Snow

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Summary: awesome "modernized" (sort of) fairy tale.
Review: "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!!!!

Rating:
Summary: doesn't beat Snow White by a long shot!
Review: Again, I'm not bothering with a summary 'cause you see it above. This book was purely pathetic and trash! The book was too long and no one really changes. Snow is still her ditzy self, Raven is still serious, her father still moody, Alan too stupid, and her stepmother still mean! What the heck? The only person I really like was William, the blond, handsome duke of Edgington. He was the one Snow should have ended up with--not Raven! And who ever heard of being waked by electricity? I know Lynn wanted to make it Victorian, but it just wasn't working! The vernacular is hard to understand and the plot twists made me roll my eyes. The story overall is sooo fake! Very unrealistic and something that I will NOT read again! James laughed at Cat, that stupid girl who likes Alan and remains a snooty girl throughout the book! I didn't like her either! I think I hated her the most! She was just stupid! Her and Snow would make a winning combination. So again the author messed up a good classic "Snow White" and made it too dark, annoying and overall, plain weird!

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Summary: a creative new story inspired by snow white
Review: 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.

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Summary: Snow
Review: I am a great lover of fairy tales and Snow White was always my favorite when I was little, so I couldn't wait to pick up this book. I have to admit to being a little disappointed though. I absolutly loved the beginning and everything that led up to Snow becoming a slave in her own house. Her friend Alan was one of my favorite charaters; he was such a loving, friendly person who Snow could always count on to be there for her. The only part I really did not enjoy was the idea of the Lonely Ones. While I liked the idea of them being outlaws and not dwarfs, this idea of the Queen creating these outcasts was just too bizarre. Especialy since Snow doesnt even end up with a prince, or even with a regular person (you'll know what I mean if you actually do decide to read this). While I throughly enjoyed all the rest of the twists in this classic fairy tale, it would have been much more enjoyable if the Lonley Ones weren't who they were.

Rating:
Summary: genuinely good
Review: 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.
:-)

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Summary: It rocked. I loved the ending
Review: I have not read a book this good for a long time.I was booked starved and then this nurishment droped in my hands. First you love Jessica and try to figure out the stepmother and unnatural hold on Alan the fiddler. As Jessica remains happy dipite the worlds atempt. Untill 16 when punished for wanting a puppy. After two years of being a slave. The newly named Snow runs to London and meets the Lonely Ones, half humman, half animals freaks. Who quickly give ther love to there new maid.One more then the others. But the stepmother isn't done with Snow yet. Soon Snow is asleep, a sleep where she dosen't age. For three years Alan and the Lonely Ones search. Finaly awaking Snow with surprising fact! The end was twist after twist. Ending with every one in the right place.

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Summary: ~Snow~ New Twist To Snow White, Great Book!
Review: 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

Rating:
Summary: "Light struggled and lost here."
Review: In this retelling of the fairytale "Snow White," a duke and duchess in a remote and rugged corner of Wales long for a child, particularly a son to be heir to the estate. Their wish comes true, but at a terrible price; the duchess dies in childbirth and the duke gets not the son he had hoped for, but a daughter. Jessica Kenigh, with her pale skin and raven-colored hair, bears a striking resemblance to her dead mother. This earns her the resentment of her grieving father. He is cold and distant and young Jessica grows up a lonely little girl who is more comfortable doing servant's work than playing the part of a duchess.

Jessica's life changes when her father marries the beautiful and mysterious Anne of Mandagore. Jessica and her new stepmother get along fairly well but as the years pass and Anne is unable to conceive an heir, the older woman's madness is revealed. When Jessica is almost raped at her "coming out" ball, her stepmother blames her and confines her to a dark cell where, for years, her only friends are mice and ravens nesting in a tree outside. Jessica becomes pale from her confinement and earns the nickname "Snow." Her friend Alan, a servant to Anne who is locked under a strange spell, warns Snow of her stepmother's new plan to murder the girl and helps her escape to London.

In London, Snow meets up with an odd band of half-animals called "The Lonely Ones." She lives with them and slowly begins to think of them as family. She even begins to enjoy her new life. However, she soon learns that her evil stepmother hasn't forgotten about her and still aims to carry out her deadly plan.

Tracy Lynn gives us an interesting new twist on an old tale. Snow is a sympathetic heroine who gains wisdom under the most terrible circumstances. She is a strange mix of naivete and street smarts. Lynn never casts the Lonely Ones as freaks-of- nature but shows them as emotionally scarred yet lovable misfits who want nothing more than to belong. And if you are expecting "happily ever after" then think again. This is not to say that evil triumphs and the good are not rewarded but things aren't wrapped up into tidy little packages. I think that, ultimately, this makes it a much more satisfying read because it is more real.

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Summary: Sensational Snow White
Review: 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!

Rating:
Summary: Creative Snow White version
Review: It was a wonderful book and had a wonderful twist to the original fairy tale. It's got love, humor, drama, everything! It was awesome and you fall in love with the characters instantly!