Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow in Into the Forest

Apr 14, 2012 Lauren rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fairy-tales, young-adult, best-books-ever

(For more reviews like this, see my blog, Story Bound )

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is written by one of my favorite authors, Jessica Day George. While I've never read the original fairy tale, based on the summary that I have read, she stays very true to the original story. The helpful neighbors, the four Winds, the enchanted castle and the trolls - all of them are present. In this story, the main character is the ninth child of a poor family and she doesn't actually have a name for much of the bo (For more reviews like this, see my blog, Story Bound )

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow is written by one of my favorite authors, Jessica Day George. While I've never read the original fairy tale, based on the summary that I have read, she stays very true to the original story. The helpful neighbors, the four Winds, the enchanted castle and the trolls - all of them are present. In this story, the main character is the ninth child of a poor family and she doesn't actually have a name for much of the book because her mother is so disappointed it's a girl she refuses to name her (nice mom, huh?). She is simply referred to as the Lass or pika. While she may not have a name, she definitely has a special gift and that's the ability to talk to animals. Her best friend is Rollo, her wolf that goes with her everywhere. She's also very close to her eldest brother, Hans Peter, who seems to have a sad secret that he refuses to discuss with anyone.

When the white bear, the isbjorn, shows up one night and asks the Lass to go with him in return for her family's prosperity, she goes, and Rollo goes with her. Together, they journey far to his enchanted castle where she meets interesting servants and has all the luxuries she could wish for. Although none of her questions are answered and she finds several very strange things, she grows closer to the white bear. When the mysterious figure begins sleeping in her bed every night, although frightened at first, she soon gains comfort and security from the presence every night. But when she lights a candle to view the face of her bedtime guest and wax drips onto him, waking him, she messes everything up and finds herself alone with only Rollo. The castle, the servants, her isbjorn - it's all gone.

The Lass sets out to find him, to rescue him from the trolls and to free the man she loves. She meets the helpful neighbors who each give her special gifts that will come in handy. Journeying on the back of the four winds, the lass is able to make it to the place east of the sun and west of the moon. There, she must figure out how to save the man she loves before he is wed to the troll princess and lost forever. While there, she'll also learn the secret to her elder brother's sadness and past.

Loved this book! This was my first encounter with this fairy tale and it's now one of my favorites. I love how much the girl is willing to go through in order to rescue her beloved, to journey to a place that is impossible to get to. Her relationship with her eldest brother, her gift of speaking with the animals, her love and friendship with Rollo, and her care and gradual love of her isbjorn (as she always calls him) all just make this such a great book. The story is well paced and the romance is wonderful and I really enjoyed the ending of this book. Yay for fairy tales and happily ever afters! Highly recommended! ...more

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