Author: Catherynne M. Valente
Series: No
Genres: Fantasy/Fairy-Tale Retelling
Brief Summary:
It's the story of Snow White set in the old West. Snow White, in this case, is a half-breed girl who is given the nickname "Snow White" by her stepmother. It is meant to be derogatory; a cruel taunt mocking the girl for her heritage. Her father, known only as "Mr. H" does not treat the girl much better; in truth, he is painted as a rather cruel, domineering man right from the beginning.
Snow White sees terrible things in her stepmother's mirror; terrible enough that she decides to flee. Saddling her horse, she sets out for Indian Territory, determined to put as much distance between herself and her 'family' as humanly possible. But Snow White is far from a damsel in distress; and she certainly isn't pining for someone to come and save her. Her quest for freedom leads her on many adventures, some of them quite dangerous. As for the wicked stepmother..well, we all know how that goes.
Here is what Goodreads has to say about the book:
My take:A New York Times bestselling author offers a brilliant reinvention of one of the best-known fairy tales of all time with Snow White as a gunslinger in the mythical Wild West.
Forget the dark, enchanted forest. Picture instead a masterfully evoked Old West where you are more likely to find coyotes as the seven dwarves. Insert into this scene a plain-spoken, appealing narrator who relates the history of our heroine’s parents—a Nevada silver baron who forced the Crow people to give up one of their most beautiful daughters, Gun That Sings, in marriage to him. Although her mother’s life ended as hers began, so begins a remarkable tale: equal parts heartbreak and strength. This girl has been born into a world with no place for a half-native, half-white child. After being hidden for years, a very wicked stepmother finally gifts her with the name Snow White, referring to the pale skin she will never have. Filled with fascinating glimpses through the fabled looking glass and a close-up look at hard living in the gritty gun-slinging West, this is an utterly enchanting story…at once familiar and entirely new
I love fairy tale retellings and westerns, so this one was definitely one I enjoyed. What I particularly liked was the fact that the story was not treated lightly, nor as a parody, though it did certainly have many comedic elements. The original story of Snow White was recognizable, but Valente's "Snow White" was not just the well-beloved character plopped down in a different setting. Personality wise, the two characters, though they shared the same name, had very little in common. This Snow White was grittier and tougher, and certainly no princess in any sense of the word.
Valente's writing style was a bit staccato, so it took me a few chapters to get used to the pacing. The first few chapters are told from Snow White's point of view (1st person) and after she runs it switches to a more narrative (3rd person) style. Again, while I quickly adjusted to the shift, it was a bit jarring at first. But that aside, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys retellings. You may never look at Snow White in the same way again.
