| Snow White and Rose Red is the fantastic retelling of the Grimm fairy tale by Wrede in a Victorian setting just outside the village Mortlak only a mile from the Thames.
The Fairie Queen is convinced to ban the eldest of her half mortal sons from traveling to the mortal world by a human hating lady in waiting, when her beloved youngest son, Hugh is transformed into a beast and must be cast forth from Fairie. His brother John defies the Queen's law to find a cure for his brother. The sisters Blanche and Rosamund are the daughters of the Widow Arden and they live by the border to Fairie, gathering herbs in its forests for their mother's healing droughts. One day a bear wandered into their cottage out of a winter storm and they seeing this was no natural bear set out to help him back to humanity. John eventually joins them and they must sneak carefully through their plans for helping Hugh so as not to be hanged as witches. Their opponents are strong, from Queen Elizabeth's astrologer John Dee, to sprites of oak and water, and some jealous and hateful women. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past Lifeform altered? Yes Kind of alteration: Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Family relations Yes Descript. of chases or violence - 10 % planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 % Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10 % Main Character Identity: - Female Age: - a teen Main Adversary Identity: - Female Age: - long-lived adults Profession/status: Has magical powers? Yes Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - can cast all sorts of spells Eccentric: Yes How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount How sensitive is this character? Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters Setting Terrain Earth setting: - 18th century Takes place on Earth? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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