The story of Snow White is retold with the Prince taking the lead role as a vampire prince who is in need of Irina's (Snow White) help in gaining support of the other creatures in the realm. The classic Snow White story is retold with vampires, trolls and other magical beings that aid Prince Kirill in realizing his love for the beautiful and enigmatic Irina. Kirill is a vampire prince who tires of his stubborn and brutal father refusing to give up the throne. For thousands of years Kirill has searched for a way to kill his evil father and finally take his place as King. Kirill is determined, brilliant, and not known for ever yielding or showing any emotion beyond anger. Irina is a beautiful young woman under the thumb of her cruel stepmother who is a kind and gentle as she is beautiful. Once Irina learns of the plans for her murder, ordered by her stepmother, Irina runs away into the night to seek shelter with the one of the many groups she has befriended over the years. Kirill, on his way to investigate a lead on an ancient prophecy that involves him and other princes in the outer lying lands, comes upon Irina who is laying hurt in the woods and takes her to the first cottage he finds in a rare act of compassion. Irina wakes up too twelve dwarves who are all determined to see her safely recovered and happy. Irina spends the next couple of weeks happily with the dwarves and begins to see how much the general population is suffering from the ruling classes greed and creates a plan to plead her case to Kirill. Kirill is working on swaying the general population towards his cause of ruling, however with his cold vampire facade and pride have prevented him from gaining support until he hears realizes that Irina may be the key to his success. Irina goes to Prince Kirill and proposes her to offer her assistance in making alliances as long as the people are taxed less and treated more daily by the ruling class. Kirill is surprised by her tenacity and bold declarations but can't seem to resist this particular challenge and accepts her proposal. On their way to meet with the troll king, both Irina and Kirill fight a growing attraction that takes both by surprise and threatens their iron control. Irina successfully gains the trolls support of the treaty for Kirill but is hurt by a secret opposition when no one is looking. Kirill immediately takes Irina back to his castle in order to provide for her safety and a doctor, and in doing so makes Kirill realize that for the first time he may actually care for someone. Perturbed and intrigued by this revelation Kirill retreats to his secret library to research more about the possible connection between him, Irina, and the prophecy that would help him take over the kingdom. Irina, after finding herself alone when she wakes up and witnessing a conversation between her evil stepmother and Kirill, gives up the idea that Kirill had maybe cared for her and she runs away. The evil stepmother knows that Irina is the key to the prophecy and captures Irina before she goes far and puts her into a deep sleep in a glass coffin that is nearly impossible to open. Kirill, discovering Irina's capture, immediately storms the stepmother's castle and confronts and kills her. Desperate to open the glass coffin Kirill uses the information he gained from the stepmother before she died to call all the other princes, from other kingdoms, to help him save Irina. Kirill desperately bargains his knowledge of the prophecy to share with them, in exchange for a drop of each of their blood needed to open the coffin. Irina awakens and realizes what Kirill has done for her, then both Irina and Kirill are overcome with emotion (more than Kirill has ever felt) and they cling to each other and the knowledge of each other's love. They live happily ever after.
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Best part of story, including ending:
I loved that the 'Prince Charming' of the story (Kirill) finally got a voice of his own instead of the Snow White character being the sole focus.
Best scene in story:
My favorite scene was when Irina realized all Kirill had done and sacrificed to gain her safety.
Opinion about the main character:
I loved that Kiril remained mostly the same after the end, instead of completely changing like some heroes do.
