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A beautiful, sexy, contemporary retelling of the classic Snow White fairy tale, illustrated by Les Edwards.
Poison is a beautifully illustrated retelling of the Snow White story which takes all the elements of the classic fairy tale that we love (the handsome prince, the jealous queen, the beautiful girl and, of course, the poisoning) and puts a modern spin on the characters, their motives and their desires. It's fun, contemporary, sexy, and perfect for fans of Once Upon a Time, Grimm, Snow White and the Huntsman and more.
Poison is a beautifully illustrated retelling of the Snow White story which takes all the elements of the classic fairy tale that we love (the handsome prince, the jealous queen, the beautiful girl and, of course, the poisoning) and puts a modern spin on the characters, their motives and their desires. It's fun, contemporary, sexy, and perfect for fans of Once Upon a Time, Grimm, Snow White and the Huntsman and more.
223 pages, Book
First published January 1, 2013
156 people are currently reading
6471 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Pinborough
89 books7,907 followersSarah Pinborough is a New York Times bestselling and Sunday Times Number one and Internationally bestselling author who is published in over 30 territories worldwide. Having published more than 25 novels across various genres, her recent books include Behind Her Eyes, now a smash hit Netflix limited series, Dead To Her, now in development with Amazon Studios, and 13 Minutes and The Death House in development with Compelling Pictures. Sarah lives in the historic town of Stony Stratford, the home of the Cock and Bull story, with her dog Ted. Her next novel, Insomnia, is out in 2022. You can follow Sarah on Twitter at @sarahpinborough.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 760 reviews
April 28, 2025
March 2025 reread
If you were going to be cruel, then admit it. Embrace it. Anything else was just self-delusion and weakness.
Young queen Lilith, 24; step-daughter, Snow, is 20.
Much older king: Snow’s father.
Magic.
She might not have their love. But she would have their fear.
The huntsman, 26.
Great-grandmother, from the Candy House.
The crone. The apple.
The wounded prince—his mutterings… (Beauty)…and his mysterious injuries…
The mouse.
Watch out for the juice! 🍎 😳 🧃
Even better on reread; so many seeds are planted for the future books.
“For me? Please?”
“Okay. If it will make you happy.”
“Yes. Yes, it will.”
original review
This is a very interesting read, and not at all what I expected.
Having much of the story told through the point of view of the Queen (Lilith) is a brilliant narrative choice. It's very enjoyable. She’s not a one-note character; she’s got a depth to her and is much more than a jealous, pretty face. She may be cruel, but she must be so to consolidate and retain her power in a male-dominated, misogynistic world. No one in this foreign kingdom loves her, so she chooses to rule by fear.
The four-year age difference between Lilith and Snow White is excellent. It serves to highlight the bright-line contrast between Lilith’s challenging upbringing and Snow White’s easy, luxurious one. Snow White is definitely not as pure as the driven snow.
The arrival of the Huntsman and the ensuing seductions are illuminating. Cameos by the great-grandmother and Aladdin also enthrall.
The prince’s POV chapters seemed a bit jarring—until they suddenly make sense.
The ending is fantastic—not at all what you’d expect from this sort of material, but everything you’d expect from the brilliance that is the mind of Sarah Pinborough. She is an amazing author who consistently fails to disappoint.
If you were going to be cruel, then admit it. Embrace it. Anything else was just self-delusion and weakness.
Young queen Lilith, 24; step-daughter, Snow, is 20.
Much older king: Snow’s father.
Magic.
She might not have their love. But she would have their fear.
The huntsman, 26.
Great-grandmother, from the Candy House.
The crone. The apple.
The wounded prince—his mutterings… (Beauty)…and his mysterious injuries…
The mouse.
Watch out for the juice! 🍎 😳 🧃
Even better on reread; so many seeds are planted for the future books.
“For me? Please?”
“Okay. If it will make you happy.”
“Yes. Yes, it will.”
original review
This is a very interesting read, and not at all what I expected.
Having much of the story told through the point of view of the Queen (Lilith) is a brilliant narrative choice. It's very enjoyable. She’s not a one-note character; she’s got a depth to her and is much more than a jealous, pretty face. She may be cruel, but she must be so to consolidate and retain her power in a male-dominated, misogynistic world. No one in this foreign kingdom loves her, so she chooses to rule by fear.
The four-year age difference between Lilith and Snow White is excellent. It serves to highlight the bright-line contrast between Lilith’s challenging upbringing and Snow White’s easy, luxurious one. Snow White is definitely not as pure as the driven snow.
The arrival of the Huntsman and the ensuing seductions are illuminating. Cameos by the great-grandmother and Aladdin also enthrall.
The prince’s POV chapters seemed a bit jarring—until they suddenly make sense.
The ending is fantastic—not at all what you’d expect from this sort of material, but everything you’d expect from the brilliance that is the mind of Sarah Pinborough. She is an amazing author who consistently fails to disappoint.
April 13, 2013
This book was a huge disappointment.
Let me start by saying I very much enjoy fairy tales and their retellings. When they are well done. I received an arc of this, knowing nothing more than that it was a new retelling of Snow White. I was suitably excited.
The book looks lovely. It's a lovely little hardback, nice cover, pretty illustrations inside, fancy font, only let down by the out-of-place photograph of "Snow White" on the back jacket. My first concerns were (1) the lack of synopsis, (2) that judging on appearance, the corny photograph on the back, the size of the text inside, the price, etc, it appeared to be aimed for teens and not adults as it was listed. I do not have a problem at all with reading teen-aimed fiction but this was being taglined as a "sexy" retelling. Sexy teen Snow White made me wary.
I was right to be wary. I don't think the author could quite make up her mind who her audience was; the book doesn't know what it wants to be. Everything about it is simplistic - from plot line, to characters, to sentence structure. It would be suitable for 9 -12 reading age EXCEPT for the gratuitous sex scenes. Yep, sex scenes. There are only four thorough the novel, but the novel is only 200 pages long, and the first takes place on page four. They're not hardcore explicit but it's clear exactly what's going on, especially in the final sex scene. Again, I don't mind sex in a novel but these scenes were completely gratuitous, plonked down in the middle of the story to give it a pinch of liveliness and didn't fit at all with the 9-12 audience it felt like it was written for. There are tenuous attempts to make the sex advance the plot or develop the characters but the detail of the sex scenes is pretty much unnecessary.
On the back of the jacket, we're told "It's Snow White, but not as you know her... now read the true story of Snow White, told the way it always should have been". I was hoping for an interesting characterisation of Snow White, perhaps one who isn't just a beautiful bimbo, with a storyline closer to the original Italian fairy tales. Nope, I was disappointed. It's very Disneyfied. There are dwarves called Grouchy and Dreamy and there's even a scene where a few dwarves stand on each other's shoulders with a big coat over them to escort Snow White to a ball. The author has clearly not moved far from her Disney DVD for reference; I have to say I was rather surprised to see the poisonous comb and bodice crop up.
The characters are all stock characters, all cardboard cut-outs. They're flat as pancakes. I suppose there's no time to develop them in what feels like a brief novella. Snow White is potentially the worst of the lot: she actually does nothing other than cry and laugh and get naked, but everyone loves her because she's beautiful and kind and "of the earth". Even so, the characters are inconsistent with the roles they've been given. The wicked queen, who was given the most potential as an interesting character, is at first portrayed as this strong, confident, knowledgeable, icy woman, who knows what she wants and is prepared to get it at any cost. Then all of a sudden, at her birthday ball, she throws a wobbly like a toddler because everyone is (as always) more interested in/enamoured of Snow White (like she expected them to be).
I thought the huntsman was good - a strong, brave, almost-ruthless man with a mysterious past, entranced by the dark queen - right up until the point he slept with Snow White. That was so inconsistent for both her and him. It jarred me completely out of the story, and Snow White's comments ("touch me like you touched her... Kiss me like she kissed you") were so inconceivable and unfitting for the character we've been given that I almost tossed the book aside there and then. At what other point in the story had Snow White ever wanted to be like her step-mother or have what her step-mother had?
The prince would have worked well (he was actually the only character that got better rather than worse) if it hadn't been for the way he suddenly pops up, 80 pages before the end, with no previous mention of him or his kingdom, and instantly falls in love with a dead girl. He has no name and only vague mentions of (another) mysterious past. Why do the dwarves let him stay? Why wouldn't they chase him away - especially when it becomes clear that they know just his very presence could cost them their lives. And why does Snow White agree to marry him, so out-of-the-blue, when she previously said she would never marry unless it was true love? The only idea I could come up with is because she's no longer a virgin, having given herself to the huntsman, but that doesn't seem like an idea that would bother this princess (and I assumed the time with the huntsman wasn't her first, either). Also, the scene where Snow White wakes up and meets the Prince for the first time made me want to vomit.
The queen's grandmother, the crone, also felt like an unnecessary player, added in only to make the final connection to the Disney film. Furthermore, she brings with her another unexplained inconsistency - her ability to get to the dwarves' cottage, when it is explicitly stated that only those pure of heart would be let through by the forest.
Pinborough tried to be clever by adding in Aladdin and Hansel and Gretel but once more it felt like an unnecessary trifle, toying with the story.
The ending just left me baffled. Absolutely nothing is solved at the end, all the reader is left with is a bunch of untied plot lines. What happens to the Queen when the King returns? Does he even return? What does the Prince do with Snow White's body, how does he explain it to his father, and how does it affect the relationship between the two countries when he'd been hoping to end the war by their marriage? Do the dwarves survive both the Queen's wrath now she knows they were harbouring Snow White and the Prince's assassin? Does the Huntsman survive, and where does his trail of breadcrumbs lead - to the crone or towards Snow White? Is the Queen happy now? Does the country revolt against her?
There was some potential here. The majority of the book is told from the Queen's point of view, which is refreshing and interesting, but her motives aren't clear at all. The fact that she is so young (only four years older than Snow White) is a really interesting idea and could lead to a great rivalry between the two women, and thus their falling out, but unfortunately it just isn't used to it's full potential.
The shallowness of the prince and his obsession with beauty and his horror when he discovers Snow White's "true character" is, again, one of the few highlights. Of course, this links back to the beginning, when the Queen tries to convince the King that Snow White isn't ladylike enough and doesn't behave like a proper princess, but it's about the only time a point of characterisation is re-addressed in such a way.
The fact that the prince ends up killing Snow White with the remainder of the poisoned apple is definitely a twist. Again, not exactly used to it's best, since everything he'd been hoping to gain from this marriage is now rendered mute. Why doesn't he attempt to tame Snow White (like a horse, as he suggested) rather than kill her?
I will say that "Poison" is a good title for the book, since that is the only overarching theme. The Queen is poisoned by her bitterness/jealousy/hatred, she poisons the land with her cruelty, she is poisoned by the magic mirror. The comb is poisoned, the apple is poisoned, Snow White is poisoned twice - by her step-mother and her husband, etc.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, unless they were really intent upon reading a novelisation of the Disney film, with some sex thrown in for good measure. Such a shame it's got such a gorgeous cover!
Let me start by saying I very much enjoy fairy tales and their retellings. When they are well done. I received an arc of this, knowing nothing more than that it was a new retelling of Snow White. I was suitably excited.
The book looks lovely. It's a lovely little hardback, nice cover, pretty illustrations inside, fancy font, only let down by the out-of-place photograph of "Snow White" on the back jacket. My first concerns were (1) the lack of synopsis, (2) that judging on appearance, the corny photograph on the back, the size of the text inside, the price, etc, it appeared to be aimed for teens and not adults as it was listed. I do not have a problem at all with reading teen-aimed fiction but this was being taglined as a "sexy" retelling. Sexy teen Snow White made me wary.
I was right to be wary. I don't think the author could quite make up her mind who her audience was; the book doesn't know what it wants to be. Everything about it is simplistic - from plot line, to characters, to sentence structure. It would be suitable for 9 -12 reading age EXCEPT for the gratuitous sex scenes. Yep, sex scenes. There are only four thorough the novel, but the novel is only 200 pages long, and the first takes place on page four. They're not hardcore explicit but it's clear exactly what's going on, especially in the final sex scene. Again, I don't mind sex in a novel but these scenes were completely gratuitous, plonked down in the middle of the story to give it a pinch of liveliness and didn't fit at all with the 9-12 audience it felt like it was written for. There are tenuous attempts to make the sex advance the plot or develop the characters but the detail of the sex scenes is pretty much unnecessary.
On the back of the jacket, we're told "It's Snow White, but not as you know her... now read the true story of Snow White, told the way it always should have been". I was hoping for an interesting characterisation of Snow White, perhaps one who isn't just a beautiful bimbo, with a storyline closer to the original Italian fairy tales. Nope, I was disappointed. It's very Disneyfied. There are dwarves called Grouchy and Dreamy and there's even a scene where a few dwarves stand on each other's shoulders with a big coat over them to escort Snow White to a ball. The author has clearly not moved far from her Disney DVD for reference; I have to say I was rather surprised to see the poisonous comb and bodice crop up.
The characters are all stock characters, all cardboard cut-outs. They're flat as pancakes. I suppose there's no time to develop them in what feels like a brief novella. Snow White is potentially the worst of the lot: she actually does nothing other than cry and laugh and get naked, but everyone loves her because she's beautiful and kind and "of the earth". Even so, the characters are inconsistent with the roles they've been given. The wicked queen, who was given the most potential as an interesting character, is at first portrayed as this strong, confident, knowledgeable, icy woman, who knows what she wants and is prepared to get it at any cost. Then all of a sudden, at her birthday ball, she throws a wobbly like a toddler because everyone is (as always) more interested in/enamoured of Snow White (like she expected them to be).
I thought the huntsman was good - a strong, brave, almost-ruthless man with a mysterious past, entranced by the dark queen - right up until the point he slept with Snow White. That was so inconsistent for both her and him. It jarred me completely out of the story, and Snow White's comments ("touch me like you touched her... Kiss me like she kissed you") were so inconceivable and unfitting for the character we've been given that I almost tossed the book aside there and then. At what other point in the story had Snow White ever wanted to be like her step-mother or have what her step-mother had?
The prince would have worked well (he was actually the only character that got better rather than worse) if it hadn't been for the way he suddenly pops up, 80 pages before the end, with no previous mention of him or his kingdom, and instantly falls in love with a dead girl. He has no name and only vague mentions of (another) mysterious past. Why do the dwarves let him stay? Why wouldn't they chase him away - especially when it becomes clear that they know just his very presence could cost them their lives. And why does Snow White agree to marry him, so out-of-the-blue, when she previously said she would never marry unless it was true love? The only idea I could come up with is because she's no longer a virgin, having given herself to the huntsman, but that doesn't seem like an idea that would bother this princess (and I assumed the time with the huntsman wasn't her first, either). Also, the scene where Snow White wakes up and meets the Prince for the first time made me want to vomit.
The queen's grandmother, the crone, also felt like an unnecessary player, added in only to make the final connection to the Disney film. Furthermore, she brings with her another unexplained inconsistency - her ability to get to the dwarves' cottage, when it is explicitly stated that only those pure of heart would be let through by the forest.
Pinborough tried to be clever by adding in Aladdin and Hansel and Gretel but once more it felt like an unnecessary trifle, toying with the story.
The ending just left me baffled. Absolutely nothing is solved at the end, all the reader is left with is a bunch of untied plot lines. What happens to the Queen when the King returns? Does he even return? What does the Prince do with Snow White's body, how does he explain it to his father, and how does it affect the relationship between the two countries when he'd been hoping to end the war by their marriage? Do the dwarves survive both the Queen's wrath now she knows they were harbouring Snow White and the Prince's assassin? Does the Huntsman survive, and where does his trail of breadcrumbs lead - to the crone or towards Snow White? Is the Queen happy now? Does the country revolt against her?
There was some potential here. The majority of the book is told from the Queen's point of view, which is refreshing and interesting, but her motives aren't clear at all. The fact that she is so young (only four years older than Snow White) is a really interesting idea and could lead to a great rivalry between the two women, and thus their falling out, but unfortunately it just isn't used to it's full potential.
The shallowness of the prince and his obsession with beauty and his horror when he discovers Snow White's "true character" is, again, one of the few highlights. Of course, this links back to the beginning, when the Queen tries to convince the King that Snow White isn't ladylike enough and doesn't behave like a proper princess, but it's about the only time a point of characterisation is re-addressed in such a way.
The fact that the prince ends up killing Snow White with the remainder of the poisoned apple is definitely a twist. Again, not exactly used to it's best, since everything he'd been hoping to gain from this marriage is now rendered mute. Why doesn't he attempt to tame Snow White (like a horse, as he suggested) rather than kill her?
I will say that "Poison" is a good title for the book, since that is the only overarching theme. The Queen is poisoned by her bitterness/jealousy/hatred, she poisons the land with her cruelty, she is poisoned by the magic mirror. The comb is poisoned, the apple is poisoned, Snow White is poisoned twice - by her step-mother and her husband, etc.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, unless they were really intent upon reading a novelisation of the Disney film, with some sex thrown in for good measure. Such a shame it's got such a gorgeous cover!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2024
A twisted, dark retelling of Snow White, with layers of intrigue and self-absorbed characters. The writing style is as simple as one would expect from a classic fairytale, but unlike the Disney version, it’s layered with complex adult emotions.
The story begins with the stepmother, Lilith, talking to her husband the king about how miserable the dwarves are. She tries to explain that just because they sing, doesn’t mean they’re happy.
Lilith is the star of this story. She has been molded from an early age, contorted and forced into an image to be used by her father, and now her husband. She is only four years older than her stepdaughter, Snow White. She is gorgeous, driven, intelligent and brutal.
Snow White is a carefree, generous, drink-you-under-the-table, independent, unintentionally selfish, non-traditional princess.
Prince Charming isn’t charming at all. I found it quite interesting that he falls in love with Snow, while she is “sleeping” and basically a corpse. He doesn’t like her when she is awake and has, ya know, opinions and emotions. How peasant-like of her.
The Huntsman came across as noble at first, but is ruled by his genitals at the end.
The magic mirror was very interesting, possibly a representation of our internal thoughts. Rather than empower the queen, it seem to only poke at her insecurities. She never asks it questions, but it constantly told her she was lacking.
None of these characters are who they seem, everyone is manipulating everyone else for their own benefit, with the exception of Dreamy, the dwarf.
I was impressed with the writing and unique take on this story, but I had a difficult time connecting to any of the characters. This author makes some valid points on women in fairytales, and certainly real life as well. Do we create that which we most fear? Is Snow White what women would be like without being controlled/manipulated and is a Lilith the product of that control?
I think reading all three books is a must in order to completely understand these characters. On to book two!
Thank you for the recommendation Dan!
The story begins with the stepmother, Lilith, talking to her husband the king about how miserable the dwarves are. She tries to explain that just because they sing, doesn’t mean they’re happy.
Lilith is the star of this story. She has been molded from an early age, contorted and forced into an image to be used by her father, and now her husband. She is only four years older than her stepdaughter, Snow White. She is gorgeous, driven, intelligent and brutal.
Snow White is a carefree, generous, drink-you-under-the-table, independent, unintentionally selfish, non-traditional princess.
Prince Charming isn’t charming at all. I found it quite interesting that he falls in love with Snow, while she is “sleeping” and basically a corpse. He doesn’t like her when she is awake and has, ya know, opinions and emotions. How peasant-like of her.
The Huntsman came across as noble at first, but is ruled by his genitals at the end.
The magic mirror was very interesting, possibly a representation of our internal thoughts. Rather than empower the queen, it seem to only poke at her insecurities. She never asks it questions, but it constantly told her she was lacking.
None of these characters are who they seem, everyone is manipulating everyone else for their own benefit, with the exception of Dreamy, the dwarf.
I was impressed with the writing and unique take on this story, but I had a difficult time connecting to any of the characters. This author makes some valid points on women in fairytales, and certainly real life as well. Do we create that which we most fear? Is Snow White what women would be like without being controlled/manipulated and is a Lilith the product of that control?
I think reading all three books is a must in order to completely understand these characters. On to book two!
Thank you for the recommendation Dan!
October 3, 2016
THE REVIEW
Why this book?
I love fairytale retellings
What I thought
This is how a fairytale retellings should be written. Stick to the original tale and add your own spin to it. That's exactly what Sarah Pinborough did with Poison . I just loved her Snow white she was a feisty tom boy who didn't let anyone get in her way. I also loved the dwarfs, there names were very creative. This book was imaginative and sexy. There may or may not be a happily ever after. With that said definitely not a book for kids. I recommend it to fans of the tale of Snow white.
Why this book?
I love fairytale retellings
What I thought
This is how a fairytale retellings should be written. Stick to the original tale and add your own spin to it. That's exactly what Sarah Pinborough did with Poison . I just loved her Snow white she was a feisty tom boy who didn't let anyone get in her way. I also loved the dwarfs, there names were very creative. This book was imaginative and sexy. There may or may not be a happily ever after. With that said definitely not a book for kids. I recommend it to fans of the tale of Snow white.
October 18, 2016
Wow! I really enjoyed this book. I normally don't like remakes of fairytales, but I really enjoyed this one. Also, I am normally not much of a fan of fantasy, but this book was so easy and smooth to read.
My friend went to Canada to her visit family and bought this book. We both are enjoying it so much that she bought the other two stories in the series on Amazon and we are going to read it for book club :)
There were parts in this book that seemed a little random and didn't fit, so that is why it is only a 4 star. However, I really enjoyed the read and its only 200 pages so it went very fast.
My friend went to Canada to her visit family and bought this book. We both are enjoying it so much that she bought the other two stories in the series on Amazon and we are going to read it for book club :)
There were parts in this book that seemed a little random and didn't fit, so that is why it is only a 4 star. However, I really enjoyed the read and its only 200 pages so it went very fast.
August 14, 2022
ОК – ако търсите история, която да преобърне из основи цялата ви представа за приказката за Снежанка, това е точната книга.
Аз по-скоро съм със смесени впечатления от прочетеното.
От една страна си е приятна фентъзи история, базирана на позната и популярна приказка, от друга смятам, че с някои неща авторката определено е попрекалила.
Големият препъни камък в тази книга, както прочетох и сред повечето ревюта, преобладаващо е недоволството за еротичните сцени. А те са 4 на брой, описващи в детайли интимни моменти между:
- Злата кралица и краля
- Злата кралица и ловеца
- Снежанка и ловеца
- Снежанка и принца
Като последната сцена е най-подробна и описателна откъм детайли, което, признавам си, и на мен в един момент ми дойде в повече. Лично аз смятам, че около истории, базирани на приказки, трябва да се пипа много внимателно, и такива сцени, ако сюжетът ги изисква, не бива да бъдат описвани чак в такива подробности, а да бъде минато през тях много фино само със загатване за ставащото и останалото да се остави на въображенията на читателите. Все пак приказките поначало са романтични и за мен е добре романтиката в тях да бъде запазена. Ако аз имах за задача да напиша история около Снежанка със сигурност не бих включил нито една от изброените сцени и щях да наблегна на съвсем други неща, но тук изглежда целта на авторката е била именно това.
Откъм персонажи този на кралицата е най-добре разгърнат. Снежанка тук е представена като някаква мъжкарана – облича се като мъж, язди като мъж, пие повече от мъжете 😂. Образ съвсем различен на този на нежната принцеса от класическата приказка. Принцът и той също е нещо смахнат, но не всичко около него беше разяснено. Интересно дали в следващите книги „Charm“ и „Beauty“ той ще е сред действащите лица и ще продължи развитието на неговата история или книгите са независими една от друга. У нас изглежда е издадена само първата книга, можело е все пак да пуснат цялата трилогия, че сега нещата остават някъде в нищото.
+/-
✔ Фентъзи, базирано на приказки – определено много харесвам такива истории и адмирирам опитите за различни интерпретации и вариации на познатите ни приказки.
✔ Добре създадена приказна атмосфера.
✔ Красиви илюстрации в края на всяка глава (има ги в английското издание).
✔/🚫 Добре изграден образ на Злата кралица (Лилит). Добре изграден образ на джуджето Мечтателко. И не толкова добро изграждане при Снежанка и принца.
✔/🚫 Включването на допълнителни приказки към сюжета на основната. По интересен начин са вплетени Аладин, вещицата от Хензел и Гретел и пантофките на Пепеляшка. Но тук ми се искаше да са включени и преплетени доста повече истории, сюжетът го позволява, но авторката не се е задействала на 100%.
🚫 Една от най-ключовите сцени в цялата история, когато Снежанка получава отровната ябълка, липсва. Тук нещата са разказани през гледната точка на джуджетата. Може би авторката е сметнала, че това е всеизвестно и не си струва да му отделя време да го описва, но според мен трябва да го има.
🚫 Еротичните сцени – не съм категорично против такива, но просто с последната смятам, че авторката се е поувлякла и е попресолила манджата (получавайки се нещо в стил ала 50 нюанса) 😂.
🚫 Можело е да се помисли и за някоя малко по-комична сцена, свързана с джуджетата например, че сега книгата е лишена от всякакъв приличен хумор.
Ако трябва да сравня книгата с друга интерпретация на Снежанка, веднага се сещам за сериала „Once Upon a Time“ в чиято основа е заложена същата приказка, но там нещата са в пъти по-добре поднесени и представени за мен. А Злата кралица в лицето на Лана Парила я намирам за от една най-добрите интерпретации на този персонаж досега.
P.S. На този етап се затруднявам с категорична оценка за книгата. Със сигурност е над 3 звезди и някъде под 4. По средата – плаващо засега. Да кажем 3.35. Но трябва да прочета и останалите две – „Charm“ и „Beauty“ – за финално становище по темата.
😊 😊 😊
Аз по-скоро съм със смесени впечатления от прочетеното.
От една страна си е приятна фентъзи история, базирана на позната и популярна приказка, от друга смятам, че с някои неща авторката определено е попрекалила.
Големият препъни камък в тази книга, както прочетох и сред повечето ревюта, преобладаващо е недоволството за еротичните сцени. А те са 4 на брой, описващи в детайли интимни моменти между:
- Злата кралица и краля
- Злата кралица и ловеца
- Снежанка и ловеца
- Снежанка и принца
Като последната сцена е най-подробна и описателна откъм детайли, което, признавам си, и на мен в един момент ми дойде в повече. Лично аз смятам, че около истории, базирани на приказки, трябва да се пипа много внимателно, и такива сцени, ако сюжетът ги изисква, не бива да бъдат описвани чак в такива подробности, а да бъде минато през тях много фино само със загатване за ставащото и останалото да се остави на въображенията на читателите. Все пак приказките поначало са романтични и за мен е добре романтиката в тях да бъде запазена. Ако аз имах за задача да напиша история около Снежанка със сигурност не бих включил нито една от изброените сцени и щях да наблегна на съвсем други неща, но тук изглежда целта на авторката е била именно това.
Откъм персонажи този на кралицата е най-добре разгърнат. Снежанка тук е представена като някаква мъжкарана – облича се като мъж, язди като мъж, пие повече от мъжете 😂. Образ съвсем различен на този на нежната принцеса от класическата приказка. Принцът и той също е нещо смахнат, но не всичко около него беше разяснено. Интересно дали в следващите книги „Charm“ и „Beauty“ той ще е сред действащите лица и ще продължи развитието на неговата история или книгите са независими една от друга. У нас изглежда е издадена само първата книга, можело е все пак да пуснат цялата трилогия, че сега нещата остават някъде в нищото.
+/-
✔ Фентъзи, базирано на приказки – определено много харесвам такива истории и адмирирам опитите за различни интерпретации и вариации на познатите ни приказки.
✔ Добре създадена приказна атмосфера.
✔ Красиви илюстрации в края на всяка глава (има ги в английското издание).
✔/🚫 Добре изграден образ на Злата кралица (Лилит). Добре изграден образ на джуджето Мечтателко. И не толкова добро изграждане при Снежанка и принца.
✔/🚫 Включването на допълнителни приказки към сюжета на основната. По интересен начин са вплетени Аладин, вещицата от Хензел и Гретел и пантофките на Пепеляшка. Но тук ми се искаше да са включени и преплетени доста повече истории, сюжетът го позволява, но авторката не се е задействала на 100%.
🚫 Една от най-ключовите сцени в цялата история, когато Снежанка получава отровната ябълка, липсва. Тук нещата са разказани през гледната точка на джуджетата. Може би авторката е сметнала, че това е всеизвестно и не си струва да му отделя време да го описва, но според мен трябва да го има.
🚫 Еротичните сцени – не съм категорично против такива, но просто с последната смятам, че авторката се е поувлякла и е попресолила манджата (получавайки се нещо в стил ала 50 нюанса) 😂.
🚫 Можело е да се помисли и за някоя малко по-комична сцена, свързана с джуджетата например, че сега книгата е лишена от всякакъв приличен хумор.
Ако трябва да сравня книгата с друга интерпретация на Снежанка, веднага се сещам за сериала „Once Upon a Time“ в чиято основа е заложена същата приказка, но там нещата са в пъти по-добре поднесени и представени за мен. А Злата кралица в лицето на Лана Парила я намирам за от една най-добрите интерпретации на този персонаж досега.
P.S. На този етап се затруднявам с категорична оценка за книгата. Със сигурност е над 3 звезди и някъде под 4. По средата – плаващо засега. Да кажем 3.35. Но трябва да прочета и останалите две – „Charm“ и „Beauty“ – за финално становище по темата.
😊 😊 😊
September 9, 2017
Not really impressed! Too simple for adults, too explicit for youngers.... I expected more. I liked the mixing of different fairy tales though.
February 23, 2018
EDIT: I KNOW that I just added the second book to my TBR after hating on Poison, but apparently each book in this trilogy links together to explain unanswered questions at the end. THEREFORE, I must, by book law (s. 23 of the Biblio Code), see this series through before I barf on it as a whole.
INITIAL THOUGHTS: I’m not sure if I want to barf first, then run to Chapters and demand a refund OR run to Chapters first, demand a refund, then barf when I get home. What. Da. Eff. Did. I. Just. Read. #grossies
INITIAL THOUGHTS: I’m not sure if I want to barf first, then run to Chapters and demand a refund OR run to Chapters first, demand a refund, then barf when I get home. What. Da. Eff. Did. I. Just. Read. #grossies
May 30, 2013
The problem with this book is that it does not seem to know which audience it is written for. A first approximation guess would be that its written for young adults/teenagers given that the language and sentence structure used is fairly basic, the character development two dimensional (and predictable to experienced or adult readers) but then you get a sex scene on the 4th page. We are not talking anything explicit, but it’s certainly the kind of scene that the parents of a 13 year old might object to.
So if it’s not for young adults who is it for? Well it could be argued that it’s for fantasy readers, possibly the type who enjoy the books written by Kristin Cashore or Philippa Ballantine, but that comparison breaks down pretty quickly as well. As already said, the language and sentence structure is basic to say the least, but the real kicker here is the painfully lazy approach to characterisation. Every single character is a two dimensional stereotype of the worst order. We have the “evil” Queen who is either evil incarnate or merely misunderstood and unhappy (the author can’t decide), the princess who is a bubblehead of the highest order, whose greatest intellectual leap in the first half of the book is to grasp the idea that some people are just not that nice. There was some promise when the huntsman turned up, but after a few pages of development he resorted to type as well. "Graceling" et al may not be my cup of tea, but Cashore's writing ability is light years ahead of Sarah Pinborough based on this evidence.
Given the effort that modern fantasy takes to create characters of note, and the way the genre has turned away from the classic forms of characterisation this book really is a step (or fifty) backward. Of course you could argue that the author is writing a version of a classic fairy tale, and so is naturally trapped by old fashioned character design. I would retort that this is meant to be a reimaging, an opportunity to put a new spin on things. An opportunity the author has failed to take.
My biggest complaint though is the authors approach to world creation and scene setting. If this is designed to be a book for (young) teenagers then I can begin to understand why the author felt that it was necessary to badly shoehorn a bunch of references to other fairy tales into the book, but the way it was done was so lazy and half-arsed that I actually felt shock that any editor worth their salt in the publishing industry let this book go to print. It was not just the world building either, the few bits of exposition that the author indulged in was so hackneyed that it was embarrassing to read. It was paint by numbers fantasy world setting – the king’s relationship to the kingdom and the attitude to the dwarves for example was described in such a basic fashion that I would have been ashamed to write in such a way when I was doing creative writing in English class aged 11.
At this point I was going to talk about the ending of the book, but I find that I just cannot be bothered. The phrase “plot hole” does not do it justice. “Plot chasm” perhaps, or “plot abyss”. A problem so big that it turns a book already in the running for worst book I have read in over five years into a contender for the most pointless piece of literature I have ever picked up.
So… where to end? For adults, especially those who are familiar with fantasy and/or the classic fairy tales (Grimm style, not Disney) this book is a waste of time, effort and money. For young teenagers it is let down by the inexplicable and pointless (from a plot point of view) addition of some fairly graphic (in an implied way) sex scenes. Frankly though, even if those bits were removed I would not recommend this book to anyone – even young teenagers would regard this as a derivative waste of time, and those in the 10-12 range would not be able to understand why a classic tale had been butchered in this manner.
If I could give zero out of five I would.
So if it’s not for young adults who is it for? Well it could be argued that it’s for fantasy readers, possibly the type who enjoy the books written by Kristin Cashore or Philippa Ballantine, but that comparison breaks down pretty quickly as well. As already said, the language and sentence structure is basic to say the least, but the real kicker here is the painfully lazy approach to characterisation. Every single character is a two dimensional stereotype of the worst order. We have the “evil” Queen who is either evil incarnate or merely misunderstood and unhappy (the author can’t decide), the princess who is a bubblehead of the highest order, whose greatest intellectual leap in the first half of the book is to grasp the idea that some people are just not that nice. There was some promise when the huntsman turned up, but after a few pages of development he resorted to type as well. "Graceling" et al may not be my cup of tea, but Cashore's writing ability is light years ahead of Sarah Pinborough based on this evidence.
Given the effort that modern fantasy takes to create characters of note, and the way the genre has turned away from the classic forms of characterisation this book really is a step (or fifty) backward. Of course you could argue that the author is writing a version of a classic fairy tale, and so is naturally trapped by old fashioned character design. I would retort that this is meant to be a reimaging, an opportunity to put a new spin on things. An opportunity the author has failed to take.
My biggest complaint though is the authors approach to world creation and scene setting. If this is designed to be a book for (young) teenagers then I can begin to understand why the author felt that it was necessary to badly shoehorn a bunch of references to other fairy tales into the book, but the way it was done was so lazy and half-arsed that I actually felt shock that any editor worth their salt in the publishing industry let this book go to print. It was not just the world building either, the few bits of exposition that the author indulged in was so hackneyed that it was embarrassing to read. It was paint by numbers fantasy world setting – the king’s relationship to the kingdom and the attitude to the dwarves for example was described in such a basic fashion that I would have been ashamed to write in such a way when I was doing creative writing in English class aged 11.
At this point I was going to talk about the ending of the book, but I find that I just cannot be bothered. The phrase “plot hole” does not do it justice. “Plot chasm” perhaps, or “plot abyss”. A problem so big that it turns a book already in the running for worst book I have read in over five years into a contender for the most pointless piece of literature I have ever picked up.
So… where to end? For adults, especially those who are familiar with fantasy and/or the classic fairy tales (Grimm style, not Disney) this book is a waste of time, effort and money. For young teenagers it is let down by the inexplicable and pointless (from a plot point of view) addition of some fairly graphic (in an implied way) sex scenes. Frankly though, even if those bits were removed I would not recommend this book to anyone – even young teenagers would regard this as a derivative waste of time, and those in the 10-12 range would not be able to understand why a classic tale had been butchered in this manner.
If I could give zero out of five I would.
June 24, 2016
3.75 Stars
Poison is the retold story of the fairytale Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. At first, this didn't seem too different from the original story we know as Snow White. There was a King and Queen, a step-mother who despised her step-daughter, Snow White with pale skin and dark hair and dwarves who were her friends. Most of this story was told through Snow's stepmother Lilith's point of view (whose granny is the witch in the gingerbread house fyi) and that was pretty interesting. She seemed to struggle a lot between good and evil with evil normally winning but there were glimpses of her when the reader could see her regret at her own actions. Things took a complete turnaround once I thought happily ever after was after coming to Snow and I was a bit speechless at the dark twist. I guess these are fairytales when there isn't a happily every after...
Poison is the retold story of the fairytale Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. At first, this didn't seem too different from the original story we know as Snow White. There was a King and Queen, a step-mother who despised her step-daughter, Snow White with pale skin and dark hair and dwarves who were her friends. Most of this story was told through Snow's stepmother Lilith's point of view (whose granny is the witch in the gingerbread house fyi) and that was pretty interesting. She seemed to struggle a lot between good and evil with evil normally winning but there were glimpses of her when the reader could see her regret at her own actions. Things took a complete turnaround once I thought happily ever after was after coming to Snow and I was a bit speechless at the dark twist. I guess these are fairytales when there isn't a happily every after...
October 19, 2016
An excellent rewrite of Snow White and the 7 dwarves.
Snow White is not the innocent maiden of Disney fame. She's not your typical fairy tale princess either. 'Snow' shuns convention and regularly goes skinny dipping with a bunch of dwarves in the forest... she swigs beer and loves practical jokes and that's just for starters! Everyone loves her (apart from the evil stepmother of course), but will she find true love and live happily ever after...?
The re-write was cleverly done. Snow became a voluptuous 3d character and the ending was most satisfying.
The author uses our knowledge of fairy tales to create a history of the kingdom and hint at other adventures to come... I expect some details to be twisted and 'grim'.
Well done Sarah Pinborough. I'll be reading more...
Snow White is not the innocent maiden of Disney fame. She's not your typical fairy tale princess either. 'Snow' shuns convention and regularly goes skinny dipping with a bunch of dwarves in the forest... she swigs beer and loves practical jokes and that's just for starters! Everyone loves her (apart from the evil stepmother of course), but will she find true love and live happily ever after...?
The re-write was cleverly done. Snow became a voluptuous 3d character and the ending was most satisfying.
The author uses our knowledge of fairy tales to create a history of the kingdom and hint at other adventures to come... I expect some details to be twisted and 'grim'.
Well done Sarah Pinborough. I'll be reading more...
February 21, 2018
I wasn't at all sure I was going to like this book but I was pleasantly surprised that I did enjoy it but I didn't feel like it had blown my mind with something new. I won this book and the sequel Charm in a competition so considering I didn't pay for it (and I would never pay £10 for a book this size, it's tiny no matter how pretty it is, meaning I'm unlikely to buy any further books in the series). It was a nice idea but the actual writing let the book down big time as you just cannot like the characters at all as you don't get the chance to really know them. I liked it but didn't love it!
July 13, 2017
Тъй като обожавам приказките нямаше как поне малко да не се вълнувам за този нов прочит на приказката "Снежанка" - това бе и единственото, което ме привлече към романа на Пинбъра - "Отрова". Далеч нямах високи очаквания към книгата и все пак някак си тя успя да ме разочарова. Липсваше ми оригиналност по отношение на сюжета - книгата твърде много се доближаваше до приказката (с изключение на 1-2 момента) и очаквах по-големи промени и въображение особено в завръзката на историята. Героите, от своя страна, бяха доста по-различни от тези в приказката, беше дадено повече от техния интимен живот, а някои от тях бяха в изцяло нов образ, превърнати от герои в антигерои. За съжаление обаче тази тяхна нова визия според мен беше пълен провал! Не изпитах симпатия към никой от тях, а само обикновена апатия. Не мисля, че бих дала шанс на останалите части от поредица, дори и заради последните моменти от тази книга, които за мен бяха единственото интересно в нея.
April 22, 2013
Sarah Pinborough has woven a wonderful little tale based on the "Snow White" original fairytale..where our heroine is not quite as snowy and white as she once was, and the evil Queen has hidden depths and an agenda not seen in the wonderful world of Disney. I will caution - this is for adults, don't be reading it to the little ones, this one is all for us grown ups (well those of us who are perhaps not QUITE as grown up as we appear!) Ms Pinborough is adept at weaving in elements of the story we all remember from our childhood, whilst turning it on its head and giving us a brand new interpretation which is an absolute joy to read. The ending was stunning - and what with threads of other fairy tales dotted about in there, I think I see a pattern emerging. "Charm" and "Beauty" are following soon and I will be first in line to devour them. In the meantime we will have "Mayhem" to keep us busy - if this is what the author can do with Snow White I am really looking forward to what she may do with Jack the Ripper! On a final note: If you can, get yourself a hardcopy of this book rather than the Kindle version (I picked one up from my local bookshop) - it is absolutely beautiful, and the illustrations that send you headlong into each chapter are fantastic and add to overall aesthetic feel of the novel. I stand in awe. More please.
June 1, 2016
Weird. Really weird.
April 9, 2018
Ok-*claps hands once*
So this book had a lot of pros and cons. Let's start with the right side shall we?
What I really enjoyed about this book was the creativity of the re-telling. I would have never thought Snow Whites story would have been this way. I mean- she DOESNT eat the apple and fall asleep. It gets lodge in her throat and doesn't come out until she starts coughing it up months later. (Sure, that parts not realistic, but this is fairy tale right?) I thought the prince was pretty clever for pretending he was in love with her and watching her sleep the whole winter and then killing her the day after their wedding.
Let's get to the bad stuff. I was sort of disappointed by the romance in this book. Trust me- there was PLENTY of it (a little too much). First there's the evil queen who's forced to do things with the king who's young enough to be his daughter, then there's the whole scene between the huntsman and the evil queen.. and then again with the huntsman and Snow White. Not only is the wedding night between Snow White and the prince very graphic, it also shows how much disrespect the prince gives her. That was the main problem.
I recommend this to anyone who loves re-tellings, but beware of some of the content. Message me or comment below on what you think of this review!!
So this book had a lot of pros and cons. Let's start with the right side shall we?
What I really enjoyed about this book was the creativity of the re-telling. I would have never thought Snow Whites story would have been this way. I mean- she DOESNT eat the apple and fall asleep. It gets lodge in her throat and doesn't come out until she starts coughing it up months later. (Sure, that parts not realistic, but this is fairy tale right?) I thought the prince was pretty clever for pretending he was in love with her and watching her sleep the whole winter and then killing her the day after their wedding.
Let's get to the bad stuff. I was sort of disappointed by the romance in this book. Trust me- there was PLENTY of it (a little too much). First there's the evil queen who's forced to do things with the king who's young enough to be his daughter, then there's the whole scene between the huntsman and the evil queen.. and then again with the huntsman and Snow White. Not only is the wedding night between Snow White and the prince very graphic, it also shows how much disrespect the prince gives her. That was the main problem.
I recommend this to anyone who loves re-tellings, but beware of some of the content. Message me or comment below on what you think of this review!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2015
This is a difficult book to decide about, for me. I like the narration, the way it’s written; it’s deceptively simply written, with that fairytale like tone, and yet there’s a lot of rewriting going on. It’s not just the sexual content, but also the ambivalent attitude to the same. There’s casual sex, sex for power, shameful sex… You’d think it would be sex positive, with the powerful figures of Snow White and Lilith, but it really isn’t; sex is a thing that people seem to use to control each other, it’s just taking of power.
I’m not a big fan of all that, though I’m thinking that probably wasn’t what the author wanted a reader to take away from the story. But the ambivalence isn’t just about the portrayal of sex: it’s also about Lilith, the wicked stepmother. She’s young, she used to laugh, and Snow wants to get through to her… but she’s transforming into something wicked. There’s a commentary there on power and powerlessness, too. Sometimes it seems like we’re meant to pity Lilith, to believe she’s doing things wrong but wishing she could get them right. Sometimes she just seems hateful. The line isn’t walked delicately enough to keep both sides in sight.
There’s also all the allusions to other stories — Aladdin, Hansel and Gretel — which felt too obtrusive to be clever, to me.
I’m planning to read Charm, and maybe Beauty as well, and that might help me figure out what to think.
Originally posted here.
I’m not a big fan of all that, though I’m thinking that probably wasn’t what the author wanted a reader to take away from the story. But the ambivalence isn’t just about the portrayal of sex: it’s also about Lilith, the wicked stepmother. She’s young, she used to laugh, and Snow wants to get through to her… but she’s transforming into something wicked. There’s a commentary there on power and powerlessness, too. Sometimes it seems like we’re meant to pity Lilith, to believe she’s doing things wrong but wishing she could get them right. Sometimes she just seems hateful. The line isn’t walked delicately enough to keep both sides in sight.
There’s also all the allusions to other stories — Aladdin, Hansel and Gretel — which felt too obtrusive to be clever, to me.
I’m planning to read Charm, and maybe Beauty as well, and that might help me figure out what to think.
Originally posted here.
May 12, 2013
Rating this was so hard. After a pretty dull beginning I enjoyed the middle portion of the book only to feel like I'd been kicked in the stomach when I reached the end.
Spoilers ahead.
It was just so disappointing after the positives I'd heard about the book. The 'modern spin' that the blurb talks about is anything but in light of the conclusion. In some ways it reminded me of old school Hollywood where any female character who showed even the slightest evidence of sexual promiscuity had to endure an unfortunate fate or end in order to be redeemed. After showing us that the queen might not be so entirely evil, she still ends up alone and possibly insane. Snow, on the other hand, is put back into her poison induced coma by her less than charming prince who is dissatisfied - even threatened - to learn that his new wife is independent and spirited. He returns triumphant to his homeland. Some books can have a dissatisfying ending and still be enjoyable and thought provoking. This was not one of them.
Spoilers ahead.
It was just so disappointing after the positives I'd heard about the book. The 'modern spin' that the blurb talks about is anything but in light of the conclusion. In some ways it reminded me of old school Hollywood where any female character who showed even the slightest evidence of sexual promiscuity had to endure an unfortunate fate or end in order to be redeemed. After showing us that the queen might not be so entirely evil, she still ends up alone and possibly insane. Snow, on the other hand, is put back into her poison induced coma by her less than charming prince who is dissatisfied - even threatened - to learn that his new wife is independent and spirited. He returns triumphant to his homeland. Some books can have a dissatisfying ending and still be enjoyable and thought provoking. This was not one of them.
May 27, 2013
This is a lovely book to handle, and has some incredibly beautiful drawings inside indicating chapters and ‘pauses’, all in 200 pages. A “Snow White” re-telling, which originally I thought might be a Young Adult interpretation – be it a dark, mysterious version.
Oooops; within 5 (FIVE!) pages, I was brought up short with an exquisitely depicted sexually descriptive scene! OK, definitely Adult! (Yeah!)
So, we have the well-known fairy-story re-told in a (decidedly) different way. The wicked step-mother (whom we learn is named Lilith) is only four years older than Snow White, but who is definitely more world-wise. She knows how to manipulate the King by appealing to his baser urges; she knows the way of the Court and how appearances matter, but does not endear herself by maintaining an aloof and haughty attitude.
Snow White is young, happy, bright, and completely unaware of how her lackadaisical attitude affects other people. She is in fact, quite selfish. The Queen envies her freedom, and begrudges the (somewhat automatic) adoration the people give her. So, determining that Snow must be married off, and be taught to learn the proper decorum of the Court, the Queen restricts her outings and makes her dress in Court clothes.
After two of her dwarf friends (Dreamy and Grumpy) save Snow from suffocating – Snow having ridden her horse in a tightly laced outfit (against advice!), and a poor maid dying from the poisoned comb meant for Snow – the Queen enlists the help of the Huntsman (with a little bit of gratuitous sex to encourage him!) to go out into the forest to kill Snow.
Hmm; the Huntsman has second thoughts – after taking Snow’s virginity (at Snow’s instigation!!) in the forest - and he produces a heart taken from a deer rather than killing Snow. The Queen is not pleased. Oh, and then we get a Crone who leaves an apple for Snow – with the obvious results.
The dwarves put Snow in a glass coffin; and lo! Here comes the Prince! Who ‘falls in love’ with the girl inside. He pines, he mourns, he helps the dwarves to move the coffin so he can take it home – in order to KEEP the girl he has fallen in love with even though she is not breathing (??!!) On the journey home, the piece of apple (which has lodged in Snow’s throat) is dislodged, and Snow comes back to life. The Prince maintains his love for her – by consummating it in a tavern where they’ve rested. (Fine: getting slightly out of hand here!) Oh! And the Prince (very accomplished) makes ‘love’ to Snow!
Needless to say, this fairy story does NOT follow proscribed rules, but I’m sure the sequels will explain all (I hope!!) Having said that, the ending of the story may make one doubt what will happen next!!
The “Poison” of the title is in effect the poison in the main characters’ minds. The Queen is jealous of Snow’s popularity and freedom, and wants the same for herself. The Huntsman is insecure because of his lowly birth and wishes he can prove himself to the people who may matter. Dreamy (the main dwarf mentioned), has too many thoughts in his head, and wishes he can be useful in one way or another. The Prince is determined to show his father that he can be the son/prince duty requires. So in essence, the “Poison” is all in the minds of the protagonists; how they act and react; how they manoeuvre situations to help themselves; how they are essentially quite selfish in making decisions; how they can manipulate situations to their advantage.
This is not a nice fairy tale: it is the result of people manipulating situations for their own benefit; it is the result of the significance of some of the ‘deadly sins’; it is the result of human nature – when things really don’t go the ‘right’ way.
I will certainly be following up with “Charm” and “Beauty”, but, however, I’m confused with which audience it is written for. The four sex scenes preclude it from being Young Adult/Childrens; it’s not “grown-up” enough to actually be Adults only; and I’ve got to admit, not many people read Fairy Tales (in all their guises). So, who is it geared for?
I was given a free copy from the publishers for an honest review.
Oooops; within 5 (FIVE!) pages, I was brought up short with an exquisitely depicted sexually descriptive scene! OK, definitely Adult! (Yeah!)
So, we have the well-known fairy-story re-told in a (decidedly) different way. The wicked step-mother (whom we learn is named Lilith) is only four years older than Snow White, but who is definitely more world-wise. She knows how to manipulate the King by appealing to his baser urges; she knows the way of the Court and how appearances matter, but does not endear herself by maintaining an aloof and haughty attitude.
Snow White is young, happy, bright, and completely unaware of how her lackadaisical attitude affects other people. She is in fact, quite selfish. The Queen envies her freedom, and begrudges the (somewhat automatic) adoration the people give her. So, determining that Snow must be married off, and be taught to learn the proper decorum of the Court, the Queen restricts her outings and makes her dress in Court clothes.
After two of her dwarf friends (Dreamy and Grumpy) save Snow from suffocating – Snow having ridden her horse in a tightly laced outfit (against advice!), and a poor maid dying from the poisoned comb meant for Snow – the Queen enlists the help of the Huntsman (with a little bit of gratuitous sex to encourage him!) to go out into the forest to kill Snow.
Hmm; the Huntsman has second thoughts – after taking Snow’s virginity (at Snow’s instigation!!) in the forest - and he produces a heart taken from a deer rather than killing Snow. The Queen is not pleased. Oh, and then we get a Crone who leaves an apple for Snow – with the obvious results.
The dwarves put Snow in a glass coffin; and lo! Here comes the Prince! Who ‘falls in love’ with the girl inside. He pines, he mourns, he helps the dwarves to move the coffin so he can take it home – in order to KEEP the girl he has fallen in love with even though she is not breathing (??!!) On the journey home, the piece of apple (which has lodged in Snow’s throat) is dislodged, and Snow comes back to life. The Prince maintains his love for her – by consummating it in a tavern where they’ve rested. (Fine: getting slightly out of hand here!) Oh! And the Prince (very accomplished) makes ‘love’ to Snow!
Needless to say, this fairy story does NOT follow proscribed rules, but I’m sure the sequels will explain all (I hope!!) Having said that, the ending of the story may make one doubt what will happen next!!
The “Poison” of the title is in effect the poison in the main characters’ minds. The Queen is jealous of Snow’s popularity and freedom, and wants the same for herself. The Huntsman is insecure because of his lowly birth and wishes he can prove himself to the people who may matter. Dreamy (the main dwarf mentioned), has too many thoughts in his head, and wishes he can be useful in one way or another. The Prince is determined to show his father that he can be the son/prince duty requires. So in essence, the “Poison” is all in the minds of the protagonists; how they act and react; how they manoeuvre situations to help themselves; how they are essentially quite selfish in making decisions; how they can manipulate situations to their advantage.
This is not a nice fairy tale: it is the result of people manipulating situations for their own benefit; it is the result of the significance of some of the ‘deadly sins’; it is the result of human nature – when things really don’t go the ‘right’ way.
I will certainly be following up with “Charm” and “Beauty”, but, however, I’m confused with which audience it is written for. The four sex scenes preclude it from being Young Adult/Childrens; it’s not “grown-up” enough to actually be Adults only; and I’ve got to admit, not many people read Fairy Tales (in all their guises). So, who is it geared for?
I was given a free copy from the publishers for an honest review.
September 27, 2018
Mon avis en Français
My English review
On m’avait offert ce livre il y a bien longtemps à sa sortie mais c’est vrai que j’ai attendu pas mal de temps avant de me plonger dans l’histoire. Pas mal de choses me donnaient envie dès le départ, tout d’abord la couverture qui il faut le dire est vraiment sublime mais aussi le résumé qui mêlait contes de fées (quelque chose que j’adore) et idées originales de l’auteure ! Mais c’est aussi pour cela qu’on a de grandes attentes pour l’histoire. Cependant je me rappelais bien avoir vu différents avis certains très mitigés et c’est vrai que j’étais assez curieuse de voir quel sentiment j’aurai en fin de lecture.
On suit donc ici une reprise de blanche neige comme nous n’en avons jamais vu. J’ai été très vite intriguée par l’originalité utilisée ici pour ainsi voir ce que l’auteure allait amener. Le personnage qui m’a le plus attiré reste la reine je dois l’avouer. C’est une personne pleine de complexité, méchante, cupide, jalouse et qui pourtant regrette aussi ses actes selon les actions bien que cela ne change pas son but final. C’est assez difficile de la cerner ou finalement de la détester autant que l’on a détesté le personnage original que nous connaissons tous. Et puis il y a Blanche Neige… on sent l’amour que tout le monde lui porte, son envie de faire son possible et en même temps j’ai eu beaucoup de mal à la reconnaitre dans certaines partie du roman ou à m’attacher à ele. Je pense que c’est ce qui m’a dérangé dans ce roman pour une grande part, les changements d’attitudes des personnages d’une seconde à l’autre, on retrouve une autre personne sans qu’on ne comprenne bien ce qu’il s’est passé. Je peux prendre l’exemple de B.N qui est l’image même de la fille innocente, naïve et qui après une nuit d’amour (enfin si on peut appeler ça) devient soit disant la fille la plus expérimentée. Je ne sais pas, pour moi c’était déplacé. Mais ce n’est qu’un exemple qui pullule le livre et au final j’avais l’impression de lire des passages tout au long qui tranchaient avec le reste de l’histoire. C’est assez dérangeant et j’ai trouvé ça très surprenant. Du coup on passe du coq à l’âne très vite alors qu’on passait un moment assez agréable. D’ailleurs pour cela, une chose est sûre, on ne s’attend pas aux événements suivants qui sont toujours assez surprenant et surréaliste.
Bref vous l’aurez compris, quelque chose m’a dérangé ici et j’ai eu l’impression que les personnages avaient différentes personnalités. Je ne pense d’ailleurs pas lire la suite.
My English review
On m’avait offert ce livre il y a bien longtemps à sa sortie mais c’est vrai que j’ai attendu pas mal de temps avant de me plonger dans l’histoire. Pas mal de choses me donnaient envie dès le départ, tout d’abord la couverture qui il faut le dire est vraiment sublime mais aussi le résumé qui mêlait contes de fées (quelque chose que j’adore) et idées originales de l’auteure ! Mais c’est aussi pour cela qu’on a de grandes attentes pour l’histoire. Cependant je me rappelais bien avoir vu différents avis certains très mitigés et c’est vrai que j’étais assez curieuse de voir quel sentiment j’aurai en fin de lecture.
On suit donc ici une reprise de blanche neige comme nous n’en avons jamais vu. J’ai été très vite intriguée par l’originalité utilisée ici pour ainsi voir ce que l’auteure allait amener. Le personnage qui m’a le plus attiré reste la reine je dois l’avouer. C’est une personne pleine de complexité, méchante, cupide, jalouse et qui pourtant regrette aussi ses actes selon les actions bien que cela ne change pas son but final. C’est assez difficile de la cerner ou finalement de la détester autant que l’on a détesté le personnage original que nous connaissons tous. Et puis il y a Blanche Neige… on sent l’amour que tout le monde lui porte, son envie de faire son possible et en même temps j’ai eu beaucoup de mal à la reconnaitre dans certaines partie du roman ou à m’attacher à ele. Je pense que c’est ce qui m’a dérangé dans ce roman pour une grande part, les changements d’attitudes des personnages d’une seconde à l’autre, on retrouve une autre personne sans qu’on ne comprenne bien ce qu’il s’est passé. Je peux prendre l’exemple de B.N qui est l’image même de la fille innocente, naïve et qui après une nuit d’amour (enfin si on peut appeler ça) devient soit disant la fille la plus expérimentée. Je ne sais pas, pour moi c’était déplacé. Mais ce n’est qu’un exemple qui pullule le livre et au final j’avais l’impression de lire des passages tout au long qui tranchaient avec le reste de l’histoire. C’est assez dérangeant et j’ai trouvé ça très surprenant. Du coup on passe du coq à l’âne très vite alors qu’on passait un moment assez agréable. D’ailleurs pour cela, une chose est sûre, on ne s’attend pas aux événements suivants qui sont toujours assez surprenant et surréaliste.
Bref vous l’aurez compris, quelque chose m’a dérangé ici et j’ai eu l’impression que les personnages avaient différentes personnalités. Je ne pense d’ailleurs pas lire la suite.
February 15, 2017
I actually didn't like the book really much...
The ending was horrible, the characters weren't what I expected and especially the Prince was the worst of them all. He just was the p***y in this book, really. I wanted to see more from this book and maybe I won't read the next one from the series... I'm sorry.
The ending was horrible, the characters weren't what I expected and especially the Prince was the worst of them all. He just was the p***y in this book, really. I wanted to see more from this book and maybe I won't read the next one from the series... I'm sorry.
June 2, 2025
The perfect example of how the ending can absolutely ruin a book.
October 13, 2016
Ако харесвате преразказани истории на любимите си приказки, то тази книга е точно за вас. Когато започнах да я чета си мислех, че ще е поредната посредствена история, но се оказа, че греша. В тази история, лично за мен, злата кралица беше много по- интересен образ от Снежанка. Виждаме доста от нея, от историята й и най- важно, защо иска да се оттърве от доведената си дъщеря. Трябва да се знае, че книгата не е за деца. Още в началото на книга се започва с провокативна сцена неподходяща за деца, последвана от още една малко преди края. Бих казал, че историята е за възрастни, които искат да се върнат към една от любимите си приказки, но с една по възрастна Снежанка, която се бунтува срещу общоприетите норми и една не толкова зла кралица, която иска да бъде единствена по рода си. Финалът на книгата беше много неочакван, на мен ми дойде като гръм от ясно небе. Нямам търпение да прочета и продължението.
January 22, 2025
I already read this book years ago, but with the release of the new prequel and sequel I wanted to read the entire series from prequel to sequel again. Since these books are not that big, it felt easy to do. And despite the fact that I knew what was coming, and despite the fact that I knew the twist to this fairytale, I was still shocked by how gruesome and yet also realistic it is. The author does an amazing job keeping the core of the fairytale we all know and are familiar with. However, she also adds a lot of new elements to the story. The characters are still fairytale characters and yet they do get more of a personality and debt. Just like the magic is all still there and yet there is a touch of reality too. The book does reflect issues of our own world back to us. Which becomes especially clear in the end. The last few chapters are just sickening gruesome and yet they are also what makes this story different from any other retelling you'll ever read.
August 4, 2024
I stayed up way too late reading this. I was hooked. I hate the prince so much. This should’ve been an enemies to lovers romance between the evil queen (Lillith) and Snow. Anyways, this was another Grimm’s fairytale-like take and there was no happy ending. I still had fun though.
December 27, 2016
After reading my first Sarah Pinborough book, Behind Her Eyes, I couldn't resist looking through her back catalogue. The amazing cover of Poison caught my eye and once I knew it was an adult retelling of the fairytale, Snow White, I just had to buy it. Even better, it's part of a trilogy with Charm (Cinderella) and Beauty (Sleeping Beauty) completing the set. I have to say that if you want to read these books, do go for the hardbacks as the colours when they catch the light are simply magical.
There is enough of the original Snow White story to be recognisable, with the huntsman, dwarves and poison apple, but Sarah Pinborough has cleverly embellished and twisted it to make this a story of Snow White as never told before.
It's actually hard to review this without giving away any of the plot. Ah but we already know the story of Snow White, you say...not this version you don't. Will Snow White get her happily ever after in this twisted tale? I'm not saying but suffice to say it captivated and entertained me from start to finish. At the appearance of the poisoned apple, I would have clapped my hands with glee if it didn't mean putting the book down. Not that I meant ill to Snow White, but we all know how the story goes...or do we?
Poison is fun, ingenious and risqué and I'd definitely recommend it to fans of Once Upon a Time. I can't wait to read the next two in the series.
There is enough of the original Snow White story to be recognisable, with the huntsman, dwarves and poison apple, but Sarah Pinborough has cleverly embellished and twisted it to make this a story of Snow White as never told before.
It's actually hard to review this without giving away any of the plot. Ah but we already know the story of Snow White, you say...not this version you don't. Will Snow White get her happily ever after in this twisted tale? I'm not saying but suffice to say it captivated and entertained me from start to finish. At the appearance of the poisoned apple, I would have clapped my hands with glee if it didn't mean putting the book down. Not that I meant ill to Snow White, but we all know how the story goes...or do we?
Poison is fun, ingenious and risqué and I'd definitely recommend it to fans of Once Upon a Time. I can't wait to read the next two in the series.
June 19, 2018
All I can say about this one is that I read it completely. Within the first 10 pages, I felt like putting it in the donation pile. I struggled through a bit more and then figured I was that far along so I should just finish it. There were sparks of creativity. There was some borrowing from Disney, but in ways that were uninteresting. Characters were unappealing and didn’t always act within the scope of their personalities that had already been built. This is a series - so I suppose the story continues later - but there were a lot of unanswered plot questions. It is touted as a “new spin” and “unexpected” but I didn’t really feel that shock of interest until the end. I love fairy tales and I love retellings of them, but this one seemed a bit of a mess. It needed to be longer to allow for more characterization or it needed fewer fairy tale mash-ups included. Overall, I wouldn’t suggest it to anyone. I originally bought it for my classroom library (I teach high school), but the sex scenes were a bit too much for me to keep it in my classroom. I think I’ll just donate it to the local library.
Want to read
August 20, 2016This hardcover copy is signed by Sarah Pinborough.
March 30, 2015
Originally published at Risingshadow.
Sarah Pinborough's Poison was a pleasant surprise for me, because it was a dark and excellent fairy tale for adults. This Titan Books edition made a huge impression on me, because it was my kind of a fairy tale (I've always loved dark retellings of classic fairy tales and this modernized fairy tale had all the elements needed to charm and impress me).
Sarah Pinborough gives a fantastic new twist and punch to the classic and beloved fairy tale of Snow White. This short novel is a beautifully dark, sexy and brutal adult version of Snow White that will charm and shock the readers in equal measure by its contents. It's fascinatingly different from the classic version due to its sexual and brutal contents.
This short novel is subtitled A Wicked Snow White Tale, which is quite accurate when considering its contents, because it's a delightfully wicked and macabre fairy tale. It's something different for readers who are intrigued by classic fairy tales and their modern interpretations. This version has much more in common with the original version of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale than the well-known and sanitized Disney version, because it has plenty of sharpness and harshness.
I've noticed a notable increase in fairy tale retellings during the recent years. I think it's great that many authors have begun to write their own versions of classic fairy tales, because they've added something new to them. Sarah Pinborough's approach to classic fairy tales is wonderfully brutal and twisted. Her version of Snow White sparkles with fascinating roughness and sexuality - some of it quite raw and potent.
Here's information about the story:
The queen, Lilith, loathes her husband who is the king. She also doesn't like his daughter, Snow White, and her freedom. She thinks that Snow White is too careless and everything's too easy for her. Lilith often hides in her own private room and collects magical items. The magic mirror tells Lilith of Snow White's beauty and kindness and it fuels her hatred towards Snow White. She wants to get rid of Snow White. When the king goes to war and the queen is left alone with Snow White, things change a lot, because the queen begins to gain more control over many things. When Snow White manages to humiliate the Lilith, Lilith reaches the end of her patience...
This is the beginning of a masterfully told tale of jealousy and wickedness.
I was suprised by how well the author wrote about the main characters. The characterizaton was excellent and worked perfectly, because Lilith and Snow White were interesting characters.
Lilith, the evil queen, has quite a lot of depth to her. She hasn't had an easy life, because she has had to battle for her position and has learned to use power. She resents Snow White's freedom and the way she's been given everything too easily. She can't stand Snow White and her beauty. She wants to get rid of Snow White as soon as possible so that she can have all the power to herself.
Snow White has normally been depicted as a simple, innocent and kind princess, but now she's not as simple and innocent as one might expect, because Sarah Pinborough writes fluently how Snow White rebels againts the queen and her commands. Snow White ignores the queen's commands and does as she pleases.
I enjoyed reading about how Snow White wasn't as innocent as she was believed to be. There's a well written and surprising scene near the end of the story where the author breaks the illusion of Snow White being a decent and proper young woman. The author managed to surprise me with this brilliant scene, because I didn't expect anything like it to happen in the story.
By writing about what the queen and Snow White feel about each other and how the queen hates Snow White, the author brings plenty of depth and style to the story. The hatred and desperation of the queen is easy to notice when you read the story and find out how much she wants to control everything and will do almost anything to get rid of Snow White.
The scene in which Snow White humiliates Lilith reveals just how big the problems are between Lilith and Snow White. Lilith feels that Snow White is an ignorant child and hasn't grown up at all. This incident marks the beginning of Lilith's decline into a dangerous woman who is willing to do anything to get rid of those who threaten her.
All the elements from the original fairy tale can be found in this version. Sarah Pinborough uses them well and adds her own kind of magic to the story by twisting them into an adult format. She spices up these elements with brutality and sex.
Things related to sex and sexuality are handled in an excellent way in this short novel. The scenes involving sex bring a cool edge to the story. It's possible that certain readers may cringe at the idea of a fairy tale having sex in it, but I personally enjoy reading this kind of adult versions of classic fairy tales. I think it's great that there are authors who dare to break a few rules when they modernize fairy tales. Times have changed a lot since these old fairy tales were originally published, so it's good that authors add modern elements to them.
I liked the author's prose, because it had a fairy-tale-like quality to it. Although the author has written a modern version of an old fairy tale, she hadn't forgotten that the prose must be fluent. Her prose flows effortlessly from the first page to the last page.
I have to mention that the appearance of Aladdin was a nice surprise. I'm not going to reveal what kind of a person he is, but I can mention that he's not what you might expect him to be, because the author has her own unique and twisted vision of him.
One of the most interesting aspects of Poison is that Sarah Pinborough examines what happens when our image of another person is shattered by a surprising revelation. In my opinion she writes surprisingly well about the consequences of such a revelation, because the consequences are wonderfully disturbing. I won't reveal what happens in the story, but I'll mention that the happenings are truly memorable.
The ending of Poison is brilliantly disturbing. I'm sure that the ending will please many readers who have read dark fantasy and horror stories, but it will also please readers who want to read something out of the ordinary. If you enjoy reading dark fairy tales, you'll love the ending. In my opinion the ending is appropriately dark and twisted.
The cover artwork in this Titan Books edition looks gorgeous and will please readers who want the best from their novels. In my opinion this short novel can be called a work of art, because the cover of the hardcover edition is stunningly beautiful.
By the way, if you find yourself enjoying this short novel, please read the companion short novels: Charm and Beauty.
If you've ever read fairy tales and have found them fascinating, do yourself a big favour and read this retelling of Snow White. You won't regret reading it, because it's something different and beautifully dark for adult readers. It's one of the best and most fascinating retellings of Snow White available for readers.
Highly recommended!
Sarah Pinborough's Poison was a pleasant surprise for me, because it was a dark and excellent fairy tale for adults. This Titan Books edition made a huge impression on me, because it was my kind of a fairy tale (I've always loved dark retellings of classic fairy tales and this modernized fairy tale had all the elements needed to charm and impress me).
Sarah Pinborough gives a fantastic new twist and punch to the classic and beloved fairy tale of Snow White. This short novel is a beautifully dark, sexy and brutal adult version of Snow White that will charm and shock the readers in equal measure by its contents. It's fascinatingly different from the classic version due to its sexual and brutal contents.
This short novel is subtitled A Wicked Snow White Tale, which is quite accurate when considering its contents, because it's a delightfully wicked and macabre fairy tale. It's something different for readers who are intrigued by classic fairy tales and their modern interpretations. This version has much more in common with the original version of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale than the well-known and sanitized Disney version, because it has plenty of sharpness and harshness.
I've noticed a notable increase in fairy tale retellings during the recent years. I think it's great that many authors have begun to write their own versions of classic fairy tales, because they've added something new to them. Sarah Pinborough's approach to classic fairy tales is wonderfully brutal and twisted. Her version of Snow White sparkles with fascinating roughness and sexuality - some of it quite raw and potent.
Here's information about the story:
The queen, Lilith, loathes her husband who is the king. She also doesn't like his daughter, Snow White, and her freedom. She thinks that Snow White is too careless and everything's too easy for her. Lilith often hides in her own private room and collects magical items. The magic mirror tells Lilith of Snow White's beauty and kindness and it fuels her hatred towards Snow White. She wants to get rid of Snow White. When the king goes to war and the queen is left alone with Snow White, things change a lot, because the queen begins to gain more control over many things. When Snow White manages to humiliate the Lilith, Lilith reaches the end of her patience...
This is the beginning of a masterfully told tale of jealousy and wickedness.
I was suprised by how well the author wrote about the main characters. The characterizaton was excellent and worked perfectly, because Lilith and Snow White were interesting characters.
Lilith, the evil queen, has quite a lot of depth to her. She hasn't had an easy life, because she has had to battle for her position and has learned to use power. She resents Snow White's freedom and the way she's been given everything too easily. She can't stand Snow White and her beauty. She wants to get rid of Snow White as soon as possible so that she can have all the power to herself.
Snow White has normally been depicted as a simple, innocent and kind princess, but now she's not as simple and innocent as one might expect, because Sarah Pinborough writes fluently how Snow White rebels againts the queen and her commands. Snow White ignores the queen's commands and does as she pleases.
I enjoyed reading about how Snow White wasn't as innocent as she was believed to be. There's a well written and surprising scene near the end of the story where the author breaks the illusion of Snow White being a decent and proper young woman. The author managed to surprise me with this brilliant scene, because I didn't expect anything like it to happen in the story.
By writing about what the queen and Snow White feel about each other and how the queen hates Snow White, the author brings plenty of depth and style to the story. The hatred and desperation of the queen is easy to notice when you read the story and find out how much she wants to control everything and will do almost anything to get rid of Snow White.
The scene in which Snow White humiliates Lilith reveals just how big the problems are between Lilith and Snow White. Lilith feels that Snow White is an ignorant child and hasn't grown up at all. This incident marks the beginning of Lilith's decline into a dangerous woman who is willing to do anything to get rid of those who threaten her.
All the elements from the original fairy tale can be found in this version. Sarah Pinborough uses them well and adds her own kind of magic to the story by twisting them into an adult format. She spices up these elements with brutality and sex.
Things related to sex and sexuality are handled in an excellent way in this short novel. The scenes involving sex bring a cool edge to the story. It's possible that certain readers may cringe at the idea of a fairy tale having sex in it, but I personally enjoy reading this kind of adult versions of classic fairy tales. I think it's great that there are authors who dare to break a few rules when they modernize fairy tales. Times have changed a lot since these old fairy tales were originally published, so it's good that authors add modern elements to them.
I liked the author's prose, because it had a fairy-tale-like quality to it. Although the author has written a modern version of an old fairy tale, she hadn't forgotten that the prose must be fluent. Her prose flows effortlessly from the first page to the last page.
I have to mention that the appearance of Aladdin was a nice surprise. I'm not going to reveal what kind of a person he is, but I can mention that he's not what you might expect him to be, because the author has her own unique and twisted vision of him.
One of the most interesting aspects of Poison is that Sarah Pinborough examines what happens when our image of another person is shattered by a surprising revelation. In my opinion she writes surprisingly well about the consequences of such a revelation, because the consequences are wonderfully disturbing. I won't reveal what happens in the story, but I'll mention that the happenings are truly memorable.
The ending of Poison is brilliantly disturbing. I'm sure that the ending will please many readers who have read dark fantasy and horror stories, but it will also please readers who want to read something out of the ordinary. If you enjoy reading dark fairy tales, you'll love the ending. In my opinion the ending is appropriately dark and twisted.
The cover artwork in this Titan Books edition looks gorgeous and will please readers who want the best from their novels. In my opinion this short novel can be called a work of art, because the cover of the hardcover edition is stunningly beautiful.
By the way, if you find yourself enjoying this short novel, please read the companion short novels: Charm and Beauty.
If you've ever read fairy tales and have found them fascinating, do yourself a big favour and read this retelling of Snow White. You won't regret reading it, because it's something different and beautifully dark for adult readers. It's one of the best and most fascinating retellings of Snow White available for readers.
Highly recommended!
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