Book Review: Girls Made of Snow and Glass
Girls Made of Snow and Glass
by: Melissa Bashardoust
Finished on: August 29, 2017
Publisher: Flatiron Books
I was so excited to win an Advanced Reader's Copy of Girls Made of Snow and Glass as part of an Instagram giveaway from Flatiron Books, hosted by Top Shelf Text! I am a huge fantasy nerd, so this book was right up my alley!
Synopsis:
At its base, Girls Made of Snow and Glass is a Snow White retelling. Unless you've been living in a bunker, you will be familiar with the storyline. Girls Made of Snow and Glass is told from alternating perspectives - Lynet, the teenaged princess, and Mina, her stepmother. Its also told from varying time periods, with Lynet's chapters primarily focused on the present day and Mina's often having flashbacks to her own teenaged years, giving the reader the backstory to our current events.
If you want a more detailed synopsis, please check it out on Goodreads!
My review:
You guys, I adored this book! My book obsession started with fantasy, and so I am always drawn back to these stories! I understand that this book may not be for everyone, but it was a hit for me. Girls Made of Snow and Glass reminded me of Once Upon a Time, which I obsessively watched the first several seasons of. This is the story of Snow White, but it is so much more!
"She didn't want their story to end this way. And more than that, she knew she had the power to change it."
Let's start by discussing the leading ladies. Lynet (our new and improved Snow White) is the princess who is trying to live up to the unrealistic expectations her father has set for her. He wants her to be her mother reincarnate, and the reader will quickly find out why. The problem is, Lynet has never been able to make a decision for herself or chosen how she wants to live her life. Mina (our stand-in stepmother), was told she can never love others or be loved in return. This has affected so many of her life's decisions, and is likely why she decided to marry the king. Both of our leading ladies spend the majority of the novel really trying to discover what it means to love others as well as what to do with the power they hold.
"...And what was next? What lie would she tell herself now to make her believe she was still one step away from the love she craved?"
What I loved the most about this retelling is how the author broke away from traditional boundaries - she incorporated feminism and LGBT elements within a traditional "princess being rescued" fairytale. I don't want to give anything away to readers, but you won't find a prince stepping in to save our princess with a kiss. Further, Melissa Bashardoust does a great job of promoting that love doesn't necessarily have to be between husband and wife, but rather, may take other forms. It never reads as if the author had an agenda, but rather these progressive themes flowed naturally within the plot. It truly made for one of the more unique retellings that I have read.
"You'll find something that's yours alone. And when you do, don't let anyone take it from you."
Overall, I rate this 4.5/5 stars. This is a fantasy fairytale re-telling, and I understand that it may not be every reader's traditional pick for a genre, but I adored this one! There are so many unique elements added to a familiar story, creating something special with a cozy feeling. If I had a teenaged daughter, I'd want her to read this one and share it with all of her friends.
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