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The Snow Queen's Shadow (Princess #4)
by
Jim C. Hines (Goodreads Author)
When a spell gone wrong shatters Snow White's enchanted mirror, a demon escapes into the world. The demon's magic distorts the vision of all it touches, showing them only ugliness and hate. It is a power that turns even friends and lovers into mortal foes, one that will threaten humans and fairies alike.
ebook, 352 pages
Published
July 5th 2011
by Daw Books
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May 25, 2013
Kim N - Lost-In-A-Book
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2013-reads
I loved this series so much and I have such mixed emotions about this final book. The way it ended left me feeling a little sad yet oddly satisfied, even though I'd love to read more from these characters in the future. Although I'm not sure if that will ever happen and if Mr. Hines decides not to write more about them I can't really say as though I'd blame him for that decision.
I loved the development of all of the characters throughout the book. I think that's the one thing that will stand out...more
I loved the development of all of the characters throughout the book. I think that's the one thing that will stand out...more
Mar 31, 2013
Jo
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy-and-science-fiction
This is the fourth book in Hines' Princess Novels and the end of the story arc, and probably of the series. It isn't a stand-alone. Go back and read the first three books before you start this one or you'll likely be a bit lost. (That's okay, they're great reads: The Stepsister Scheme, The Mermaid's Madness, and Red Hood's Revenge. Hines' Princess series takes takes fairy tale princesses to a dimension never dreamed of by Disney. The three main characters - Danielle, Snow and Talia - are based o...more
This is the fourth, and possibly last, installment in Hines’ Princess series. I have enjoyed all of them and they remain as ‘keepers’ on my shelves of paper books. This one is a little darker than the others are, as some reviewers have pointed out.
I do not personally care for dark fantasy. I prefer more lighthearted, humorous, and satirical works, but the dark aspects in this are not overdone and there is still a hopeful and optimistic mood conveyed by the end of the story. It has a few smiles i...more
I do not personally care for dark fantasy. I prefer more lighthearted, humorous, and satirical works, but the dark aspects in this are not overdone and there is still a hopeful and optimistic mood conveyed by the end of the story. It has a few smiles i...more
This is a satisfiying conclusion to the Princess series. Frankly, Jim C. Hines should earn enough money to buy Hawaii off this series alone.
If you haven't read the Princesss novels, start at the beginning of the series with The Stepsister Scheme. It would help to read them in order.
In this, perhaps final, installment, Danielle, Talia, and Snow face thier greatest challenge and the resolutions to the question raised in previous books (so yes, the Talia/Snow question is answered).
This novel is the...more
If you haven't read the Princesss novels, start at the beginning of the series with The Stepsister Scheme. It would help to read them in order.
In this, perhaps final, installment, Danielle, Talia, and Snow face thier greatest challenge and the resolutions to the question raised in previous books (so yes, the Talia/Snow question is answered).
This novel is the...more
Nov 08, 2011
Christopher Stilson
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
young-adult
For a series about what happens after "happily ever after," with all the attendant Grimmness that tends to accompany such exercises, the Princess series manages to resolve matters if not happily, then at least satisfactorily. This story has all the hallmarks of a classic tragedy, yet always keeps itself fresh and adventurous and never falls into the depths of despair like so many stories do when there seems no chance of a 'good' resolution.
The only quibble is that in places the story seems to mo...more
The only quibble is that in places the story seems to mo...more
It's over? Say it isn't so! I just discovered this series, soon after discovering Gail Carriger was wrapping up her series in her next book, and while I often say I'm impatient and I won't read any more series until they are concluded, I take it back now! Though it did wrap up well, I missed Snow in this book. Sure she made a formidable opponent, and I did find her fascinating as a 'bad guy', but she's much less fun that way. But while it was less fun, Snow was the character most likely to be fo...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
These books have been taking a darker twist and this was darker than all the rest put together. The book starts with Beatrice's death, and Snow attempting to resurrect her spirit in a new body. Only she breaks her mother's magic mirror and is possessed by the demon that inhabited the mirror, kidnaps Jakob, and flees to Allessandria intent on destroying those who exiled her. Oh, and she leaves behind her imaginary sister, made into flesh, Gerta.
I really liked it and looked forward to seeing how T...more
I really liked it and looked forward to seeing how T...more
The Snow Queen's Shadow is the fourth and (supposedly) final novel in Jim C. Hines' Princess series and I will say right off the bat that it is by far the best book in the series. In fact, it's the best book Jim C. Hines has written to date.
The basic premise is that the Queen Beatrice is dying and Snow White intends to keep her around by placing her spirit inside of a constructed body. Upon her deathbed, Snow attempts to lure her spirit to the created body . . . and Beatrice turns away. In her d...more
The basic premise is that the Queen Beatrice is dying and Snow White intends to keep her around by placing her spirit inside of a constructed body. Upon her deathbed, Snow attempts to lure her spirit to the created body . . . and Beatrice turns away. In her d...more
Oct 12, 2012
Mjlibrary NDSCS
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
library-staff,
ndscs-staff
This is the fourth book of a series about some princesses you might recognize - Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. Along the way we also meet The Little Mermaid and Red Riding Hood. And a Queen Beatrice (Queen Bee, get it?) But they are not the princesses that either the Grimms or Walt Disney might recognize. There are elements of many fairy tales included, and this one is a take on Andersen's Snow Queen. These are not books for children, although older teens should appreciate. This al...more
Pros: great series conclusion, fast paced/
Cons: one scene felt superfluous/
Bea is dying and Snow has a plan to keep her around longer. When her spell goes wrong she unwittingly releases something that takes control of her and others, Prince Jakob being a strange exception. So she takes the boy when she leaves Lorindar's Palace and heads for home./
Making a beloved protagonist into the antagonist made this concluding volume of the Princess Series a heart wrenching one. By the end of the book 'Snow...more
Cons: one scene felt superfluous/
Bea is dying and Snow has a plan to keep her around longer. When her spell goes wrong she unwittingly releases something that takes control of her and others, Prince Jakob being a strange exception. So she takes the boy when she leaves Lorindar's Palace and heads for home./
Making a beloved protagonist into the antagonist made this concluding volume of the Princess Series a heart wrenching one. By the end of the book 'Snow...more
It's hard, finishing a series of books I've enjoyed for a few years. Stories need endings, but some stories I'm reluctant to finish because the closing door is hard to face. Jim Hines' princess series is one of those stories for me. The world is lush, the characters are fantastic, and I've always loved the way he's woven the source material into something smart and modern.
Which is why I waited so long to read The Snow Queen's Shadow. I didn't want the ride to end.
Snow Queen's a departure from t...more
Which is why I waited so long to read The Snow Queen's Shadow. I didn't want the ride to end.
Snow Queen's a departure from t...more
This is the best book in the series.
I read spoilers before reading the book and was a little nervous about what I had heard. After the third book I realized that Snow was my favorite character and I wanted her to have a happy ending. I didn't quite get that but Snow did seem happy with the choices she made which satisfied me.
This book certainly didn't disappoint in terms of action. Even with spoilers I was taken by surprise a few times. And I liked how it brought back the Duchess who hadn't be...more
I read spoilers before reading the book and was a little nervous about what I had heard. After the third book I realized that Snow was my favorite character and I wanted her to have a happy ending. I didn't quite get that but Snow did seem happy with the choices she made which satisfied me.
This book certainly didn't disappoint in terms of action. Even with spoilers I was taken by surprise a few times. And I liked how it brought back the Duchess who hadn't be...more
I had only read the first three Princess novels a few months ago, but found myself eagerly awaiting the conclusion, wondering how all of the story lines could possibly be tied up. I think Hines did a beautiful job of wrapping things up and created an ending that will (hopefully!) appease most readers. The story moved quickly, and the further I dove in to the novel, the more I found myself trying to sneak in a page here and there to see what would happen. There were a few plot twists that had me...more
Nov 03, 2011
Shanrina
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fairy-tales,
fantasy
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Jim C. Hines brings his Princess series to a close with this revisioning of the Snow Queen fairy tale (with a touch of Hansel and Gretel thrown in for the only giggles this tome provides).
This isn't a standalone novel, nor is it a good jumping on point--this is the end of the road for these friends, and pretty near every page screams that. As such, it's great. A couple of plot points are tied up, every character gets a good (not positive, but solid) resolution to their arc, and we're reminded o...more
This isn't a standalone novel, nor is it a good jumping on point--this is the end of the road for these friends, and pretty near every page screams that. As such, it's great. A couple of plot points are tied up, every character gets a good (not positive, but solid) resolution to their arc, and we're reminded o...more
A fine ending to this set of four books.
It didn't bring in any new fairy tales to the series, which was a little bit of a bummer, as I like the author's treatment of these. Also, the "Mom who will do anything to save her kidnapped child" trope is more than a little old.
But having said that, this story follows perfectly from the characters and developments of the first three books. It is exactly the right story to round out this set. It is well told, characters act in believable ways, and there w...more
It didn't bring in any new fairy tales to the series, which was a little bit of a bummer, as I like the author's treatment of these. Also, the "Mom who will do anything to save her kidnapped child" trope is more than a little old.
But having said that, this story follows perfectly from the characters and developments of the first three books. It is exactly the right story to round out this set. It is well told, characters act in believable ways, and there w...more
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I love this series, and this was an excellent ending to it. Actually, I wasn't aware that this was the final book in the series as I read it, so much of the ending came as a bit of a shock to me. I won't spoil anything. Even though this series is called the Princess Series, there's nothing soft about it. These princesses kick butt and take names. If you haven't read the first three books, I recommend starting there. That way you'll be more emotionally invested in these characters as this final b...more
I loved this series!!! The whole twisted fairy tales worked very well and the worlds Jim came up with were realistic and fun. Snow White's magic mirror gets broken and thus releases a Demon into the world who then causes chaos and mayhem. The first person to fall under the Demon's spell is Snow White who becomes an even more powerful sorcereress and she flees to her country from which she was banished under pain of death for killing her mother.
Very moving and the ending made me tear up. Jim has...more
Very moving and the ending made me tear up. Jim has...more
Feb 06, 2012
Ruby Hollyberry
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy-sci-fi
Sorry it's over. Snow was definitely my favorite character. But her end was quite believable and managed to seem as if it could have been prophesied from the beginning. Didn't like Gerta much. The demon seemed like a great metaphor for one of those traumatic events that can tip someone over from a good person with a bad background into schizophrenia or alcoholism - abused little girl Snow White wants to be good for a long time but eventually falls to the dark side and becomes the Snow Queen. The...more
Yet another fabulous twist on a classic tale from my childhood with the characters I've come to love from this series. This book has it's moments of shock and definitely its moments of eye blurring sadness towards then end, yet they are worth it. Seeing how each of the girls comes to terms with the heartbreak this last book throws at them just proves to me that Hines is capable of making characters that are well rounded and very 3d.
While it is for the now the end of the Princess Tales series, I...more
While it is for the now the end of the Princess Tales series, I...more
I loved this whole series, and this final book was exciting, bittersweet, and just right. There were bits I found so emotionally upsetting (as a parent) that they were painful for me to read, but they were handled just perfectly, and there were really fun bits, too, and exciting adventure throughout. Definitely the best book in a great series. (I don't know whether or not it could stand alone, but even if it could, I'd definitely recommend reading earlier books first to get the full emotional im...more
the final (at least for now) book in the princess series by jim c. hines really leaves the series on a high note and in such a way that hines could come back easily and revisit this world any time he wanted to. it is a fabulous ending as snow suddenly becomes the enemy that danielle and talia need to take out. along the way the fairies come more into play as a possible way around a vicious deal makes itself clearer regarding cinderella's son. a wonderful read and a great ending...although i woul...more
A feminist retelling of the traditional Fairy Tales gone a little too far for my taste.
In the traditional tales, the princes handle all the action. In Jim C. Hines it is the princesses the ones that get things done, while the only prince left sits at home.
This is the only book in the series I've read and considering other people's reviews I may still pick up the first one to see if it is better as they claim.
For my full review, please, go to:
http://www.myshelf.com/scifi_fantasy/...
In the traditional tales, the princes handle all the action. In Jim C. Hines it is the princesses the ones that get things done, while the only prince left sits at home.
This is the only book in the series I've read and considering other people's reviews I may still pick up the first one to see if it is better as they claim.
For my full review, please, go to:
http://www.myshelf.com/scifi_fantasy/...
I was really tempted to rate this only three stars just because I didn't like how seemingly quickly the demon took over Snow. You'd think it'd be a little harder, amazing magic user that she is! (view spoiler)
Personally-feelings-issues aside, it was a good book. We get a good, in-depth look into Snow's history. Also, Gerta. Such a strange, unique, and unexpected way to solve this problem....more
Personally-feelings-issues aside, it was a good book. We get a good, in-depth look into Snow's history. Also, Gerta. Such a strange, unique, and unexpected way to solve this problem....more
Jim C. Hines' Princesses series quickly became one of my favorite reads and rereads. This time last year I picked up the first one because I had wanted to for a while and I'd be meeting Hines at World Fantasy Con. Now I've just finished reading the final book in the series.
Hines' Princesses series follows the further adventures of Snow White (a mirror sorceress exiled from her home for killing her mother, the queen who tried to kill her), Sleeping Beauty (also a refugee from her land where the...more
Hines' Princesses series follows the further adventures of Snow White (a mirror sorceress exiled from her home for killing her mother, the queen who tried to kill her), Sleeping Beauty (also a refugee from her land where the...more
1 like · like · see review
When a spell gone wrong shatters Snow White's enchanted mirror, a demon escapes into the world. The demon's magic distorts the vision of all it touches, showing them only ugliness and hate. It is a power that turns even friends and lovers into mortal foes, one that will threaten humans and fairies alike.
Hines' Princess series has a lot going for it. Strong female characters, fairy tales not just retold but woven into a blend of new adventures and history, humor, and action. This is a great actio...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This is the fourth in a series. I think it would be best to start with the first book. This one is a wrap up and you definitely miss some of the motives of the characters. There is a lot of action with the princesses taking on everyone it seems. I do like books with female leads but this one goes so far that I cannot think of any male character that is important. Maybe the young two year old prince but I think he only speaks a handful of times. I would like a little more balance.
Hines' "Princess" novels are complex and marvelously imaginative stories. More importantly, however, they give us complex and marvelously imaginative characters. This book brings the stories of Danielle (Cinderella), Snow (Snow White), and Talia to a close. It moves more slowly than the previous three novels, but has a great deal to say about being human (or more - but humanity is at the heart of it), in love, and afraid. We learn so much about our beloved protagonists as to satisfy, to some deg...more
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Jim C. Hines' latest book is LIBRIOMANCER, a modern-day fantasy about a magic-wielding librarian, a dryad, a secret society founded by Johannes Gutenberg, a flaming spider, and an enchanted convertible. He's also the author of the PRINCESS series of fairy tale retellings as well as the humorous GOBLIN QUEST trilogy. His short fiction has appeared in more than 40 magazines and anthologies, includin...more
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