Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

If you've read any of my other entries here, you know that I am a sucker for fairytale re-tellings*.

I decided to give Jessica Day George another try (see my lament concerning her story "Princess of the Midnight Ball" below), and picked up "Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow", a re-telling of that beautiful old story, East of the Sun and West of the Moon

I have read several versions of this story, including East by Edith Pattou, so I was interested in seeing where Jessica Day George would take the story.

What I did like:

Ms. George did a wonderful job of showing the main character's background in a way that wasn't forced.  You got to see her home life, and when she made certain decisions, you could back them up with what you knew about her.  It is REALLY hard to do this well, and it was great to see it in a fairy tale, which is usually devoid of complex characterizations (which is partially why I love re-tellings so much).

I also liked the 'new' world-building in this story -- more about the creatures IN the castle, the trolls, the winds and even the descriptions of things...I felt like the story was an extension off of our own world, not a completely different universe.  I like that feeling because it helps when relating to the character/situation.

What I didn't like:

Not much to say here, actually!  It was better than "Princess of the Midnight Ball" in several ways (see the things I did like) and while I do wish the hero/heroine relationship aspect was stronger, it was a great re-telling.  More depth than the original story, more characterization and background, all while retaining the magic of the original.

Looking forward to reading another of her books, "Tuesdays at the Castle," which I will probably be reviewing in the next few weeks.

What are you reading these days?  Do you like fairytale re-tellings?  If so, what's your favorite?



*Although I am merciless if I don't like the re-written version...!