Review: Of Shadows and Snow

My next ARC from Beyond the Bookery's Twist of Tales is Of Shadows and Snow by Kaytlin Phillips. This book is a gender-bent retelling of "The Snow Queen" with no magic and strong religious undertones. It's a darker story compared to the other books I've read from this series. It has a male lead who struggles with a heart condition, something I don't see often in fairy tale retellings. Although the book doesn't have a lot of levity, it concludes with a message of hope.


After being wrongfully accused of murdering the king her served, a broken man named Koa escapes to a neighboring kingdom, where he befriends Princess Emalyn and her brother, Prince Gaelen. Ashamed of his tragic past, he keeps the dark secret from them until the vengeful king's son begins attacking Koa's people and takes Princess Emalyn captive to force her to form an alliance with him. Soon, Koa's tragic past is revealed to Gaelen, who must decide if he trusts him enough to help him free his sister.

The twist on "The Snow Queen" is one I haven't seen before. Though many fairy tales feature heroic men rescuing princesses, Hans Christian Andersen's stories, such as "The Snow Queen," tend to have heroines rescuing their prince. The gender reversal makes this version feel fresh, and the stakes are elevated by Koa's heart condition, giving him another obstacle to impede his rescue attempts. I thoroughly enjoyed the addition of Gaelen's character, who wants to uncover the truth behind Koa's alleged crimes and do the right thing.

The religious elements of this book are somewhat heavy-handed. It feels like Jehovah is mentioned in every other paragraph. The book follows a common theme of questioning why bad things happen to good people and needing to have faith. Most of the story has a somber tone with little to no comic relief. Koa does his best to be proactive but spends most of the story regretting how many people were forced to suffer for a crime he never committed.

Overall, Of Shadows and Snow is an original take on "The Snow Queen" that is perfect for people who enjoy Christian fiction. Koa is a unique take on a fairy tale hero. Instead of being brave and determined, he starts the book as a broken man with ill health who must restore his spirit. Emalyn's loyalty is tested when she learns Koa's secret from his enemy, and he is not there to defend himself. I think Gaelen was my favorite character, though he doesn't develop as much as the others by the end of the story.
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