Format: Hardcover, 544 pages
Release Date: June 25, 2019
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: YA / Fairy Tales & Folklore / Adaptations
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Everlife trilogy, the White Rabbit Chronicles and the Lords of the Underworld series comes a fantastical and dark new fairy-tale fantasy series featuring the least likely of heroes… Welcome to the Forest of Good and Evil. Choose your side wisely.
Evil isn’t born, it’s made. One thought and action at a time. Take a good look at what you’ve made.
Far, far away, in the realm of Enchantia, creatures of legend still exist, magic is the norm and fairy tales are real. Except fairy tales aren’t based on myths and legends of the past—they are prophecies of the future. Though Princess Everly Morrow was raised in the mortal human realm, she knows she’s destined to rule a kingdom in Enchantia, thus fulfilling a beloved fairy tale. But which one?
At seventeen, when an ability to commune with mirrors manifests, she begins to suspect the truth, and it’s more sinister than anyone ever realized. She is destined to be Snow White’s greatest enemy, the Evil Queen.
With powers beyond her imagination or control—and determined to prove herself good—Everly returns to the land of her birth, smack dab in the middle of the creepiest forest of all time. There, Everly meets Roth Charmaine, the supposed Prince Charming. Their attraction is undeniable, but their relationship is doomed. As bits and pieces of the prophecy unfold, Everly faces one betrayal after the other, and giving in to her dark side proves more tempting every day. Soon, she will have to choose. Be a hero and walk away, or become the queen—and villain—of her dreams. The battle between good and evil is on.
“Every hero is a villain, and every villain is a hero. It just depends on who you ask.”
The Evil Queen, by author Gena Showalter, is the first installment in the authors The Forest of Good and Evil. This is a modern but twisted fairy-tale retelling of “Little Snow White” by the Brothers Grimm from the evil queen’s point of view as she descends into evil. Everyone has a complex narrative,
making the novel even more enjoyable. This isn't your classic retelling. 17-year old Everly Morrow and her twin sister Hartly were raised in the mortal realm; Oklahoma to be exact. Hartly is loved by everyone and Everly is the outcast.
Everly has an obsession with mirrors and daily delusions. She keeps her mirror close to check up on the activities of someone named Angel who she believes to be Snow White. Her sister has an affinity for animals and can put them to sleep. Everly and Hartly are apple babies. They can either end up good or evil. When a white witch tells Aubrey Morrow that King Stephan is dead, it is time for Aubry and her daughters to return to Enchantia from where they escaped from being hunted down and killed by the King.
After learning that she has been siphoning off her own mother and sisters energy which has dire consequences, Everly learns that she can travel via mirror to the land of her birth. Here, Everly is Princess Everly Morrow and her fate is tied to Snow White. She is supposed to be the Evil Queen. But, what if that isn't the part she is supposed to play? What if there are other characters who could play the part instead? She soon meets Prince Charming, AKA Roth Charmaine, (whom she has an insta connection to) and her battle between good and evil begins.
Everly has an obsession with mirrors and daily delusions. She keeps her mirror close to check up on the activities of someone named Angel who she believes to be Snow White. Her sister has an affinity for animals and can put them to sleep. Everly and Hartly are apple babies. They can either end up good or evil. When a white witch tells Aubrey Morrow that King Stephan is dead, it is time for Aubry and her daughters to return to Enchantia from where they escaped from being hunted down and killed by the King.
After learning that she has been siphoning off her own mother and sisters energy which has dire consequences, Everly learns that she can travel via mirror to the land of her birth. Here, Everly is Princess Everly Morrow and her fate is tied to Snow White. She is supposed to be the Evil Queen. But, what if that isn't the part she is supposed to play? What if there are other characters who could play the part instead? She soon meets Prince Charming, AKA Roth Charmaine, (whom she has an insta connection to) and her battle between good and evil begins.
There are no good or bad characters. There is, however, plenty of twists, surprises, and grey areas that could tip one character either way. Everly isn't a bad character. She's actually a pretty interesting character. She's not fragile, but there is a softness to her that makes the
reader gravitate and relate to her. She has flaws, and it is those flaws
that make her a complex character. She may be the one villain who isn't really a villain except for the fact that everyone in Enchantia has a role to play. Anyone who has to go through all the things she goes through is bound to get mad and want revenge.
As the story progresses, Everly changes as the events unfold around her. It seems as though everyone is against her and wants to harm her. Her type of power is disgusting to everyone there. Her kind is typically hunted down and killed. Her journey is not an easy one despite finding, losing, and finding love of different sorts again along her way. She learns a lot about herself and her character. She must learn how to balance the good within her soul, along with the evil whispering tempting sweet nothings into her mind.
The most curious aspect of this story is uncovering who is really Snow White, The Huntsman, the Seven Dwarves aka protectors, and who is really the Evil Queen. The author created a super creepy forest, beautiful beyond imagining, with a glittering azure mist dancing around gnarled trees, populated by myths and monsters, killer unicorns who are poached for their horns (magic wand, anyone?), two-headed snakes, adorable pixies, intoxicating fairy dust, terrifying spider-scorpion hybrids, flesh-hungry roses, magic, mercenary witches, warrior trolls and trees able to uproot and walk to a new location—amaze of wonders and horrors.
As the story progresses, Everly changes as the events unfold around her. It seems as though everyone is against her and wants to harm her. Her type of power is disgusting to everyone there. Her kind is typically hunted down and killed. Her journey is not an easy one despite finding, losing, and finding love of different sorts again along her way. She learns a lot about herself and her character. She must learn how to balance the good within her soul, along with the evil whispering tempting sweet nothings into her mind.
The most curious aspect of this story is uncovering who is really Snow White, The Huntsman, the Seven Dwarves aka protectors, and who is really the Evil Queen. The author created a super creepy forest, beautiful beyond imagining, with a glittering azure mist dancing around gnarled trees, populated by myths and monsters, killer unicorns who are poached for their horns (magic wand, anyone?), two-headed snakes, adorable pixies, intoxicating fairy dust, terrifying spider-scorpion hybrids, flesh-hungry roses, magic, mercenary witches, warrior trolls and trees able to uproot and walk to a new location—amaze of wonders and horrors.
My only real complaint was the formatting of this book. We go from a prologue, to a scene from the past that helps create the setting, then to a scene set in the future, and then we get to the first chapter where we are back in the real world before Everly knew about anything. showing breaks in chapters. My recommendation is to find yourself a copy of the finished book and read it.
No comments:
Post a Comment