Customer Reviews

Snow

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jessica never really knew what it was like to have a family. Her mother died giving birth to her and her father was not interested in having a daughter. She saw her father once a year when he did his inspection and the rest of the time she had the run of the Welsh estate that belonged to the duke, her father. More then a bit of a tomboy, Jessica did not come to the notice of her father and her coldly beautiful new stepmother until she accused one of the sons of the nobility of attacking her. Suddenly, it was not okay for Jessica to run around playing with the other boys. Instead, she was under the tutelage of her stepmother, who was determined to instruct her on everything she needed to know about being a lady. However, her stepmother quickly grew jealous of Jess' beauty and, with her father gone, locked her away with only a few mice for company. Warned by her stepmother's minstrel, Jess managed to flee for London when her stepmother's jealousy was replaced with the belief that she could only have a child if she had Jess' heart.

Jess was only in London for a few moments when all of her money was stolen. Bereft and alone, she took refuge in an alley, until a cat-like girl attacked her and kidnapped her. When Jess awoke she was stunned to see herself surrounded by a group of animal-like humans. There was Chauncey, the rat-like leader of the ragtag band; Cat, the only girl who had attacked Jess in the alley and seemed determined to hate her; Sparrow, a short, plump boy who was very quiet; Raven, a tall, dark and handsome fellow who never seemed to say anything; and Mouser, who was as elegant as the high-born lords of London. Jess, or Snow as she now called herself, settled into her peculiar new life and found that she was happier as a serving maid than as a duke's daughter. But her stepmother did not give up easily and was ready to use any trick to get Jess to participate in her new "experiment"...

This was a very peculiar adaptation of Snow White, but it was still very enjoyable. Snow herself is still much the same, but the 7 dwarfs are turned into the 5 Lonely Ones (the animal-like people described above), the magic mirror is the minstrel and the wicked stepmother is a scientist of sorts who actually created the Lonely Ones. Even though the details of the story were quite different, it is still a happily ever after tale and I enjoyed the different twists and turns that the author took in creating the tale. If you enjoy fairy tales, then you will enjoy this book!

"Snow" is a quirky,new version of the fairy tale classic "Snow White". Jessica, the main character, is the headstrong daughter of a duke in Wales. A neglected, though lovely and strong-willed child, Jessica lives happily among the servants of the household, making friends with the stable boys and the animals. Then, at the age of 16, Jessica is forced to flee her country estate after an attempt on her life by her deranged new stepmother, and she escapes to the city, taking the name "Snow" with her. In the city Snow is taken in by a small group of societal outcasts, the Lonely Ones, people with both human and animal characteristics and purely human hearts and personalities. Chauncey, Mouser, Raven, Cat, and Sparrow soon come to care for the beautiful stranger in their midst, and she for them. Suddenly, at the height of Snow's newfound happiness, disaster strikes when her stepmother appears out of the blue and casts a spell apon her from which there is no awakening. Her new "family" is desperate to break the curse and have their Snow back, but it looks as if the evil duchess has finally won...
I loved this book! Some of the plot was rather dark, admittedly, but the original story was, too. Many of the main points of "Snow White" were retained in this novel, but new twists and turns were added, along with vivid characters, to make "Snow" a new, fantastic reading experience. I really liked the idea of the Lonely Ones, who, personally, I think are the best characters in the book. Keep it up, Ms. Lynn!!!!

I dont read that much any more, because a lot of books seem too cliche, or even tacky. Everything seemed like it had been done before. However, this book was actually, totally, completely genuinely excellent. Although a little slow at the beginning, the pace was soon picked up and the book flourished. It was amazing, and defenitely one of my favorites.
:-)

In case anyone's like me and reads reviews before deciding on a product they're unfamiliar with, I found Tracy Lynn's "Snow" to be very good. It's technically a "young adult" book, but I found it had a high vocabularly level, one quite suitable enough for a 25 year old. I'd recommend it. :o)

When Jessica is born, and her mother dies during labor, her father, the duke of a tiny Welsh estate, rejects her at first sight, and leaves her for the servants to take care of. Years later, Jessica, now a young adult, with an evil stepmother, finds only tiny animals, and a servant boy to keep as friends. But when she finds that her stepmother is trying to cause harm to her, Jessica (now known as Snow, due to the paleness of her skin), flees the Welsh estate, and finds refuge in London with a band of outcast mutants, who are half animal, half human.

From page 1, SNOW was an amazingly entertaining story, with twists and turns at every corner. Lynn did a fantastic job in creating a remake of the original "Snow White" story, in her own words. A must-have book for all who love a nice happy ending.

Erika Sorocco

It was a very rainy July day, 2003. I had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic I was taking and my hands and fingers swelled to the point where it was impossible to bend them. On the way home from the doctors I stopped by the library to return the book and Snow caught my eye. I stopped for a few minutes and read the first ten pages, then checked it out. Hey, if I was going to spend all day cooped up inside, I'd better have something to do.

It saved my life.

Snow White has always been a secret favorite fairy-tale of mine, but Disney and the Grim Brother's don't have the same magic feeling in the story. This book excellently preserved the 'magic' old-world feeling, while still making it appealing to a more 'today' reading audience. I was in a lot of pain all day, but this book took my mind off it, and I had it finished by the evening.

I'm not going to give a run-down of the plot, since it's already been written by tons of other reviewers, so here's some pros and cons:
PROS: Excellent excellent excellent character development. The pacing was seemingly flawless and the reader is given a chance to become attatched (or detatched, if they aren't likeable) with all the characters. Imagery and descriptiveness were plentiful, but not overly done. The dialogue was well-written and interesting; very little was clichéd. Lynn even takes things a step further in giving certain characters regional dialect, such as Alan, which really adds to the feeling of the story's setting.

What I also enjoyed, was that Lynn doesn't take the "easy" way out by using magic as an excuse for unexplained phenomena; science is the magic behind the Stepmother's power, and the only magic is the kind Lynn creates herself through her characters. The setting in London is a refreshingly new take as opposed to the old-Europe stance many retellers have taken with the Snow White story.

CONS: Not many. It was far too short, however. Perhaps it's my own personal opinion, but I wanted to read more about Snow's bonding with the Lost Ones and I had hoped to read in more depth about her Stepmother's endeavors after Snow left.

The only really disquieting thing about this story that really irks me to this day is that Lynn's named her heroine "Jessica". In my opinion, it completely warps the atmosphere--I've never read a fairy tale with a character named "Jessica" in it, and I doubt I ever will. I think the name's too contemporary for the time period Lynn writes about and it sticks out like a sore thumb. Luckily for me, Jessica eventually dons the nickname "Snow", which makes things a little more bearable, but I couldn't help but be a little peturbed about her choice in naming her main character.

Overall, Snow is the best book in the Once Upon a Time series I've read yet, and I'm surprised it hasn't gotten that many reviews. All have been good, though, which is highly understandable. Even though it was over a year ago when I read this, I recently found a copy and bought it, rereading it twice. It's comforting, and I highly recommend it!

Wow! Who would have thought fairly tales could be this fun! Snow is an altered conceptualization of the Snow White myth. Jessica, a young girl has a stepmother move in - and the woman brings a large mirror that she likes to gaze into. Oh, did I mention she was a wicked stepmother. (Is there any other kind?) It doesn't take long for the trouble to begin and true to the story a huntsman is called to dispatch the girl. A slight variation on the dwarves is that they are not miners per se. They are all disfigured "monsters" - one is a cat-woman, another a rat-man and so forth... and they are pickpockets and thieves who "mine" the pockets of the unsuspecting in the town. They are really a great bunch and I wish there would be a sequel with them. This book is short but there is a great deal of fun in its pages. I plan on buying other books in this new genre of adapted fairly tales.
Buy this book - it doesn't matter your age - after all, who doesn't love a good bed time story?


Relic113

PLOT: This enduring classic is twisted very far from the ordinary telling and is very sure to please most everyone. We are taken along with Jessica (soon to be Snow) as she grows up, is taken in by her stepmother, as she is shunned, and as she flees from the only life she's known--to escape a mad stepmother--whose experiments between science and magic are terrible enough to pose a large threat to Snow's life. She is grudgingly (at first) taken in by some outcast "miners" and begins to become one of them as she cooks and cleans for their household. Things take a dramatic turn when Snow's stepmother appears once again in her life. Is her stepmother really remorseful or does she just want to hurt Snow? Find out.
POSITIVE POINTS: This is a perfect read for children, kids, and adults who love a warm and classic tale. The new direction that Lynn chooses to take in portraying this story is wonderful...and the depth in which she brings morals, ideas, and lessons into it is wonderful.
NEGATIVE POINTS: The only reason I chose to give this four stars is that I felt it wasn't long enough. I personally felt that it would have been great if I could have spent more time with the characters. But then again, I do tend to love larger books...so it's just a partiality.
RECOMMEND? Definitely. And I recommend that you buy "The Storyteller's Daughter" in addition to this one. "Beauty Sleep", the other addition to this fairy tale series, is good, but somewhat the odd one out...so I won't recommend it unless you'd like to expand your collection of fairy tales. If you have been thinking about checking these books out from the library...go ahead. But you might not want to waste your time and just buy them now. :) Also, if you would like some longer versions of some fairy tales, I would recommend the author Robin McKinley.
AGE RATING: Any age. I think it would make a great bedtime tale for children and adults. ;)
MOOD: It's light-hearted. Sit outside on a bench(preferably a quiet park) and read. It's a short book. I'd recommend having Strawberries 'n Cream while you read. ;) And of course chocolate. hehe.
HAPPY READING!!!!!!

For those of you who delight in new variations on classic fairy tales, this is a story you will enjoy. For those who are put off by the predictability of the "fairy tale retold," remember that getting lost in the forest is a metaphor, and strangers can be more threatening than a brooding wood. This is an engaging story of a provincial young lady whose discoveries about belonging and retribution add new dimension to these timeless subjects. Surely some of the situations this "Snow White" encounters in old London will resonate with the modern complexities facing the young adults for whom this book was written. Good entertainment, with new twists and clever new visions; not what you might expect. Recommended for age 12 and up.

In a tiny Welsh estate, a duke and duchess lived happily lacking only a child-or more, importantly, a son and heir to the estate. Childbirth ultimately probed fatal for the young duchess. After she died, the duke was dismayed to discover that he was not only a widower, but also fahter to a tiny baby girl.

Jessica.

Growing up in the kitchen with the cook, Jessica was happy. But her small fairy tale, being happy, playing with animals, and hanging around with servants children, is about to stop abrubtly in its tracks.

Independant -virtually ignored- and finding only little animals and a lonely servant boy as her companions, Jessica is pale, lonely, and headstrong... and quick to learn that she has an enemy in her stepmother. "Snow," as she comes to be known, flees the estate in London and finds herself embraced by a band of urban outcasts. But her stepmother isn't finished with her, and if Jessica doesn't take control of her destiny, the wicked witch will certaintly harness her youth- an threaten her very life....

Skin as pale as snow.
Hair as black as ravens feathers.
Lips as red as blood.
Eyes as black as a shadow.

Snow white, Rose Red.

Snow