How to resolve AdBlock issue?
X
Review Detail
Stealing Snow
Featured
Young Adult Fiction
1317
Majorly disappointing and confusing
Overall rating
1.3
Plot
2.0
Characters
1.0
Writing Style
1.0
I was quite disappointed with Stealing Snow. Usually, I adore retellings, especially those with an interesting twist, but in this novel there was a clash of so many fairy-tale retellings, I couldn't wrap my head around anything. It was an amalgamation of The Snow Queen, Snow White, Frozen and Alice in Wonderland. The novel suffered from a lack of world-building. In fact, the author seemed to expect the reader to have a prior knowledge of fairy-tales so, therefore, doesn't bother to develop her world.
There was magic, thieves, witches and snow queens -- all fun and interesting book elements. However, all of these amazing aspects did not fuse together successfully which made for an awkward and disappointing read.
I did not like Snow. I found her a contradictory character. Stealing Snow could have gone down in YA history for featuring a mentally-ill princess, but the worst thing Snow ever did in the asylum was simply biting people. I don't like the implications this has for people who actually suffer from a mental illness. I feel like this makes light of their troubles by suggesting that someone who bites people and walked through a mirror is mentally ill. I'm all for diverse protagonists but it was executed so poorly here.
Unfortunately, the writing was below sub-par. Snow's commentary was ridiculously sarcastic and reminded me so much of Ten's inner monologue from "Firstlife." It was also very irritating when Snow continually recapped a scene that occurred a page earlier. The novel also focused on a lot novel cliches: a twin, good character was actually evil the whole time, the supposed evil character was actually being controlled, etc.
The romance was very confusing. Instead of a love triangle, we find Snow in a love square. Love triangles are terrible even when developed by a seasoned writer. But a love triangle mixed in with a confusing and poor-written story? Then adding in that extra love character? I am not usually this harsh in reviews but my patience reached its limits in Stealing Snow.
Unfortunately, Stealing Snow was a poorly constructed novel that could have had a lot of potential if the author didn't focus so much on mixing fairy-tales and instead developed her own original world and didn't rely so heavily on cliches.
There was magic, thieves, witches and snow queens -- all fun and interesting book elements. However, all of these amazing aspects did not fuse together successfully which made for an awkward and disappointing read.
I did not like Snow. I found her a contradictory character. Stealing Snow could have gone down in YA history for featuring a mentally-ill princess, but the worst thing Snow ever did in the asylum was simply biting people. I don't like the implications this has for people who actually suffer from a mental illness. I feel like this makes light of their troubles by suggesting that someone who bites people and walked through a mirror is mentally ill. I'm all for diverse protagonists but it was executed so poorly here.
Unfortunately, the writing was below sub-par. Snow's commentary was ridiculously sarcastic and reminded me so much of Ten's inner monologue from "Firstlife." It was also very irritating when Snow continually recapped a scene that occurred a page earlier. The novel also focused on a lot novel cliches: a twin, good character was actually evil the whole time, the supposed evil character was actually being controlled, etc.
The romance was very confusing. Instead of a love triangle, we find Snow in a love square. Love triangles are terrible even when developed by a seasoned writer. But a love triangle mixed in with a confusing and poor-written story? Then adding in that extra love character? I am not usually this harsh in reviews but my patience reached its limits in Stealing Snow.
Unfortunately, Stealing Snow was a poorly constructed novel that could have had a lot of potential if the author didn't focus so much on mixing fairy-tales and instead developed her own original world and didn't rely so heavily on cliches.
Comments
Already have an account? Log in now or Create an account
Powered by JReviews
How to resolve AdBlock issue?
X
FEATURED GIVEAWAYS
Author Chat with Eden Royce (Root Magic), Plus Giveaway! ~ (US Only)
Today we're excited to chat with Eden Royce author of Root Magic. Read on for more about Eden and her book, plus a giveaway! Meet Eden Royce ! Eden Royce grew up immersed i...
Posted in News & Updates
Spotlight on Roman and Jewel (Dana L. Davis), Excerpt, Plus Giveaway! ~ (US Only)
Today we're excited to spotlight Roman and Jewel (Dana L. Davis). Read on for more about Dana, plus a excerpt & a giveaway! Meet Dana L. Davis ! Dan...
Posted in News & Updates
Spotlight on You Have A Match (Emma Lord), Excerpt, Plus Giveaway! ~ (US Only)
Today we're excited to spotlight You Have A Match (Emma Lord). Read on for more about Emma, plus a excerpt & a giveaway! Meet Emma Lord ! Emma Lord is a di...
Posted in News & Updates
Giveaway: Happily Ever Afters (Elise Bryant) ~ (US Only)
Happily Ever Afters (US Only) by: Elise Bryant Release Date: January 5th, 2021 Publisher: Harpercollins Children's Books/Balzer + Bray About the Book: Jane the Virgin meets To All...
Posted in News & Updates
Author Chat with Amanda Hocking (The Ever After), Plus Giveaway! ~ (US Only)
Today we're excited to chat with Amanda Hocking author of The Ever After. Read on for more about Amanda and her book, plus a giveaway! Meet Amanda Hocking ! AMANDA HOCKING ...
Posted in News & Updates
Author Of The Week: Author Chat with Alexandra Bracken (Lore), Plus Giveaway! ~ (US Only)
Welcome to our weekly special feature post, Author Of The Week !! Each week we will be interviewing a different YA author and highlighting their upcoming release! We will also be hosting a givea...
Posted in News & Updates
Latest Book Listings Added
The dead still walk in Denmark. Already crushed by his...
In this riveting, keenly emotional debut fantasy, a Black...
The thrilling sequel to instant New York Times bestseller All...
In a full-color dog book unlike any other, acclaimed children’s...
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents CITY OF THE PLAGUE GOD,...
Latest Member Reviews
"ALL THE TIDES OF FATE picks up Amora's story a season or two after the previous book ended. She is..."
"Eighteen-year-old Mila has just graduated from high school and aged out of the foster care program. So when a job..."
"With her father gone, Beatrice must step into her role as queen. To do this, she has to let her..."
"Teen Mary Shelley is the many times great granddaughter of the legendary writer. Everyone in the Shelley lineage has become..."
"THE OBSESSION is a creepy and riveting YA thriller. Delilah lives with her mother and her mother's abusive boyfriend, a..."
"Lo Denham, magazine assistant and loner, is looking for her sister, Bea. Six years ago, Lo's parents died in a..."
"I couldn’t begin to express how much I adore this book. This book, magically, soothed my temper and let me..."
"WINGS OF EBONY is a beautifully crafted YA fantasy. A year has passed since Rue's life was irrevocably changed. Her..."
"THE GILDED ONES by Namina Forna is a YA fantasy novel and the first book in the Deathless series. The..."
"UNCHOSEN is a fantastic and completely captivating YA apocalyptic fantasy, filled with feminism, friendship, sisterhood, and romance. Charlotte is the..."
"IN THE PENALTY BOX is a cute YA contemporary hockey romance. Willow is a figure skater heading for the Olympics,..."
"THE AFTERLIFE OF THE PARTY is a YA vampire book for anyone who doesn't want to make out with the..."
"THE ALCAZAR wraps up an intriguing YA fantasy duology. The book continues to follow four main characters in alternating points-of-view,..."
"Super Fake Love Song is about Sunny Dae, a Korean American teenager who is a mega-nerd trying to survive at..."
"Ellie lives in Washington D.C. and attends an elite school, even though the tuition is a stretch for her single..."
"THE CERULEAN is an intriguing start to a YA fantasy duology. The book begins with Sera, a Cerulean who has..."
"TALES FROM THE HINTERLAND is an enchanting, haunting, and deliciously creepy collection of fairytales. Completely new and unlike anything I..."
" *Connor is Deaf and has implants *Alex has light brown skin..."
"I love the Wayward Children series, and the latest installment, ACROSS THE GREEN GRASS FIELDS, is no exception. Here are..."
"Feedback What a difference between book 1 and book 2. I enjoyed this one so much more, and I..."