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Robbergirl
by
SAVE THE WITCH, KILL THE SNOW QUEEN
In a Sweden wracked by war and haunted by folk stories so dark they can only be spoken of in whispers, Helvig has been raised by her brigand father to steal whatever treasure catches her eye. When her men ambush a girl on the road with hair pale as death and a raven perched on her shoulder, Helvig cannot resist bringing home a truly uniqu ...more
In a Sweden wracked by war and haunted by folk stories so dark they can only be spoken of in whispers, Helvig has been raised by her brigand father to steal whatever treasure catches her eye. When her men ambush a girl on the road with hair pale as death and a raven perched on her shoulder, Helvig cannot resist bringing home a truly uniqu ...more
201 pages
Published
February 14th 2019
by Eminence Press
(first published February 12th 2019)
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Showing 1-30

Start your review of Robbergirl

Jun 03, 2019
Corrie
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
retelling,
royalty-nobility,
young-adult,
magic,
fantasy,
bad-girls,
ff,
fairytale-folktale,
coming-of-age,
ghosts
Robbergirl by S. T. Gibson was a well-written re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen. Set in Sweden around Christmas time it has plenty of atmosphere and heaps of snow and ice. Get on a bone-chilling adventure with thieving princess Helvig who risks everything when she brings a stray witch home to the robbers camp. The witch Gerda is not planning to stay as she is on a quest to save her brother from the evil Snow Queen’s clutches.
It was a very entertaining read with beautiful wi ...more
It was a very entertaining read with beautiful wi ...more

Dec 21, 2020
Kaa
marked it as to-read
I'm kind of upset that there's a sapphic Snow Queen retelling that I'd never heard of until now.
...more

Feb 15, 2019
Lo
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
favourites,
love-saves-lives,
historical,
fantasy,
lgbt,
girls-run-the-world,
ya,
f-f,
novels,
ya-fantasy-best-genre-ever
This was great for specific reasons, or maybe just one: girls and women are amazing and that’s that on that. actually, no, it’s not, i wanna add that women can truly do anything in this world we set our eyes on because we’re the best people around here. secondly, girls in love are exceptional and that’s also that on that. let them spend night cuddling next to a fire or under their furs at nights and let them fight ice zombies and save children!! and let them love each other because there is noth
...more

A solid three stars.
The Snow Queen is my favorite of HC Andersen’s stories by far, and probably my favorite “fairy tale” (debatable as that designation is). I’ve always found something enchanting about the story and its heroine, who occupies a role that is so different from many female characters in stories from that time. Sapphic retelling between Gerda and the Robbergirl from the original? Sign me up!
I needed a break from the real world, and the wintery setting was a perfect one to escape t ...more
The Snow Queen is my favorite of HC Andersen’s stories by far, and probably my favorite “fairy tale” (debatable as that designation is). I’ve always found something enchanting about the story and its heroine, who occupies a role that is so different from many female characters in stories from that time. Sapphic retelling between Gerda and the Robbergirl from the original? Sign me up!
I needed a break from the real world, and the wintery setting was a perfect one to escape t ...more

ehhh i wish they spent less time skinning rabbits or w/e and more time hunting the snow queen
anyways if you want a gay snow queen retelling The Raven and the Reindeer is right there ...more
anyways if you want a gay snow queen retelling The Raven and the Reindeer is right there ...more

May 22, 2019
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts)
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
on-the-blog
If Robbergirl has taught me anything, it's proven that I have a huge preference for books with action. But it's also proven that I have an appreciation for slow and steady books with a good ending.
S.T. Gibson's novel is a retelling of The Snow Queen set in Sweden where Helvig has grown up surviving through the art of thievery. She and her crew bring home what they consider treasures each time they go out, and when they cross paths with a girl named Gerda, Helvig can't resist bringing her home. S ...more
S.T. Gibson's novel is a retelling of The Snow Queen set in Sweden where Helvig has grown up surviving through the art of thievery. She and her crew bring home what they consider treasures each time they go out, and when they cross paths with a girl named Gerda, Helvig can't resist bringing her home. S ...more

This was a beautifully written retelling of the Snow Queen, with lush prose that really immerses you in the story. As a child I had a beautifully illustrated edition of Hans Christian Anderson's fairytales that I have since given away (a decision I kind of regret) and this story drew me back into that world. The writing was easily my favourite part of the book - the descriptions were breathtaking and painted a vivid picture of the setting in particular.
The book doesn't have the most eventful pl ...more
The book doesn't have the most eventful pl ...more

Robbergirl was sent to me by the author to read and review honestly. I read this book in one sitting. I just couldn’t put it down. The setting was so interesting, which is funny for me because I don’t like the snow or winter. But this snow-covered story was perfect for this tale. We follow Helvig who is the princess of thieves. She is confident and strong, but also shows that she can be vulnerable and make mistakes. I really enjoyed learning more about her. She’s in charge of a gang of misfit th
...more

This is the second WLW re-imagining of the Snow Queen I've read...the other being The Raven and the Reindeer. While I liked that one better, I still enjoyed Robbergirl, with its unique choice of the Robber King's daughter as the main character. It jumps into the Snow Queen story partway through, offering glimpses of earlier events through Gerda's recounting of them.
Comparing different versions of a familiar story is something I've always been interested in, and Robbergirl offers an original, som ...more
Comparing different versions of a familiar story is something I've always been interested in, and Robbergirl offers an original, som ...more

I moved this to my DNF list. I couldn't continue, but the thing is I am not convinced that it's not a "me" problem and nothing with wrong with the story.
I liked the writing, I liked the setting, and I mostly liked the characters. Gerta, the second main character, was the sticking point for me. Here she's playing the role of manic pixie dream girl to the primary MC, a young woman named Helvig. Helvig is enamored with Gerta, and Gerta returns the feelings, I guess? I'm told she likes being with He ...more
I liked the writing, I liked the setting, and I mostly liked the characters. Gerta, the second main character, was the sticking point for me. Here she's playing the role of manic pixie dream girl to the primary MC, a young woman named Helvig. Helvig is enamored with Gerta, and Gerta returns the feelings, I guess? I'm told she likes being with He ...more

Loved it for the most part.
It has a (felt) bit of lull in the middle part where the author needs to do a lot of setup, and I'm not quite convinced by the probable timeline of some past events - things must have happened awfully fast / close together.
But it is a charming retelling of a favourite Fairy Tale with a couple I could root for from the start and a really sweet lovestory, so all's good. ...more
It has a (felt) bit of lull in the middle part where the author needs to do a lot of setup, and I'm not quite convinced by the probable timeline of some past events - things must have happened awfully fast / close together.
But it is a charming retelling of a favourite Fairy Tale with a couple I could root for from the start and a really sweet lovestory, so all's good. ...more

This was a very sweet fairy tale retelling and I quite like that it was from Helvig's point of view the entire time. I especially enjoyed the dialogue and especially the bantering dialogue. I do recommend giving this quick read a try!
Note: I did notice some typos and formatting issues in the ebook edition. Maybe they'll be caught soon for future editions? ...more
Note: I did notice some typos and formatting issues in the ebook edition. Maybe they'll be caught soon for future editions? ...more

the story was just ok and i have no idea why the summary compares it to deathless but LET ME TELL YALL the f/f ship here emanates such lowkey but powerful horny energy, every time they joked abt “you’re mine” “i’m your kept prize” etc i was SWEATINGGGG

(3.5 Stars)

A very enjoyable retelling of the Snow Queen tale. Starring two delightful strong women (Gerda especially) who felt very well-rounded, an who did a lot to earn their ending and love.
Especially Gerda's non-chalant attitude to her sexuality was refreshing in a story like this, and she made a very funny and clever read. ...more
Especially Gerda's non-chalant attitude to her sexuality was refreshing in a story like this, and she made a very funny and clever read. ...more

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

The title of this review says it all. Helvig's struggle to accept herself, and the journey of both girls to find healing and forgiveness together, are things many readers will find relatable. I found myself rooting for Helvig and Gerda's relationship almost as soon as they met, and the slowish burn/enemies-to-lovers-esque set-up is thoroughly enjoyable. I also loved the wealth of folklore and history built into this story. I have a special soft spot for folklore, and now I'm itching to go do mor
...more

Robbergirl is an interesting and original take on Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen. Instead of following Gerda on her quest to find Kai, we join her journey halfway through, seeing things largely from the point of view of Helvig, the daughter of the King of a band of robbers and bandits.
It’s an interesting angle since Helvig’s character isn’t a central character in the original and it gives Gibson an opportunity to flesh out the robber Princess and give her a personality and backstory of ...more
It’s an interesting angle since Helvig’s character isn’t a central character in the original and it gives Gibson an opportunity to flesh out the robber Princess and give her a personality and backstory of ...more

This is the second retelling of the Snow Queen I've read where Gerda and the Robber Girl end up together, and both have been quite good. This one tells the story from the Robber Girl's point of view, and gets a lot of mileage out of the confused and conflicting emotions of that character, and the question of whether Gerda is telling the truth about the Snow Queen or is just crazy. I enjoyed it.
...more

"All fairy stories start with some terrible truth, and that's the teeth of the thing. That's the bit that sinks into people so they never forget."
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ─── Synopsis:
Helvig is the princess of the Robber King and part of a band of thieves that travels Sweden pillaging and stealing to make a living; so when her men happen upon a fair maiden by the name of Gerda walking through the woods in the dead of winter alone she suspects an easy target.
Gerda has a mission and she's been o ...more
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ─── Synopsis:
Helvig is the princess of the Robber King and part of a band of thieves that travels Sweden pillaging and stealing to make a living; so when her men happen upon a fair maiden by the name of Gerda walking through the woods in the dead of winter alone she suspects an easy target.
Gerda has a mission and she's been o ...more

Note: I received a copy of Robbergirl from the author in exchange for a book review.
I'm sort of in love with fairy tales.
This is not a surprise to most of you. After all, I'm a Disney fangirl, and I have more fairy tale retellings on my bookshelf and to-read list than I can count.
Despite my love for once-upon-a-times and happy endings, I am not that familiar with Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen." The only adaptation I know of is Disney's Frozen (which, like most Disney films, is very ...more
I'm sort of in love with fairy tales.
This is not a surprise to most of you. After all, I'm a Disney fangirl, and I have more fairy tale retellings on my bookshelf and to-read list than I can count.
Despite my love for once-upon-a-times and happy endings, I am not that familiar with Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen." The only adaptation I know of is Disney's Frozen (which, like most Disney films, is very ...more

“But putting a price on kindness rather defeats the purpose, don’t you think?”
The Robber King’s daughter, though tormented by the tragic ending of a past love, seems content with her life as a thief. Leading her band of troublemakers around by their ears, Helvig trudges diligently through another winter of scarcity. The only thing she could want for is a bit more gold to line her pockets.
Enter Gerda— a mysterious, headstrong, not-witch whose unnerving silence and infrequent smiles draw Helvig in ...more
The Robber King’s daughter, though tormented by the tragic ending of a past love, seems content with her life as a thief. Leading her band of troublemakers around by their ears, Helvig trudges diligently through another winter of scarcity. The only thing she could want for is a bit more gold to line her pockets.
Enter Gerda— a mysterious, headstrong, not-witch whose unnerving silence and infrequent smiles draw Helvig in ...more

This is a sapphic (!!) Snow Queen retelling set in Sweden with superb descriptions of the landscape and characters. The dialogue was fun to read and the characters were so interesting, including the side characters. They all had such personality to them and it was easy to get invested in the story.
Helvig is a thief that ambushes travelers with her team. She has a great relationship with her father and her team, with Rasmus as her brother. I loved learning about Astrid and how her past tied into ...more
Helvig is a thief that ambushes travelers with her team. She has a great relationship with her father and her team, with Rasmus as her brother. I loved learning about Astrid and how her past tied into ...more

I loved this book. It was exactly what I was looking for... YA fantasy/adventure with a specific romantic twist. At times the author had an issue with telling rather than showing, and I got annoyed by how often Helvig was referred to as “the thief” and Gerda as “the witch” but otherwise it was better than I expected given what I initially perceived to be a lack of proper editing. There were enough typos and punctuation issues that in the beginning my heart sank - had I unintentionally purchased
...more
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S.T. Gibson is a poet, author, and village wise woman in training. By day she works in marketing, and by night she scribbles speculative stories full of big personalities, lavish settings, and the sort of existential questions that are considered impolite to discuss at dinner.
She holds a Bachelors degree in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and a Masters of Theol ...more
She holds a Bachelors degree in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and a Masters of Theol ...more
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