Title: Snow & Rose
Author: Emily Winfield Martin
Publication Date: October 10, 2017
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Pages: 224
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Snow and Rose didn’t know they were in a fairy tale. People never do….
Once, they lived in a big house with spectacular gardens and an army of servants.
Once, they had a father and mother who loved them more than the sun and moon.
But that was before their father disappeared into the woods and their mother disappeared into sorrow.
This is the story of two sisters and the enchanted woods that have been waiting for them to break a set of terrible spells.
Bestselling author-illustrator Emily Winfield Martin has created a world that sits on the border of enchantment, with characters who are grounded in real emotions that readers will recognize in themselves.
Snow & Rose caught my eye the first time I saw it at Barnes and Noble. The cover was gorgeous and when I flipped through it I was hooked! Emily Winfield Martin’s illustrations are beautiful and I could not wait to dive into this fairytale retelling.
Somehow, I ended up picking up the audiobook of Snow & Rose, despite being in love with the art, but the story still had my attention immediately. Snow & Rose are sisters who have lost their father to the woods. They live with their mother, who has never gotten over his disappearance. They come across an enchanted library of objects in the woods one day and suddenly find that magical things are happening all around them.
Snow and Rose are both wonderful, enchanting characters. Although they were both grieving their father in their own ways, I loved following them around the woods as they discovered new things and people. The two come across a boy named Ivo, who lives underground, and he is a fantastic character as well! I loved the mystery surrounding him and how the three worked together and formed an unlikely friendship.
There are so many things to love about this children’s book. The characters are lovely, there’s magic everywhere, and the writing is beautiful! I read a lot of fairy tale retellings, but not all of them are able to capture the magic of the original. This one definitely did. The plot does meander a bit, but I think that’s okay in this kind of story. I never got bored and was constantly finding reasons to keep listening.
I can’t say much more without spoiling the plot, but trust me when I say that you will love Snow & Rose if you’re a lover of fairy tales. While I did love the audiobook and found it to be magical on its own, I definitely recommend picking up the physical copy to follow along with the artwork. They should definitely be enjoyed together!
