The Reflections of Queen Snow White

The Reflections of Queen Snow White     ***   (3/5)
                                David Meredith - Fantasy

I have to admit, I started this book after completing The Orphan Train at my husbands softball game and was woahly unimpressed. I thought the first few pages were far too wordy, too descriptive, and I was not at all looking forward to devoting any more time to it's completion. In fact, I put the book down and read a few other books before I picked it up again. 

The Reflections of Queen Snow White was sent to be by the author in exchange for an honest review. I, as you all know, am a bird who flies with a different flock and appear to have different feelings about this book when compared to many others who've read it. That's not to say I didn't like the book, I did: I just didn't love it. 

I did find the book more enjoyable the second time I picked it up, but I still felt like the opening chapter was way to descriptive. The story opens with a very long and vivid telling of two soaring hawks...Mr. Meredith uses the analogy of the two birds to launch into the story of Snow White, now a queen, and her bumpy past and bleak future.The reader learns of Prince Charming's death and the upcoming nuptials of their daughter, Raven. Queen Snow White is in a funk that threatens to cause a dismal future should she not find the strength or will to break free of depressions grasp. Mr. Meredith was clever in his design to bring Queen Snow White back to happiness by using the mirror of the evil queen, Snow Whites step-mother, Arglist. You know the one, "mirror, mirror on the wall, whose the fairest of them all?" 

The version of Snow White depicted in this retelling lacks depth and substance. She has zero self-confidence and solely lays responsibility for her lives happiness on Charming so, it makes sense that she would all but completely wither away after his demise. I just found parts of the story very flat and un-moving. Too much "woah is me," for me to really get into this book. 

If you generally like retelling type stories, try it. Just don't be surprised if it doesn't completely live up to your expectations. 

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