Reviews with content warning for Fire/Fire injury - Snow, Glass, Apples

Up top, I will add this disclaimer, unfortunately Gaiman still has not learned in 2019 that the g-slur is not an appropriate was to refer to Romani people, and this book has brief but stereotypical depictions of Romani individuals, as well as some elements of anti-Romani sentiment. That is why it is only receiving 4.5 stars, despite my love for the story itself.

As a lover of horror and Gaiman, "Snow, Glass, Apples" is everything I could ask for in a Snow White retelling. This lush, gothic thriller of a fairytale combines just the right pacing with elegantly unnerving illustrations done in an art-nouveau style. The character of the Evil Queen was sympathetic in a much more realistic way than many adaptations - where her actions remain the same as the original fairytale, but you can actually understand and sympathize with why she was forced to these extremes. Snow White, as a villain, was again, so perfectly unnerving and terrifying - a true creature of the night from folklore. The ending is dark, it is a tragedy, but you get the feeling about two pages in that this is NOT going to end happily ever after. Overall, if you like a darker read & some beautiful art, definitely pick this up.

Content Warnings

saltycoffee's review against another edition

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dark sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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bookwyrmknits's review

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dark medium-paced

3.0

This is a very definitely ADULT fairy tale retelling, and it's a lot more horror than I had expected. (I knew it would be dark. It was much darker than I had imagined.) The art is lovely, and I will be looking for more of Doran's work, but I don't think I will be revisiting this particular story.

As the blurb mentions, the stepmother isn't evil in this story. Instead, it's Snow White herself who is the monster (quite literally). Even that twist, though, wasn't the reason I won't be revisiting this story: my reason is the very last few pages. They were too explicitly disturbing for me, and I felt they were unneeded. I thought it would have been better for Gaiman to end his retelling sooner, leaving it more ambiguous.

Additionally, while the art in this graphic novel isn't exactly erotica, it is very highly suggestive. I did enjoy the art; it feels lush and sensual. But be very clear: this is an adult book, meant for adults in both the theme and the art.

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mydearwatsonbooks's review

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kstericker's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No

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