Poisoned

Who’s the fairest of them all? I adore a good fairy tale retelling, and Jennifer Donnelly writes gorgeous stories with plucky heroines, crafty twists on familiar stories, and lovely prose. We all know the story of Snow White, the Queen, and the Huntsmen. There may also be seven dwarves involved as well as insects, crows and other woodland creatures. This story is also about love, betrayal, and finding your inner strength. Sophie is told she is weak. That she lets people in too easily. Perhaps she does. Perhaps weaknesses can also be a strength. While the first fairy tale retelling in this series (Stepsister—which I also loved) seemed to turn a classic tale on its head, this one felt more like a retelling in the author’s own way. show more It was beautifully imagined with Germanic/Scandinavian lore and even a bit of romance.

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader. show less

This is the best Snow White retelling I’ve ever read. It’s epic, it’s feminist, and this Snow White doesn’t need a prince to save her. Instead, she needs to use the power she’s always had inside.

Sophie - known as Snow White in the original tale - is shocked when she’s betrayed by her stepmother just before Sophie’s coronation. The huntsman carves out her heart to bring to the queen. Only the quick thinking of the seven brothers saves her - they craft a mechanical heart for Sophie. But her stepmother isn’t the real villain. There’s a shadowy figure in her magic mirror giving orders.

The characters - especially Sophie - grab hold of your heart and don’t let go. There’s a spider who loves to cook. A grave robber with show more a heart of gold. And a hound who defies the odds and manages to be in just the right place at the right time.

The book is action-packed, but the author’s prose shines the best in the chapters narrated by the dead huntsman. This is a must-read for anyone who loves fairytale retellings.

Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. show less

I am so excited to take part in the book tour for Poisoned by Jennifer Donnelly! If you know me and this site, you know I love fairytale retellings. Seeing how classics we all grew up with can be subverted or reinvented truly excites me, so when I heard about Poisoned, I jumped at the chance to review it! The pacing, characters, and story are all enjoyable and well executed. It flows easily to carry you through to the end which still manages to surprise even knowing the original.

The only negative I walked away from Poisoned with was that it didn’t seem to push the boundaries far enough. And I totally understand why – this is definitely meant for younger readers starting at grade 7 and up. A true young adult book that doesn’t just show more throw that title on as a technicality but then proceeds to fill the novel with more explicit material better suited for the NA genre. I would have loved to have seen more of the “evil stepmother” but I think if we had, it would have gotten far too dark. Other than that, it was a really enjoyable read and I definitely would recommend Poisoned by Jennifer Donnelly to middle graders and high school freshmen to sophomores!

// I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. // show less

I am really enjoying these modern retelling of classic fairy tales by Jennifer Donnelly. These are not the fairy tales that you grew up with. They are "darker" and even a bit gothic. However, in the case of this book, there was a little bit of a steampunk vibe that I was getting that I loved.

Don't call Sophie "too sweet" or "too nice". She may have started out that way but by the end of the story, she had become a fierce warrior. There is some romance but it is not the main focal point in this book. Which I thoroughly enjoyed as I felt like romance was not really needed.

There was enough differences in this book to keep me from making comparisons with the original story. This is a good thing. Poisoned is not a "remake" but a "remix". show more In this case the "remix" is just as good as the original. I look forward to the next book by this author. show less

Sophie’s stepmother has been telling her her whole life that she is too soft to be queen. Kindness is weakness and will only get you hurt. Sophie knows she will never be a good ruler, but she never imagined her stepmother would go as far as having her killed.

She awakens in the Dark Forest with a clockwork heart ticking in her chest in place of the one the huntsman carved out. Now Sophie must embark on a journey to the King of Crows’ castle to get her real heart back before the clock winds down, and, with the help of the seven brothers who rescued her and the many struggling villagers she meets along the way, finally claim her rightful throne.

I enjoyed this one. Donnelly is not subtle with the themes, but since they’re good themes show more and very poetically worded, it didn’t bother me quite as much as it could have. It’s a pretty classic character arc, but the addition of the clockwork heart and all the stuff with the King of Crows at the end is honestly pretty cool. show less

Mirror mirror on the wall...
...you may THINK you know how that line goes, but this book might just change your mind!

Who doesn't LOVE a fairytale redo...am I right?! Especially when they are done SO WELL! Here, we have all the elements we know and love about "the fairest of them all", but with a darker twist, a subtle spin, and a whole new world of curiosities and dangers to survive! Sophie was a kind hearted girl, nay princess, and yet somehow a threat to her evil queen of a stepmother. Same said evil queen stepmother rules the land with an iron fist and a dress of diamonds, but not for the reasons you might assume. Oh sure, she likes to look as good as the next person, but for her it reflects (quite literally) the power that she has at show more her command, the legions that pay tribute to her, and what forces she may use against anyone that dare challenge her or her rule. But for some, what they have is never enough...then again, what some get isn't nearly as dire as they desire.

I SO FELT for Sophie! The lies she was fed, the tragedy that befell her, and the obstacles in her path, all simply felt like such a weight that Atlas himself couldn't bare it! Thing is though...I could only feel so bad at times because she had such a good heart...and that goes for whether it was her own, or that of someone else's making, and the kindness she shows, the love that she wields, are what truly make her a threat to the crown because people without anything, have nothing to lose...but those that have HOPE, have everything to gain.

So step inside this dark tale for a heigh-ho adventure filled with little men, dashing not-princes, and otherworldly beings that can't quite make up their minds as to the side they are on, as you're not only entertained, but reminded that not everything you are told is true, about yourself or the world at large. Your truth is what you CHOOSE to believe, so choose wisely in the company you keep, and the voices you allow into your heart. A great reading recommendation for Young Adult fans, teen through adult!



**review copy received; opinions are my own show less

A new take on the classic Snow White fairy tale. I loved Disney movies growing up and was a voracoius reader of re-tellings as a teenager. Time and experience dragged me in other directions, but this book brought out great notstalgic vibes. ⁠
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The audiobook is narrated by Rosie Jones, who does a fantastic job with all of the voices and accents for the townsfolk, the subjects of the crown, the huntsman, the seven brothers of the woods, and so forth. ⁠
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A little slow going at first, but it really picks up the pace about half way through, and quickly becomes hard to put down. I loved the idea of a heart being something that eventually winds down, as all hearts do. ⁠
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With subtle humor and a good sprinkling of food cameos that made show more me both jealous and hungry while reading, this was a fun read. ⁠ show less