Since I tackled Ella Enchanted, I decided to read another of Levine’s classic fairytale retellings. This time she tackles Snow White and she does it with plenty of twists and panache. I’ve said before, but I’ll repeat again I really admire her imagination when building her magic system and creating distinct languages, lore and other worldbuilding details in her kingdom of Ayorthia.

Aza is of white skin, red lips and dark hair just as in the original tale but these features do not make her beautiful. Rather they make her stand out as ugly accompained by her larger side. In fact, most of the time she hides away doing laundrey in her parent’s inn because guests treat her cruelly or are plain appalled to look at her. For if there’s one thing Ayorthians care about it, it’s aesthetic beauty.

At least she has her angelic voice, possibly the best in the land. She certainly can do things no one else can like illusing where she can throw her voice and mimic anyone or any object.

So in a surprise twist of fate, one of their guests-a duchess needs a companion when her current one falls in to accompany her to the king’s wedding. While Aza is mortified at the thought of thousands of others seeing her ugliness, she cannot deny herself a chance to see the castle, the king, the royal event of the century.

It is while she’s in the palace, she meets the dog-loving Prince Ijori, and the childish future Queen Ivi. Two sudden companions who admire her voice. The Prince for her creativity and the Queen who wishes Aza to be her voice.

Aza was another whorthwhile heroine to root for as she struggles with her self-esteem. Many say it’s what on the inside that counts but Levine and Aza are more realistic than that. People will judge you by your face before your personality, they will even abscribe foul ideas to you if you fit their idea of an ugly witch. But Aza also undergoes her own journey as her mishaps for beautifying spells only cause her misery. It also quickly goes into the background when she is blackmailed into serving Queen Ivi.

For it is definately blackmail. Ivi, the evil queen figure in this tale, is not the commanding ice queen as previous. She’s vain but childish, wanting adoration through praise or through fear. When her husband is temporarily out of comission, she is placed in charge and is advised by her whims and evil mirror to practically ruin the nation. So even as Aza feels pity for her at some points, it is easy to see understand why Aza cannot forgive her for her many threats on Aza’s loved ones, her harrunging and dissolving of Ayorthia’s cherished traditions or her attempts at murder.

Gnomes serve an important figure here too, particularly Aza’s friend zhamM as he aids her in her most difficult moments and helps pinpoint her origins (she was orphaned at the inn) and the reasons for her unique abilities. I also just adore the additional worldbuilding as Aza stays in the Gnome Caverns and their distinct way of life bartering, their backwayrds language and mode of justice.

Additionally, other characters like the servants and Aza’s family feel dimensional despite their small presence. Especially Aza’s parents whose love for her permeate the pages and I almost teared up. Also for those Ella Enchanted fans, the fairy Lucinda briefly appears having started this whole interingdom drama of Queen Ivi with her wedding gift. And readers may recognize Aza’s sister Areida as Ella’s friend from boarding school.

The one nitpick I have is the love between Ijori and Aza feeling unrealistic and unbelievable. While I understand why Aza would quickly fall for the one person who doesn’t treat her like an ugly ogreand admires her as she is, Ijori insults and turns away from Aza rather brutally in different instances. He doesn’t even give her a chance to explain and the first instance was mean as it was the lie of omission was out of her hands. I get his appeal as he is sweet and who can’t love a guy who loves his dog, but the two instances made me feel like he wasn’t good enough for Aza.

Nonetheless, it was a really fun retelling that hits all the major plot points while keeping it fresh and engaging with its lore, characters and of course, songs.