Why This Book Is One of My Favorite Re-tellings… (A Fairytale Summer Blog Event Post!)

Do I talk about this Fairytale retelling enough? Probably not lol.

Welcome to the next stop in Amelia Grace’s Fairytale Summer Event! Today I’m sharing about a favorite, but somehow lesser known, fairytale retelling.

One Christmas, my sister-in-law gifted me this beautiful MG retelling of Snow White And Rose Red. I remember reading that fairytale years ago, so it was a joy to see how the author retold it. And it didn’t disappoint! But why do I love Snow and Rose, by Emily Winfield Martin, so much? Here’s some of my favorite parts.

Gorgeous Illustrations

Okay, enough said XD. But seriously, the watercolor style gave the book a perfect whimsical vibe. The faces of the two sisters and their friend, Ivo, were so sweet. And let’s not forget the gallery! Bonus illustrations at the end of the book? Yes please! It was like looking into the artist’s sketchbook, and honestly, it inspired me to include a gallery at the end of my book, Because You Saw Me.

Cottagecore Setting

Come to think of it, not a lot of fairytale retellings that I’ve seen have a cottagecore vibe (if you know of any, please let me know!) This worked very well with the illustration style, and the woodsy atmosphere the story was in. Speaking of woods, it was a cool element to the story, adding mystery and intrigue (especially when the trees spoke to each other of what they saw happening. Their sections in the book gave it an intriguing touch.)

Non-Romantic Plot Line

I know, I know! Romance is like a crucial part to a lot of Fairytales. Don’t get me wrong, I love a perfect Cinderella moment and chance for the heroine to end up with the love of her life. But one thing that I’d long to see more of is exploration of other relationships. Something that I truly loved about Snow and Rose was how it centered on their sisterhood. Since they were both children in this book, romance wasn’t going to really be a thing. So instead, the author focused on sisterly (and even family-centered) love. I won’t say any more because I don’t want to spoil the book. But let me end here saying that something I want to see more of is fairytale retellings for middle-grade, that focus heavily on family and friend relationships. I think it’s a great chance to explore something new.

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Now, how about you? Do you have a favorite book that centers on family and friends? Have you read Snow and Rose? What’s your favorite book with a cottage-core aesthetic?

Don’t forget to check out the rest of the fairy-tale blog event; you can find the previous post here and the main schedule here.