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East

(East #1)

Edith Pattou (Goodreads Author)

4.14 · Rating details · 40,349 ratings · 2,836 reviews

Rose has always been different.

Since the day she was born, it was clear she had a special fate. Her superstitious mother keeps the unusual circumstances of Rose's birth a secret, hoping to prevent her adventurous daughter from leaving home... but she can't suppress Rose's true nature forever.

So when an enormous white bear shows up one cold autumn evening and asks teenage

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Paperback, 507 pages

Published May 1st 2005 by HMH Books for Young Readers (first published September 1st 2003)

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Jan 02, 2019 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, kindle-own, fantasy-all

This book was awesome! I have never heard of this fairytale, even though it sounded familiar. I’m glad one of my friends wanted to buddy read it, but now I want to get both books in paperback and the second one comes out in October. I always get scared about the cancer coming back if I get too excited about books on down the line 😫

Anyway, I recommend to those that love fairytales!

They journeyed far and the white bear said,
"Are you afraid?"
"No," she replied. "I am not afraid."

She would s
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Sep 09, 2008 Camille rated it it was amazing

I absolutely loved this book. I've read it so many times and never has it grown old. I love how it shifts views and tells you what other people are doing and how it has many plots that all tie together in the book. I love the White Bear and I love reading what he has to say and the riddles and poems he speaks in. The chapters weren't long so you could just fly through the book with no trouble. I fell inlove with Rose and her personality from the beginning, the first few pages a a little slow, bu ...more

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Oct 12, 2007 Lacey Louwagie rated it it was ok

Shelves: fairy-tales, retelling, youngadultfantasy

This novel is a retelling of "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" which is probably one of the most underappreciated fairy tales out there. Unfortunately, this retelling doesn't quite do it justice. The author chose to use multiple viewpoints, which felt more like a gimmick and less like the best way to tell the story (especially since I was only really interested in the stories from two of the five narrators). Also, no one ever seems to have given Edith that all important advice to "show and ...more

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Jan 03, 2019 Em Lost In Books rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: br-with-ini, 2019, 2000-09, 3-star

3.5*

a lovely retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

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Jul 09, 2019 Merphy Napier rated it really liked it

Shelves: retelling, fantasy, four-stars, middle-grade

I really wish I had read this in this age range. I would have been obsessed with this book. Such a captivating story!

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Jan 11, 2020 Emer (A Little Haze) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-owned-all-formats, reviewed, read2020, 5stars, fantasy, all-the-pretty-covers, young-adult

This book... oh I was utterly transfixed by it. I felt like a child again while reading. I lost myself in lands of ice and snow, magical white bears and troll queens... I loved every second.

North Child (I believe formally titled East or at least called that in other parts of the world) is a gorgeous traditional retelling of the Norwegian fairytale East of the Sun and West of the Moon. It tells the tale of Rose and her fated quest to rescue the White Bear Prince.

Rose’s mother had many superstiti This book... oh I was utterly transfixed by it. I felt like a child again while reading. I lost myself in lands of ice and snow, magical white bears and troll queens... I loved every second.

North Child (I believe formally titled East or at least called that in other parts of the world) is a gorgeous traditional retelling of the Norwegian fairytale East of the Sun and West of the Moon. It tells the tale of Rose and her fated quest to rescue the White Bear Prince.

Rose’s mother had many superstitions and one of those was that she did not wish to give birth to a child who was born facing North. This was due to two facts; (1) north born children tend to go their own way so to speak and (2) Rose’s mother had been given a prophecy that if she were to give birth to a North born child this child would be lost to her under an avalanche of snow and ice.

So Rose’s mother intended to face East as she was giving birth... And well good intentions and all that but life intervened and Rose was North born but her mother hid this from her and proclaimed her to be East born.

This led to a childhood of incongruity as Rose always seemed to be an explorer befitting of the characteristics of North born rather than the more docile traits of an East born. So when ultimately Rose discovered the truth of her birth it led her to leaving her family home and all that she knew...

What followed was nothing short of fantastical fairytale perfection.
Seemingly magical castles with enchanted white bears and a quest to rescue a prince. With a host of memorable characters along the way; drunken sailors, a wise and kind shaman, wicked trolls, good trolls, human slaves. Lots of talk of superstitions, curses, fulfilling destiny and the dawning realisation of love... And all these interesting little threads of storytelling were pulled together in a most harmonious fashion and set in the most gorgeously atmospheric setting.

I really enjoyed how the story was told from multiple points of view. For me it added to the whole mystery of how the plot would unfurl. Rose’s PoV was the primary one but the added input from the Troll Queen, the White Bear, Rose’s devoted father and Rose’s brother Neddy really helped to make this story sing.

By including these other points of view the whole mythology and background to the story was really developed. In particular I enjoyed the viewpoints of Rose’s father and brother as these really helped to give a sense of strong family and showed the nuances of family life... especially regarding how the guilt of hiding Rose’s true identity from her and thusly losing their daughter affected Rose’s mother and father in different ways.

To me this story had elements of The Snow Queen, Beauty and the Beast... No doubt this fairytale probably predates both. So for me this book transported me right back to my childhood and reading similar fairytale and adventure quest style stories. I just felt like the happiest little kid while reading this book. It was just so beautifully simplistic yet quietly lyrical. An utterly charming book with the most wonderful story to get lost in.

For more reviews and book related chat check out my blog ...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ rated it really liked it

Shelves: scandinavia, fairy-tale, faerie

$1.99 Kindle sale, Oct. 25, 2018. The sequel to this 2005 folktale retelling, West, was just published this week (it's still waiting on my Kindle).

East is a retelling of the Norwegian tale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon;" you can read one version of it here. In East, a teenage girl named Rose has a sense of adventure that her worried mother has always tried, unsuccessfully, to quell. One day a huge white bear appears at their door and offers to magically to fix the family's dire financial ...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Keertana rated it really liked it

Shelves: kick-ass-heroines

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Ever since I read the tale of "East of the Sun, West of the Moon," I've longed to give one of its numerous re-tellings a try. Edith Pattou's version, East, practically fell into my lap when I discovered it in the hidden recess of my Kindle and within moments, I was sucked into the tale. For those of you who don't know, "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" is similar to "Beauty and the Beast," only instead of a beast, we have a polar bear, and instead of a wicked witch, there is a Rating: 4.5 Stars

Ever since I read the tale of "East of the Sun, West of the Moon," I've longed to give one of its numerous re-tellings a try. Edith Pattou's version, East, practically fell into my lap when I discovered it in the hidden recess of my Kindle and within moments, I was sucked into the tale. For those of you who don't know, "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" is similar to "Beauty and the Beast," only instead of a beast, we have a polar bear, and instead of a wicked witch, there is an evil troll queen. Of course, there are a variety of other differences, but the jist of the tale is the same - a girl must find it in her to remain with and love a creature who is more animal than man. And while East isn't the best re-telling I've read, it's nearly perfect in its own right.

For me, what makes or breaks a solid re-telling is the author's own insight into a traditional fairy tale. It's part of the reason why I'm so disenchanted with book-to-movie adaptations - I desperately want the director to push the story on screen with his or her interpretations instead of merely following the book word-for-word or deleting scenes altogether. In East, Pattou truly gives so much depth to this intriguing tale. For one, the novel is told in alternating perspectives, each chapter shifting from the point of views of Rose, her older brother Neddy, her Father, the Troll Queen, or the Bear himself. While, on one hand, I was initially skeptical about this method of story-telling, let me reassure you that it works beautifully. Not only are we able to gain a much fuller understanding of the entire story at hand, but we are also able to understand these central characters on a much deeper level.

Moreover, I love that the villains of this tale are so ambiguous in their "evil" label. The Troll Queen, for instance, is obsessed with the human prince she finds; so much so that she fakes his death and is punished for her actions by her father. Ironically, though, her punishment entails the imprisonment of the prince she loves. And thus, a boy is turned into a bear. Furthermore, it is not evil intent that drips from the Troll Queen, but rather a strange, obsessive longing. If anything, the Troll Queen is an anomaly among her kind, especially as trolls keep humans as servants. The Troll Queen, however, isn't our only "villain." Rose, the protagonist of our tale, is born facing the North, which indicates both that she will become a traveler and also that she will - as her mother's only North child - face death at the hands of ice and snow. As such, her mother does everything in her power to keep Rose safe, but often times that spells more harm than good.

I love that this family is painted so realistically. Rose is beloved by her brother Neddy, not to mention her father, and while her mother clearly cares for her, there is a distance between them that is written with poise. As the last child in a household of seven, not to mention a replacement child for the East daughter who died, Rose and her mother share a strained relationship. And yet, Rose's love and affection for her family - for all her sisters and brothers - is so palpably felt. In fact, Rose herself is such a remarkable heroine for the emotion she brings to this tale. While her adventurous spirit is one to get behind and her genuine loyalty to be admired, her flaws - her curiosity, her homesickness, her inability to follow directions - makes her all the more realistic. Moreover, I love that Rose never gives up. No matter how difficult the task before her seems, she keeps barreling forward.

Another beautiful aspect to this tale is the romance. The White Bear, as Rose comes to call him, is sweet and kind, hopeful that Rose will enjoy her stay at his castle. And yet, he too is not all perfect. Ultimately, the reason why I grew to love Rose's time in the castle was primarily because of her interactions with the Bear, which were both endearing and exasperating. Stuck in a difficult situation, tempers rise just as often as they fall, which made for intriguing reading. Once the bear is kidnapped away by the Troll Queen, however, the second-half of this story only picks up. I appreciated this not so much because of the change of pace, but rather because Rose sets out after the Bear solely because she let him down. Of course, she cares for him, but the extent of her feelings are hidden even from herself until much later in the story. The romance that brews in East is extraordinarily subtle, only hinting at the depth of affection that lies between Rose and the Bear, but the focus on trust that the novel took was far more important as a foundation for their future, fitting perfectly into this tale.

If you haven't already, I'd encourage you to look into this fairy tale. It's an interesting spin, especially as "Beauty and the Beast" is so well-known. Moreover, Pattou's rendition of it is more than satisfying, going so far as to touch upon Norse mythology and Inuit history. Although the ultimate conclusion regarding the Troll Queen seemed to tie up a little too neatly for my tastes, overall, this novel is perfect from beginning to end. What Pattou excels at, as a writer, is showing, not telling, which makes this story a true emotional experience. I dare you not to become completely enthralled by Rose's tale - I promise you, it is impossible!

You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings. ...more

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Jul 10, 2020 ✩ Yaz ✩ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: retellings, historical-fiction, young-adult, fantasy, favorites, romance

4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

East is a retelling of the Norwegian fairytale called East of the Sun and West of the Moon which I found out was the original inspiration for the beloved fairytale of Beauty and the Beast

• The setting of the story was beautifully crafted. The world-building was extremely atmospheric along with the vivid imagery of the lands Rose visits throughout her journey. I can almost smell the frost and feel the little tingles of coldness seeping into my bones. The experience almost felt real.

• ...more

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May 26, 2017 Marquise rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, alternate-history, historical-fantasy, house-of-valois, beauty-and-the-beast-theme, historical-setting-1500s, mythology-of-the-north, the-curse-of-plot-predictability, sprinkle-some-fantasy-to-taste, unbelievability-is-a-plot-killer

This reimagining of East of the Sun and West of the Moon has a very good beginning, enhanced by the not so frequent technique (in retellings) of showing both sides of the story: the girl, her family, the enchanted bear and the Troll Queen. Quite intriguing, isn't it? Plus, it's historical fantasy rather than plain old-school fantasy, as the setting is 16th century Scandinavia, and the author uses a historical event from a century prior that's somewhat mysterious and apt for reinterpreting in fic This reimagining of East of the Sun and West of the Moon has a very good beginning, enhanced by the not so frequent technique (in retellings) of showing both sides of the story: the girl, her family, the enchanted bear and the Troll Queen. Quite intriguing, isn't it? Plus, it's historical fantasy rather than plain old-school fantasy, as the setting is 16th century Scandinavia, and the author uses a historical event from a century prior that's somewhat mysterious and apt for reinterpreting in fiction.

Unfortunately, once the story hits the middle of the narrative arc, decline settles in. The second half is terrible in comparison, and all ends in a rushed conclusion that leaves a sensation of emptiness rather than satisfaction despite the happy ending. By this point, the flaws in characterisation and storytelling begin to hit the story, and hit it hard they do. You begin to wonder why exactly it is that the brother and father of the protagonist have each their own POV, especially the father, who becomes just superfluous eventually, as the brother could've delivered all the father did just as well; and the brother gets too much onpage time, way more than the bear, who's the actual protagonist, and he also gets a bit of a side story all of his own that shouldn't take so much of the book as this isn't his story.

And then, there's the relationship between Rose and the white bear. It does start off credible enough, but soon becomes unbelievable. Why does Rose trust him so much immediately? And why does she end up falling in love with him? The little time they spend together, how little of his side is shown, and other characters getting too much of the cake influence this. It's very unconvicing for a love story, besides lacking couple chemistry, and pretty much you may believe they're together because conventions and the original fairy tale demand they be together.

Then there's the worldbuilding, that's just average if you look at it as a pure fantasy, but if you look at it as a historical fiction/historical fantasy novel, then the non-authenticity of the world is more obvious. If not for the insistence in describing the snowy landscape and throwing in words in the language of the locals, it wouldn't be that evident it's in the North. People travel unrealistically fast for the time period as well, showing that the author probably didn't do her research for this. There's a feel that the author isn't that familiar with Scandinavia and its languages, despite her including phrases and words in Norwegian, because she misses the correct spelling and umlauts, a frequent mistake by foreigners. People, when you're writing something in Germanic or Nordic languages, please do make sure to not miss those funny little marks over a vowel: they do have a function. And make sure the names you give people and places in your fictional world do follow the rules of your fictional world instead of names that don't feel authentic to the setting. ...more

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Jan 21, 2009 Heather rated it it was amazing

What a GREAT young adult fantasy! I loved everything about this book! Although it is almost 500 pages, it is a quick read. (Short chapters, larger print.) The story is based on the Norwegian fairytale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" which I didn't know until I read the author's notes at the end. I liked that even though it was a fantasy, it took place in a real time and place-16th Century Norway. (Read the glossery in the very back for modern names) I loved the mother's superstition, her ...more

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Nov 18, 2019 Ashleigh (a frolic through fiction) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: physically-own

*3.5/5 stars

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May 29, 2010 Ronyell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2010, 1st-person-pov, animal-books, fantasy, my-blog-reviews, young-adult-teen-books, fairy-tale-romance, remake, fairy-tales-folktales, strong-heroine

4.5 stars

I never would have thought that there could be a whole chapter book retelling of a classic fairy tale other than Shannon Hale’s “The Goose Girl.” Well, I have just recently stumbled upon this book called “East” that happens to be a great retelling of a classic fairy tale! “East” is a retelling of a classic Scandinavian folktale called “East of the Sun West of the Moon” by Edith Pattou and anyone who is a huge fan of fairy tales will definitely get a kick out of this book!

Rose is the youngest child of seven children and because she was a born a North born child, according to her mother, she always loved exploring her homeland Njord and getting into trouble. One day, however, a mysterious white bear comes in and promises Rose’s family that he will make them rich if they agree to let Rose come away with him to his cave. At first, Rose’s family did not want her to leave with the white bear, but Rose decided to go with the white bear to save her family and so she and the white bear traveled for days until they reached the white bear’s magnificent cave where Rose lived for many years. During her years with the white bear, Rose realizes that a mysterious stranger has been sleeping in bed next to her and when she discovers the stranger’s true identity, she embarks on a journey to save her true love from a terrible curse!

Beautiful! Simply Beautiful! I never would have thought that I would have read a retelling of a popular folktale that was written so beautifully! Edith Pattou has certainly done an excellent job at retelling the ancient Scandinavian folktale. I loved the way that Edith Pattou added more elements to this story such as adding background information about each character in the book, especially Rose and we actually get to read about the other point of views of each character associated with Rose’s life like her father, her brother Neddy, the White Bear and the Troll Queen. What I loved the most about this book is that each chapter is split up into a different character’s point of view. Like for example, you have one chapter entitled “Rose” and the chapter is narrated by Rose herself and her point of view on the situation she is thrown into and then another chapter would be entitled “White Bear” and the white bear is narrating the chapter, and I really love this setup because you can actually get a feel of what each character is thinking about the situation at hand. Another thing that I loved about this book was the relationships between all the characters in this book, especially between Rose, Neddy and her father. I loved the way that Neddy and Rose’s father cared so much about Rose that they were willing to put their lives at stake in order to rescue her from any kind of danger. I also loved the fairy tale elements in this story, especially since this story is based off of “East of the Sun West of the Moon” and I am a huge fan of many fairy tales and folktales, so the fairy tale elements in this story (enchantment, epic journey) are always relaxing to me. I also think many people would enjoy this story if they enjoyed “The Golden Compass” since this book does have a similar element to “The Golden Compass” which is a girl riding a white bear on her journey.

East

Now the reason why I gave this book a four and a half star rating instead of a five star rating is because the story tends to drag on too long in certain scenes such as during the scenes where Rose is exploring the cave of the white bear and she is describing every single item she comes across. It is alright to describe some items that have significance to the story, but to describe every other item that has nothing to do with the main point of the story does become tiresome really fast.

Overall “East” is truly an absolute masterpiece in its own right as it is filled with drama, fantasy and romance that anyone who is a huge fan of fairy tales will instantly take a liking to.

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

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Oct 25, 2012 Mike rated it did not like it

Shelves: first-person-past-tense, reviewed, fantasy, bad-ya, dnf, bad-books-have-bad-covers

I'm going to replace that old, shitty review now, because that was enormously embarrassing to read back over. SORRY, EVERYONE WHO READ IT! I APOLOGIZE PROFUSELY!

Anyway, my opinion hasn't changed, just my method of delivering it. I still think that this was a horrendous novel, badly plotted with shoddy characters.

In fact, I think the lack of development from the characters was the novel's biggest downfall. Rose is such a blank protagonist. I spent 200 pages with her (before I gave up), and throug I'm going to replace that old, shitty review now, because that was enormously embarrassing to read back over. SORRY, EVERYONE WHO READ IT! I APOLOGIZE PROFUSELY!

Anyway, my opinion hasn't changed, just my method of delivering it. I still think that this was a horrendous novel, badly plotted with shoddy characters.

In fact, I think the lack of development from the characters was the novel's biggest downfall. Rose is such a blank protagonist. I spent 200 pages with her (before I gave up), and through that entire time, not once did I feel like she had any tangible qualities. The only word I could think of to describe her was 'adventurous', and that doesn't come organically from her personality, but rather because the plot and a prophecy require her to be. It really didn't stick at all - once Rose's plot reasons for being adventurous and reckless went away, so did her sense of adventure and... lack of reck? Is that a real thing? But anyway. None of the side characters were any better developed - the two other 'real' narrators we got (more about the book's narration later), were equally bland, without even a prophecy to define their personality. Of particular annoyance was Rose's mother - she was incredibly superstitious, and nothing else. It got to the point that when she did something that didn't come from superstition, the narrator at that moment felt the need to lampshade it. And the sad thing is he (I'm pretty sure it was a he) really did - I had trouble believing that any of these characters would do anything that didn't come directly from their plot-mandated 'personalities'.

The narration style didn't help things. The book had no less than FIVE narrators - yes, you read that right, five. Rose, Nathaniel, their father, White Bear, and Troll Queen all narrated. The result were many very short chapters, and it didn't take long for me to get a sense of whiplash - one small thing would happen, and then we'd switch to someone else's narration for another small thing to happen. It didn't help that every single narrator had the exact same voice, with the sole exception of White Bear, whose reason for talking differently was - you guessed it - plot-mandated. Everyone else sounded exactly the same to me, and I often had to check back to see who was narrating. It's a shame, really because the prose was largely fine on a sentence level - the dialogue was inconsistent in voice, but the prose itself worked pretty well for me. But the narration style and voice problems prevented me from enjoying it at all.

You'd think, with all the plot-mandated things that I've mentioned before, that the plot, at least, would be strong. You'd be wrong. Of the two hundred pages I read, not a single thing happened that didn't feel like buildup to something else. The White Bear takes Rose away, and her father starts looking for her, the Troll Queen does... something (we never really got an explanation as to what), and Nathaniel... well, he doesn't do anything, really. Nothing I saw was engaging in and of itself - it always felt like I was waiting for something engaging to happen. The pace, which should've been fast, at least, from the whiplash-style narration, went at a sluggish crawl, leaving me bored throughout.

Alright, I can stop feeling like I've polluted GoodReads with a horribly written review. The book was a failure in most respects - other than the prose on a sentence level, which as I said before, was actually pretty good. I know absolutely nothing about the fairy tale this book is retelling, but I feel certain there's a better retelling out there. ...more

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Feb 06, 2021 Jemailyn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

5☆

They journeyed far and the white bear said, "Are you afraid?"

"No," she replied. "I am not afraid."

Once upon a time there was an "east-born" beautiful girl who was named Ebba Rose. She was one of the eight children of a poor farmer and his supertitious wife, and the family reside in a village called Andalsnes in Njord. One day, a white bear showed up at their home and demanded to take Rose with him in exchange for a good fortune for her ill-fated family. Of course her family, except for her ...more

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Aug 23, 2010 Morgan F rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, otis-library, adventure, good-sized, 2000s, myths-retellings, multiple, fiction, fantasy, magic

East was written when fantasy could still be fantasy. When young adult books weren't required to have a love triangle, a sexy love interest, and a heroine with low self-esteem. Rose, this novel's main character, is intelligent, resourceful, and courageous. She has a strong drive and a true moral compass. The plot reminds me of more classical fantasy that involves epic journeys over several countries over the course of years. The book is chaste and simple, which makes me think its more suited to ...more

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Nov 29, 2020 Olivia | Liv's Library rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, holiday-winter

THE PERFECT WINTER READ! Obsessed. ❄️😍

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Aug 09, 2011 Tammie rated it really liked it

Shelves: duology, fantasy, fantasy-buddy-reads, ya-fantasy, owned-paper-back, young-adult, series-abandoned, retellings

Rose has always been different.

Since the day she was born, it was clear she had a special fate. Her superstitious mother keeps the unusual circumstances of Rose's birth a secret, hoping to prevent her adventurous daughter from leaving home... but she can't suppress Rose's true nature forever.

So when an enormous white bear shows up one cold autumn evening and asks teenage Rose to come away with it--in exchange for health and prosperity for her ailing family--she readily agrees.

description

East is a retel Rose has always been different.

Since the day she was born, it was clear she had a special fate. Her superstitious mother keeps the unusual circumstances of Rose's birth a secret, hoping to prevent her adventurous daughter from leaving home... but she can't suppress Rose's true nature forever.

So when an enormous white bear shows up one cold autumn evening and asks teenage Rose to come away with it--in exchange for health and prosperity for her ailing family--she readily agrees.

description

East is a retelling of East of the Sun and West of the Moon, a fairy tale similar to Beauty and the Beast. I had previously read Ice by Sarah Beth Durst and really liked it so I put this one on my list to read. It's been on my list for several years now and I'm glad I finally got around to reading it. There are some differences in the two retellings. This one is a historical fantasy where Ice was set in modern day. I liked that this book has a historical setting. There were some things about this book that I liked better than Ice , but some things I liked less. The main character Rose was easy to like and so was the love interest, but I do feel like the book lacked in that we don't get enough chapters from his point of view, so we don't get to know him as well as we could. I also feel that the author could have used less telling and more showing at times, especially when it came to the interactions between Rose and the bear.

Rose's mother was a very superstitious woman who was definitely not in her right mind and she was hard to like at times. There were some inconsistencies in the way her character is written and some of the things she did didn't make a lot of sense, although I suppose you could chalk it up to her being kind of crazy. I did really like that the book had multiple points of view and I thought they were well done. I liked Rose's brother Neddy a lot, although it took a while to see why his point of view was needed in the story.

After reading this book I kept thinking about it and the more I thought about it the darker it seemed. There are some things that happen that are rather disturbing if you think about them. (view spoiler)

Overall this was a good read. It is a great standalone, but I'm considering reading the sequel West, even though I don't really think it was necessary. I recommend this if you like fairytale retellings.

Review also posted at Writings of a Reader ...more

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Feb 04, 2021 Rachel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: prologue

This was a retelling of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, a story I'd never heard before, although it had some inklings of Beauty and the Beast mixed in, with a maiden required to break the curse of a prince transformed into a bear.

This had the welcome feel of a classic fantasy story, built upon magic, legend, and superstition. Rose was born a North born child, meant to wander, with a prophesy over her head that she will die, buried in snow and ice in the frozen North. As such, her mother does ...more

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Nov 17, 2010 Christine rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-and-new-adult-fairy-tales, beauty-and-the-beast, minority-and-women-writers

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I'm conflicted about this novel. I really am.

On one hand, "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" is one of my favorite fairy tales and this isn't a bad retelling of it.

On the other hand, there are several parts to this novel that don't quite gel.

Let's nickpick.

But first, in case you don't know, "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" is a wonderful fairy tale. It is why I love polar bears. It is a Northern version of Cupid and Psyche, but instead of some silly boy with iddy biddy wings, it has a POLAR ...more

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Nov 19, 2018 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-faves, 2018, reimaginings-retellings, favorites, fairytales-revisited, library, audiobooks, fantasy

Full of enchantment and wonder, this East of the Sun, West of the Moon retelling was exactly the kind of fantasy story I've been missing in my life lately. The original story is very akin to Beauty and the Beast, but this particular retelling allows for more trolls, more white bears, more questing...more everything. I can't believe I never knew this book existed, not until I saw people talking about West . I have seriously been missing out because Rose is kind of the perfect heroine: fierce a ...more

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Jan 02, 2020 nuin giliath rated it really liked it

Shelves: retellings, audiobook, young-adult, magic, fairy-tale

*Very mild spoilers are present throughout the review*

First book completed in 2020! 🎉

I admit that I am not terribly familiar with the tale that this was based on - East of the Sun and West of the Moon. All I knew at the start was that there would be a white bear who was under some sort of enchantment and a girl who goes with him to a magical home. Needless to say, I was rather surprised to discover that this only described part of the full story. While I can't say how close to the source materia *Very mild spoilers are present throughout the review*

First book completed in 2020! 🎉

I admit that I am not terribly familiar with the tale that this was based on - East of the Sun and West of the Moon. All I knew at the start was that there would be a white bear who was under some sort of enchantment and a girl who goes with him to a magical home. Needless to say, I was rather surprised to discover that this only described part of the full story. While I can't say how close to the source material this retelling is, I did find this to be an incredible and lovely fairy tale on its own.

The main character, Rose, was a wonderful heroine as she was brave and resilient. When situations seemed impossible or hopeless, she always found a way to persevere. Her friendship with the white bear and how she came to care for him was so sweet. I also enjoyed reading about her early experiences with her family - the circumstances surrounding her birth, her mother's superstitions, the way her father cared for her, and her closeness with her brother. That really helped to develop Rose's character and provided a fascinating look into her life prior to leaving with the white bear.

I somewhat expected this to take place in a fantasy world, but instead this was a blend of real-world history with hidden magical realms and it ended up working so much better than I would have anticipated. In the author's note, she commented about the research she did for this story and it shows. While I may not be knowledgeable in sailing, sewing, or some of the cultures featured (Norwegian, Inuit), everything presented here seemed realistic and natural.

One of the things I loved most about this book was the various narrators. Each chapter was told in the POV of a different character. I was quite impressed with how the author gave each one a unique voice and perspective. I also commend the narrators of the audiobook that I listened to because they did a fantastic job as well.

Not only were the chapters often short, but the text was so well written that I found myself devouring page and page, never wanting to stop. Occasionally, some of the text got bogged down with unnecessary details - particularly passages regarding Rose's routine at the castle or her voyage in the knorr. In my opinion, the third part of the story dragged the most as it focused primarily on Rose traveling and the hardships she endured along the way.

Outside of that, there were two other aspects that I wish had been stronger. First, the romance was extremely subtle. I appreciated the slow development of the friendship and I completely bought the concept that these two characters cared deeply for each other. But love? Eh… not so much. I also thought the conflict was resolved too easily (and even seemed a bit far-fetched.) I mean, it did align with how a traditional fairy tale might end, but I guess I was hoping for something a bit more spectacular given the long journey that it took to reach the end.

Despite these issues, I maintain that this was still a beautiful story and a new favorite of mine. I would definitely recommend this to fans of fairy tales - whether traditional or retellings. ...more

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Apr 23, 2018 ℓуηη, ℓσкιѕℓутнєя¢ℓαω rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, duologies, girlpower, favorites, fantasy-ya, seriously-underrated, need-to-own-asap, retellings, russian-vibes

Let me start off by admitting I've never actually read the original fairytale this retelling is based off of, something I intend to remedy soon (I hope).

Going into this book I was thinking it was the same retelling I had DNFed years ago & was willing to give it another chance. I'm so glad I wanted to give it a "second chance" because in doing so I discovered a book I hadn't actually tried before, and it turned out to be a really good one besides! It was a lucky surprise :D My rating for this on ...more

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Aug 14, 2019 Ellen rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, z-2019-popsugar-challenge, audio

3.5

I really liked the folklore of this book. I think my main reason for not giving it 4 stars is that I never quite connected with the characters.

2019 challenge: a book set in Scandinavia

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Mar 07, 2019 Kayla rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Why did I read this book? New cover pretty.

I'm glad that I stuck around to the end of this one. It is very different than what I usually read, and I'm being generous with my rating because I was extremely bored during a large portion of this book.

This dr a g g e d.

It was simply too long to hold my attention.

I liked the story and the Norwegian mythology associated with it. I liked having multiple perspectives. The POV of the Troll Queen was something that made me want to continue- so that I c ...more

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Nov 28, 2018 Isabel rated it it was ok

Shelves: book-bingo

Yeah, so honestly. I didn't hate this, but the author stated in the "Authors Note" that she had really researched and done her homework with this in terms of setting it in Norway and all. And for some of the parts, I agree. She had done her homework but there were so many things that annoyed the shit outta me that I wanted to scream. I know you have to adapt to the English language for this, and she a whole fucking lot better than I would have done but it annoyed me.

Some things are:
It's not As ...more

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Oct 30, 2018 christina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to christina by: fans of Spinning Silver + The Bear & the Nightingale

Shelves: retellings, ya-fantasy, ya-series

*retelling: East of the Sun West of the Moon*

★ true rating: 3.5 stars ★

I have been on a big retelling kick lately, so when I saw that this book got a cover redesign and a sequel I had to pick it up. This is an older YA that a lot of my goodreads friends read when they were younger -and loved, so I was pretty excited to see what this was all about. I really enjoyed the story overall -the MC was strong, smart and loyal to herself and her family. I also enjoyed the narrator change for each chapter ...more

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Jun 21, 2008 Mary-Beth rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, fairy-tales

For a re-telling this was very good. In many ways, other than just expanding on the original, this version seemed to try to add some realism to the tale. Fortunately it wasn't realism at the cost of magic. There was still plenty of magic. Don't look for anything staggeringly innovative here and the writing isn't perfect, but this is very readable.

The novel delineated an ordinary world from a magical world by making Rose's home life somewhat more mundane as well as keeping from her many of the ma ...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Arie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-so-long-ago, faerytales, over-500-pages, fantasy-traditional, textile-fiction

It's been quite a while since I read this, so I will leave a proper review until my eventual re-reading but I will say that as it is based on my favourite fairytale, I can remember being particularly harsh on this retelling. I recall it being good but not quite living up to my memories of the original tale, and as I don't know if anything really will live up to those memories it may be wise to add a star in your mind to whatever review I finally do give. ...more

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Jan 05, 2019 Em*Greedy* (Iniya) rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy_romance, romance_2019

Completely loved this... Nice retelling of Beauty and the beast...

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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Children's book. Girl (MC) and her father who's a cartographer, mother died. Girl travels to castle and given gifts. Cover: blue with a compass rose. Title: Northern Lights? (not Pullman) [s]	7	36	Dec 15, 2020 05:40PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Fantasy: young woman ventures out on quest with some dresses made of a very unique fabric, they can be folded up incredibly small and never wrinkles. [s]	9	37	Jul 22, 2020 08:15AM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. A girl on a journey north. There may be a bear or some other animal involved. I remember the cover was blue and has a girl and snow ...? [s]	4	21	Dec 03, 2019 09:10PM
Fantasy Buddy Reads: East [1st January 2019]	141	41	Jan 21, 2019 09:01AM
Giselle's Random ...: East by Edith Pattou	2	11	Feb 28, 2018 10:17AM
Off the Books: What did you think?	2	9	Jan 11, 2018 10:46PM

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About Edith Pattou

Edith Pattou

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Edith Pattou is the author of several fantasy novels, including East, an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults. She is a graduate of the Francis W. Parker School, Scripps College (B.A., English), Claremont Graduate School (M.A., English) and UCLA (M.L.I.S.). She is married to Charles Emery, a professor of psychology at The Ohio State University. They have one child, a daughter.

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Trivia About East (East, #1)

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Quotes from East

“That's the trouble with loving a wild thing: You're always left watching the door.” — 143 likes

“East of the sun and west of the moon.' As unfathomable as the words were, I realized I must figure them out, reason it through. For I would go to this impossible land that lay east of the sun and west of the moon. From the moment the sleigh had vanished from sight and I could no longer hear the silver bells I knew that I would go after the stranger that had been the white bear to make right the terrible wrong I had done him.... All that mattered was to make things right. And I would do whatever it took, journey to wherever I must, to reach that goal.” — 52 likes

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