Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Although this looks like it should be a version of Hansel and Gretel, it's actually a retelling of The Snow Queen.  (Although it does have some Hansel and Gretel-esque moments.)  In fact, the story borrows from several other traditional folktales, but mostly is about Hazel battling through to free her friend, both from capture and from the emotional danger he is in.

I loved this one.  Considering that the story starts in a modern setting and manages to find it's way into the Dark Forest of fairy tale lore (and back again), I found it all to be believable by the time Ursu worked her magic.

In addition to the story, there are several inset art pieces, and they are just lovely:

Although the bits and pieces of stories that cross Hazel's path aren't as predominant as in some mashups, they were essential to the mood and atmosphere of the book.  These aren't princess stories or happily ever after stories, and they lend the sense of danger to her quest.  There is also the danger that she herself will lose her way, and simply take up residence in the imaginative forest without bothering to save her friend or return to her real life.  (And I really appreciate that the symbolism of this is purely symbolic, not implied to be the "true" version of events.  She's not dreaming or pretending!)

This is a quick read for adults and perhaps a somewhat challenging book for middle grade students, who won't necessarily recognize the folklore than Ursu is drawing on.  Even so it's a very satisfying challenge/success story, and may be a good introduction to the width and depth of folklore.

Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre: The Snow Queen

The Snow Queen is one of my favorite Faerie Tale Theatre episodes. It follows the original Andersen storyline fairly closely, with only a few simplifications (such as Gerda runs into the robber girl but never meets the rest of the robbers). For all the FTT had a small budget, they did a good job with the sets on this one, giving viewers some really rich scenery in the endless summer garden and the Snow Queen's palace.

And check out that dress! There were a couple of costume pieces in this one that made me waaant -- especially Gerda's deliciously snuggly shawl.

This story has enough complexity to hold older audiences' interest as well as the appeal to some of the younger fairy tale lovers. As I said, it's one of my favorites, and if you aren't sure about how much you want to watch these, it's a good one to try individually.

You can watch it for free on hulu.

The Snow Queen's Shadow by Jim C. Hines

The more I read of Jim Hines work, the more I love his writing. If you are a regular reader of this blog, PLEASE do yourself a favor and read his Princess series. You will not regret it!

This is the fourth (and final) installment in the series, and it was good. Really good. Amazing. I was not expecting to laugh out loud, or to cry, and I did both. (Really my eyes just misted up for a moment... I swear.... >.>)

I don't want to tell you too much of the plot, in case you haven't read the previous books. Let me tell you a bit about the characters, instead.

Danielle (Cinderella) is the princess of Lorindar, married to prince Armand. She had a glass sword which never cuts her, the legacy gift of her mother. She knows how to use it. She has a son and the powerful love she has for her family shines through her actions. She is totally the brains of the operation. She still cleans a bit around the palace, out of habit.

Talia (Sleeping Beauty) is gifted with fairy beauty, grace, and charm. And she despises the fairies for it--after all, those gifts lead to the downfall of her family, her 100 years of sleep, and her rape by the prince who "rescued" her. Now she's a fighter, fiercely loyal to her friends, and stubbornly resistant to the use of magic. And she's lost her heart to someone who can't return her love.

Snow (Snow White!) is a powerful sorceress who uses her mirror magic to light their way, see far away places, and more, though the toll of her magic is more than she admits. She is sensual and sexy and sassy, by far the most glib of the three. She has a more serious side, and the effects of her broken heart (her mother killed the one man she really loved) follow her through her more carefree years with Danielle and Talia.

The three of them together form a sort of kick-ass/Charlie's Angels-esque secret agency for Queen Beatrice, and they stop the truly awful magic and political attacks on the Kingdom of Lorindar. Though these books are funny, I would hesitate to call them lighthearted: Hines gives the princesses real stakes, and the consequences for their failures follow them through the series. There is no "and everything went back to normal" at the end of each installation. And because of that, they are more powerful, and will get to you, more than you expect!

As much as I love the cover art (and I do!) I think the covers are a little misleading. You might look at them and think: "Here are some hard-core chicks! All right!" And that's true... but there is a lot of depth to the stories as well, and I'm not sure the covers quite nail just how... good!... these books are.

Unlike perpetual series (which Hines admitted on his blog was his original conception for the Princess novels) which can drag on in a state of limbo, each book in the series gets better. I loved his use in this one, not only of The Snow Queen, but also of Snow White and Rose Red, in a most unexpected manner. The character development and plot were perfect, making the quartet of books one of my all-time favorite fairy tale adaptations. These aren't retellings, per se--most of Hines's books deal with the aftermath of the stories we know. Just what does "Happily Ever After" mean? More trouble, usually--and I think that's part of what makes them more enjoyable that the average retelling.

Please read these! You'll be glad you did, and if you ever have a little girl who is obsessed with Disney Princesses, here are three amazing, charming, and fabulous princesses you can introduce her to, as well.

Susan Jeffers' Snow Queen

Merry Christmas everyone! Happy Winter Holidays and such!

I'm taking a week off. I'll see you in 2011!

For now, something cold and frosty yet also quite delightful, an illustration from Amy Ehrlich's Snow Queen, drawn by Susan Jeffers:

May the rest of your year be a happy ever after.

Mercedes Lackey's 500 Kingdoms Week: The Snow Queen

This is a pretty solid entry in the series; not my favorite, not a bad one. Lackey gives us the flip side of the coin with a sorceress (snow queen) who, in the position of a character who is usually a "bad guy" Traditionally-speaking, is actually a Godmother, using her "evil" position to carefully and safely move her kingdom through the Traditional tales toward happy endings.

It's an interesting perspective into the Five Hundred Kingdoms. There is a hint of it in a previous book, a "good guy" getting set up as the big baddy of the land, and this explores that concept a bit more--how far can your manipulations go while you're still on the right side?

So this is the story of The Snow Queen, with most of the elements from the original story, told mostly from the perspective of said Snow Queen.

Again, this series gets heavy handed with the long winded explanations, but this is a decent book nonetheless, and a fun episode in the series.