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Dark Shimmer
Dolce is a monster. A giant, a freak.
Dolce is a princess. She walks like royalty—until dark shimmers make her fall.
Dolce is a mamma. She has found her true family.
Dolce is beautiful. But beauty can’t hide the monster inside.
Dolce is the Wicked One.
Set in medieval Venice, this captivating fairy tale retelling by award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli explores belonging, beauty, and the transformative power of love through the eyes of a teenage girl. Dolce has grown up hidden away on an island in a lagoon. She is a giant, a freak, tormented by everyone but her loving mother. She spends her time learning the valuable secret of making mirrors. Following a tragedy, Dolce swims away and lands on an island where people see her as normal, even beautiful. Marin, a kind widower, and his little daughter bring Dolce to live with them in their grand palazzo. Eventually, Dolce and Marin marry. She secretly continues to make mirrors, not realizing that quicksilver endangers her . . . and so evil begins in innocence.
Dolce is a princess. She walks like royalty—until dark shimmers make her fall.
Dolce is a mamma. She has found her true family.
Dolce is beautiful. But beauty can’t hide the monster inside.
Dolce is the Wicked One.
Set in medieval Venice, this captivating fairy tale retelling by award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli explores belonging, beauty, and the transformative power of love through the eyes of a teenage girl. Dolce has grown up hidden away on an island in a lagoon. She is a giant, a freak, tormented by everyone but her loving mother. She spends her time learning the valuable secret of making mirrors. Following a tragedy, Dolce swims away and lands on an island where people see her as normal, even beautiful. Marin, a kind widower, and his little daughter bring Dolce to live with them in their grand palazzo. Eventually, Dolce and Marin marry. She secretly continues to make mirrors, not realizing that quicksilver endangers her . . . and so evil begins in innocence.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published September 8, 2015
36 people are currently reading
2117 people want to read
About the author
Donna Jo Napoli
138 books1,112 followersDonna Jo Napoli is both a linguist and a writer of children's and YA fiction. She loves to garden and bake bread, and even dreams of moving to the woods and becoming a naturalist.
At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to make the neighbors wonder. But dear dear Taxi died in 2009.
She has five children, seven grandchildren, and currently lives outside Philadelphia. She received her BA in mathematics in 1970 and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1973, both from Harvard University, then did a postdoctoral year in Linguistics at MIT. She has since taught linguistics at Smith College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Swarthmore College. It was at UM that she earned tenure (in 1981) and became a full professor (in 1984). She has held visiting positions at the University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Geneva (Switzerland), Capital Normal University of Beijing (China), the University of Newcastle (UK), the University of Venice at Ca' Foscari (Italy), and the Siena School for the Liberal Arts (Italy) as well as lectured at the University of Sydney (Australia), Macquarie University (Australia), the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) and held a fellowship at Trinity College Dublin. In the area of linguistics she has authored, coauthored, edited, or coedited 17 books, ranging from theoretical linguistics to practical matters in language structure and use, including matters of interest to d/Deaf people. She has held grants and fellowships from numerous sources, including the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the Sloan Foundation.
At various times her house and yard have been filled with dogs, cats, birds, and rabbits. For thirteen years she had a cat named Taxi, and liked to go outside and call, "Taxi!" to make the neighbors wonder. But dear dear Taxi died in 2009.
She has five children, seven grandchildren, and currently lives outside Philadelphia. She received her BA in mathematics in 1970 and her Ph.D. in Romance Languages and Literatures in 1973, both from Harvard University, then did a postdoctoral year in Linguistics at MIT. She has since taught linguistics at Smith College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Georgetown University, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and Swarthmore College. It was at UM that she earned tenure (in 1981) and became a full professor (in 1984). She has held visiting positions at the University of Queensland (Australia), the University of Geneva (Switzerland), Capital Normal University of Beijing (China), the University of Newcastle (UK), the University of Venice at Ca' Foscari (Italy), and the Siena School for the Liberal Arts (Italy) as well as lectured at the University of Sydney (Australia), Macquarie University (Australia), the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa) and held a fellowship at Trinity College Dublin. In the area of linguistics she has authored, coauthored, edited, or coedited 17 books, ranging from theoretical linguistics to practical matters in language structure and use, including matters of interest to d/Deaf people. She has held grants and fellowships from numerous sources, including the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Mellon Foundation, the Sloan Foundation.
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June 21, 2016
"Better a serpent than a stepmother!"
----Euripides
Donna Jo Napoli, an American author, has penned a retelling of Snow White in her entertaining and charming book called, Dark Shimmer which narrates the life story of the evil queen, where she is born as a giant and is looked upon as a disgrace or rather as a monster among her island of dwarfs but only loved and accepted by her own mother, until tragedy strikes.
Synopsis:
Dolce is a monster. A giant, a freak.
Dolce is a princess. She walks like royalty—until dark shimmers make her fall.
Dolce is a mamma. She has found her true family.
Dolce is beautiful. But beauty can’t hide the monster inside.
Dolce is the Wicked One.
Set in medieval Venice, this captivating fairy tale retelling by award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli explores belonging, beauty, and the transformative power of love through the eyes of a teenage girl. Dolce has grown up hidden away on an island in a lagoon. She is a giant, a freak, tormented by everyone but her loving mother. She spends her time learning the valuable secret of making mirrors. Following a tragedy, Dolce swims away and lands on an island where people see her as normal, even beautiful. Marin, a kind widower, and his little daughter bring Dolce to live with them in their grand palazzo. Eventually, Dolce and Marin marry. She secretly continues to make mirrors, not realizing that quicksilver endangers her . . . and so evil begins in innocence.
Dolce is born as a giant in the island of dwarfs where the people of that island thinks that she is some kind of a monster and that she doesn't belong there. Except her own mother, who thinks otherwise and loves her daughter no matter how she looks. Dolce's only salvation is when she makes mirror but fate has other plans for her as she is soon stripped away from her only piece of happiness which scares and makes her escape the island and reach Venezia, where she finds that everyone is like her and that she is provided shelter by a kind man with a little daughter in their mansion, where Dolce finally finds her peace and the love that she deserves, and people have also accepted her skill of making mirrors for the dwarfs, but this skill is taking a toll on her health as well as seeps into her pure heart to make it wicked. Can Dolce survive it?
The author's writing is articulate and has been laced with enough tension, twists and emotions to give this story a thrilling edge. The readers will be easily pulled into the depth of this story as Dolce's painful journey beginnings from the very first page. Dolce is neglected among the folks in her island yet she has a zeal to learn about making mirrors,l and all these factors will make the readers fall for her story. The narrative is enchanting just like a fairy tale, and will keep the readers interested into the story. The pacing is quite fast as the author wraps her one scene smartly with quick and vivid descriptions.
The author has also depicted a beautiful yet heart-breaking love story which has been layered properly with heart-felt emotions that holds the power to move the readers deeply. With a rich and almost mystical backdrop, the story proves to be a real treat for sore eyes. The author's painting of the city of Venice with her own imagination and some from the reality prove to be worthwhile as she has given birth to an enticing and extremely striking portrait of the city with her eloquent words that will easily make the readers transport to such a location through their minds' eyes.
The characters are enriching and multi-dimensional. The primary character, Dolce, will beg the readers for their sympathy with her sad story but her brave and fearless demeanor will ask the readers to support her. Dolce is the wicked one, but her loving and humane attitude will set an example for so many. Although Dolce never gives up even though she suffers a great deal through out the story instead she evolves into someone stronger and someone who can clearly distinguish between evil and good. There are many supporting characters who are equally compelling like Dolce and will keep the readers glued to the story.
Overall, this story is highly captivating as well as poignant and will definitely give the readers a reformed vision to look at one of the most evil character from the most popular fairy tale.
Verdict: An engrossing retelling of Snow White.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Donna Jo Napoli, for giving me an opportunity to read and review her book.
----Euripides
Donna Jo Napoli, an American author, has penned a retelling of Snow White in her entertaining and charming book called, Dark Shimmer which narrates the life story of the evil queen, where she is born as a giant and is looked upon as a disgrace or rather as a monster among her island of dwarfs but only loved and accepted by her own mother, until tragedy strikes.
Synopsis:
Dolce is a monster. A giant, a freak.
Dolce is a princess. She walks like royalty—until dark shimmers make her fall.
Dolce is a mamma. She has found her true family.
Dolce is beautiful. But beauty can’t hide the monster inside.
Dolce is the Wicked One.
Set in medieval Venice, this captivating fairy tale retelling by award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli explores belonging, beauty, and the transformative power of love through the eyes of a teenage girl. Dolce has grown up hidden away on an island in a lagoon. She is a giant, a freak, tormented by everyone but her loving mother. She spends her time learning the valuable secret of making mirrors. Following a tragedy, Dolce swims away and lands on an island where people see her as normal, even beautiful. Marin, a kind widower, and his little daughter bring Dolce to live with them in their grand palazzo. Eventually, Dolce and Marin marry. She secretly continues to make mirrors, not realizing that quicksilver endangers her . . . and so evil begins in innocence.
Dolce is born as a giant in the island of dwarfs where the people of that island thinks that she is some kind of a monster and that she doesn't belong there. Except her own mother, who thinks otherwise and loves her daughter no matter how she looks. Dolce's only salvation is when she makes mirror but fate has other plans for her as she is soon stripped away from her only piece of happiness which scares and makes her escape the island and reach Venezia, where she finds that everyone is like her and that she is provided shelter by a kind man with a little daughter in their mansion, where Dolce finally finds her peace and the love that she deserves, and people have also accepted her skill of making mirrors for the dwarfs, but this skill is taking a toll on her health as well as seeps into her pure heart to make it wicked. Can Dolce survive it?
The author's writing is articulate and has been laced with enough tension, twists and emotions to give this story a thrilling edge. The readers will be easily pulled into the depth of this story as Dolce's painful journey beginnings from the very first page. Dolce is neglected among the folks in her island yet she has a zeal to learn about making mirrors,l and all these factors will make the readers fall for her story. The narrative is enchanting just like a fairy tale, and will keep the readers interested into the story. The pacing is quite fast as the author wraps her one scene smartly with quick and vivid descriptions.
The author has also depicted a beautiful yet heart-breaking love story which has been layered properly with heart-felt emotions that holds the power to move the readers deeply. With a rich and almost mystical backdrop, the story proves to be a real treat for sore eyes. The author's painting of the city of Venice with her own imagination and some from the reality prove to be worthwhile as she has given birth to an enticing and extremely striking portrait of the city with her eloquent words that will easily make the readers transport to such a location through their minds' eyes.
The characters are enriching and multi-dimensional. The primary character, Dolce, will beg the readers for their sympathy with her sad story but her brave and fearless demeanor will ask the readers to support her. Dolce is the wicked one, but her loving and humane attitude will set an example for so many. Although Dolce never gives up even though she suffers a great deal through out the story instead she evolves into someone stronger and someone who can clearly distinguish between evil and good. There are many supporting characters who are equally compelling like Dolce and will keep the readers glued to the story.
Overall, this story is highly captivating as well as poignant and will definitely give the readers a reformed vision to look at one of the most evil character from the most popular fairy tale.
Verdict: An engrossing retelling of Snow White.
Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Donna Jo Napoli, for giving me an opportunity to read and review her book.
May 22, 2020
AMAZING, REALISTIC FAIRY TALE RETELLING
I read many fairy tale retellings and most of them, without fault, have some sort of magical component. This one, however, did not and I absolutely loved it. It was 100% historical realism and it swept me away.
❤ WHAT I LOVED ❤
Historical realism: This story is set in Venice during the 14th century and that setting works so well for this retelling. Dolce was raised on an island inhabited by dwarves, her being the only non-dwarf there. Dolce learns to make mirrors using mercury, as was an actual practice during that time before people found out that mercury was poisonous. I liked learning about society in Venice at that time, what Dolce had to do to fit in and be accepted by the nobility. The historical realism was definitely what set this book apart from other fairy tale retellings.
Incorporation of fairy tale: Though this was historical realism and had to magic in it, Napoli stil managed to masterfully incorporate the classical elements of Snow White, such as the stepmother turned into an ugly hag, the poisoned apple, the dwarves, the glass coffin and the burning iron shoes. It was just so amazing, how she managed to fit everything in there so seamlessly.
Mercury: Usually with villain redemption stories, the villain is shown to have suffered some sort of injustice early on in life which let them to become cold and wicked. However, this story takes a very different approach to the wickedness of Dolce, Snow White's stepmother. Mercury poisoning. Very realistic and very dangerous.
Dolce: Dolce, the wicked stepmother, was a very interesting character, partly because of her background (having been raised by dwarves, not knowing that there was a world outside where everyone was like her) and partly because of the juxtaposition between who she started out as (kind and compassionate) and all the while knowing who she was going to turn into.
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I read many fairy tale retellings and most of them, without fault, have some sort of magical component. This one, however, did not and I absolutely loved it. It was 100% historical realism and it swept me away.
❤ WHAT I LOVED ❤
Historical realism: This story is set in Venice during the 14th century and that setting works so well for this retelling. Dolce was raised on an island inhabited by dwarves, her being the only non-dwarf there. Dolce learns to make mirrors using mercury, as was an actual practice during that time before people found out that mercury was poisonous. I liked learning about society in Venice at that time, what Dolce had to do to fit in and be accepted by the nobility. The historical realism was definitely what set this book apart from other fairy tale retellings.
Incorporation of fairy tale: Though this was historical realism and had to magic in it, Napoli stil managed to masterfully incorporate the classical elements of Snow White, such as the stepmother turned into an ugly hag, the poisoned apple, the dwarves, the glass coffin and the burning iron shoes. It was just so amazing, how she managed to fit everything in there so seamlessly.
Mercury: Usually with villain redemption stories, the villain is shown to have suffered some sort of injustice early on in life which let them to become cold and wicked. However, this story takes a very different approach to the wickedness of Dolce, Snow White's stepmother. Mercury poisoning. Very realistic and very dangerous.
Dolce: Dolce, the wicked stepmother, was a very interesting character, partly because of her background (having been raised by dwarves, not knowing that there was a world outside where everyone was like her) and partly because of the juxtaposition between who she started out as (kind and compassionate) and all the while knowing who she was going to turn into.
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Blog Post: 12 Kick Ass Female Characters
October 28, 2017
3.5 stars
---
Took a bit to get started but overall enjoyed reading this (being in a funk for a few days notwithstanding). At first was wary but intrigued at where the author was setting the story but any concerns (in my case) were swept away.
The explanation offered for Dolce doing what she did was very well done and very clever. I had watched a segment on that with "Mysteries at the Museum"
The tie in with and how it affected her life, and her mind.. <3.
Dolce's slow spiral downwards was very well done, and didn't feel rushed.. never tok me out of the story.
The references to Snow White were subtle at first but even when I recognized the signs the story still did pretty well mixing the new from the author and classic elements.
The dwarves cottage parts were one of my favorites and I loved seeing the bond between them all and Bianca:).
The cringey part for me here (unlike in the movie) was the "prince" near the end part of the story. I expected it but still was rolling my eyes.
The ending I thought was fitting, and had me a little bit proud of Dolce in the end (though doesn't excuse her behavior).
Would recommend:)
*This isn't a fast paced book, so keep that in mind*
---
Took a bit to get started but overall enjoyed reading this (being in a funk for a few days notwithstanding). At first was wary but intrigued at where the author was setting the story but any concerns (in my case) were swept away.
The explanation offered for Dolce doing what she did was very well done and very clever. I had watched a segment on that with "Mysteries at the Museum"
The tie in with and how it affected her life, and her mind.. <3.
Dolce's slow spiral downwards was very well done, and didn't feel rushed.. never tok me out of the story.
The references to Snow White were subtle at first but even when I recognized the signs the story still did pretty well mixing the new from the author and classic elements.
The dwarves cottage parts were one of my favorites and I loved seeing the bond between them all and Bianca:).
The cringey part for me here (unlike in the movie) was the "prince" near the end part of the story. I expected it but still was rolling my eyes.
The ending I thought was fitting, and had me a little bit proud of Dolce in the end (though doesn't excuse her behavior).
Would recommend:)
*This isn't a fast paced book, so keep that in mind*
July 22, 2015
A fresh take on the Snow White fairy tale and the origins of the "Wicked Stepmother", set in a breathtaking Venice. In this version, Dolce (our future "Evil Queen") is raised on an island of dwarves, where she is reviled and led to believe that she is a giantess. This is Venice, so of course there is glass, and where there is glass there are mirrors, but nothing is quite what you think. Filled with a rich cast of characters and dark, sumptuous imagery, this is probably my favorite version of Snow White to date.
October 22, 2015
"what is the difference of illness and wickedness when it causes such evil?"
What a fascinating and well done re-telling I spoiler that because I didn't know it was a re-telling (I"m awful and almost never ready synopsis and just pick up books on covers alone). And I loved not knowing until it all clicked into place and things got so obvious.
I love the fact that this story is actually probable. Not all the fairy tales feel like they could be rooted in reality and most re-tellings have to add paranormal elements in order to give them any new twists.
This one is entirely based on what could have really happened in order to spur this particular story to go. I think the best part is that it's also told from a nontraditional narrator and that gives a completely new twist to a story I'd never thought about before.
I loved it. I hope this author gives us more like this!
What a fascinating and well done re-telling I spoiler that because I didn't know it was a re-telling (I"m awful and almost never ready synopsis and just pick up books on covers alone). And I loved not knowing until it all clicked into place and things got so obvious.
I love the fact that this story is actually probable. Not all the fairy tales feel like they could be rooted in reality and most re-tellings have to add paranormal elements in order to give them any new twists.
This one is entirely based on what could have really happened in order to spur this particular story to go. I think the best part is that it's also told from a nontraditional narrator and that gives a completely new twist to a story I'd never thought about before.
I loved it. I hope this author gives us more like this!
February 28, 2015
A dark version of Snow White told from the point of view of the "Queen."
Dolce grows up on an island thinking she is hideous and a giant. While there she learns the secret to making beautiful mirrors. When tragedy strikes and she leaves the island, she learns that she is normal, beautiful, and had been living with dwarfs. Marion, a widower and his daughter Bianca take Dolce in, treat her well, and Marion eventually marries her. To fit in with society, Dolce makes small mirrors for various women to gain their friendship and acceptance. Unfortunately, the process of using quicksilver to make the mirrors makes Dolce go slowly insane. Marion is away a lot and doesn't notice her slow decline. Those who do notice try to stop her, but to no avail. Only when Dolce does something unforgivable do things change.
DRC from Edelweiss
Dolce grows up on an island thinking she is hideous and a giant. While there she learns the secret to making beautiful mirrors. When tragedy strikes and she leaves the island, she learns that she is normal, beautiful, and had been living with dwarfs. Marion, a widower and his daughter Bianca take Dolce in, treat her well, and Marion eventually marries her. To fit in with society, Dolce makes small mirrors for various women to gain their friendship and acceptance. Unfortunately, the process of using quicksilver to make the mirrors makes Dolce go slowly insane. Marion is away a lot and doesn't notice her slow decline. Those who do notice try to stop her, but to no avail. Only when Dolce does something unforgivable do things change.
DRC from Edelweiss
September 28, 2015
A beautiful take on an old fairy tale. From the Evil Queen's point of view, you'll see what it was like in her life, and how she came to hate Snow White to the point of wanting to kill her. Also, you get to see what really happened to her afterwards.
I would pick up this book and read it a million more times that's how great it was. I would also suggest this to anyone and everyone no matter what your age.
I would pick up this book and read it a million more times that's how great it was. I would also suggest this to anyone and everyone no matter what your age.
September 26, 2015
Deserves a better cover.
September 18, 2019
My fascination with fairytale retellings keeps growing and growing. For all intents and purposes, it should be the opposite. After all, what's the point of reading different versions of the same stories over and over again? Well, the answer is in the question. Reading the same story retold in a different way thrills me.
Dark Shimmer was one such thrilling retelling of Snow White. I cannot describe how glad I am to read this after Beast. Dark Shimmer was so fantastic, it thoroughly annihilated all lingering weirdness caused by Beast.
For once, my not reading the blurb served me well. The book summary on Goodreads tells almost everything. However, it took me the entire book to figure out what was wrong with Dolce. The author's note made it clear. And when it did it broke my heart.
The book goes into extraordinary depths to flesh out who we know as The Evil Queen. It's her story and I am beyond impressed by how convincingly the story is built around her, piece by piece. The connections to the traditional tale left me breathless, they were so good!
It was a dark, tragic book that filled me with dread. There came a point where I actually did not want to read more for fear of what would happen next.
Definitely one of the best takes on Snow White, as powerful as Fairest by Marissa Meyer.
September 22, 2017
I finished reading this book and said out loud: "Wow!"
I picked it up because I liked the title and the cover art. The synopsis made it sound like it was either about an insane woman or it was possibly a retelling of Snow White from the Evil Queen's perspective. It turned out to be both.
I don't want to say too much and spoil it, but even if you're not someone who enjoys retellings of famous fairy and folk tales, you will almost certainly find this book to be an amazing read. It takes place in Italy and is incredibly realistic. Everything is explained by natural causes; there's no magic involved. It makes everything seem so real and true, like it could have all actually happened. And you are sympathetic to the "evil queen" for most of the novel. Even when she does terrible things, it's not her fault, so even if you hate her, you can't really blame her.
I would love to say "thank-you" to the author for writing such a beautiful, tragic, wonderful story. I am anxious to read more of her work.
I picked it up because I liked the title and the cover art. The synopsis made it sound like it was either about an insane woman or it was possibly a retelling of Snow White from the Evil Queen's perspective. It turned out to be both.
I don't want to say too much and spoil it, but even if you're not someone who enjoys retellings of famous fairy and folk tales, you will almost certainly find this book to be an amazing read. It takes place in Italy and is incredibly realistic. Everything is explained by natural causes; there's no magic involved. It makes everything seem so real and true, like it could have all actually happened. And you are sympathetic to the "evil queen" for most of the novel. Even when she does terrible things, it's not her fault, so even if you hate her, you can't really blame her.
I would love to say "thank-you" to the author for writing such a beautiful, tragic, wonderful story. I am anxious to read more of her work.
dnf
October 21, 2015I felt like this had a lot of conflicting emotions and quite a few shaky transitions. Also, it was hard to get to know the MC Dolce; the writing just didn't really work. I don't know... Maybe it's me. I might give this another go someday.
September 8, 2025
Great setting, unbalanced execution. I looooved Napoli's fairy tale retellings as a tween and wanted something I could breeze through, in contrast to my dense non-fiction reading list
The first half of the book is excellent YA, and the reveal of Dolce's "ugly" upbringing is too creative and unexpected to spoil here. Unfortunately I think the fairy tale actually impedes Napoli; by trying to make plausible the high-fantasy elements of Snow White, she jettisons the great character development she's set up. Dolce and Marin's romance in the context of 15th century Venice is fascinating; her descent into madness and attempted murder much less so -- and much more rushed. I can see why Napoli needed to start switching POVs to tell the rest of story, but though she establishes credible inner voices for everyone but Bianca, it doesn't help the pacing. Teen Bianca is such a flat character (too kind, too innocently ingenue) in comparison to teen Dolce to compel me to root for her happy ending. Again, if Napoli had been willing to change the rhythm of the core plot, she might have been able to give Bianca some interesting rough edges. The final chapter felt absurdist, not emotionally earned. But maybe middle schoolers will disagree, and this book is for them anyway.
Content note that much of the plot hinges on the historically accurate treatment of little people/dwarves as servants and slaves in this time period.
The first half of the book is excellent YA, and the reveal of Dolce's "ugly" upbringing is too creative and unexpected to spoil here. Unfortunately I think the fairy tale actually impedes Napoli; by trying to make plausible the high-fantasy elements of Snow White, she jettisons the great character development she's set up. Dolce and Marin's romance in the context of 15th century Venice is fascinating; her descent into madness and attempted murder much less so -- and much more rushed. I can see why Napoli needed to start switching POVs to tell the rest of story, but though she establishes credible inner voices for everyone but Bianca, it doesn't help the pacing. Teen Bianca is such a flat character (too kind, too innocently ingenue) in comparison to teen Dolce to compel me to root for her happy ending. Again, if Napoli had been willing to change the rhythm of the core plot, she might have been able to give Bianca some interesting rough edges. The final chapter felt absurdist, not emotionally earned. But maybe middle schoolers will disagree, and this book is for them anyway.
Content note that much of the plot hinges on the historically accurate treatment of little people/dwarves as servants and slaves in this time period.
September 25, 2018
Inventive retelling of Snow White.
January 8, 2019
What an unexpected GEM of a book! I'm sooooo happy I decided to go ahead and read this one.
I was sick to death of the stepmother/stepsister/random villain world's-smallest-violin, sympathy for the devil, pity party trope and there was a part of me that would almost have rather spent the day staring at my hands than read that plot yet AGAIN... And the book was a bit slow to start and I wondered if I was going to get any payoff for slogging through it.
I'm pleased to say I definitely did!
This is one of the most lush, gripping, yet stunningly realistic fairy-tale retellings I've ever read. Its style (after the first couple of chapters) began to remind me of the first time I'd read Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and the characters and premise were fascinating.
I'm a bit of a sucker for Italy-set fairytales, anyway, thanks to my undying love for The Princess Bride and Romeo and Juliet, but VENICE -- Venice of all the cities, especially old-timey Venice -- holds a special place in my heart. You see, the first book my mother taught me to read with was David Delamare's Cinderella, which is set in Venice. It's the first thing I remember about being a child and learning to love books. To me, Venice just brings back that feeling of why I fell for fairy-tales in the first place.
What I loved about this novel's usage of the setting is that, unlike the picture book I've been familiar with, this goes more into the society and lives of women in those days and gives it a dark edge. The dwarf slave angle was also interesting, as well as fitting, since this is a Snow White Retelling.
I didn't expect to relate much to Dolace, but I found myself very sympathetic towards her medical troubles. I suffer from Migraines, and the description of headaches brought that pain back and made me feel sorry for her. Sorrier still when her skin started peeling off and she lost her teeth and what-not. Not to mention her sanity. I didn't feel pounded over the head with a pity party, I felt that FOR ONCE an author had created a truly tragic character without making everyone else around her complete bastards.
My favorite character was probably Biancaneve (aka Snow White). She was the most self-composed Snow White variant I have ever seen. You see people, THIS is how you write GIRL POWER. She doesn't have to wield a sword or want to beat up boys, or even never need help from others or not cook and clean because she's so "enlightened"; she just needs to be in control of her own mind and moral character. And Biancaneve WAS. She didn't open the door to her stepmother because she was a moron, each time had a very good reason for her doing so and showed a line of logical thinking; indeed, the last time both she AND the dwarfs knew who it was and were simply trying to piece everything together. If the over eager dwarf hadn't been in such a hurry to smash that poisoned apple with Biancaneve standing so close by, she would have never gotten poisoned in the first place.
Speaking of poison, can I just say I loved the logic here? I mean of COURSE there would be a lot of apples around the house because they help heal the poison used on the comb. It's kind of weird how in most snow whites, she's perfectly fine and dandy after every attempt on her life. She's poisoned and recovers immediately with the exception of that pesky apple getting lodged in her throat. Here, she has to heal like a NORMAL PERSON.
Anyway, this was a wonderful book. My only complaint would be that it started slow and ended too fast (I'd have liked to see Biancaneve's wedding, even if Dolace didn't get to).
I've noticed others have complained about the romance in the book and the cover. I had no problem with either. I liked the cover. It might not be the most stunning thing I've ever seen, and regrettably not show Venice, BUT it IS a perfect example of how sometimes the most simple of covers can get the idea across better than something too busy. We have a girl (probably Dolace) looking into a cracked mirror and the coloring and tone is as dark as the story within; in my opinion it works. Also, the romance was actually pretty good I thought. Yeah the guy only comes in near the end, but I've read books (coughcough Snow in Summer coughcough) where the love story was practically a footnote. At least here we get to see them interact (albeit through a door) and get an idea of why they would like each other. Also, his conversation with the dwarfs when she was in that glass chest was adorable!
So yes, five stars, and highly recommended! Especially for people who enjoy realistic fairytales with no supernatural elements.
I was sick to death of the stepmother/stepsister/random villain world's-smallest-violin, sympathy for the devil, pity party trope and there was a part of me that would almost have rather spent the day staring at my hands than read that plot yet AGAIN... And the book was a bit slow to start and I wondered if I was going to get any payoff for slogging through it.
I'm pleased to say I definitely did!
This is one of the most lush, gripping, yet stunningly realistic fairy-tale retellings I've ever read. Its style (after the first couple of chapters) began to remind me of the first time I'd read Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and the characters and premise were fascinating.
I'm a bit of a sucker for Italy-set fairytales, anyway, thanks to my undying love for The Princess Bride and Romeo and Juliet, but VENICE -- Venice of all the cities, especially old-timey Venice -- holds a special place in my heart. You see, the first book my mother taught me to read with was David Delamare's Cinderella, which is set in Venice. It's the first thing I remember about being a child and learning to love books. To me, Venice just brings back that feeling of why I fell for fairy-tales in the first place.
What I loved about this novel's usage of the setting is that, unlike the picture book I've been familiar with, this goes more into the society and lives of women in those days and gives it a dark edge. The dwarf slave angle was also interesting, as well as fitting, since this is a Snow White Retelling.
I didn't expect to relate much to Dolace, but I found myself very sympathetic towards her medical troubles. I suffer from Migraines, and the description of headaches brought that pain back and made me feel sorry for her. Sorrier still when her skin started peeling off and she lost her teeth and what-not. Not to mention her sanity. I didn't feel pounded over the head with a pity party, I felt that FOR ONCE an author had created a truly tragic character without making everyone else around her complete bastards.
My favorite character was probably Biancaneve (aka Snow White). She was the most self-composed Snow White variant I have ever seen. You see people, THIS is how you write GIRL POWER. She doesn't have to wield a sword or want to beat up boys, or even never need help from others or not cook and clean because she's so "enlightened"; she just needs to be in control of her own mind and moral character. And Biancaneve WAS. She didn't open the door to her stepmother because she was a moron, each time had a very good reason for her doing so and showed a line of logical thinking; indeed, the last time both she AND the dwarfs knew who it was and were simply trying to piece everything together. If the over eager dwarf hadn't been in such a hurry to smash that poisoned apple with Biancaneve standing so close by, she would have never gotten poisoned in the first place.
Speaking of poison, can I just say I loved the logic here? I mean of COURSE there would be a lot of apples around the house because they help heal the poison used on the comb. It's kind of weird how in most snow whites, she's perfectly fine and dandy after every attempt on her life. She's poisoned and recovers immediately with the exception of that pesky apple getting lodged in her throat. Here, she has to heal like a NORMAL PERSON.
Anyway, this was a wonderful book. My only complaint would be that it started slow and ended too fast (I'd have liked to see Biancaneve's wedding, even if Dolace didn't get to).
I've noticed others have complained about the romance in the book and the cover. I had no problem with either. I liked the cover. It might not be the most stunning thing I've ever seen, and regrettably not show Venice, BUT it IS a perfect example of how sometimes the most simple of covers can get the idea across better than something too busy. We have a girl (probably Dolace) looking into a cracked mirror and the coloring and tone is as dark as the story within; in my opinion it works. Also, the romance was actually pretty good I thought. Yeah the guy only comes in near the end, but I've read books (coughcough Snow in Summer coughcough) where the love story was practically a footnote. At least here we get to see them interact (albeit through a door) and get an idea of why they would like each other. Also, his conversation with the dwarfs when she was in that glass chest was adorable!
So yes, five stars, and highly recommended! Especially for people who enjoy realistic fairytales with no supernatural elements.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 3, 2015
This book is a retelling of the Snow White fairy tale, told from the POV of the Evil "Queen" (for the most part) and set in Renaissance Italy.
The first half of the book is told from Dolce's point of view. Dolce grows up an outcast on a remote island. Everyone calls her 'monster' because she's so much larger than everyone. The only bright spots in her life are her mother and her skill as a talented mirror-maker. Unfortunately for Dolce, mirrors were made using mercury in Renaissance Italy and we know now that long-term exposure to mercury causes mercury poisoning, which can lead to madness. After a tragedy in her life, Dolce escapes the island and encounters other 'monsters' just like her. It isn't until a rich nobleman takes her to his home in the city that she realizes that she grew up on an island of dwarfs. Even after marrying into the nobility, Dolce remains an outcast because her outspokenness, lack of social graces and inability to have children (in a society where sons were everything). So she buys favor with society wives by making mirrors for selected ladies (and she does have a noble ulterior motive for making the mirrors, too). She's close with her step-daughter Bianca until the teenaged Bianca—a burgeoning beauty with a sharp wit—speaks her mind about Dolce's mother choosing to let her believe she was a monster rather than giving her up for adoption. Unfortunately for Bianca, her father (who travels Europe and Asia buying books) starts spending more time traveling as his wife becomes less and less stable, leaving his daughter with her half-mad step-mother.
The second half of the book is told from the third person POV and alternates chapters between different characters in the book: Agnola (Bianca's aunt), Pietro (the dwarf who plays the part of huntsman in this variation of the story), Bianca, Tommaso (one of the dwarfs Bianca lives with) and Sebastiano (the young landlord of the forest where the dwarfs live). At first I thought there would be a huge disconnect when the POV changed, but it really works…and makes sense, since we wouldn't be able to know what's going on with Bianca if the POV stayed with Dolce (and Dolce's madness is full blown in the second half).
I really liked the setting, it lends itself well to the tale. And I like the "bookends" of having Dolce grow up among dwarfs and then dwarfs saving Bianca. The characters have depth…Bianca seemed one-dimensional in the first half of the book but is fleshed out beautifully in the second half and you see why the dwarfs love her so much. And Dolce is terrifying in her madness. I've always thought the Evil Queen was a ridiculous character; she's driven to murder by something as petty as vanity and jealousy?? Really?? It's 'nice' that there are other circumstances in this retelling that lead to her actions.
My only quibble is a typo in my edition of the book. In the pivotal conversation between Dolce and Bianca (in which Bianca inadvertently pushes Dolce over the edge), there's a word missing that totally changes the meaning of what Bianca is saying! It took me rereading the offending sentence a dozen times and inferring from the following dialogue to figure out why Dolce was so angry.
The first half of the book is told from Dolce's point of view. Dolce grows up an outcast on a remote island. Everyone calls her 'monster' because she's so much larger than everyone. The only bright spots in her life are her mother and her skill as a talented mirror-maker. Unfortunately for Dolce, mirrors were made using mercury in Renaissance Italy and we know now that long-term exposure to mercury causes mercury poisoning, which can lead to madness. After a tragedy in her life, Dolce escapes the island and encounters other 'monsters' just like her. It isn't until a rich nobleman takes her to his home in the city that she realizes that she grew up on an island of dwarfs. Even after marrying into the nobility, Dolce remains an outcast because her outspokenness, lack of social graces and inability to have children (in a society where sons were everything). So she buys favor with society wives by making mirrors for selected ladies (and she does have a noble ulterior motive for making the mirrors, too). She's close with her step-daughter Bianca until the teenaged Bianca—a burgeoning beauty with a sharp wit—speaks her mind about Dolce's mother choosing to let her believe she was a monster rather than giving her up for adoption. Unfortunately for Bianca, her father (who travels Europe and Asia buying books) starts spending more time traveling as his wife becomes less and less stable, leaving his daughter with her half-mad step-mother.
The second half of the book is told from the third person POV and alternates chapters between different characters in the book: Agnola (Bianca's aunt), Pietro (the dwarf who plays the part of huntsman in this variation of the story), Bianca, Tommaso (one of the dwarfs Bianca lives with) and Sebastiano (the young landlord of the forest where the dwarfs live). At first I thought there would be a huge disconnect when the POV changed, but it really works…and makes sense, since we wouldn't be able to know what's going on with Bianca if the POV stayed with Dolce (and Dolce's madness is full blown in the second half).
I really liked the setting, it lends itself well to the tale. And I like the "bookends" of having Dolce grow up among dwarfs and then dwarfs saving Bianca. The characters have depth…Bianca seemed one-dimensional in the first half of the book but is fleshed out beautifully in the second half and you see why the dwarfs love her so much. And Dolce is terrifying in her madness. I've always thought the Evil Queen was a ridiculous character; she's driven to murder by something as petty as vanity and jealousy?? Really?? It's 'nice' that there are other circumstances in this retelling that lead to her actions.
My only quibble is a typo in my edition of the book. In the pivotal conversation between Dolce and Bianca (in which Bianca inadvertently pushes Dolce over the edge), there's a word missing that totally changes the meaning of what Bianca is saying! It took me rereading the offending sentence a dozen times and inferring from the following dialogue to figure out why Dolce was so angry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2018
This is an intriguing twist on Snow White that shows how the "Evil Queen" became so evil through the quicksilver she uses to make mirrors. I like that this story was realistic--the quicksilver, the poison, everything was believable--no fantasy, no magic. That actually makes the story more terrifying because something like this could potentially happen!
July 4, 2017
This title was the hardest book to get through. It started so slow, and in the middle when it finally somewhat grabbed me. The changing points of view began and ruined it for me. The part where Biancaneve raises was so rushed I had to reread it. The author must have been as bored of the book as I was. This book gets a generous two stars because of the decently written middle.
Also the summary on the book is nothing like how the first half of the book is and is debatably how the last half is. I had to come on here to get an accurate summary pf what the book was about, which was only aggravating as it was not clear on the physical book.
Also the summary on the book is nothing like how the first half of the book is and is debatably how the last half is. I had to come on here to get an accurate summary pf what the book was about, which was only aggravating as it was not clear on the physical book.
January 8, 2019
It's the Snow White retelling you didn't ask for, didn't expect, didn't see coming, but fell in love with anyway. I thought the plot intricate and rich, even though it could be slightly confusing at times. The protagonist (Dolce) was not one of my favourites, but I won't deny that she definitely had a well developed personality that made her a very real character.
This book took quite some time to get interesting, but the middle was well worth the struggle in the beginning. i thought the ending was extremely anticlimactic - i expected either a very sad one or a very triumphant one, but it felt very rushed and half assed.
Overall an interesting read!
This book took quite some time to get interesting, but the middle was well worth the struggle in the beginning. i thought the ending was extremely anticlimactic - i expected either a very sad one or a very triumphant one, but it felt very rushed and half assed.
Overall an interesting read!
June 10, 2017
It is not often that you see a YA book that comes complete with a lengthy bibliography. Sure an author here or there might tell you a book they relied on in an Author’s Note, but pages of a bibliography are rare in fiction. Even if we all know people use various resources to create their stories, we don’t tend to know which ones, or we are left to suspect or question. Not so in the case of Dark Shimmer. Donna Jo Napoli, who I have not read previously, offers us a certain amount of proof that she does in fact know quite a bit about the story she has crafted to contain the tale of Snow White.
Here the tale is primarily that of the creation of evil through external madness created by lack of a thorough knowledge of quicksilver (mercury.) Dolce has grown up on an island of dwarfs (the terminology used in the book) without knowing that she is not the aberration. She learns to create mirrors and is responsible for coming up with a technique that perfects the combination of glass, tin and quicksilver. Upon the death of her mother she runs away, eventually reaching the mainland and ending up in Venice.
Hiding her past she is accepted by a noble book collector, his sister and his young daughter. While their is some foreshadowing of the fall to evil to come, it was not clear until this point that Dolce’s part in the story was that of evil queen and Bianca, clearly the Snow White. (Her name is Neve when she hides and then Biancaneve.)
I particularly enjoyed that Napoli chose to focus this as a historical story about noble women of Venice, presumably also much of the other Italian States, and the relationships they had with each other and with their dwarf slaves. Dolce is at first at a lost as to how to deal with the falsity and maneuverings of the women around her. She is appalled by the treatment of the dwarfs and develops her own way of finding a way to free them as she learns of this new world from her sister-in-law.
Agnola, the sister-in-law, is a character that I really enjoyed. There is no equivalent to her in the Snow White story, but here she ends up becoming a driving force in the way that the events play out after Dolce decides that Bianca is replacing her in her husband’s affections as the mercury poisoning happens. Agnola and her relationship with Dolce lets us see the way madness takes shape, the efforts to hide it in a climate that relies on maintaining a perfect facade and the difficulties of caring for someone who has done something unforgivable.
Perhaps more interestingly, Agnola is allowed her own clandestine relationship with a dwarf, Pietro, who then plays the part of the Huntsman in the Snow White story. I appreciated the way in which Napoli highlighted the position that people with dwarfism found themselves in within this society, with some choosing to hide in the woods (those that Bianca will stay with) and others finding ways to incorporate themselves into society, but always on the fringe.
Dolce’s realization of her mother’s selfishness in not telling her that she was not the ‘monster’ she thought herself and the loss and anger at Bianca for pointing it out was beautifully rendered.
Afterwards, however, the story played out fairly predictably along the Brothers Grimm version.
Dolce conceals herself in various disguises when she finds out Bianca is hiding in the woods with a group of dog training dwarfs. In her author’s note, Napoli makes clear that these attempts of poisoning Bianca are also impeccably researched. I did not really find them as interesting to read. Although it opened up some time within the book to further explore Agnola and Dolce’s interaction, I found much of this section of the book to drag. There was some exploration for Bianca in terms of learning to do the work of servants rather than play the harp and embroider pillow cases, but it wasn’t as interesting to me and somewhat cliched.
There is the obligatory prince figure, who, too, is rather bland. The men in this story are mostly bland, though these two are likeable enough but don’t really get any attention. This is not a criticism. This is a book about women.
The downfall of Dolce is also very much about women and what a woman could or could not be doing. Her continued mirror making gets her in trouble with the city who wishes to protect the secret, even though the process is one that she created. To the end she does not fully understand the intricate workings of the life she found herself in. Her ultimate end is a fitting return to the Grimm story and the Evil Queen’s demise.
To sum up, this is an excellent historical fiction approach to Snow White. The fairy tale elements are not overly forced, though occasionally followed a bit too much. I’d be curious what reading it without some sense of the workings of trade in the Italian Renaissance would be like, but I suspect that for most readers there is enough here to at least get a good sense of the world. I definitely appreciated the glimpse into both the lives of dwarfs of the period and also the intricacy of mirror making and the effects that those artisans invariably suffered.
More at https://variegatedpixieyarns.wordpres...
Here the tale is primarily that of the creation of evil through external madness created by lack of a thorough knowledge of quicksilver (mercury.) Dolce has grown up on an island of dwarfs (the terminology used in the book) without knowing that she is not the aberration. She learns to create mirrors and is responsible for coming up with a technique that perfects the combination of glass, tin and quicksilver. Upon the death of her mother she runs away, eventually reaching the mainland and ending up in Venice.
Hiding her past she is accepted by a noble book collector, his sister and his young daughter. While their is some foreshadowing of the fall to evil to come, it was not clear until this point that Dolce’s part in the story was that of evil queen and Bianca, clearly the Snow White. (Her name is Neve when she hides and then Biancaneve.)
I particularly enjoyed that Napoli chose to focus this as a historical story about noble women of Venice, presumably also much of the other Italian States, and the relationships they had with each other and with their dwarf slaves. Dolce is at first at a lost as to how to deal with the falsity and maneuverings of the women around her. She is appalled by the treatment of the dwarfs and develops her own way of finding a way to free them as she learns of this new world from her sister-in-law.
Agnola, the sister-in-law, is a character that I really enjoyed. There is no equivalent to her in the Snow White story, but here she ends up becoming a driving force in the way that the events play out after Dolce decides that Bianca is replacing her in her husband’s affections as the mercury poisoning happens. Agnola and her relationship with Dolce lets us see the way madness takes shape, the efforts to hide it in a climate that relies on maintaining a perfect facade and the difficulties of caring for someone who has done something unforgivable.
Perhaps more interestingly, Agnola is allowed her own clandestine relationship with a dwarf, Pietro, who then plays the part of the Huntsman in the Snow White story. I appreciated the way in which Napoli highlighted the position that people with dwarfism found themselves in within this society, with some choosing to hide in the woods (those that Bianca will stay with) and others finding ways to incorporate themselves into society, but always on the fringe.
Dolce’s realization of her mother’s selfishness in not telling her that she was not the ‘monster’ she thought herself and the loss and anger at Bianca for pointing it out was beautifully rendered.
Afterwards, however, the story played out fairly predictably along the Brothers Grimm version.
Dolce conceals herself in various disguises when she finds out Bianca is hiding in the woods with a group of dog training dwarfs. In her author’s note, Napoli makes clear that these attempts of poisoning Bianca are also impeccably researched. I did not really find them as interesting to read. Although it opened up some time within the book to further explore Agnola and Dolce’s interaction, I found much of this section of the book to drag. There was some exploration for Bianca in terms of learning to do the work of servants rather than play the harp and embroider pillow cases, but it wasn’t as interesting to me and somewhat cliched.
There is the obligatory prince figure, who, too, is rather bland. The men in this story are mostly bland, though these two are likeable enough but don’t really get any attention. This is not a criticism. This is a book about women.
The downfall of Dolce is also very much about women and what a woman could or could not be doing. Her continued mirror making gets her in trouble with the city who wishes to protect the secret, even though the process is one that she created. To the end she does not fully understand the intricate workings of the life she found herself in. Her ultimate end is a fitting return to the Grimm story and the Evil Queen’s demise.
To sum up, this is an excellent historical fiction approach to Snow White. The fairy tale elements are not overly forced, though occasionally followed a bit too much. I’d be curious what reading it without some sense of the workings of trade in the Italian Renaissance would be like, but I suspect that for most readers there is enough here to at least get a good sense of the world. I definitely appreciated the glimpse into both the lives of dwarfs of the period and also the intricacy of mirror making and the effects that those artisans invariably suffered.
More at https://variegatedpixieyarns.wordpres...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 25, 2015
I really liked it but there was a few parts that I found kinda tedious and I didn't feel motivated to read.
July 18, 2016
This was a very interesting fairy tale retelling. Especially because I didn't know it was a fairy tale retelling when I started.
July 17, 2016
Was a interesting twist to a classic fairy tale. As much as you would like to hate Dolce for her wickedness some part of you feels sorry for her and understands her pain.
August 16, 2016
This was a very interesting take on The tale of Snow white. with the historical twist it was very enjoyable.
September 6, 2021
"I don’t have cravings like that. Except maybe for people to like me. Or to love me. Mamma makes it seem so simple, craving things she can have."
Medieval Venice is where our scene is set. A giant child, a self-proclaimed monster, is being raised in a mysterious almost tropical setting. She has an adoring mama who idolises her daughter. The other village people don’t feel the same way and mostly treat her accordingly. She gains some respect from her people by showing a natural ability for making mirrors. Tragedy strikes, and our protagonist Dolce swims to another island where she meets the sweetest of children, Bianca, who introduces her to her father Marin. And so our story begins to unravel.
This is one of those books I can’t quite decide on. It’s actually pretty dark! Which is guess I wasn’t expecting. This is not a magical retelling of a fairytale. This is a grim reminder of the price people paid for luxury, about the persistent historical subjugation of women, and the how noble systems treated those outside their class as lesser human beings.
I enjoyed the multiple POVs but found it all a bit simple with not a lot “going on”. But in saying that, this actually was genuinely quite a clever alternative to the common tropes of fairytaledom. I don’t want to give too much away, I made the mistake of looking at a review a third of the way through and it kind of ruined something for me a little bit!
I think for anyone interested in dark fairytale reimaginings, this is one worth picking up from the shelf.
I would give this a 3.5 and I’ve been a bit mean and given it a 3 because I did find myself skim reading a bit.
Medieval Venice is where our scene is set. A giant child, a self-proclaimed monster, is being raised in a mysterious almost tropical setting. She has an adoring mama who idolises her daughter. The other village people don’t feel the same way and mostly treat her accordingly. She gains some respect from her people by showing a natural ability for making mirrors. Tragedy strikes, and our protagonist Dolce swims to another island where she meets the sweetest of children, Bianca, who introduces her to her father Marin. And so our story begins to unravel.
This is one of those books I can’t quite decide on. It’s actually pretty dark! Which is guess I wasn’t expecting. This is not a magical retelling of a fairytale. This is a grim reminder of the price people paid for luxury, about the persistent historical subjugation of women, and the how noble systems treated those outside their class as lesser human beings.
I enjoyed the multiple POVs but found it all a bit simple with not a lot “going on”. But in saying that, this actually was genuinely quite a clever alternative to the common tropes of fairytaledom. I don’t want to give too much away, I made the mistake of looking at a review a third of the way through and it kind of ruined something for me a little bit!
I think for anyone interested in dark fairytale reimaginings, this is one worth picking up from the shelf.
I would give this a 3.5 and I’ve been a bit mean and given it a 3 because I did find myself skim reading a bit.
August 10, 2017
What an excellent refreshing book.
The Wicked step mother (Dulce)- Traditionally a hateful deceitful woman but in this version she starts as a strong young woman overcoming hardship, finding love, willing to sacrifice herself and her sanity to save others.
In the end it is her sacrificing, her skill, and her selflessness that leads to her decline in health and sanity. Even in her madness she still cares and loves- but its all twisted.
The mirror, the dwarves, the stag, and apple are all wonderfully woven in with a Venetian twist
Snow White (Bianca): not your dopey and naive princess- She is strong but unaware of many things. She grows and adapts. It is she who finds the young "wicked queen" and takes her home. It is she who through all the murderous attempts sees and knows that Dulce is not evil but sick, very very sick and loves her still.
This book very smoothly transitions from the Stepmother to the daughter. Something I find authors often have a hard time with because the readers cling hard the the main character. Even through the transition you find yourself still hoping (but knowing it wont be so) for Dulce to snap out of it and come back to her senses. To reunite with her loving family and have a happy ending she so deserves.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a realistic, sad, beautiful, alternate version of Snow White- this is definitely not Disney
The Wicked step mother (Dulce)- Traditionally a hateful deceitful woman but in this version she starts as a strong young woman overcoming hardship, finding love, willing to sacrifice herself and her sanity to save others.
In the end it is her sacrificing, her skill, and her selflessness that leads to her decline in health and sanity. Even in her madness she still cares and loves- but its all twisted.
The mirror, the dwarves, the stag, and apple are all wonderfully woven in with a Venetian twist
Snow White (Bianca): not your dopey and naive princess- She is strong but unaware of many things. She grows and adapts. It is she who finds the young "wicked queen" and takes her home. It is she who through all the murderous attempts sees and knows that Dulce is not evil but sick, very very sick and loves her still.
This book very smoothly transitions from the Stepmother to the daughter. Something I find authors often have a hard time with because the readers cling hard the the main character. Even through the transition you find yourself still hoping (but knowing it wont be so) for Dulce to snap out of it and come back to her senses. To reunite with her loving family and have a happy ending she so deserves.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a realistic, sad, beautiful, alternate version of Snow White- this is definitely not Disney
February 25, 2018
Napoli Donna Jo, Dark Shimmer, 386 pages, New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2015, $17.00, Language:G (0 swears, 0,”f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.
Dolce has grown up on a hidden island in a lagoon in Venice, Italy. She’s a giant living in a dwarf world and has been bullied by everyone except for her beloved mother. Dulce spends her time mastering the art of mirror making, but after tragedy strikes, she swims away and ends up on a island where people see her as beautiful. Marin, a widow and his daughter take Dolce to live with them and soon after they marry. Her mirror making skill is well respected by everyone and it soon starts to take a toll on her health. Everyone knows that beauty can’t hide the monster inside.
Dark Shimmer is a fresh take on the classic Snow White fairy tale. The references to Snow White were subtle at first but it took me some time to recognize the signs. This story is based on what could have really happened in order to for there to be an Evil Queen. I think the best part is that it's also told from a nontraditional narrator, that gives a new twist the story. Even of you are not a fan of fairy tale retellings this book is sure to keep you on edge.
MS-ESSENTIAL Student Reviewer: ML
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018/...
Dolce has grown up on a hidden island in a lagoon in Venice, Italy. She’s a giant living in a dwarf world and has been bullied by everyone except for her beloved mother. Dulce spends her time mastering the art of mirror making, but after tragedy strikes, she swims away and ends up on a island where people see her as beautiful. Marin, a widow and his daughter take Dolce to live with them and soon after they marry. Her mirror making skill is well respected by everyone and it soon starts to take a toll on her health. Everyone knows that beauty can’t hide the monster inside.
Dark Shimmer is a fresh take on the classic Snow White fairy tale. The references to Snow White were subtle at first but it took me some time to recognize the signs. This story is based on what could have really happened in order to for there to be an Evil Queen. I think the best part is that it's also told from a nontraditional narrator, that gives a new twist the story. Even of you are not a fan of fairy tale retellings this book is sure to keep you on edge.
MS-ESSENTIAL Student Reviewer: ML
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018/...
November 23, 2018
A few notes about my reading: but not a full review. I gave the book 3 stars only because, to me, in the first half of the story, I did not truly connect with Dolce, the main character. This story is a powerful recreation of the Snow White fairy tale.
A lovely thing about the tale is that, the reader does not get hit in the head with the association of the Snow White tale, reading it as a self recounted tale of a young woman, wrongfully persecuted as a monster, who finally encounters a man who freely adopts her and her strange notions into his family. As the story develops, set in Venice, the settings and characters teem with life and the revelation is made that in the wealth obsessed city, citizens buy human dwarfs as a status symbol. And several of the main characters are indeed, dwarfs.
As the story continues,the actions of Dolce take an increasing horrible path, and the daughter of the family into which she came, is the object of her persecution. Through the last quarter of the book, I could hardly bear reading and hardly stop reading. This then, is a good reason for others to enjoy Donna Jo Napoli's masterful story telling.
A lovely thing about the tale is that, the reader does not get hit in the head with the association of the Snow White tale, reading it as a self recounted tale of a young woman, wrongfully persecuted as a monster, who finally encounters a man who freely adopts her and her strange notions into his family. As the story develops, set in Venice, the settings and characters teem with life and the revelation is made that in the wealth obsessed city, citizens buy human dwarfs as a status symbol. And several of the main characters are indeed, dwarfs.
As the story continues,the actions of Dolce take an increasing horrible path, and the daughter of the family into which she came, is the object of her persecution. Through the last quarter of the book, I could hardly bear reading and hardly stop reading. This then, is a good reason for others to enjoy Donna Jo Napoli's masterful story telling.
December 7, 2022
This book is so frustrating because the concept is genius but the execution is not there at all. It jumps from plot point to plot point with no description or development in-between. It's a skeleton plot, a draft without the substance. It was getting better towards the middle as we saw the effects of Mercury poisoning on Dolce and how the way she saw Bianca changed and that should have been the main focus. However it then switched from Dolce's first person perspective to third person other people, and at that point its just the same old story of snow white. It should have stayed from Dolce, the wicked step mother, perspective the whole way through and then that would have made it different. It was just bland old snow white from the middle on with a love story shoe horned in there with again no development. I'm so irritated because Medieval Venice was an amazing setting and I will give the author credit for the biography at the back because the context is well researched but the research doesn't come through when the plot is so undeveloped.
May 16, 2017
Dark Shimmer was a delight. I had no idea that it was a twisted fairy tale until I was almost halfway through (so if you don't like those, try it anyway...you won't even notice). For me, since I LOVE those, it was like finding a caramel center in a gooey chocolate delight.....sinfully good!
Dolce is the center of the tale (and eventually the villain); but she is ostracized in her village for being deformed (i.e. tall) and not until later do you realize that she grew up with Little People (as in dwarves) and that all children like her are sent to the city (which is Venice). When she leaves her village, she finds that many Little People are taken as slaves, and she tries to bribe people into releasing them; by making mirrors.....and the mercury used to make the mirrors, is killing her and making her insane. This was another really good book to add to the many Donna Jo Napoli has done thus far.
Dolce is the center of the tale (and eventually the villain); but she is ostracized in her village for being deformed (i.e. tall) and not until later do you realize that she grew up with Little People (as in dwarves) and that all children like her are sent to the city (which is Venice). When she leaves her village, she finds that many Little People are taken as slaves, and she tries to bribe people into releasing them; by making mirrors.....and the mercury used to make the mirrors, is killing her and making her insane. This was another really good book to add to the many Donna Jo Napoli has done thus far.
June 8, 2020
This is a retelling of the original Grimms’ Snow White Fairytale which contains all the gore ! The retelling is told from the perspective of the Evil stepmother and the story slowly transitions to the perspective of Snow White and the dwarves.
At first I found the the present tense narration quite jarring but as it progressed it got better. The retelling was grim, chilling and just, really creepy.
MINOR SPOILERS BELOW
What made the story so chilling was the fact that all the stepmothers evil plans with the apple, the lace and the comb and her communication with her mirror contained ZERO magic. The creepiness factor was upped by the fact that the fairytale was able to function just like the original with no magic and I found that very interesting.
It is certainly an underrated retelling as I don’t see it mentioned a lot - definitely worth reading it you like retellings and you want to see a realistic origin story for Snow White’s evil step mum!
At first I found the the present tense narration quite jarring but as it progressed it got better. The retelling was grim, chilling and just, really creepy.
MINOR SPOILERS BELOW
What made the story so chilling was the fact that all the stepmothers evil plans with the apple, the lace and the comb and her communication with her mirror contained ZERO magic. The creepiness factor was upped by the fact that the fairytale was able to function just like the original with no magic and I found that very interesting.
It is certainly an underrated retelling as I don’t see it mentioned a lot - definitely worth reading it you like retellings and you want to see a realistic origin story for Snow White’s evil step mum!
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