ABOUT THE BOOKS:
Edith Pattou
Rose has always felt out of place in her family, a wanderer in a bunch of homebodies. So when an enormous white bear mysteriously shows up and asks her to come away with him—in exchange for health and prosperity for her ailing family—she readily agrees. The bear takes Rose to a distant castle, where each night she is confronted with a mystery. In solving that mystery, she loses her heart, discovers her purpose, and realizes her travels have only just begun.
As familiar and moving as "Beauty and the Beast" and yet as fresh and original as only the best fantasy can be, East is a novel retelling of the classic tale "East of the Sun, West of the Moon," a sweeping romantic epic in the tradition of Robin McKinley and Gail Carson Levine.

Ice
Sarah Beth Durst
When Cassie was a little girl, her grandmother told her a fairy tale about her mother, who made a deal with the Polar Bear King and was swept away to the ends of the earth. Now that Cassie is older, she knows the story was a nice way of saying her mother had died. Cassie lives with her father at an Arctic research station, is determined to become a scientist, and has no time for make-believe.
Then, on her eighteenth birthday, Cassie comes face-to-face with a polar bear who speaks to her. He tells her that her mother is alive, imprisoned at the ends of the earth. And he can bring her back — if Cassie will agree to be his bride.
That is the beginning of Cassie's own real-life fairy tale, one that sends her on an unbelievable journey across the brutal Arctic, through the Canadian boreal forest, and on the back of the North Wind to the land east of the sun and west of the moon. Before it is over, the world she knows will be swept away, and everything she holds dear will be taken from her — until she discovers the true meaning of love and family in the magical realm of Ice.
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow
Jessica Day George
Blessed—or cursed—with an ability to understand animals, the Lass (as she’s known to her family) has always been an oddball. And when an isbjorn (polar bear) seeks her out, and promises that her family will become rich if only the Lass will accompany him to his castle, she doesn’t hesitate. But the bear is not what he seems, nor is his castle, which is made of ice and inhabited by a silent staff of servents. Only a grueling journey on the backs of the four winds will reveal the truth: the bear is really a prince who’s been enchanted by a troll queen, and the Lass must come up with a way to free him before he’s forced to marry a troll princess.
I think this tale, which has definite Beauty and the Beast elements, gives writers a lot to work with, and provides ample ground for a retelling. But like all Beauty and the Beast stories, it can be hard to get right.
To discuss these 3 variations, I'm going to split it up into sections that I think are the make-it/break-it factors for this story, and tell you whether the book failed it or nailed it.
I warn you now, HERE THAR BE SPOILERS!
The main characters: Every book is dependent on its characters to draw you in and make you care. I think with fairy tales, that is doubly true because you basically know the story going in. The story needs to be fleshed out, of course, but more importantly, the characters have to go from being flat archetypes to "real" people you can root for and connect with.
Verdict: Neither nailed nor failed. Not bad, but could have been better.
Verdict: Failed is too strong a word, but I wouldn't call this a Nailed, either. We'll call it an "Incomplete"
Verdict: Nailed. Repeatedly. (like your mom)
The mythology: Another thing that is crucial in a succcessful retelling is the use of the original tale and the expansion/incorporation of the mythology. The author has to carve out their chunk of this fairy tale world and make their mark on it, and somehow strike a balance between making the tale their own and still making it recognizable as the tale everyone knows and loves.
Verdict: Nailed it.
Verdict: Nailed it. A bit wobbly, but one of the better aspects of the book.
Verdict: Nailed it.
The romance:
When you think about it, B&tB stories are somewhat creepy at their core: stemming from their Eros and Psyche days, they revolve around a girl who must fall in love with some creature that she either can't see or can't communicate with -- or both -- but who she suspects is some kind of monster. In this case, a giant bear who would normally want to eat your face off. So yeah, difficulties.
Making an audience believe a love story between 2 such characters can be quite the challenge, and it's interesting to see how writers meet it.Verdict: Nailed it. But just barely.
Verdict: Fail.
Verdict: Nailed. It.
Final verdict:
Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow emerges the clear winner. I've said on multiple occasions that I think it has become one of those definitive versions for me; I don't think I'll read another that will overtake it. East comes in a promising 2nd, and I think if I hadn't read Sun and Moon first, I would have liked East more, but I was constantly comparing it. Ice comes in a disappointing last. It had an interesting premise and showed potential, but the execution missed the mark for me.
Buy it |
Borrow it |
If you are looking for a good non-YA retelling, try Once Upon a Winter's Night by Dennis L. McKiernan. It is one of my favorite books ever!
ReplyDeleteOhhhhhhhh. I just won Ice, and some of things you said about it are totally making me wish I hadn't (particularly that thing about them, um, well, you know).
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about East having too many voices. I liked having all the story going on and seeing all the sides of it, but it gave the story a case of the hicups: everytime it got really going, it would change narration, and I remember one point in particluar where I was really thrown off by it, but I still really, really, like this book. I bought it, and I've reread it quite a few times. Also, don't bash my White Bear! You're obviously biased. XP
No bashing the Bear, ZG! I liked the Bear in each of the stories.
ReplyDeleteThough yes, I am most certainly biased. Sun and Moon NAILED IT.
Yes, Sun and Moon - GREAT book. ;) Haven't read the other two. I wanna give them both a try...just because...but I'll probably end up feeling the same way. Is the sex in "Ice" explicit?
ReplyDeleteNo, not at all! It was slightly off-putting though, because I didn't feel the relationship development, and because she hasn't actually seen him as anything but a bear yet, but...whatever, it just was.
ReplyDeleteWeird. Ok, maybe I'll pass. Haha!
ReplyDeleteMisty I loved this post!! Love, love, loved it!! I think you should do this type of post more often.
ReplyDelete(And I totally choked at the mom joke. Laughed SO hard...)