Review: Fairest of All

Author: Serena Valentino
Publication Date: August 2009
Genre: YA Fantasy/Fairy-tale retelling
Copy provided by: Myself, bought.
Summary (via Goodreads):

For anyone who’s seen Walt Disney’s Snow White, you’ll know that the Wicked Queen is one evil woman! After all, it’s not everyone who wants to cut out their teenage step-daughter’s heart and have it delivered back in a locked keepsake box. (And even if this sort of thing is a common urge, we don’t know many people who have acted upon it.)

Now, for the first time, we’ll examine the life of the Wicked Queen and find out just what it is that makes her so nasty. Here’s a hint: the creepy-looking man in the magic mirror is not just some random spooky visage—and he just might have something to do with the Queen’s wicked ways!

Why I read this: I bought this a while back because I absolutely love Serena Valentino, who writes the amazing graphic novels called Gloomcookie. When I saw she had written a novel, I had to get it.

Plot: I really thought this was a bit unique. It used a lot of imagery from the movie as opposed to some of the original stories. Also, you saw the actual decline of the evil stepmother and why she became the monster she did. It's amazing to think what a bit of insecurity can really do to a person when put and prodded into a situation. It was a quick read and an entertaining one. I think you really have to love Disney movies and fairy tales to enjoy this, otherwise it seems a little like the same-old/same-old. I, for one, can't get enough of the same fairy tales.

Characters: I love that this is from the viewpoint of the Stepmother and you really get this glimpse into the person she was and could have continued to be and what she turned into. There are some other sinister characters that really gave me the willies, and I really quite enjoyed that.

Relatability: For those that love fairy tales and Disney retellings, especially those that want to delve deeper into the stories.

Cover Commentary: I absolutely love it. Definitely taken from the Disney version of the evil stepmother.

Rating: 5/5 Roses

Find it on Goodreads