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The Winter Queen's Tale
The tales warn of faeries lurking beyond the iron-bound trees, eager to snatch wayward children. Yet at the onset of every winter, Neve and Vale cross the iron’s protection and dance to the snow bees' song.
The year Neve comes of age, a faery lord joins the dance. He tempts Neve into accepting a dangerous magic and then steals Vale away.
Alone in the Ice Palace, Vale will need all of his wits to survive. Faeries whisper behind every door, and elves watch from the shadows. The Snow Queen’s court plays for blood.
To rescue her brother, Neve journeys north. Ice answers her call, but with a terrible price. It will take more than dreams for Neve to master the magic. If she fails, both she and Vale will fall prey to winter’s fury.
The year Neve comes of age, a faery lord joins the dance. He tempts Neve into accepting a dangerous magic and then steals Vale away.
Alone in the Ice Palace, Vale will need all of his wits to survive. Faeries whisper behind every door, and elves watch from the shadows. The Snow Queen’s court plays for blood.
To rescue her brother, Neve journeys north. Ice answers her call, but with a terrible price. It will take more than dreams for Neve to master the magic. If she fails, both she and Vale will fall prey to winter’s fury.
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Published December 18, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 31, 2025
4/5 Stars
An enchanting tale of the Winter Queen’s new beginning and the impacts her reign will have on fae and human alike. A retelling of the Snow Queen that delves into the true strength of a ruler.
Following a young girl, Neve, and her brother, Vale, as they are whisked away by a faery lord, given magic and a quest. This story delves into the tales of fae, the dangers of winter, power and kindness. Neve must journey on her own to the Ice Palace in order to save her brother from the Snow Queen’s court. Through her travels, magic begins to answer her call and Vale’s wit must hold out as the court is not all it seems. Can Neve save her brother or will winter consume them both.
This is an endearing tale, delving into the fear humans hold for winter, the harm the fae have caused mortals and the hidden desires of the fae court. All at the mercy of its Queen. As Neve travels north to save her brother, she encounters a variety of different characters. From hopeful dreamers, to fearful rulers, Neve encounters those who would both help and hinder her journey. More than this, they’re encounters allow her to reflect on the Snow Queen’s impact creating plenty of thoughtful moments.
As a character driven reader, I didn’t quite get the depth I often crave in stories. However, and this might be a first for me, I felt the story was more driven by its themes and overall meaning/message. While the characters do have defining moments, they felt guided by the overall moral of the story.
Despite the journey Neve and her brother go through, it never felt heavy. Personally, I would put this more in a “cozy read” category due to the lower stakes. Don’t get me wrong, the stakes are there but there is a sense of safety to the characters throughout the journey. Ultimately, this made The Winter Queen’s Tale a quick read with heart, accessible to both young and older readers.
The worldbuilding and descriptions are also beautiful and might be my favourite part of this tale. The visuals, and creativity behind it are memorable. From singing snow bees, mighty wolves, and the beauty of winter, the world was rich and full of wonder.
An enjoyable, quick read with a blending of faerie tale retelling, adventure and cozy fantasy.
An enchanting tale of the Winter Queen’s new beginning and the impacts her reign will have on fae and human alike. A retelling of the Snow Queen that delves into the true strength of a ruler.
Following a young girl, Neve, and her brother, Vale, as they are whisked away by a faery lord, given magic and a quest. This story delves into the tales of fae, the dangers of winter, power and kindness. Neve must journey on her own to the Ice Palace in order to save her brother from the Snow Queen’s court. Through her travels, magic begins to answer her call and Vale’s wit must hold out as the court is not all it seems. Can Neve save her brother or will winter consume them both.
This is an endearing tale, delving into the fear humans hold for winter, the harm the fae have caused mortals and the hidden desires of the fae court. All at the mercy of its Queen. As Neve travels north to save her brother, she encounters a variety of different characters. From hopeful dreamers, to fearful rulers, Neve encounters those who would both help and hinder her journey. More than this, they’re encounters allow her to reflect on the Snow Queen’s impact creating plenty of thoughtful moments.
As a character driven reader, I didn’t quite get the depth I often crave in stories. However, and this might be a first for me, I felt the story was more driven by its themes and overall meaning/message. While the characters do have defining moments, they felt guided by the overall moral of the story.
Despite the journey Neve and her brother go through, it never felt heavy. Personally, I would put this more in a “cozy read” category due to the lower stakes. Don’t get me wrong, the stakes are there but there is a sense of safety to the characters throughout the journey. Ultimately, this made The Winter Queen’s Tale a quick read with heart, accessible to both young and older readers.
The worldbuilding and descriptions are also beautiful and might be my favourite part of this tale. The visuals, and creativity behind it are memorable. From singing snow bees, mighty wolves, and the beauty of winter, the world was rich and full of wonder.
An enjoyable, quick read with a blending of faerie tale retelling, adventure and cozy fantasy.
August 3, 2023
I beta read this. I probably need to re-read it because I'm sure it got edited a bunch, but really loved it. Super unique take on a classic tale with Cohen's trademark prose that glides like a skater on a frozen river.
November 27, 2023
The Winter Queen’s Tale is an enchanting new take on The Snow Queen, told in a very fairy tale style—so it was my cup of tea! It’s full of atmosphere and adventure (even pirates!). Neve, the main character, struggles with her fate and what it requires of her in a believable, relatable way. The Winter Queen’s Tale is just right to snuggle up with on a wintry day. Looking forward to reading more books by this author.
*I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.
*I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.
November 22, 2023
I wrote it and I think I did rather well.
October 21, 2023
The Winter Queen's Tale by Naomi P. Cohen is not just a retelling of the classic, The Snow Queen, it adds to the story in a way that also acts as a kind of sequel.
In this novel the story of Gerda and Kai is woven with that of Neve and Vale, siblings who are chosen by the snow bees to become Fae and replace the Snow Queen from Andersen's version. Just as Gerda is making her way to the snow palace to save Kai, Neve must make her way there in order to reunite with her brother and claim her throne.
I really enjoyed this sorta-retelling. It added a lot to the story and filled in some of Andersen's confusing ending. (like why in the original the snow queen doesn't seem to be around to put up a fight when Gerda arrives.)
The characters of Neve and Vale are dynamic and fun to read, and I was glad to read in the afterward that the author is working on another story about them.
*I received an early review copy from the author. My opinion are my own and are honestly expressed.*
In this novel the story of Gerda and Kai is woven with that of Neve and Vale, siblings who are chosen by the snow bees to become Fae and replace the Snow Queen from Andersen's version. Just as Gerda is making her way to the snow palace to save Kai, Neve must make her way there in order to reunite with her brother and claim her throne.
I really enjoyed this sorta-retelling. It added a lot to the story and filled in some of Andersen's confusing ending. (like why in the original the snow queen doesn't seem to be around to put up a fight when Gerda arrives.)
The characters of Neve and Vale are dynamic and fun to read, and I was glad to read in the afterward that the author is working on another story about them.
*I received an early review copy from the author. My opinion are my own and are honestly expressed.*
January 27, 2024
A Delightful Winter’s Tale
I enjoyed the icy setting and magic system. I also liked the alternating POVs. A solid cast of supporting characters is another strong point of this story.
I enjoyed the icy setting and magic system. I also liked the alternating POVs. A solid cast of supporting characters is another strong point of this story.
April 3, 2024
4.5 stars! Neve and Vale's story is utterly enchanting. I can't wait for the sequel.
February 7, 2024
Fun Snow Queen retelling. It felt a little too “safe” for me, meaning I had hoped for a more serious story. There really wasn’t a “villain” in this tale either. I would have liked higher stakes. But this is perfect if you need a cozy, happy ending fairytale.
February 17, 2026
What an excellent retelling of Andersen's The Snow Queen! It's a fantastic story, following Neve, the newly-minted Snow Queen, who must travel to the far north to take her place as queen of the snow bees and rescue her brother who was taken there by the Snow Queen's senechal, the elf who turned Neve from human to fae queen. On her journey, she comes into her own, discovering her magic, learning about the fae-human relations, and exploring what kind of queen she wants to be. I really appreciated the character arc presented in this story and absolutely love how all the characters from the original fairytale make an appearance, but instead of this being Gerda's story, Neve's turns out to be adjacent, both traveling at the same time and their experiences overlapping in places. It makes Andersen's story feel like the human's account with the lens specific to Gerda, who despises the Snow Queen for stealing Kai away, while this version is the Snow Queen's own and offers far more nuance, allowing both Neve and Gerda to have made mistakes and work to fix those. The shades of grey that explore human nature and how easy it is to allow negative emotions to cloud our judgement offers a really insightful exploration that I particularly appreciated.
However, there is so much more to this story. The ice magic, the music that influences the power of the magic, the exciting adventures and all the many encounters all wove together to make this book compelling and thoroughly enjoyable. As Snow Queen retellings go, I think this one has become a firm favourite.
However, there is so much more to this story. The ice magic, the music that influences the power of the magic, the exciting adventures and all the many encounters all wove together to make this book compelling and thoroughly enjoyable. As Snow Queen retellings go, I think this one has become a firm favourite.
April 13, 2024
Overall I enjoy this retelling! I wasn't super familiar with the Snow Queen fairy tale before, but this story had the perfect fairy tale feel while (I had to look this up afterwards) Cohen still mad it unique and her own. I loved how big the world felt, and through Neve's travels we got to see a lot of it. And the animals! Give me worldbuilding with animals and I'm in. Snow bees that control the winter? Pet snow leopards? Yes, please.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this story was the focus on the sibling bond of Neve and Vale, even though they are separated for most of the book. I feel like I don't see that nearly enough and it was really well done. While it sometimes felt that the characters could use more depth, the plot always pulled me along, wanting to read more, and there were thoughtful takes on power and promises that ran through both of the siblings' storylines that I really liked. I will definitely be looking for the next installment!
Another thing I really enjoyed about this story was the focus on the sibling bond of Neve and Vale, even though they are separated for most of the book. I feel like I don't see that nearly enough and it was really well done. While it sometimes felt that the characters could use more depth, the plot always pulled me along, wanting to read more, and there were thoughtful takes on power and promises that ran through both of the siblings' storylines that I really liked. I will definitely be looking for the next installment!
December 2, 2023
This book has lots of beautiful description that I think Hans Christian Andersen would be proud of. The world building is detailed enough to be interesting without overexplaining, building as it goes along. It was such an interesting take to remove the story from Gerda's perspective but still keep the main elements of the story with some cool Snow Queen lore. I liked how the plot took us so many places.
As someone obsessed with this fairytale, there were things I missed, but it did a really good job of adapting over all. It did take me a minute to get into with some confusing things, and I wish I could have connected with the characters a bit more (or just had more in general as it goes pretty fast) but it was a fun read that's well-written, and I enjoyed it.
I received an ARC.
As someone obsessed with this fairytale, there were things I missed, but it did a really good job of adapting over all. It did take me a minute to get into with some confusing things, and I wish I could have connected with the characters a bit more (or just had more in general as it goes pretty fast) but it was a fun read that's well-written, and I enjoyed it.
I received an ARC.
February 10, 2024
Things I liked:
- The worldbuilding, especially with all the creatures and people of the faerie realm.
- Focus on a sibling relationship. Vale was such a good brother!
- The inclusion of characters from the original Snow Queen fairytale.
Things I didn't like:
- I never really cared for Neve's personality.
- The characters, overall, felt stiff, and I didn't always find their actions/motivations believable.
Even though this book was not the perfect fit for me, I was impressed by the author's creativity and will probably try another one of her books in the future!
- The worldbuilding, especially with all the creatures and people of the faerie realm.
- Focus on a sibling relationship. Vale was such a good brother!
- The inclusion of characters from the original Snow Queen fairytale.
Things I didn't like:
- I never really cared for Neve's personality.
- The characters, overall, felt stiff, and I didn't always find their actions/motivations believable.
Even though this book was not the perfect fit for me, I was impressed by the author's creativity and will probably try another one of her books in the future!
May 5, 2025
"The Winter Queen's Tale" whisks readers into a magical world filled with lurking faeries and enchanting settings. While the plot may feel a bit thin for older readers, it’s perfectly aimed at a younger audience, blending fun with the right amount of intrigue. Neve’s quest to rescue her brother is engaging, even if the winter bees had me scratching my head at first! Overall, it’s a delightful read that captivates and entertains!
November 3, 2023
This book is well written with beautiful prose.
In some places the plot drags a little, and I would have loved to see a clearer arc in the primary protagonist's journey, but this was an enjoyable read.
If Goodreads allowed me to give half-stars, I might put this at 3.5, but I am often overly critical, so I think it's very fair to round up to 4 stars.
In some places the plot drags a little, and I would have loved to see a clearer arc in the primary protagonist's journey, but this was an enjoyable read.
If Goodreads allowed me to give half-stars, I might put this at 3.5, but I am often overly critical, so I think it's very fair to round up to 4 stars.
December 2, 2023
The imagery in this book is absolutely wonderous. You can feel the cold and see the landscape as you follow Neve as she struggles against the fate she was drawn into. Highly recommend for everyone who loves magic, fairy tales, and fables.
December 19, 2024
This story is a new fresh tale on the tale of the Snow Queen. I loved the author's vivid writing style and the way she wrote the characters. The sibling energy plus the intrigue and adventure was a great combination that made it so I couldn't put this book down.
April 9, 2024
I am not normally into fantasy books especially with fairies but I could not put this book down! I especially love the relationship between Neve and Vale. I can’t wait for the next book!
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December 20, 2024Young adult
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews