Rating: 4/5 Stars
About the Book: The lass is the youngest of the woodcutter’s children. Her mother was so upset that she had another child, let alone another girl, that she refused to even give her a name. The lass grows up, and is delighted when her older brother Hans Peter comes home from the sea. Hans Peter is cursed upon his return and is forever depressed, but he enjoys the lasses company and teaches her how to read the strange symbols in his wood carvings.
When the lass is sixteen, rumors of an isborjn, a white polar bear, surround the village. The lass has been gifted with the ability to talk to animals. Upon hearing of this gift, the white polar bear seeks the lass out and asks her to join him at the palace of ice for one year. Hans Peter tries to argue that she can not go, but the bear promises her family riches if the lass joins him. The lass agrees and travels with him to the ice palace.
Thanks to Hans Peter’s carvings, the lass realizes she can read the carvings on the wall, which tell stories of the spells and curses the troll princess has cast. When the lass’s own isborjn is taken away by the troll princess, the lass must risk everything she can to find the palace East of the sun and West of the moon and break the curse upon him.
GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I enjoy reading fairy tales and fairy tale re-tellings. Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is based on a Nordic folktale called East of the Sun, West of the Moon (which I had not heard of until this book came across my desk). This was a richly told story, with hints of Beauty and the Beast, one of my all time favorite stories. The author adds depth and background to the tale and the story itself is magical. If you enjoy fairy tales, especially fairy tales with strong female characters, be sure to add this to you must read pile. You'll be swept away and won't want to come back until you've read the last page.
About the Book: The lass is the youngest of the woodcutter’s children. Her mother was so upset that she had another child, let alone another girl, that she refused to even give her a name. The lass grows up, and is delighted when her older brother Hans Peter comes home from the sea. Hans Peter is cursed upon his return and is forever depressed, but he enjoys the lasses company and teaches her how to read the strange symbols in his wood carvings.
When the lass is sixteen, rumors of an isborjn, a white polar bear, surround the village. The lass has been gifted with the ability to talk to animals. Upon hearing of this gift, the white polar bear seeks the lass out and asks her to join him at the palace of ice for one year. Hans Peter tries to argue that she can not go, but the bear promises her family riches if the lass joins him. The lass agrees and travels with him to the ice palace.
Thanks to Hans Peter’s carvings, the lass realizes she can read the carvings on the wall, which tell stories of the spells and curses the troll princess has cast. When the lass’s own isborjn is taken away by the troll princess, the lass must risk everything she can to find the palace East of the sun and West of the moon and break the curse upon him.
GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I enjoy reading fairy tales and fairy tale re-tellings. Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is based on a Nordic folktale called East of the Sun, West of the Moon (which I had not heard of until this book came across my desk). This was a richly told story, with hints of Beauty and the Beast, one of my all time favorite stories. The author adds depth and background to the tale and the story itself is magical. If you enjoy fairy tales, especially fairy tales with strong female characters, be sure to add this to you must read pile. You'll be swept away and won't want to come back until you've read the last page.
Great review.
ReplyDeleteThe book description reminds me a lot of East by Edith Pattou. (Harcourt, 2003). It is based in the same fairy tale.