I think (but am not quite sure) that I liked this one even better than Ella Enchanted. Like Ella, this is a loose retelling of a fairy tale; that is, it has elements of a traditional fairy story that are elaborated upon with novel story elements and set in a richly constructed world. In this case, the story is "Snow White."

A few characters from Ella appear briefly in this one, but don't detract from the story, only serve to remind us that it's set in the same world (but a different country.) The fantasy elements are fascinating and well done. The characters are not one-dimensional, for the most part, and I think preteen/teenage girls especially would sympathise with the heroine. The message is a positive one, but, like Ella, the moral isn't blatantly rammed down your throat, it's still more about the story.

I really enjoyed this and will be hanging on to it for my girls to read when they get older!