marissab's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Plenty of magic. Relatable protagonist. A smidge slow somewhere in the middle, but talking animals help it along. Perfect as a winter bedtime read
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Cannibalism, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Animal death, Murder, and Toxic friendship
jwhitlow91's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Cannibalism
emily_mh's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was a delightful retelling of the Snow Queen. It hit key parts of the original tale while putting a fresh and entertaining spin on characters and events. Kingfisher nailed the fairytale-like narrative voice and wove so much humour into the story (I mean like I was laughing out loud).
I adored all three main characters. I loved how naive Gerta was and how she could be foolishly optimistic one minute and then think the absolute worst was going to happen the next. Seeing her grow from a timid, almost self-loathing character to one taking on the Snow Queen and believing herself worthy of love was fantastic. Janna was also a great character. I loved seeing her become more free and open, and appreciated how analytical and logical she was in contrast to Gerta’s “no thoughts, head empty” approach. And of course, my favourite, Mousebones. He was everything I wanted and more in an animal companion character: self-important, but fundamentally loyal. Most of the times I audibly laughed was because of him.
I really liked Gerta and Janna’s relationship. Their chemistry was palpable, yet I also believed in their deeper connection. It was a little insta-lovey, but I wasn’t too affronted by this as they weren’t making irrational decisions in the name of “love.”
Spoiler
I.e., Gerta still went to find Kay, and the only reason Janna went with her initially is because she wanted to escape her father.The plot itself was really well paced. There was always something happening, and because Kingfisher was remixing events I never quite knew what would happen next. There was some really creative plant and animal magic too, which I hadn’t expected but tied in beautifully with the plot.
Finally, the atmosphere was amazing. It was so wintery that I felt cold and like I needed to get cosy. I could picture the landscapes so clearly and felt truly immersed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic friendship, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, Animal death, Blood, and Violence
Minor: Suicide, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/injury detail, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Ableism, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Vomit, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Misogyny, Sexism, and Gore
Major: missing loved one Minor: internalised misogyny, loss of a loved one, illness, epidemic, imprisonmentmegj23's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Animal cruelty, and Animal death
Moderate: Kidnapping
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