
Although I love loose retellings borrowing elements from the original fairytales and twisting them, I quite enjoyed how close this book actually stayed to the original fairytale. The core of the tale stood very firm. It were mostly the details that were twisted a little to make them a little less magical and a little more meaningful. Even though it still was in every possible way a fairytale, it felt like the tale was made a little more realistic.
That's also because the characters are just that little bit more than the stereotypes and carbon copies they are in the original. Pinborough added a little more background, a little more explanation, more humanity. We understand how things get out of hand like this, how the Queen and Snow White end up where they are and we even understand why the prince falls in love with the sleeping girl in the coffin and why the dwarves allow him to leave with her.
However, it's the ending of the book that makes the entire story. I understand that some people might not like it, since in a way the tale is unfinished. I loved it. Even if there hadn't been other stories where questions were gonna be answered. The ending tells me everything I need to know. It's a fairytale. One doesn't need to be a genius to know how the pieces of the puzzle will eventually click. However, I can't wait to dive into the other books and to find out if I'm right!
leschroniques_delea's review against another edition
4.0
Blanche-Neige revisité, dans une magnifique édition illustrée. Prenez tous les éléments du conte de fées classique que tout le monde connaît et ajoutez un côté moderne à tous les personnages, à leurs motivations et leurs désirs.
J’avais déjà lu ce livre à sa sortie il y a plusieurs années de ça et j’avais adoré comment l’auteure a revisité l’histoire pour la rendre moins enfantine.
En effet, ici on n’a pas une fin heureuse et les seules personnes un temps soit peu gentille sont les nains qui sont amis avec Blanche Neige.
Blanche Neige est libre et intrépide et c’est ça qui rend sa belle mère Lilith jalouse et qui la pousse à commettre l’irréparable.
On apprend également que personne ne nait méchant ou avec un mauvais fond, c’est les aléas de la vie qui en font une personne changée et les influences que les personnes peuvent avoir sur les autres.
Enfin si vous voulez un conte avec une ambiance particulièrement sombre et une fin différente que dans l’histoire de Disney, je vous invite à découvrir ce roman.
J’avais déjà lu ce livre à sa sortie il y a plusieurs années de ça et j’avais adoré comment l’auteure a revisité l’histoire pour la rendre moins enfantine.
En effet, ici on n’a pas une fin heureuse et les seules personnes un temps soit peu gentille sont les nains qui sont amis avec Blanche Neige.
Blanche Neige est libre et intrépide et c’est ça qui rend sa belle mère Lilith jalouse et qui la pousse à commettre l’irréparable.
On apprend également que personne ne nait méchant ou avec un mauvais fond, c’est les aléas de la vie qui en font une personne changée et les influences que les personnes peuvent avoir sur les autres.
Enfin si vous voulez un conte avec une ambiance particulièrement sombre et une fin différente que dans l’histoire de Disney, je vous invite à découvrir ce roman.
janeymacd's review
2.0
Poison by Sarah Pinborough is a re-telling of the classic Snow White fairy tale. Most of the characters you would expect are here. What is different about Pinborough’s fairy tale is the characterisation. The players have a more human quality to them than what we’ve seen in previous incarnations of this tale.
The Queen is a jealous, manipulative woman. We are briefly shown the reason for this as we are told about her childhood and the introduction of her grandmother, the crone.
Snow White is a head strong, loving girl. She is loved by everyone in the kingdom for her generosity and kind spirit. We are shown glimpses of her sense of humour as she spends time with the dwarves, and her sensitive nature as she tries to come to terms with the Queen’s rule.
The absent father is mostly absent, we briefly meet him at the beginning of the tale before he heads off to war, oblivious to his new wife’s animosity towards his only daughter.
The dwarves are plentiful, although we are introduced to just three of them. For this short tale, three dwarves were more than enough! Their love for Snow White is shown through their grief following Snow White’s poisoning.
The huntsman is a man true to his personal code. He is an observant man who sees the Queen for who she really is.
The Prince is an impulsive young man who falls for Snow White while she sleeps. He sees the world a certain way and is prepared to do anything to keep it that way.
Poison manages to tell the Snow White story in a more mature and realistic manner. It is a quick read that will appeal to those fond of darker stories. There was great potential for Poison to be a complex and gripping tale, however, due to the shortness of the story, it sometimes seemed quite rushed. Character reactions were often sudden and confusing, with little explanation. The constant nod to Disney (the crone, the dwarves’ names) and the hints of tie-ins to future publications seemed quite forced. None-the-less, it was an entertaining read that had an interesting ending.
Overall, Sarah Pinborough has written her take on the Snow White story that will entertain her dedicated readers and fans.
The Queen is a jealous, manipulative woman. We are briefly shown the reason for this as we are told about her childhood and the introduction of her grandmother, the crone.
Snow White is a head strong, loving girl. She is loved by everyone in the kingdom for her generosity and kind spirit. We are shown glimpses of her sense of humour as she spends time with the dwarves, and her sensitive nature as she tries to come to terms with the Queen’s rule.
The absent father is mostly absent, we briefly meet him at the beginning of the tale before he heads off to war, oblivious to his new wife’s animosity towards his only daughter.
The dwarves are plentiful, although we are introduced to just three of them. For this short tale, three dwarves were more than enough! Their love for Snow White is shown through their grief following Snow White’s poisoning.
The huntsman is a man true to his personal code. He is an observant man who sees the Queen for who she really is.
The Prince is an impulsive young man who falls for Snow White while she sleeps. He sees the world a certain way and is prepared to do anything to keep it that way.
Poison manages to tell the Snow White story in a more mature and realistic manner. It is a quick read that will appeal to those fond of darker stories. There was great potential for Poison to be a complex and gripping tale, however, due to the shortness of the story, it sometimes seemed quite rushed. Character reactions were often sudden and confusing, with little explanation. The constant nod to Disney (the crone, the dwarves’ names) and the hints of tie-ins to future publications seemed quite forced. None-the-less, it was an entertaining read that had an interesting ending.
Overall, Sarah Pinborough has written her take on the Snow White story that will entertain her dedicated readers and fans.