Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George (♥♥♥♥)

While Princess of the Midnight Ball was not a book that screamed for my praise, I found the writing to be consistent and entertaining enough to try another book by Jessica Day George. Initially I hoped to read Princess of Glass but I was unable to locate a copy locally. Thus I turned to Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow an adaptation of the Norwegian fairy-tale East of the Sun and West of the Moon. It was a fantastic read!

• As a retelling of my very favorite fairy tale, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow had big boots to fill and it did not disappoint! The first good step was when George stuck nice and firm to the original plot but still made it her own. George writes of her passion for the original tale and for Norway in general, and this love shines through every page of the book. I'm sure it is this genuine enthusiasm for the subject that gives Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow an edge over Princess of the Midnight Ball, which fell flat for me in places.


• I love the mystery of Lass and of her brother. It is with them, in the first pages, George convinces her audience to keep reading until the very end.


• Lass' mother was hard to stomach at times. I found it difficult to believe a mother could have such obvious bias between her children. Lass' mother's greed, as well as the third brother's seemed too extreme to be believable.


• Death! I was so shocked at the death! Yet it made the story ring so much more true. With the loss of such a dear character, I truly felt as if I were experiencing Lass' shock and sadness, as well as her frustration.


• I do wish that Lass spoke with the stranger in the dark. I suppose I wished for some conflict in Lass regarding her feelings for the bear versus her feelings for the man. In fact any more murmuring with regards to some affection Lass may have felt for the bear during her imprisonment would have been appreciated.


• As always, I love that the protagonist and hero of East of the Sun and West of the Moon is the Lass character, and not her prince.


• Lass' ability to speak with animals was also a joy. It gave her a unique characteristic that made her really stand out in the beginning as a character and gave reason for why she was chosen by the bear.

An absolutely lovely read, which demonstrates how much an author's own thrill for their work can alter the finished product. This goes for the readers interest was well! As I certainly favor East of the Sun and West of the Moon over Twelve Dancing Princesses.