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A review by _ckarys
Winterdream by Chantal Gadoury
4.0
I recieved a free e-arc from the author in exchange for an honest review.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, my friends! I am a huge fan of all things Christmas, and yet it hadn’t crossed my mind to read a holiday book until Chantal Gadoury gracefully reached out to me with Winterdream. As a fan of many of her previous books, I accepted right away, and I am very glad I did! This book immediately put me into the Christmas spirit, dragging me into an enchanting world of magic, romance and adventure!
Winterdream is a retelling of the classic story and ballet of the Nutcracker, which I’ve always had a fascination to ever since I was a little girl. It is divided into three acts, the first of which follows the classic tale quite faithfully. We find ourselves at a Christmas party in the Stahlbaum family home with Uncle Drosselmeyer being one of the most awaited guests. Like every Christmas, he brings gifts for all the children and puts up a spectacular show filled with magic for the guests. He gifts Clara with the Nutcracker doll that sets in motion the whole adventure.
However similar to the original tale, the author also supplies some new elements, some of which I’ve come to appreciate from her other books as well. The protagonist, Clara, is not a child, but rather a young woman of marriageable age. This enables the author to turn the protagonist of this classic tale into a modern feminist, exploring the condition of young girls who are expected to accept unions that favor economical stability over love, and, of course, finding ways to overthrow that mindset. Another element of change is Anton, Uncle Drosselmeyer’s handsome apprentice, who plays a very relevant role in the adventure and was quite possibly my favorite character of the story.
The second and third acts are the ones that differentiate most with the classic. While we do meet familiar characters like Mother Goose and the villainous Mouse King, but Chantal Gadoury added further layers to them and enriched the plot with elements of romance and mild gore that are much more appealing to a young adult audience.
In general, I would recommend this book to fans of the Nutcracker but also those approaching the story for the first time. It is the perfect holiday read for anyone looking for something quick and entertaining.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, my friends! I am a huge fan of all things Christmas, and yet it hadn’t crossed my mind to read a holiday book until Chantal Gadoury gracefully reached out to me with Winterdream. As a fan of many of her previous books, I accepted right away, and I am very glad I did! This book immediately put me into the Christmas spirit, dragging me into an enchanting world of magic, romance and adventure!
Winterdream is a retelling of the classic story and ballet of the Nutcracker, which I’ve always had a fascination to ever since I was a little girl. It is divided into three acts, the first of which follows the classic tale quite faithfully. We find ourselves at a Christmas party in the Stahlbaum family home with Uncle Drosselmeyer being one of the most awaited guests. Like every Christmas, he brings gifts for all the children and puts up a spectacular show filled with magic for the guests. He gifts Clara with the Nutcracker doll that sets in motion the whole adventure.
However similar to the original tale, the author also supplies some new elements, some of which I’ve come to appreciate from her other books as well. The protagonist, Clara, is not a child, but rather a young woman of marriageable age. This enables the author to turn the protagonist of this classic tale into a modern feminist, exploring the condition of young girls who are expected to accept unions that favor economical stability over love, and, of course, finding ways to overthrow that mindset. Another element of change is Anton, Uncle Drosselmeyer’s handsome apprentice, who plays a very relevant role in the adventure and was quite possibly my favorite character of the story.
The second and third acts are the ones that differentiate most with the classic. While we do meet familiar characters like Mother Goose and the villainous Mouse King, but Chantal Gadoury added further layers to them and enriched the plot with elements of romance and mild gore that are much more appealing to a young adult audience.
In general, I would recommend this book to fans of the Nutcracker but also those approaching the story for the first time. It is the perfect holiday read for anyone looking for something quick and entertaining.