Poison - Book Review

Poison
by Sarah Pinborough

A beautiful, sexy, contemporary retelling of the classic Snow White fairy tale, illustrated by Les Edwards.

Poison is a beautifully illustrated retelling of the Snow White story which takes all the elements of the classic fairytale that we love (the handsome prince, the jealous queen, the beautiful girl and, of course, the poisoning) and puts a modern spin on the characters, their motives and their desires. It's fun, contemporary, sexy, and perfect for fans of Once Upon a Time, Grimm, Snow White and the Huntsman, and more. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

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Fairytale retellings seem to be forming into a little sub-genre of their own at the moment. This is something that I’m very pleased about, as I’ve always adored fairy stories, from the Disnified to the more disturbing, from the faithful adaptations to the clever re-workings, and those adapted to fit a modern or sci-fi setting. No version of a fairytale can really be wrong, as they are more fluid than that; they tell us about ourselves and how we view the world, and so it makes sense that they will change and evolve. Maybe the bad guys are starting to look increasingly sympathetic; maybe the prince doesn’t seem quite so charming anymore.

Poison is a retelling of the Snow White tale, set in a familiar fairytale world with magic and separate kingdoms, and at first glance largely faithful to the original tale. However, as the story progresses, it becomes clear that this is absolutely not the story of Snow White as we’ve seen it before. Ideas of purity, good and evil, and happily-ever-after are not as simple as they seem. The dwarves are not an isolated group of merry mine-workers, but an exploited underclass toiling in the royal mines. The Queen is not the cardboard wicked villain, and Snow White herself is much more than simply ‘the fairest in the land’. This telling is earthier, sexier, and more real than any version of Snow White I’ve come across before.

This isn’t to say that Poison lacks a fairytale feel. Far from it. Sarah Pinborough manages to combine the grittier aspects, real character motivation and sexy scenes with the more magical aspects, without ever losing that indefinable story-like quality of a fairytale. This feels like a more complete version of the Snow White story, rather than a different take on it such as something like Snow White and the Huntsman. Sarah Pinborough has not actually changed major elements of the story, but simply invited the reader to interpret the same events differently, through fleshing out characters and providing slightly different points of view. This is very clever, as, rather than feeling like a re-write, it opens up the original fairytale to interesting questions and observations, presenting it in a form that is more meaningful and truthful to the modern reader.

The Evil Queen is probably the most developed character in the story. She is no longer a mother-in-law simply envious of Snow White’s beauty, but a person battling with complicated emotions. She resents Snow White because she is allowed freedom and independence beyond anything the Queen could ever expect. The Queen has had to fight for all her power, whereas Snow White is given hers openly. Snow White is also fleshed out as a character, no longer simply the chaste, pure princess, but a warm, easy-going, brave and slightly naive girl who doesn’t fit neatly into the fairytale princess-mould. She is much more likeable than other Snow Whites, and easy to route for. There is, of course, a prince, who is written wonderfully and provides a few more surprises towards the end of the tale. The ending itself is clever and disturbing, and spot on for the themes of the book.

There are also elements of several other fairy stories woven into the plot, giving the book a sense of being connected to, and a tribute to, fairytales as a whole. This, for me, was the greatest strength of the story. I had never considered before that amongst the most famous fairytales we actually have two sleeping beauties, nor how well very separate seeming fairytales can be slotted into the same world, as if they are all feeding off each other. It is obvious that Poison is actually the middle part of a much larger story, which is extremely compelling. Who is the prince really, and the huntsman, does the crone have another role to play, and how is this all connected?

Unfortunately, this is also the main weakness of the novel. This is a very short book, and though the tale within it is fleshed out, it still only offers glimpses and hints of various characters and sub-plots. The Evil Queen and Snow White are wonderful characters, as is the prince, but the dwarves are still largely a mystery, and the huntsman still a stranger. The ending, while very clever and perfectly suited to the story, leaves events hanging, and it is clear that many of these things will be wrapped up in the later books. This is fine, but it didn’t feel like there was quite enough in this one book for me; it didn’t feel like a full story, and perhaps it would have worked better if all three parts had simply been combined as one.

However, it is a beautiful book, with a gorgeous cover, and illustrations throughout that capture the mood perfectly, which really enhances the fairytale feel. This is definitely a series meant for collecting, and when they are all out I might find that separating the different parts does work better both aesthetically and thematically. Just be warned; if you read this one, you will certainly need all three!

Poison is a rich, sexy, compelling and real re-telling of the Snow White story, packaged in a gorgeous book with wonderful illustrations. I’m looking forward to seeing where the author takes the interweaving tales in the next two books.


Thank you to Gollancz Geeks for providing a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Favourite Book - Howl's Moving Castle

 

 
I don’t actually have a review of my favourite book on my blog, mainly because I read it ages ago and always have so many new books to talk about that I don’t get a chance to put reviews of older reads up too. Since I’m doing an ‘about me and my favourites’ theme for my blogoversary week, I thought now was a good time to change that!

(You can also win Howl's Moving Castle in my blogoversary giveaway here - hurry, not long left to enter!)

Here’s the synopsis (from Goodreads):

In which a witch bewitched the hatter's daughter - and then some....

Sophie lived in the town of Market Chipping, which was in Ingary, a land in which anything could happen, and often did - especially when the Witch of the Waste got her dander up. Which was often.

As her younger sisters set out to seek their fortunes, Sophie stayed in her father's hat shop. Which proved most unadventurous, until the Witch of the Waste came in to buy a bonnet, but was not pleased. Which is why she turned Sophie into an old lady. Which was spiteful witchery.

Now Sophie must seek her own fortune. Which means striking a bargain with the lecherous Wizard Howl. Which means entering his ever-moving castle, taming a blue fire-demon, and meeting the Witch of the Waste head-on. Which was more than Sophie bargained for...

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Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favourite writers, and in my opinion this is her best book. There is so much to love about it, from the characters and the wonderful world to the writing. There may be (alright, there definitely is) some nostalgia dust floating around it too, as I first read it when I was very young, but I do re-read it every year and it remains just as magical. This is just a special book.

Howl’s Moving Castle is a fairy story at its heart. It’s not based on any one fairytale from our world, but it incorporates elements of lots of them – the three sisters seeking their fortunes, the evil witch, the mysterious wizard, magical objects, spells gone wrong, and a fairytale world. However, what makes the book so fantastic is that the author doesn’t just use and reference fairytale ideas, she also twists them a little while maintaining the true magic and romance of those tales, giving this story both a fresh and at the same time familiar feel. It’s actually quite hard to describe without reading for yourself. This is very much Diana Wynne Jones’ style; you can find it across her books, but, for me, it works best in this one.

And so we get the eldest sister Sophie, who knows that she will never be as successful as her younger sisters as that’s just how things seem to work. Poor Sophie! But she’s wrong; she is soon sent off on an incredible adventure of her own, and she finds out that she is a lot more powerful than she ever dreamed she could be. But here’s the real strength of Diana Wynne Jones’ storytelling. Sophie doesn’t succeed at the expense of her sisters. This is not the kind of story that tells us that older sisters and less pretty sisters are the strong ones, and that the young, pretty ones are always silly and icky. Sophie isn’t Lizzie Bennet, held up as the sensible one in comparison to irritating but attention-hogging younger siblings. Sophie also isn’t the kind of character who goes off on her quest and then forgets all about her family. Sophie’s sisters have their own adventures, and succeed, and are happy, and Sophie continues to look out for them.

Sophie herself is a wonderful character. She is turned into an old lady near the beginning of the book, and then is forced to seek her fortune as a young girl in an old body. Ironically, it is only when this happens that Sophie really begins to live, to focus on herself and her own desires a little more, and to discover her youth. She is often shy and worried, and she is afraid of doing new things, but she is incredibly brave and keeps going despite her fear. She begins to show a huge amount of intelligence and inner strength, a practical no-nonsense attitude, and a deep care for others as well as a bit of a romantic streak. She is also quite nosey and very forceful when she wants her own way, which leads to some very funny scenes.

In contrast, the wizard Howl is melodramatic, vain, and a little lazy. He wears his heart on his sleeve and likes to think he is a bit of a womaniser, though it becomes clear that he’s actually very romantic. He’s often infuriating, especially to Sophie, and his sulks are some of the funniest things in the book. However, he’s also kind and brave, and a much better person than he pretends to be. He and Sophie are wonderful together, and it is their interactions that make the book such a delight to read.

Diana Wynne Jones also provides a lot of fantastic supporting characters who all add to the plot, and to the book’s humour and heart. There’s Calcifer the fire demon, Sophie’s determined sisters, who switch places and both end up being called Lettie, leading to much confusion, Howl’s assistant, the wicked witch, a living scarecrow, and a depressed dog, among others. There is also the moving castle itself, which not only floats about the countryside but also opens onto various locations including the main city where the king lives, and Howl’s home in our own world. If the latter sounds like it would be a bit jarring in a fairytale world, it really isn’t – it adds another great element to the plot and the humour, and explains a little of Howl’s weirder behaviour.

The writing in the book is lovely. It’s written for children, so it’s not challenging at all, but has a certain wit and intelligence to it that makes it a pleasure to read. The author has also managed to capture that charm of a fairytale, while also creating a world that feels very English and quite cosy. It’s one of those books that makes you feel happy and safe when you read it – a total comfort read! It also has one of my favourite romances ever, and the end is both touching and exactly right. All the various plot points are rounded off nicely, with a few little satisfying twists and plenty of happy endings. You’re guaranteed to finish this with a smile on your face!

Poison - Book Review

Poison, by Chris Wooding, is the story of a sixteen year old girl called Poison whose sister is stolen by phaeries. Poison, unwilling to accept her sister’s disappearance or the changeling left in her place, sets out to find the Phaerie Lord and demand her sister’s return. Poison soon finds herself pitted against weird and terrifying fairytale creatures. When she faces the mysterious figure of the Hierophant, the most powerful of the Lords, she finds herself in a fight to control her own fate, as well as the future of all humanity.