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Beyond the Four Kingdoms #4
A Dream of Ebony and White: A Retelling of Snow White
Snow has always lived under the shadow of her cruel stepmother, with only her beloved father and her childhood friend--the huntsman, Alexander--to make life bearable. When her father dies, she should be crowned queen, but instead she finds herself fleeing for her life. With no allies, no skills, and no food, her future could be over before it has truly begun.
But there's more at stake than just one life. If Snow can't claim her throne, her kingdom faces destruction. Snow has to make a choice: focus on her own salvation or put everything on the line--even those she loves the most. And if she's going to succeed, Snow must fight the hardest battle of all, against her own doubt and weakness, and gain new skills and strength she never imagined possessing.
Alexander is ready to help her. But if she lets him, the consequences might be more than she can bear--because her heart is in as much jeopardy as the kingdom.
In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale, Snow must find her inner strength in time to fight for her throne before it's too late.
But there's more at stake than just one life. If Snow can't claim her throne, her kingdom faces destruction. Snow has to make a choice: focus on her own salvation or put everything on the line--even those she loves the most. And if she's going to succeed, Snow must fight the hardest battle of all, against her own doubt and weakness, and gain new skills and strength she never imagined possessing.
Alexander is ready to help her. But if she lets him, the consequences might be more than she can bear--because her heart is in as much jeopardy as the kingdom.
In this reimagining of the classic fairy tale, Snow must find her inner strength in time to fight for her throne before it's too late.
314 pages, Paperback
First published October 17, 2018
762 people are currently reading
2584 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Cellier
126 books2,763 followersMelanie Cellier grew up on a staple diet of books, books and more books. And although she got older, she never stopped loving children’s and young adult novels.
She always wanted to write one herself, but it took three careers and three different continents before she actually managed it.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including her Spoken Mage series, and her Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews
March 21, 2025
4.5 ✨
Okay, this was my favorite from this spin-off series and second favorite overall. I enjoyed this book so much!
Snow White has always been a hit or miss for me as far as retellings go. But have the huntsman in love with Snow White? Now I’m in. That’s truly what attracted me to this book because that’s pretty close to the bodyguard trope (which I also like). Add in that the seven dwarfs in this version are seven children and I was actually quite excited about this retelling!
Random thoughts while reading:
-I was ready to get rid of her stepmother by page 12.
-I really liked all the kids and was so sad when that part of the story was over. She could of forgotten all about the throne and stayed with them and I would have been completely fine with that. ;)
-I was so proud of her?? Seeing her grow and become a leader was so satisfying! Atta girl!
-I started sweating as soon as an apple was mentioned. 😅
-Those final scenes? I could see it like a movie in my head. Well done, author! 👏🏻
This was good—so good, really. I’m a bit stunned that I liked a retelling of Snow White so much, but this was just about everything I liked and then some? Once again my hat is off to the author because she can make me forget about important details of the classic fairytale and be sucked into the story where when those details appear, I’m gasping. It’s quite impressive really.
I feel like I could continue raving about this book, but I’ll stop. For now. 😉
Main Content:
Villains in this series are using godmother items for ill purposes which warps the item (usually to enchant others or harm others like making them nearly die); Godmothers haven’t visited Snow’s land for a long time because of the people turning their backs on the High King and his laws (but the High King has been watching them); Mentions of godmothers, them blessings their charges, godmother magic items that can be twisted and used incorrectly, & the High King and his laws.
Like the classic story, Snow’s evil stepmother gives the order for Snow to be murdered and make it look like she was attacked by wild animals (appearing partially eaten and for the guard to bring back her lungs and liver to prove the job was done; These details are written in a touch more detail to this, but not gory or over-the-top, on par for the other retellings of the story that’s been aimed for children); Snow wonders if it would be better to die at someone’s hand rather than to starve to death; The idea of stabbing someone makes Snow queasy; Snow hears a negative voice (called her “inner critic”) in her head somewhat often throughout the book (around seven times); Snows mother passed away from giving birth to her and Snow feels to blame for it (someone tells her this was not the case).
Fighting, Pain, & Being poisoned (including choking, up to a few sentences);
Grief (Snow for both her parents, but especially her father who passed away just before this book starts); Seeing fights, someone stabbed, two deaths/murders, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to a few sentences); Mentions of deaths & grief (including Snow for her mother, her father for her mother, and grandfather for his daughter); Mentions of near deaths (mostly due to godmother objects being ill-used); Mentions of a master (apprenticeship) that would beat a child; Mentions of fighting, injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of people being drugged and/or unconscious; Mentions of stealing, thieves, criminals, prisons, & arrests; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of hunting & poaching (including gutting rabbits for food & shooting at bears due to safety); A few mentions of someone intending to abandon a baby; A few mentions of someone threatening harm to infants if their parents don’t do what they want; A few mentions of poison; A few mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of salves/slavery; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a father abandoning his family; A mention of a drunk.
No language stronger than ‘blasted’, ‘idiot’, and ‘stupid’; “What in the kingdoms” is said once; A couple curses are said or held back (but not written out); Eye rolling.
1 hand kiss,
2 kisses lasting a couple sentences,
1 almost kiss (a few sentences),
2 kisses lasting a few sentences;
Remembering kisses & nearness (up to a few sentences); Staring at lips (no details); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, & Noticing (including him being shirtless and his muscles, up to a few sentences); Blushes; When he sees her starting to change out of her dressing gown, Alexander quickly turns around (Snow tells him that she not naked under it and he turns bright red); Snow recalls when she and Alexander were little and she would have her skirts to her thighs (he disapprovingly noticed her pulling her skirts up to climb down a wall and she tells him to try doing it in a skirt); A few mentions of married couples either having a time conceiving or unable to conceive; A couple mentions of a young and beautiful girl being harassed enough to want to runaway; A mention of a married man appearing to flirt with the kitchen maids.
See my content reviews of the rest of the series & spin-off series here:
The Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #2.2, Book #2.5, Book #3, Book #3.5, Book #4, and Book #5.
Beyond the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
Return to the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
The Four Kingdoms Duology:
Book #1 and Book #2.
Okay, this was my favorite from this spin-off series and second favorite overall. I enjoyed this book so much!
Snow White has always been a hit or miss for me as far as retellings go. But have the huntsman in love with Snow White? Now I’m in. That’s truly what attracted me to this book because that’s pretty close to the bodyguard trope (which I also like). Add in that the seven dwarfs in this version are seven children and I was actually quite excited about this retelling!
Random thoughts while reading:
-I was ready to get rid of her stepmother by page 12.
-I really liked all the kids and was so sad when that part of the story was over. She could of forgotten all about the throne and stayed with them and I would have been completely fine with that. ;)
-I was so proud of her?? Seeing her grow and become a leader was so satisfying! Atta girl!
-I started sweating as soon as an apple was mentioned. 😅
-Those final scenes? I could see it like a movie in my head. Well done, author! 👏🏻
This was good—so good, really. I’m a bit stunned that I liked a retelling of Snow White so much, but this was just about everything I liked and then some? Once again my hat is off to the author because she can make me forget about important details of the classic fairytale and be sucked into the story where when those details appear, I’m gasping. It’s quite impressive really.
I feel like I could continue raving about this book, but I’ll stop. For now. 😉
Main Content:
Villains in this series are using godmother items for ill purposes which warps the item (usually to enchant others or harm others like making them nearly die); Godmothers haven’t visited Snow’s land for a long time because of the people turning their backs on the High King and his laws (but the High King has been watching them); Mentions of godmothers, them blessings their charges, godmother magic items that can be twisted and used incorrectly, & the High King and his laws.
Like the classic story, Snow’s evil stepmother gives the order for Snow to be murdered and make it look like she was attacked by wild animals (appearing partially eaten and for the guard to bring back her lungs and liver to prove the job was done; These details are written in a touch more detail to this, but not gory or over-the-top, on par for the other retellings of the story that’s been aimed for children); Snow wonders if it would be better to die at someone’s hand rather than to starve to death; The idea of stabbing someone makes Snow queasy; Snow hears a negative voice (called her “inner critic”) in her head somewhat often throughout the book (around seven times); Snows mother passed away from giving birth to her and Snow feels to blame for it (someone tells her this was not the case).
Fighting, Pain, & Being poisoned (including choking, up to a few sentences);
Grief (Snow for both her parents, but especially her father who passed away just before this book starts); Seeing fights, someone stabbed, two deaths/murders, injuries, & blood/bleeding (up to a few sentences); Mentions of deaths & grief (including Snow for her mother, her father for her mother, and grandfather for his daughter); Mentions of near deaths (mostly due to godmother objects being ill-used); Mentions of a master (apprenticeship) that would beat a child; Mentions of fighting, injuries, pain, & blood/bleeding; Mentions of people being drugged and/or unconscious; Mentions of stealing, thieves, criminals, prisons, & arrests; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of hunting & poaching (including gutting rabbits for food & shooting at bears due to safety); A few mentions of someone intending to abandon a baby; A few mentions of someone threatening harm to infants if their parents don’t do what they want; A few mentions of poison; A few mentions of throwing up; A couple mentions of salves/slavery; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a father abandoning his family; A mention of a drunk.
No language stronger than ‘blasted’, ‘idiot’, and ‘stupid’; “What in the kingdoms” is said once; A couple curses are said or held back (but not written out); Eye rolling.
1 hand kiss,
2 kisses lasting a couple sentences,
1 almost kiss (a few sentences),
2 kisses lasting a few sentences;
Remembering kisses & nearness (up to a few sentences); Staring at lips (no details); Touches, Embraces, Hand holding, Nearness, & Noticing (including him being shirtless and his muscles, up to a few sentences); Blushes; When he sees her starting to change out of her dressing gown, Alexander quickly turns around (Snow tells him that she not naked under it and he turns bright red); Snow recalls when she and Alexander were little and she would have her skirts to her thighs (he disapprovingly noticed her pulling her skirts up to climb down a wall and she tells him to try doing it in a skirt); A few mentions of married couples either having a time conceiving or unable to conceive; A couple mentions of a young and beautiful girl being harassed enough to want to runaway; A mention of a married man appearing to flirt with the kitchen maids.
See my content reviews of the rest of the series & spin-off series here:
The Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #2.2, Book #2.5, Book #3, Book #3.5, Book #4, and Book #5.
Beyond the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
Return to the Four Kingdoms series:
Book #1, Book #2, Book #3, Book #4, Book #5, and Book #6.
The Four Kingdoms Duology:
Book #1 and Book #2.
December 2, 2020
A Dream of Ebony and White by Melanie Cellier is the fourth book in the Beyond the Four Kingdoms series and a retelling of Snow White. Snow just lost her father and consumed with grief, that is, if she were allowed to grieve. Her stepmother is cruel and can’t be trusted and Snow isn’t well versed in politics or how to run a kingdom. Alexander is her dearest friend and a royal huntsman. He hears of a plan to kill Snow, so he whisks her off to the forest. There she meets seven children who let her stay and help her learn about the forest and survival. But will it be enough to take on her stepmother?
Snow White is not my favorite fairytale, so I was not expecting to be thrilled with this retelling. Boy, was I wrong! I LOVED this version! There is so much complexity to Snow. She is a young girl, discovering herself, her emotions, and not having the courage to take on her stepmother consumes her. How can she possibly be worthy or good enough to take over the thrown? Well, with a little help from Alexander and the 7 children. She grows. She grows stronger and learns more about her people and how to lead them.
Also, I love the change from dwarves to children. These kids are orphans and have had to survive on their own. They are able to show her the skills she will need to serve her people. But my absolute favorite part in this whole story… is her finding family where she thought all was lost. This discovery is so tender that it brought tears to my eyes. (You will have to read it to see!) And as always, Esther Wane is phenomenal!
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book! I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.
Snow White is not my favorite fairytale, so I was not expecting to be thrilled with this retelling. Boy, was I wrong! I LOVED this version! There is so much complexity to Snow. She is a young girl, discovering herself, her emotions, and not having the courage to take on her stepmother consumes her. How can she possibly be worthy or good enough to take over the thrown? Well, with a little help from Alexander and the 7 children. She grows. She grows stronger and learns more about her people and how to lead them.
Also, I love the change from dwarves to children. These kids are orphans and have had to survive on their own. They are able to show her the skills she will need to serve her people. But my absolute favorite part in this whole story… is her finding family where she thought all was lost. This discovery is so tender that it brought tears to my eyes. (You will have to read it to see!) And as always, Esther Wane is phenomenal!
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book! I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.
December 6, 2019
..uh so now I want to watch every snow white movie known to man, weird or no?
A Dream of Ebony and White is the fourth installment of the Beyond the Four Kingdoms series. It's a snow white retelling and was a pretty good one if I do say so myself. I feel like I've read a ton of different versions of snow white and I've liked them all so far. In this version, Snow does start of shy and sweet but definitely grows throughout the book - which was a plus for me!
She gains confidence like no other and honestly this version of her is probably my favorite. Becoming more confident kind of made her a mini bad ass in my eyes. Yes, she makes mistakes but she learns from them and makes better decisions through the adventure. Then there's the huntsman and ugh, I just loved everything in this book.
Overall, the romance and the adventure were everything that I needed in this retelling. I can't wait to see what the next book holds for me in this series. It's a little bittersweet coming to the end.
A Dream of Ebony and White is the fourth installment of the Beyond the Four Kingdoms series. It's a snow white retelling and was a pretty good one if I do say so myself. I feel like I've read a ton of different versions of snow white and I've liked them all so far. In this version, Snow does start of shy and sweet but definitely grows throughout the book - which was a plus for me!
She gains confidence like no other and honestly this version of her is probably my favorite. Becoming more confident kind of made her a mini bad ass in my eyes. Yes, she makes mistakes but she learns from them and makes better decisions through the adventure. Then there's the huntsman and ugh, I just loved everything in this book.
Overall, the romance and the adventure were everything that I needed in this retelling. I can't wait to see what the next book holds for me in this series. It's a little bittersweet coming to the end.
February 6, 2023
Snow White serves as the inspiration for some of my favorite fairytale retellings, so of course I enjoyed Cellier's spin on the classic. There was a good balance of intrigue and action along with the romance plot. I enjoy the allegorical elements woven into all of these interconnected series and thought they were well done in this installment; I'm happy any time the High King is mentioned in connection with the godmothers. While parts of the story read a bit young, as Snow is only 16, I also appreciated the hard hitting allusions in dealing with the children who served in the role of the dwarves.
March 23, 2021
aaaAaAaHhhHhhHhHh 😍🥺
September 27, 2020
4.5 stars✨ I love Snow White retellings and I really enjoyed this one!
Snow is a really great character and I really liked her! She’s also very relatable. She’s flawed and she struggles with that inner voice in us all that tells us we aren’t enough and weak. Seeing her journey was really inspiring and I was surprised to find myself in tears a few times. I found the parts with her grandfather and her struggle to forgive him really touching. That usually doesn’t happen in these books so just for that, my rating was higher!
Alex was such a great hero. His loyalty and love for Snow was soo sweet. And his respect for her!! Wow. He was amazing.
Their story together was just so sweet. I love best friends to lovers trope so this touched my heart. ❤️
The “dwarves”!! I absolutely adored them!! 🥰 They stole my heart!
I love the twists Melanie added to this one to make it her own, unique story as she always does. Not only is this a retelling of Snow White, but it’s also a story of forgiveness, conquering insecurity, and love. Loved it!
Snow is a really great character and I really liked her! She’s also very relatable. She’s flawed and she struggles with that inner voice in us all that tells us we aren’t enough and weak. Seeing her journey was really inspiring and I was surprised to find myself in tears a few times. I found the parts with her grandfather and her struggle to forgive him really touching. That usually doesn’t happen in these books so just for that, my rating was higher!
Alex was such a great hero. His loyalty and love for Snow was soo sweet. And his respect for her!! Wow. He was amazing.
Their story together was just so sweet. I love best friends to lovers trope so this touched my heart. ❤️
The “dwarves”!! I absolutely adored them!! 🥰 They stole my heart!
I love the twists Melanie added to this one to make it her own, unique story as she always does. Not only is this a retelling of Snow White, but it’s also a story of forgiveness, conquering insecurity, and love. Loved it!
December 6, 2022
This one was so adorable! Alexander is so amazing and I really liked to see how Snow grew and changed in this book! I hadn't really liked Snow all that much in the first book of this series, but I ended up really loving her and this book way more than I thought I would! It may even be one of my favorites in this series!
Re-read: The audiobook does a great job of capturing the beauty of this book! Just as good the second time around, perhaps even better since I noticed so much more this time since I wasn't flying through it at a furious pace.
Re-read: The audiobook does a great job of capturing the beauty of this book! Just as good the second time around, perhaps even better since I noticed so much more this time since I wasn't flying through it at a furious pace.
August 16, 2019
Another awesome book by Melanie Cellier! I love retellings of Snow White, and this one is no exception. Blanche (Snow) was an amazing character with realistic problems, which she solved by discovering her inner strength. Alexander was a great spin on the common Prince Charming elements of the story... and the way the author incorporated the laces, the comb, and the apple was fantastic! Also, the "seven dwarves" in this book were adorable. I'm not giving out any spoilers though... :))
Want to read
October 21, 2018THIS COVER. I can't wait to read this, the author is always so good.
April 4, 2022
Honestly, I don't know why I continue to be amazing by how these books are so wonderful! Each book is just as good at the last, but also are so different and amazing! And this one is no exception.
I have never really liked the fairy tale of Snow White.....Wait! I should rephrase.....I have never really liked the Disney version of Snow White. And to my surprise, this story was the retelling of the Brothers Grimm's retelling of the fairy tale, not the Disney version. :) I just always found the Disney movie boring and a little cheesy. But this book! Oh this book is far different from that movie (I was worried it might be similar to the movie)! Honestly, I don't know how exactly to word this. I was so impressed with how the fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was worked into these Beyond the Four Kingdoms series. Of course I have said that about the other book pervious to this one. But its true! I was so pleased of how hints of the fairy tale were woven into this story and also how it was its own story/book.
As usually I don't really have an complaints. Its hard to have in with these books, tho. My favorite parts of the book (without giving away spoilers, something I'm really good at), are the scenes with Snow/Blanche and Alex (duh). But also the scenes with the seven____(ha ha find that bit out for yourselves). The seven_____ were so sweet and it blew my mind of how they were able to tend to themselves and brace the world before them. I think that's what gave Snow a bit of courage in the end. To see how these seven______ faced their fears and the world. That's one thing Snow thought she lacked: courage and bravery. To stand up for herself and her kingdom against her stepmother. I was constantly aching at every time Snow begun to doubt herself. It was clear that she was so afraid to fail and let everyone down. But that's always what drove her.
Snow was timid and pure just like Snow White is portrayed. But she also learns that fear doesn't have to define you. With everything she had been through before her the future of her father followed through and even after that, she saw herself as weak and could not see how useful she really was. I was relieved to watch/read as she begun to realize that she overcame these thoughts. After that, she become an amazing character. She proved that she was more than what that inner voice was saying. I also think that with the help of the seven_______ and Alex and her grandfather, she found that she had to be strong and brave. It amazed me that she is only sixteen. She certainly proved she wasn't that scared little princess from The Princess Tourney four books ago. I was happy to see that I got more of a feel of Snow in her solo book than I did in book one. Moreover, her relationship with Alex (Alexander the Huntsman) was so enchanting, I felt I was captivated by how well they knew one another and cared for each other. I love romances that are based on years of friendship. This time however, it was the "prince charming" who fell first. I think they had been in love with each other for so long, without voicing it, that somehow they just both knew. And when the time came for one of them to admit their feelings, they got scared *cough, Alex, cough*. I can't tell you how frustrating he was. It was CLEARLY obvious how much he loved her. But he many times viewed her as his monarch, which got in the way. Other than my frustration towards him, Alex was an amazing character. I was wondering when I was gonna get another guard/huntsman and princess romance (the last one beginning Ava and Hans from the first series). Needles to say, I ate it up! And to be honestly it was really a forbidden love as much as Alex made it out to be. His skills as a woodsman just blew my mind. I found myself giggle when he would just show up out of the blue and startle Snow because he knew how to be so stealthy in the forest. I couldn't get over how protect he was of Snow. Always standing behind her, just watching over her. My heart ached when he wanted, clearly, to reach out and hold her hand or hug her. I wondered how he could refine himself since he was clearly to deeply, madly in love with her. I was not at all surprised how Snow so easily fell in love with him. I would have, too.
All I can say about Queen Alida, is that, I wanted to strangle her myself! She was vain, ruthless and evil just like I hoped for! Every bit the Evil Queen. Although, I felt like sometimes Snow wasn't fighting her. Like the villainy wasn't really there sometimes. Which is fine, of course. That's not really worth complaining about. I just like it when the villain clear and present......its hard to explain. But in the end, I was happy to see Alida almost won (almost with the exception for a certain true love kiss). Although I was completely shocked as to what happened in the end with Alida. Her henchman, Randolph, who was more like the huntsman from the Disney movie, was truly annoyingly evil. I wish Alex would have just ended him at so many points in the story since Alex worse he would never let Randolph touch her (which he didn't). Overall, I can't really complain about the villain arch.
I love the godmothers in these series! They remind me so much of the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella! They are so witty and cryptic. And the fat they are actually fairies! Ah! But I love they're called just "godmothers" without "fairy" put at the beginning. I wish I could figure out just who this High King is tho. I feel like he is the who brought the Four Kingdoms and the lands across the sea to life. Like he is sorta the maker of it all and rulers over all and the godmothers. With the godmothers beginning his messenger who see that their charges find true love. And I love even more that there all magical godmother items. Items that are used to help bring me true love together. If a godmother hadn't helped the queen of Arcadia, Max would have never found his true love in Alyssa, therefore both of these amazing series would have never come about. I know its silly to think that and believe that somewhere, somehow a godmother allowed these amazing stories to be recorded to be read. That's just how my imagination works and how my wonder for books is.
The supporting characters were all amazing of course! I can't get other the surprise of the seven_____! I loved how that played into the retelling. They all had they're on quirks and personalities and where so cute. And that one character! When I released who they were.......can't wait for that book! Snow's grandfather was so sweet and heartfelt. That's the kind of grandfather every girl wants. The other side characters was just as great. A couple I which got more "screen" time. But I loved them all the same.
This whole was just mind blowing and left me feeling a sweet since of comfort. I guess that is the emotions I felt come from this story. Like how I felt after book one, about the bond between sisters. And of course book two, with the enduring love between Sophie and Dominic, seeing pass the beast. I feel like each of these stories leaves me with a certain feeling or emotion that weaves itself deep into my heart, leading to love these books so much. Unlike what is normally out there to pick up and read, these stories/books are just so emotionally and have a moral story behind it. Once again I am just so impressed with the way Miss Cellier is able to bring a story to life that leaves something warm in your heart. No matter what anyone may say against these books, they are amazing, heartfelt, heartwarming, have a moral center and just overall makes you believe in true love. It gives me a sense of comfort that I hope continues through each book I read.
Ya'll give these books a read! But start back at the first book in the first series and read in order. You don't have to, be that makes it less confusing.
Well, I'm off to book five. Probably won't start it til tomorrow.
I'm gonna cry! I'm reading them too fast! (can't help it)
I have never really liked the fairy tale of Snow White.....Wait! I should rephrase.....I have never really liked the Disney version of Snow White. And to my surprise, this story was the retelling of the Brothers Grimm's retelling of the fairy tale, not the Disney version. :) I just always found the Disney movie boring and a little cheesy. But this book! Oh this book is far different from that movie (I was worried it might be similar to the movie)! Honestly, I don't know how exactly to word this. I was so impressed with how the fairy tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was worked into these Beyond the Four Kingdoms series. Of course I have said that about the other book pervious to this one. But its true! I was so pleased of how hints of the fairy tale were woven into this story and also how it was its own story/book.
As usually I don't really have an complaints. Its hard to have in with these books, tho. My favorite parts of the book (without giving away spoilers, something I'm really good at), are the scenes with Snow/Blanche and Alex (duh). But also the scenes with the seven____(ha ha find that bit out for yourselves). The seven_____ were so sweet and it blew my mind of how they were able to tend to themselves and brace the world before them. I think that's what gave Snow a bit of courage in the end. To see how these seven______ faced their fears and the world. That's one thing Snow thought she lacked: courage and bravery. To stand up for herself and her kingdom against her stepmother. I was constantly aching at every time Snow begun to doubt herself. It was clear that she was so afraid to fail and let everyone down. But that's always what drove her.
Snow was timid and pure just like Snow White is portrayed. But she also learns that fear doesn't have to define you. With everything she had been through before her the future of her father followed through and even after that, she saw herself as weak and could not see how useful she really was. I was relieved to watch/read as she begun to realize that she overcame these thoughts. After that, she become an amazing character. She proved that she was more than what that inner voice was saying. I also think that with the help of the seven_______ and Alex and her grandfather, she found that she had to be strong and brave. It amazed me that she is only sixteen. She certainly proved she wasn't that scared little princess from The Princess Tourney four books ago. I was happy to see that I got more of a feel of Snow in her solo book than I did in book one. Moreover, her relationship with Alex (Alexander the Huntsman) was so enchanting, I felt I was captivated by how well they knew one another and cared for each other. I love romances that are based on years of friendship. This time however, it was the "prince charming" who fell first. I think they had been in love with each other for so long, without voicing it, that somehow they just both knew. And when the time came for one of them to admit their feelings, they got scared *cough, Alex, cough*. I can't tell you how frustrating he was. It was CLEARLY obvious how much he loved her. But he many times viewed her as his monarch, which got in the way. Other than my frustration towards him, Alex was an amazing character. I was wondering when I was gonna get another guard/huntsman and princess romance (the last one beginning Ava and Hans from the first series). Needles to say, I ate it up! And to be honestly it was really a forbidden love as much as Alex made it out to be. His skills as a woodsman just blew my mind. I found myself giggle when he would just show up out of the blue and startle Snow because he knew how to be so stealthy in the forest. I couldn't get over how protect he was of Snow. Always standing behind her, just watching over her. My heart ached when he wanted, clearly, to reach out and hold her hand or hug her. I wondered how he could refine himself since he was clearly to deeply, madly in love with her. I was not at all surprised how Snow so easily fell in love with him. I would have, too.
All I can say about Queen Alida, is that, I wanted to strangle her myself! She was vain, ruthless and evil just like I hoped for! Every bit the Evil Queen. Although, I felt like sometimes Snow wasn't fighting her. Like the villainy wasn't really there sometimes. Which is fine, of course. That's not really worth complaining about. I just like it when the villain clear and present......its hard to explain. But in the end, I was happy to see Alida almost won (almost with the exception for a certain true love kiss). Although I was completely shocked as to what happened in the end with Alida. Her henchman, Randolph, who was more like the huntsman from the Disney movie, was truly annoyingly evil. I wish Alex would have just ended him at so many points in the story since Alex worse he would never let Randolph touch her (which he didn't). Overall, I can't really complain about the villain arch.
I love the godmothers in these series! They remind me so much of the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella! They are so witty and cryptic. And the fat they are actually fairies! Ah! But I love they're called just "godmothers" without "fairy" put at the beginning. I wish I could figure out just who this High King is tho. I feel like he is the who brought the Four Kingdoms and the lands across the sea to life. Like he is sorta the maker of it all and rulers over all and the godmothers. With the godmothers beginning his messenger who see that their charges find true love. And I love even more that there all magical godmother items. Items that are used to help bring me true love together. If a godmother hadn't helped the queen of Arcadia, Max would have never found his true love in Alyssa, therefore both of these amazing series would have never come about. I know its silly to think that and believe that somewhere, somehow a godmother allowed these amazing stories to be recorded to be read. That's just how my imagination works and how my wonder for books is.
The supporting characters were all amazing of course! I can't get other the surprise of the seven_____! I loved how that played into the retelling. They all had they're on quirks and personalities and where so cute. And that one character! When I released who they were.......can't wait for that book! Snow's grandfather was so sweet and heartfelt. That's the kind of grandfather every girl wants. The other side characters was just as great. A couple I which got more "screen" time. But I loved them all the same.
This whole was just mind blowing and left me feeling a sweet since of comfort. I guess that is the emotions I felt come from this story. Like how I felt after book one, about the bond between sisters. And of course book two, with the enduring love between Sophie and Dominic, seeing pass the beast. I feel like each of these stories leaves me with a certain feeling or emotion that weaves itself deep into my heart, leading to love these books so much. Unlike what is normally out there to pick up and read, these stories/books are just so emotionally and have a moral story behind it. Once again I am just so impressed with the way Miss Cellier is able to bring a story to life that leaves something warm in your heart. No matter what anyone may say against these books, they are amazing, heartfelt, heartwarming, have a moral center and just overall makes you believe in true love. It gives me a sense of comfort that I hope continues through each book I read.
Ya'll give these books a read! But start back at the first book in the first series and read in order. You don't have to, be that makes it less confusing.
Well, I'm off to book five. Probably won't start it til tomorrow.
I'm gonna cry! I'm reading them too fast! (can't help it)
April 28, 2025
I love Blanche so much, and her stepmother was vile. I loved her relationship with Alexander, too!
February 28, 2019
4.8 Stars. I loved this retelling! There were a couple of twists and turns that honored the original Snow White fairy tale while still making it a Melanie Cellier original. I loved watching Snow's character grow. The only things I would have prefered is to see more of, is the villan/ hero interaction and more romance. (Still clean of course since that is Melanie's preference...but just more.) It would be nice to see the Heroine and hero struggle more romantically, have more build up and longing. As for the villians in her stories its almost as if we talk up the inpending danger the whole story only to encounter/ meet the villian for the first time and immidiately defeat them in the last several pages.
I can't wait to read Melanies other stories as well. I plan on reading the Four Kingdoms series that came before this as well as the Mage series she is currently working on.
I can't wait to read Melanies other stories as well. I plan on reading the Four Kingdoms series that came before this as well as the Mage series she is currently working on.
October 29, 2018
Of all the books I've read from Melanie Cellier's Four Kingdoms and Beyond the Four Kingdoms series, I have to say that A Dream of Ebony and White is by far my favorite. This modern adaptation of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" combines all the best things about the original version of the story and contemporary versions such as Snow White and the Huntsman, Mirror Mirror, and Once Upon a Time. The main character's name is Blanche, with means "white," but her nickname is "Snow," allowing her to feel like an organic addition to Melanie Cellier's massive fairy tale world while still paying tribute to the beloved classic character. She is shy and sweet like the Disney version but gains confidence and inner strength throughout the course of the story like in recent adaptations.
What I liked the most about A Dream of Ebony and White is that it took all of the aspects of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" that we already know and intensified their emotional impact by telling them from Snow's perspective. In most versions of the tale, we see the queen command her huntsman to kill Snow White before the naive princess learns about it herself, making it less impactful when she finds out later. In this version, we feel the full range of confusion, shock, and horror when Snow's beloved childhood friend, who also happens to be a royal huntsman, sneaks into her room and whisks her away to the middle of the woods with no idea where she's going or why until she learns the awful truth that her life is in danger. The book evokes an incredible sense of relief when she discovers a small cottage where she can restore her strength after wandering aimlessly for days with barely any food or rest until she felt she could die of exhaustion at any given moment.
In most recent film adaptations of Snow White, the formerly helpless heroine is given a weapon and trains to stage a rebellion and take back her rightful place on the throne from her wicked stepmother. This story follows the same contemporary trope, but without the implication that a pampered princess is able to transform into a skilled warrior over a matter of weeks. Instead, she receives lots of help from her huntsman, her grandfather, and former palace soldiers who swear loyalty to her over her stepmother. She does receive some training and a dagger much later in the book, but it's far more believable than the level of expertise she reaches in Snow White and the Huntsman or Once Upon a Time. Her shyness and insecurities are a big part of what makes her character so easy to relate to. She is not a natural-born warrior, but she doesn't need to be when there are so many that are willing to fight and even die for her. After all, the role of a queen is to lead.
I loved all the supporting characters from the fairy tale that were reimagined for this version. Instead of waking up to find seven dwarfs in the cottage, Snow awoke to seven children--both boys and girls--who had been either abandoned by their families or rescued from tragic situations. This faux orphanage was the perfect spot for Snow to hide from her wicked stepmother and pick up some of the skills she wouldn't have been able to learn by living in a castle. The fact that some of the children were girls made it easier for Snow to form a bond with them as well as making them more vulnerable to the evil queen's attempts on Snow's life. Her love interest, Alexander, was a huntsman instead of a prince, but unlike Snow White and the Huntsman, he didn't have that creepy age difference and was not the one chosen by the queen to kill her. That task was given to a different royal huntsman who was loyal to Snow's stepmother, allowing for an exciting face-off during the climax.
Overall, I have to say that A Dream of Ebony and White really hit the mark. It took all the best things about "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and turned into a fresh emotional tale with a gentle and kind-hearted heroine who was capable of growing as much as her situation required her to. The romance with Alexander was incredibly moving because he was there from the very beginning. Turning the seven dwarfs into seven orphan children made it far more urgent for Snow to defeat her stepmother and protect her new friends. If you are looking for a realistic modern take on this classic fairy tale, look no further than Melanie Cellier's latest book.
What I liked the most about A Dream of Ebony and White is that it took all of the aspects of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" that we already know and intensified their emotional impact by telling them from Snow's perspective. In most versions of the tale, we see the queen command her huntsman to kill Snow White before the naive princess learns about it herself, making it less impactful when she finds out later. In this version, we feel the full range of confusion, shock, and horror when Snow's beloved childhood friend, who also happens to be a royal huntsman, sneaks into her room and whisks her away to the middle of the woods with no idea where she's going or why until she learns the awful truth that her life is in danger. The book evokes an incredible sense of relief when she discovers a small cottage where she can restore her strength after wandering aimlessly for days with barely any food or rest until she felt she could die of exhaustion at any given moment.
In most recent film adaptations of Snow White, the formerly helpless heroine is given a weapon and trains to stage a rebellion and take back her rightful place on the throne from her wicked stepmother. This story follows the same contemporary trope, but without the implication that a pampered princess is able to transform into a skilled warrior over a matter of weeks. Instead, she receives lots of help from her huntsman, her grandfather, and former palace soldiers who swear loyalty to her over her stepmother. She does receive some training and a dagger much later in the book, but it's far more believable than the level of expertise she reaches in Snow White and the Huntsman or Once Upon a Time. Her shyness and insecurities are a big part of what makes her character so easy to relate to. She is not a natural-born warrior, but she doesn't need to be when there are so many that are willing to fight and even die for her. After all, the role of a queen is to lead.
I loved all the supporting characters from the fairy tale that were reimagined for this version. Instead of waking up to find seven dwarfs in the cottage, Snow awoke to seven children--both boys and girls--who had been either abandoned by their families or rescued from tragic situations. This faux orphanage was the perfect spot for Snow to hide from her wicked stepmother and pick up some of the skills she wouldn't have been able to learn by living in a castle. The fact that some of the children were girls made it easier for Snow to form a bond with them as well as making them more vulnerable to the evil queen's attempts on Snow's life. Her love interest, Alexander, was a huntsman instead of a prince, but unlike Snow White and the Huntsman, he didn't have that creepy age difference and was not the one chosen by the queen to kill her. That task was given to a different royal huntsman who was loyal to Snow's stepmother, allowing for an exciting face-off during the climax.
Overall, I have to say that A Dream of Ebony and White really hit the mark. It took all the best things about "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and turned into a fresh emotional tale with a gentle and kind-hearted heroine who was capable of growing as much as her situation required her to. The romance with Alexander was incredibly moving because he was there from the very beginning. Turning the seven dwarfs into seven orphan children made it far more urgent for Snow to defeat her stepmother and protect her new friends. If you are looking for a realistic modern take on this classic fairy tale, look no further than Melanie Cellier's latest book.
August 4, 2024
Content Rating 5/5 ~ some kissing and fighting but all light and perfectly clean!
Theme Rating 5/5
Age Rating 11+
This was a wild adventure with a great main character that I ended up binging in around 24 hours once I actually started reading! Even though it was a reread, I had forgotten about 83.2237% of the story in the past two years, and it was really fun to read it almost like I was reading it for the first time again! The plot took me by surprise in several places, and the way aspects of the original fairytale were twisted were really fun!
Character wise, I loved Snow. She's possibly one of my favorite heroines in all these books, but that'd be saying a lot, so...🤷🏻♀ I also really loved Daria(and Poppy, of course)
I had two favorite parts: first of all, the found family thread with the children and that even though they'd all had to flee pretty scary circumstances, they'd found a haven together and looked out for each other and did their best to give each other a family. Love that. Those two aspects are some of my favorite things to see in stories... plus sweet romance, of course. XP And obviously, love for all of these things was instilled in me by Star Wars.😂😜
Overall, this was a great book! It wrapped up a few loose threads from the first half of this series to free us to deal with the rest of those loose threads, lol. But I can definitely highly recommend this book!
Theme Rating 5/5
Age Rating 11+
This was a wild adventure with a great main character that I ended up binging in around 24 hours once I actually started reading! Even though it was a reread, I had forgotten about 83.2237% of the story in the past two years, and it was really fun to read it almost like I was reading it for the first time again! The plot took me by surprise in several places, and the way aspects of the original fairytale were twisted were really fun!
Character wise, I loved Snow. She's possibly one of my favorite heroines in all these books, but that'd be saying a lot, so...🤷🏻♀ I also really loved Daria(and Poppy, of course)
I had two favorite parts: first of all, the found family thread with the children and that even though they'd all had to flee pretty scary circumstances, they'd found a haven together and looked out for each other and did their best to give each other a family. Love that. Those two aspects are some of my favorite things to see in stories... plus sweet romance, of course. XP And obviously, love for all of these things was instilled in me by Star Wars.😂😜
Overall, this was a great book! It wrapped up a few loose threads from the first half of this series to free us to deal with the rest of those loose threads, lol. But I can definitely highly recommend this book!
January 22, 2023
I rated this book five stars the first time I read it, and I still agree with that. I love Melanie Cellier's retold fairy tales. I think she's my favorite author in the genre, and her intertwined princess tales are masterpieces. In this book, Princess Blanche (aka Snow) flees the castle with the help of her huntsman BFF, and ends up living in the woods with seven orphaned children. The story is all about finding the courage to stand up for yourself, as Blanche does when she confronts her evil stepmother and takes back her crown. It's an amazing story, and I loved it the second time around as much as the first.
Re-read, re-review January 2023
In the beginning, this story is a lot like The Princess Fugitive: A Reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood, where a trusted guard-type person who is secretly in love with the princess, helps her escape certain death by running away into the forest. But that's where the similarities end. Blanche actually spends most of the book without her huntsman, learning to stand on her own two feet and take control of her life. The kids (instead of dwarves) are a nice tough, and I love the relationship between Blanche and her grandfather. Plus, in this book, the Princess literally saves her love interest from certain torture. It's still a great novel, even after more than one re-read.
Re-read, re-review January 2023
In the beginning, this story is a lot like The Princess Fugitive: A Reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood, where a trusted guard-type person who is secretly in love with the princess, helps her escape certain death by running away into the forest. But that's where the similarities end. Blanche actually spends most of the book without her huntsman, learning to stand on her own two feet and take control of her life. The kids (instead of dwarves) are a nice tough, and I love the relationship between Blanche and her grandfather. Plus, in this book, the Princess literally saves her love interest from certain torture. It's still a great novel, even after more than one re-read.
July 3, 2024
3.75 stars
I have mixed feelings on this book. I REALLY wanted to like it, but just couldn't get into it. Snow white retelling just aren't my thing, and this is the second one that I've ever tried. It felt tedious at times and the plot seemed to drag, and I'm gonna be honest with you, I was tempted to dnf at times. So you might be wondering, why the four stars?
That last twenty percent redeemed the entire book. I was not at all bored, and could see everything playing out like a movie. I wanted to yell at Snow that the APPLE IS POISONOUS!!!!
But of course she can't hear me and ate it anyways.
And the scene where Alexander brings her out of the apple induced sleep...
*happy sigh*
That was, by far, one one of favorite parts of the book.
Snow was kind of annoying at times too. She's very nervous and not self confident at the beginning of the book, and by the end she's taking risks that almost kill her.
I wanted to tell her how *terrible* some of her plans were, and how she shouldn't go and risk her life.
The seven "dwarfs" were great!! I appreciated how they are normal KIDS and not actual dwarfs, because if I'm being honest, the idea of the seven dwarfs is just kind of weird.
They all seemed mature for their age, and the friendship between Daria and Snow was so cute!!
The step mother made me SOO mad, but I never quite got why she hates Snow so much. But even before she tried to kill Snow I was tempted to throw something at her because she's just SO MEAN! Just nit picky, rude, (and also what's to kill her.)
The romance was so sweet too!! It is a friends to lovers, which happens to be one of my favorite tropes. There was not a proposal in this book, unlike the others in this series.
So no need to worry!! A sixteen year old will NOT get married in this book.
So while I didn't LOVE the whole book, the ending was great, and there were some good parts.
CW: Four kisses, (a few with some minimal details and the others no details), two almost kisses, blushes, warmth, some attraction, (but not so much that it overtakes the plot, its kept minimal), noticing Alexander's muscles, embraces, Alexander is in a room alone with Snow several times, (but her grandpa is secretly watching one time) and nothing happens, Snows dad married an evil woman for a marriage of alliance
Snow eats a poison apple that was intended to kill her, (but it only puts her in a sleep like state), she is paralyzed, (but a kiss of true love wakes her up), getting lost in the woods, wondering if she will die, her step mother is killed by Sterling, semi detailed, she is punched by a magical object, so Sterling is killed by Randolf, (also semi detailed), an attempted murder with two other magic objects on the seven kids, A dress chokes the eldest girl, (but she survives), A comb (somehow) almost kills Poppy, plunging a knife into several people in self defense, Alexander is kidnapped and thrown in prison, (Snow helps him break out), some fights, Snow hasn't seen her grandpa because hes never wanted to visit her ever since her mom died, Snows dad dies, her stepmother is cruel and attempts to murder her, Snow is betrayed by hee cousin, (he didn't want to but the (not queen) queen forced him too), her cousins family is threatened, a mention of "not being naked" under something, Snow wears a dress that makes her look older than 16
A magic godmother visits Snow, there is a magical mirror, many mentions of godmother items, A magical dress and hair comb that are enchanted almost kill two of the seven kids. (That's all of the main content, but I could have missed a few minor things. Check out Lindsey's review for a more in depth content section!)
Age recommendation: 12+
(But I'd definitely recommend this for adults too!! It didn't feel too young, and I've heard that these stories are ya/a too.
If you like snow white retellings, you'd probably like this book.
I'm just not big on the original story in the first place...
But I liked that ending SOOO much!!
I have mixed feelings on this book. I REALLY wanted to like it, but just couldn't get into it. Snow white retelling just aren't my thing, and this is the second one that I've ever tried. It felt tedious at times and the plot seemed to drag, and I'm gonna be honest with you, I was tempted to dnf at times. So you might be wondering, why the four stars?
That last twenty percent redeemed the entire book. I was not at all bored, and could see everything playing out like a movie. I wanted to yell at Snow that the APPLE IS POISONOUS!!!!
But of course she can't hear me and ate it anyways.
And the scene where Alexander brings her out of the apple induced sleep...
*happy sigh*
That was, by far, one one of favorite parts of the book.
Snow was kind of annoying at times too. She's very nervous and not self confident at the beginning of the book, and by the end she's taking risks that almost kill her.
I wanted to tell her how *terrible* some of her plans were, and how she shouldn't go and risk her life.
The seven "dwarfs" were great!! I appreciated how they are normal KIDS and not actual dwarfs, because if I'm being honest, the idea of the seven dwarfs is just kind of weird.
They all seemed mature for their age, and the friendship between Daria and Snow was so cute!!
The step mother made me SOO mad, but I never quite got why she hates Snow so much. But even before she tried to kill Snow I was tempted to throw something at her because she's just SO MEAN! Just nit picky, rude, (and also what's to kill her.)
The romance was so sweet too!! It is a friends to lovers, which happens to be one of my favorite tropes. There was not a proposal in this book, unlike the others in this series.
So no need to worry!! A sixteen year old will NOT get married in this book.
So while I didn't LOVE the whole book, the ending was great, and there were some good parts.
CW: Four kisses, (a few with some minimal details and the others no details), two almost kisses, blushes, warmth, some attraction, (but not so much that it overtakes the plot, its kept minimal), noticing Alexander's muscles, embraces, Alexander is in a room alone with Snow several times, (but her grandpa is secretly watching one time) and nothing happens, Snows dad married an evil woman for a marriage of alliance
Snow eats a poison apple that was intended to kill her, (but it only puts her in a sleep like state), she is paralyzed, (but a kiss of true love wakes her up), getting lost in the woods, wondering if she will die, her step mother is killed by Sterling, semi detailed, she is punched by a magical object, so Sterling is killed by Randolf, (also semi detailed), an attempted murder with two other magic objects on the seven kids, A dress chokes the eldest girl, (but she survives), A comb (somehow) almost kills Poppy, plunging a knife into several people in self defense, Alexander is kidnapped and thrown in prison, (Snow helps him break out), some fights, Snow hasn't seen her grandpa because hes never wanted to visit her ever since her mom died, Snows dad dies, her stepmother is cruel and attempts to murder her, Snow is betrayed by hee cousin, (he didn't want to but the (not queen) queen forced him too), her cousins family is threatened, a mention of "not being naked" under something, Snow wears a dress that makes her look older than 16
A magic godmother visits Snow, there is a magical mirror, many mentions of godmother items, A magical dress and hair comb that are enchanted almost kill two of the seven kids. (That's all of the main content, but I could have missed a few minor things. Check out Lindsey's review for a more in depth content section!)
Age recommendation: 12+
(But I'd definitely recommend this for adults too!! It didn't feel too young, and I've heard that these stories are ya/a too.
If you like snow white retellings, you'd probably like this book.
I'm just not big on the original story in the first place...
But I liked that ending SOOO much!!
December 9, 2018
I've enjoyed this series quite a bit in general, and this book specifically had a lot of great themes in it. The things that Snow dealt with as she had to figure out becoming a queen and what that should look like were a lot of the same things that we all deal with in different ways as we figure out becoming adults. Plus, I love a good best-friends-to-falling-in-love story.
There are a couple of kisses, but nothing that I would consider concerning content for any age. (There are children in danger a couple of times, but in my experience adults are a lot more disturbed by that than children are.)
There are a couple of kisses, but nothing that I would consider concerning content for any age. (There are children in danger a couple of times, but in my experience adults are a lot more disturbed by that than children are.)
July 22, 2024
It was kind of a long storyline where I think there could have been far more action but I liked that there was only princess in it and snow was fighting on her own (minus her friends) and not using help from other kingdoms.
October 18, 2019
Melanie Cellier, folks! I am so glad I stumbled upon her retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses, goodness, nearly two years ago now. I've been wholly suckered into KU and she's entirely to blame. Every time I am afforded the opportunity to step back into her Four Kingdoms world, I relish it.
Snow White, as many of you know by now, is not my favorite fairy tale. It never has been. And, frankly, I've enjoyed the retellings of it far more than the original tale. This particular retelling was quite straightforward. It didn't really have any particular twists to the plot or anything like that, but the presentation was endearing. I'm enamored by the world as it is, and seeing a new kingdom is always fun. Though it didn't feel like we saw so much of the kingdom as in other tales, I still really enjoyed the forest bits.
Despite the rather simple nature of the retelling, I did really like the characters and some of the filling out of the story that Cellier did. Alex is, well, he's everything a dreamy huntsman ought to be. I loved his interaction with the dwarves (I won't reveal that particular depiction, but know that it was one of my favorite parts of the story!! The whole sideplot was precious!)--and Tarver's too!! I do kind of wish there had been a little more resolution with Snow and Anthony--whom I finally pegged as Grumpy near the end of the story! Haha! That almost went over my head! And the Duke of Lestern was...possibly one of the deepest and most unique parts of this version of the story. The themes and plot lines surrounding him made it all Cellier's.
The book was clean with no foul language, nothing more explicit romantically than a kiss, and very mild violence. The story does involve a rebellion against a treasonous queen, but the most graphic it got was a dagger stabbed into a shoulder. There were a few enchanted items that wreaked a little havok and a primarily off-screen villainess who was "ruthless." I'd feel perfectly comfortable giving this to a preteen.
Snow White, as many of you know by now, is not my favorite fairy tale. It never has been. And, frankly, I've enjoyed the retellings of it far more than the original tale. This particular retelling was quite straightforward. It didn't really have any particular twists to the plot or anything like that, but the presentation was endearing. I'm enamored by the world as it is, and seeing a new kingdom is always fun. Though it didn't feel like we saw so much of the kingdom as in other tales, I still really enjoyed the forest bits.
Despite the rather simple nature of the retelling, I did really like the characters and some of the filling out of the story that Cellier did. Alex is, well, he's everything a dreamy huntsman ought to be. I loved his interaction with the dwarves (I won't reveal that particular depiction, but know that it was one of my favorite parts of the story!! The whole sideplot was precious!)--and Tarver's too!! I do kind of wish there had been a little more resolution with Snow and Anthony--whom I finally pegged as Grumpy near the end of the story! Haha! That almost went over my head! And the Duke of Lestern was...possibly one of the deepest and most unique parts of this version of the story. The themes and plot lines surrounding him made it all Cellier's.
The book was clean with no foul language, nothing more explicit romantically than a kiss, and very mild violence. The story does involve a rebellion against a treasonous queen, but the most graphic it got was a dagger stabbed into a shoulder. There were a few enchanted items that wreaked a little havok and a primarily off-screen villainess who was "ruthless." I'd feel perfectly comfortable giving this to a preteen.
March 13, 2022
A Fighter Snow White!
So most of us picture Snow White as a damsel in distress who does absolutely nothing but sing, clean and fall asleep. Her prince randomly shows us and wakes her up with "true loves kiss".
But THIS Snow White is anything but a damsel in distress. Yes, a man/men help her escape and train. But she takes initiative and thinks ahead to what she needs to do to save not only herself and her kingdom.
I love that when she discovers a cottage in the forest, they're resilient kids. Genius twist! They were such strong side characters and helped her not only by offering safe haven but teaching her things that help her survive and inspiring her by their strong will and strength to live.
I also LOVED her and Alex together! 😍
Bet they had been cuter if he hadn't been so stubborn. Dude didn't want to admit he loved her until he thought she was dead haha
But this was a friends to lovers story and they were there for each other. No instant random love but one developed over years of friendship and trust, it was beautiful!
Gosh darn, now I don't know which couple is my favorite in this series! 😂
This story also had a lot more plot than the original. With more betrayals, spies, multiple murder attempts, political intrigue, family drama, romance, and action! Couldn't put it down. Really recommend this series!
So most of us picture Snow White as a damsel in distress who does absolutely nothing but sing, clean and fall asleep. Her prince randomly shows us and wakes her up with "true loves kiss".
But THIS Snow White is anything but a damsel in distress. Yes, a man/men help her escape and train. But she takes initiative and thinks ahead to what she needs to do to save not only herself and her kingdom.
I love that when she discovers a cottage in the forest, they're resilient kids. Genius twist! They were such strong side characters and helped her not only by offering safe haven but teaching her things that help her survive and inspiring her by their strong will and strength to live.
I also LOVED her and Alex together! 😍
Bet they had been cuter if he hadn't been so stubborn. Dude didn't want to admit he loved her until he thought she was dead haha
But this was a friends to lovers story and they were there for each other. No instant random love but one developed over years of friendship and trust, it was beautiful!
Gosh darn, now I don't know which couple is my favorite in this series! 😂
This story also had a lot more plot than the original. With more betrayals, spies, multiple murder attempts, political intrigue, family drama, romance, and action! Couldn't put it down. Really recommend this series!
March 30, 2025
Easily my favorite in this series so far. Snow and Alexander's friends-to-more story is SO cute, plus some children in a cottage, plus an epic character arc... Needless to say, I read this book way too fast for how adorable and sweet it was.
Snow was shy and took a backseat for the Princess Tourney in the first book (although we were introduced to Randolph... ick), so I wasn't sure I'd like her when it was her turn to shine. She started out shy and cowardly, though, and her progression to a brave young woman worthy of the throne was truly inspiring!
Plus the kiddos and their happy ending. *happy sigh*
Plus the sweet grandfather relationship. *happy sigh*
PLUS STERLING FINALLY GETTING LOCKED UP... it had better be for good this time!
Anyhoo, Ms. Cellier put a unique spin on the story of Snow White, and I loved every page!
Snow was shy and took a backseat for the Princess Tourney in the first book (although we were introduced to Randolph... ick), so I wasn't sure I'd like her when it was her turn to shine. She started out shy and cowardly, though, and her progression to a brave young woman worthy of the throne was truly inspiring!
Plus the kiddos and their happy ending. *happy sigh*
Plus the sweet grandfather relationship. *happy sigh*
PLUS STERLING FINALLY GETTING LOCKED UP... it had better be for good this time!
Anyhoo, Ms. Cellier put a unique spin on the story of Snow White, and I loved every page!
May 2, 2019
As I already hoped, I liked Blanche, Snow for close friends and family, a lot better than Celine and from the very first page until the very last one I enjoyed her story so incredibly much! Maybe Snow wasn't the bravest character I've ever read about and maybe she wasn't good with brute force and maybe she also didn't always do the right thing. But she was so beautifully human and watching her grow into her role as the future queen was such a wonderful experience!
When we met Snow her father had just died and her best friend, Alexander, rushes her out of her room to escape the death that's waiting for her. At that moment Snow is shy, insecure and she knows next to nothing about survival, fighting, climbing and everything else she will actually need to survive. It's an amazing starting point for a story and it's even more amazing to see this shy girl grow into the person she becomes eventually.
This books once more, just like the previous books, has it all. Of course the backbone is the story of Snow White and this book contains all the key elements. The haunted forest, the small cabin, seven kids ("what did you expect? Dwarves?") sheltering her and warming up to her, a handsome and brave huntsman, the magic mirror and of course a poisoned apple. And then some more elements were added: Political suspense, betrayal, courts, secrets and hours and hours of self defence training sessions!
At the moment this is the last book published in this series, but two more will be released this year and I'm really looking forward to them!
When we met Snow her father had just died and her best friend, Alexander, rushes her out of her room to escape the death that's waiting for her. At that moment Snow is shy, insecure and she knows next to nothing about survival, fighting, climbing and everything else she will actually need to survive. It's an amazing starting point for a story and it's even more amazing to see this shy girl grow into the person she becomes eventually.
This books once more, just like the previous books, has it all. Of course the backbone is the story of Snow White and this book contains all the key elements. The haunted forest, the small cabin, seven kids ("what did you expect? Dwarves?") sheltering her and warming up to her, a handsome and brave huntsman, the magic mirror and of course a poisoned apple. And then some more elements were added: Political suspense, betrayal, courts, secrets and hours and hours of self defence training sessions!
At the moment this is the last book published in this series, but two more will be released this year and I'm really looking forward to them!
May 21, 2020
The 4th book in the Beyond the Four Kingdoms series, A Dream of Ebony and White is the adaptation of the Snow White fairytale. While reading in order is helpful, this one almost acts as a standalone except for a few details and could probably be read as such.
Blanche, or Snow as she likes to be called by her friends, has just lost her father. Her stepmother, mad with power thinks she's in the way and seeks to remove Snow from her life. Trying to escape, Snow has to learn to do more than she thought possible, and to save her kingdom, she has to overcome the ruthless Queen.
Snow has a lot of growth in this book. I think her personality is one of the more realistic ones I've encountered in this series so far, and largely because of the way her past history is presented. That being said, I had a hard time aligning the personalities or motivations of all the other characters in this book (except for maybe the stepmother, cause evil is gonna evil). Alexander, her love interest in this book, I just didn't connect with at all, and his personality fluctuations just didn't really ring as realistic for me.
Like all the other books in the series, this one moves fast. There are plenty of events happening and Snow finds herself in a lot of scuffles that are fun to follow. The writing is appropriate for the young adult level. While I found the ending a bit too rushed and easily wrapped up, the book was still an interesting take on the Snow White tale.
Another fast read in the series. Since I'm this far, I have to continue of course.
Review by M. Reynard 2020
Blanche, or Snow as she likes to be called by her friends, has just lost her father. Her stepmother, mad with power thinks she's in the way and seeks to remove Snow from her life. Trying to escape, Snow has to learn to do more than she thought possible, and to save her kingdom, she has to overcome the ruthless Queen.
Snow has a lot of growth in this book. I think her personality is one of the more realistic ones I've encountered in this series so far, and largely because of the way her past history is presented. That being said, I had a hard time aligning the personalities or motivations of all the other characters in this book (except for maybe the stepmother, cause evil is gonna evil). Alexander, her love interest in this book, I just didn't connect with at all, and his personality fluctuations just didn't really ring as realistic for me.
Like all the other books in the series, this one moves fast. There are plenty of events happening and Snow finds herself in a lot of scuffles that are fun to follow. The writing is appropriate for the young adult level. While I found the ending a bit too rushed and easily wrapped up, the book was still an interesting take on the Snow White tale.
Another fast read in the series. Since I'm this far, I have to continue of course.
Review by M. Reynard 2020
February 27, 2019
I really love this series. Each of the princesses is strong in her own way, and I really like that in this book we got to see Snow grow into a stronger, more confident person. She starts out doubting her abilities and trapped in grief over her father's death and fear of her stepmother. She has an inner voice that reminds her constantly of negative things about herself, and it was so refreshing for an author to tackle this in a character because so many of us struggle with that in everyday life. Watching Snow progress and regress and progress is such an accurate portrayal of the internal struggle, and I loved how she discovered new things about herself and her abilities, as well as learning to rely on others. I liked the inclusion of the friends-to-lovers dynamic, which was a nice change of pace from the previous books. I love that each of the stories has a different love story and way of getting to the happily ever after. The dwarves equivalent was unexpected but lovely, and Snow's grandfather was such a great character.
Long live the queen!
Long live the queen!
April 28, 2024
I really liked this one. Sometimes in fairytale retellings having an idea of what is coming can cause dread. You know the heavy plot moments are coming. This one had the moments one would expect, but I LOVE the way they happen. It was so much fun. I also am a big fan of how she did the “dwarfs.” That element was so heartwarming. The ending was super satisfying. I’m mentally comparing it to “The Fairest Beauty” by Melanie Dickerson from her “Hagenheim” series. It’s also a fairy tale series, but I like the various four kingdoms books better. Let’s just say these books hit the right balance; major plot beats from the original tales are there, but there’s a spice of originality that keeps the reader wondering. Fresh, faithful, and good main characters with a solid sense of right and wrong: that’s what this series has.
October 21, 2018
One of my favorites from this author.
Snow, to her friends and family, is one of my favourite heroines. Her self doubt is completely relatable but she doesn't bog down in complaints and inner monologues like some 16 year old main characters do. Yet another example of Melanie Cellier's excellent characterization across all her books - each heroine is as unique as her story.
I was pleasantly surprised about how she fit in the red apple and the godmothers! I won't give any spoilers, just delighted in the unexpected, yet appropriate tie in. A great book to read on its own, but even more enjoyable as a part of the Beyond the Four Kingdoms series.
Snow, to her friends and family, is one of my favourite heroines. Her self doubt is completely relatable but she doesn't bog down in complaints and inner monologues like some 16 year old main characters do. Yet another example of Melanie Cellier's excellent characterization across all her books - each heroine is as unique as her story.
I was pleasantly surprised about how she fit in the red apple and the godmothers! I won't give any spoilers, just delighted in the unexpected, yet appropriate tie in. A great book to read on its own, but even more enjoyable as a part of the Beyond the Four Kingdoms series.
February 19, 2021
4 Stars for this Fairytale retelling
I found this fairytale retelling refreshing and unique. We first meet Princess Blanche (Snow) in the story of the twelve dancing princesses and she is definitely not a very strong or relatable character there. I like reading her story- as a character she definitely shows a lot of growth. I also loved that she wasn’t perfect. She makes bad decisions and mistakes just like everyone else, but she learns from them. The romance in this one was more unique as well- it was not nearly as pronounced as in the other stories, but the ending was oh-so-sweet. I enjoyed it, and am excited to dive into the next book!
I found this fairytale retelling refreshing and unique. We first meet Princess Blanche (Snow) in the story of the twelve dancing princesses and she is definitely not a very strong or relatable character there. I like reading her story- as a character she definitely shows a lot of growth. I also loved that she wasn’t perfect. She makes bad decisions and mistakes just like everyone else, but she learns from them. The romance in this one was more unique as well- it was not nearly as pronounced as in the other stories, but the ending was oh-so-sweet. I enjoyed it, and am excited to dive into the next book!
July 9, 2022
I really binged these, and it’s at about this point that I’m starting to get a little tired of them, which is completely my fault for binging.
The MC here was relatively unknown—she was one of the 12 dancing princesses but has very little screen time (except, you know, on a page instead of on a screen—what is the term for that? Page time?). Anyhow, I didn’t have as much of a ~connection~ with her as I did the previous three books. I did like that she was NOT athletic because neither am I! Although she did train and stuff, which I am not doing, so by the end she was much more athletic than I. The “seven dwarf” characters were charming.
The MC here was relatively unknown—she was one of the 12 dancing princesses but has very little screen time (except, you know, on a page instead of on a screen—what is the term for that? Page time?). Anyhow, I didn’t have as much of a ~connection~ with her as I did the previous three books. I did like that she was NOT athletic because neither am I! Although she did train and stuff, which I am not doing, so by the end she was much more athletic than I. The “seven dwarf” characters were charming.
November 4, 2023
Almost cried. Also I just learned that there are a full 6 books before these six and they are I’m guessing about some parents of the people involved in these.
And I may or may not read them who knows.
Def taking a break from fairytale retellings after these but I am very happy the whole time I’m reading them. This one almost made me cry.
Snow is a baddie.
Don’t expect these to be the best books you have ever read but again I’m so happy while I’m reading them I can’t help but give a high star rating ❤️🖤🤍
And I may or may not read them who knows.
Def taking a break from fairytale retellings after these but I am very happy the whole time I’m reading them. This one almost made me cry.
Snow is a baddie.
Don’t expect these to be the best books you have ever read but again I’m so happy while I’m reading them I can’t help but give a high star rating ❤️🖤🤍
March 30, 2020
A kingdom to save, a princess lost in a forest, a huntsman, A dream of Ebony and White takes all the ingredients of the classic Snow White fairytale and mixed it to create a new storyline.
It was an enjoyable read, it reminded me a bit the tv show Once upon a time (the parts set in the fairytale land), it's perfect if you're looking for something that feels like reading a fairytale but with less grotesque elements of the original Grimm's one.
It was an enjoyable read, it reminded me a bit the tv show Once upon a time (the parts set in the fairytale land), it's perfect if you're looking for something that feels like reading a fairytale but with less grotesque elements of the original Grimm's one.
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