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The Book of Snow & Silence
Girls of Paper & Fire meets A Game of Thrones in THE BOOK OF SNOW & SILENCE, a darkly romantic queer fantasy inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid.
Fierce Princess Theoai is devastated when betrayal by her own sister destroys her chance to inherit their mother’s crown. Exiled across the sea to wed a prince she has never met, she soon finds that taking possession of her new crown will be more perilous than she could ever have imagined. The snowy realm of Silinga is rotten to the core, and Theoai’s handsome Prince is spoiled and reckless, with eyes only for the beautiful mute who washed up on the shore the day after Theoai’s arrival: Shell. But though she enchants the entire palace with her unearthly dancing, Shell is more than just a romantic rival, and against her will Theoai is drawn to her. As they both navigate the glittering, treacherous court, their relationship changes from hostility to friendship – and then to a love that will shake the very foundations of the cold kingdom that seeks to tear them apart.
THE BOOK OF SNOW & SILENCE is a sweeping, Feminist novel of enchantment, ambition and, above all, love.
Fierce Princess Theoai is devastated when betrayal by her own sister destroys her chance to inherit their mother’s crown. Exiled across the sea to wed a prince she has never met, she soon finds that taking possession of her new crown will be more perilous than she could ever have imagined. The snowy realm of Silinga is rotten to the core, and Theoai’s handsome Prince is spoiled and reckless, with eyes only for the beautiful mute who washed up on the shore the day after Theoai’s arrival: Shell. But though she enchants the entire palace with her unearthly dancing, Shell is more than just a romantic rival, and against her will Theoai is drawn to her. As they both navigate the glittering, treacherous court, their relationship changes from hostility to friendship – and then to a love that will shake the very foundations of the cold kingdom that seeks to tear them apart.
THE BOOK OF SNOW & SILENCE is a sweeping, Feminist novel of enchantment, ambition and, above all, love.
321 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2020
About the author
Zoë Marriott
18 books807 followersZoë has known that she wanted to be a writer since she read 'The Magic Faraway Tree' by Enid Blyton at age eight. She's never changed her mind in all the years since then.
She completed her first manuscript - a truly embarrassing romance novel - at age sixteen, and kept on writing books and submitting them until she had collected rejections from nearly very publisher in the UK and two in Australia. She eventually got her first publishing contract when she was twenty-two - but had to wait until she was twenty-four to see that book published (The Swan Kingdom). Her books have been longlisted for the Branford Boase Award, shortlisted for the Leeds Book Award and the Lancashire Book of the Year, and have won a Junior Library Guild Selection, a USBBY Outstanding International Listing, the Hillingdon Book Award and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation Prize. Over the years she's worked as an admin assistant, a dental nurse, a civil servant, and a reader for a literary scout. She has designed and run over one hundred creative writing workshops in schools and libraries, and from 2017-19 she was the Royal Literary Fund Fellow at York St. John University.
She lives in a little house in a town by the sea, with a manic spaniel called Ruskin (otherwise known as Demon Dog, Trash Puppy, Snaggletooth, or the supervillain in training) and far too many books. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Creative Writing at the Open University, and working on her first novel for adults.
She completed her first manuscript - a truly embarrassing romance novel - at age sixteen, and kept on writing books and submitting them until she had collected rejections from nearly very publisher in the UK and two in Australia. She eventually got her first publishing contract when she was twenty-two - but had to wait until she was twenty-four to see that book published (The Swan Kingdom). Her books have been longlisted for the Branford Boase Award, shortlisted for the Leeds Book Award and the Lancashire Book of the Year, and have won a Junior Library Guild Selection, a USBBY Outstanding International Listing, the Hillingdon Book Award and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation Prize. Over the years she's worked as an admin assistant, a dental nurse, a civil servant, and a reader for a literary scout. She has designed and run over one hundred creative writing workshops in schools and libraries, and from 2017-19 she was the Royal Literary Fund Fellow at York St. John University.
She lives in a little house in a town by the sea, with a manic spaniel called Ruskin (otherwise known as Demon Dog, Trash Puppy, Snaggletooth, or the supervillain in training) and far too many books. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Creative Writing at the Open University, and working on her first novel for adults.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 15, 2021
Тру аннотация: треугольник по "Русалочке", который мы заслужили.
☆ purple prose с черной водой и ослепительным льдом. Автор знает толк в шубах, айсбергах и полярных медведях. Зубы цокают каждую главу.
☆ мир обьемный из-за бытовых деталюшечек: блюд, этикета и языков. Социалка на уровне обычного янгэдалта. Есть магия, но пролетом.
☆ сюжет медленный и первые две трети ползет точно по сказке Андерсена. Сказку нужно держать в голове, иначе запутаетесь.
☆ всю книгу мы сидим рядом с принцессой Тео и смотрим на то, как она заламывает руки, взирает на гобелены и драматически метается. Поэтому если героиня не заходит с первой главы - бросайте.
Мне Тео понравилась адекватностью. Она выходит замуж за незнакомого принца ради короны, и это нормально для принцессы. Она разбирается в интригах, но не злодейка или хамка. Она хочет власти, а находит себя.
Ее история была бы скучной, счастливой и предсказуемой, да только за время соперничества с Русалочкой за сердце принца Тео в нее влюбилась.
Но Русалочка скоро превратится в пену. А Тео получит свой хеппиенд.
☆ отдельно скажу, что мне понравился принц как яркий характер. С одной стороны он, конечно, подбешивает своей бесполезностью, а с другой стороны, его даже жалко, мамкиного подкаблучника.
☆ название классно обыграно. Ничего не скажу, потому что спойлер, буду молча восхищаться.
☆ у книги есть отличный душераздирающий финал, а за ним идет всратый эпилог, ломающий логику об колено. Да, в сказке такого не было, но можно же свести концы с концами нормально и не за две страницы!
Итого: 4☆ за ледяную воду. Читать зимой.
☆ purple prose с черной водой и ослепительным льдом. Автор знает толк в шубах, айсбергах и полярных медведях. Зубы цокают каждую главу.
☆ мир обьемный из-за бытовых деталюшечек: блюд, этикета и языков. Социалка на уровне обычного янгэдалта. Есть магия, но пролетом.
☆ сюжет медленный и первые две трети ползет точно по сказке Андерсена. Сказку нужно держать в голове, иначе запутаетесь.
☆ всю книгу мы сидим рядом с принцессой Тео и смотрим на то, как она заламывает руки, взирает на гобелены и драматически метается. Поэтому если героиня не заходит с первой главы - бросайте.
Мне Тео понравилась адекватностью. Она выходит замуж за незнакомого принца ради короны, и это нормально для принцессы. Она разбирается в интригах, но не злодейка или хамка. Она хочет власти, а находит себя.
Ее история была бы скучной, счастливой и предсказуемой, да только за время соперничества с Русалочкой за сердце принца Тео в нее влюбилась.
Но Русалочка скоро превратится в пену. А Тео получит свой хеппиенд.
☆ отдельно скажу, что мне понравился принц как яркий характер. С одной стороны он, конечно, подбешивает своей бесполезностью, а с другой стороны, его даже жалко, мамкиного подкаблучника.
☆ название классно обыграно. Ничего не скажу, потому что спойлер, буду молча восхищаться.
☆ у книги есть отличный душераздирающий финал, а за ним идет всратый эпилог, ломающий логику об колено. Да, в сказке такого не было, но можно же свести концы с концами нормально и не за две страницы!
Итого: 4☆ за ледяную воду. Читать зимой.
July 13, 2020
Mermaids and princesses and polar bears (and FEMINISM!) oh my!
May 14, 2021
Theoai was born to be Queen of Yamarr. But when that expectation is derailed, she instead leaves her desert land and sails to the far north to marry Uldarana, Prince of Silinga, and rule there instead. What should be simple and straightforward is complicated when another girl is found stranded on an iceberg and taken into palace life along with Theo. “Shell” cannot speak. But she is beautiful and captivating. Theo is not prepared for the presence of a potential rival, especially before she’s even officially betrothed. But she is prepared — and firmly determined — to stay the course and become the queen she’s been raised to be.My description makes Theo sound cold and ruthless. And she is. But she’s also a teenager who has left her familiar surroundings and is trying to feel her way into a new life, and her sharp edges are softened by relatable nervousness and even some vulnerability, despite her attempts to hide it. I found her an interesting, relatable, and real character. She’s very much her Mother’s daughter, but the events of this story force her to figure out if that is who she truly wants to be, and whether she has a choice in who to become. As you might be guessing, this is a character-driven plot, and I thought Theo’s character development over the course of the book was believable and impressive.
Also impressive was the worldbuilding. Silinga is equivalent to a Nordic country, while Yamarr seems to be inspired by Morocco or the Middle East, as it’s located in a hot, dry desert. The cultures are of course very different, as are the religions. I appreciated that Theo’s thought processes shifted some depending on whether she was thinking in Silingan or in Yamarri, and that her oaths are consistent with her homeland (the Triple Gods oversee “Three frosty Hells!”). (I also found it interesting that the entire story transports Theo to a sort of frosty Hell, seeing as how she’s put through the wringer in the depths of Silingan winter.) Both countries felt like real places, and I like to think that these two lands are on the same planet as the settings of Zoë’s other books.
Speaking of those other books, this one has less direct magic because Theo is not “Blessed,” as they say in Yamarr. But magic does play a large part in the background of the story, and presents some difficult ethical issues that added philosophical substance to the plot .
Slightly more random reflections: The other characters are just as complex and self-motivated as Theo, and their decisions and reactions kept me hanging on every turn of events, as almost nothing that happened was what I would have predicted. The pacing was excellent, with new information being revealed at just the right moments (such as when I was chafing for it!). I was especially pleased to learn how this book got its name, which is integral to the story.
And true to Zoë’s always-deft emotional maneuvering, there was a point near the end of the book where I yelled “nooo!” and nearly chucked the book across the room, never to pick it up again because I could not believe what had just happened. But luckily, I was reading that while eating lunch, and after fretting for two hours, I got up the nerve to finish the story on the train home from work, and am very glad I did.
The one thing I’m left wishing for was the chance to know Shell better. But she’s presented almost entirely through Theo’s experience of her, and I accept that that is the right way to have told this story. I just have to imagine her life for myself, and that’s part of what a good book should do — make me want to imagine beyond it.
This book took some stale fairy tale tropes and turned them into a beautiful, satisfying, feminist story that made me say “ahhh!” at the end of the final page. I really enjoyed this.
June 21, 2022
3.5 stars
This book had so much potential - a sapphic retelling of the Little Mermaid, with a romance between the two rivals of the prince’s affections? I was super intrigued and I did really love Theoai’s character. Almost immediately I was rooting for her, which is funny considering I’ve read Hans Christian Andersen’s version and I always disliked her character on the mermaid’s behalf. But she really had a strong head on her shoulders and was just interesting to see her point of view of the whole story. The problem I had was the pacing - the rivalry to friendship to lovers transition was disproportionate. The friendship and lovers part of their relationship barely had any page time and so it was harder for me to root for the two of them to be together. The ending felt a little rushed too. I was wondering how things were meant to wrap up with 3% left in the book. And thinking back, the beginning of the book had a slower pace for sure. If the first half had been cut back and the last half had given more to the budding relationship between Theo and Shell, I think this would have been a really well written, unique retelling of the Little Mermaid.
This book had so much potential - a sapphic retelling of the Little Mermaid, with a romance between the two rivals of the prince’s affections? I was super intrigued and I did really love Theoai’s character. Almost immediately I was rooting for her, which is funny considering I’ve read Hans Christian Andersen’s version and I always disliked her character on the mermaid’s behalf. But she really had a strong head on her shoulders and was just interesting to see her point of view of the whole story. The problem I had was the pacing - the rivalry to friendship to lovers transition was disproportionate. The friendship and lovers part of their relationship barely had any page time and so it was harder for me to root for the two of them to be together. The ending felt a little rushed too. I was wondering how things were meant to wrap up with 3% left in the book. And thinking back, the beginning of the book had a slower pace for sure. If the first half had been cut back and the last half had given more to the budding relationship between Theo and Shell, I think this would have been a really well written, unique retelling of the Little Mermaid.
July 29, 2020
When I heard that Zoë was releasing a ‘retelling’ of The Little Mermaid I was very excited & honestly, after just finishing it, I am completely & utterly blown away. I found it so interesting that this ‘retelling’ wasn’t told from the perspective of the mermaid & as the story developed & new secrets were revealed I just became more & more obsessed with this story. I identified with & fell in love with Theoai, our storyteller, & I felt every emotion she did. I thought I knew where the book was going but I could not have been any more wrong & the ending was a literal jaw-dropping moment for me. As well as the fantastic plot & protagonist though, I really loved the world-building & the magic system & the idea of another book set in this world excites me a lot! I genuinely believe this book is completely unique & I’m totally & utterly obsessed!!
⚠️ This story includes shipwrecks, drowning, seizures, anxiety, aggressive animals, off-page hunting, a form of modern slavery & gun use ⚠️
I was sent a digital copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review.
Extended Review: https://wp.me/p8MbIo-3bF
⚠️ This story includes shipwrecks, drowning, seizures, anxiety, aggressive animals, off-page hunting, a form of modern slavery & gun use ⚠️
I was sent a digital copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review.
Extended Review: https://wp.me/p8MbIo-3bF
December 20, 2020
3,5 estrellas
Me gustó un montón, pero por momentos se me hizo denso, porque sentía que tenía mucho relleno :c Theoai y Shell son demasiado cute, y hay una escena en específico that lives rent free in my head.
Me gustó un montón, pero por momentos se me hizo denso, porque sentía que tenía mucho relleno :c Theoai y Shell son demasiado cute, y hay una escena en específico that lives rent free in my head.
June 20, 2020
Take in that cover, people. Absorb it. Let it sit for a while.
Ah. That was soothing, wasn't it?
I love a fairy tale retelling, especially one that digs into the background and really builds a functioning civilization out of the bits we're given. The queen of this, for me, has always been Shannon Hale, and the jewel in her crown is the Book of a Thousand Days. Maybe it's destiny that the Book of Snow and Silence is drawing level with her.
Zoe has created three completely functioning civilizations, although we don't see much of the mermaids and we're never actually in Yamarr at all. However, since Theoai often thinks of Yamarr and contrasts her new home with it, we gain quite a good picture of it.
Without ever actually being told, we know that Yamarr is a desert country, probably somewhere in what we'd think of as Africa, and that Silingana is at the very least a Nordic country, maybe even more northerly, like Greenland. (I know this novel isn't actually set in this world, but it helps me grasp the distances and differences.) Zoe evokes the sights and sounds of these countries so well. I was shivering for most of the novel.
I loved Theo; she's fierce and clever and loving, and we never get to see the 'other princess's point of view. She's usually condescendingly kind, but there was none of that here. I liked Shell. She's brave and strong and smart, and we could see all that even though this wasn't her point of view. I didn't hate Uldar. He was just young and coddled. Katja was lovely. Several other characters now feel very real to me. There'll be ice palaces and Northern Lights in my dreams for a while. (But hopefully not bears. They were scary.)
The writing is smooth and lyrical. Several things mentioned in passing became important later on, and I didn't realise (character spoiler censored here) at all, which is very unusual for me; I almost always catch that kind of thing. I also didn't guess that (minor spoiler censored here, sorry guys!)
I've loved Zoe's books since the days of Shadows on the Moon. I was so thrilled to hear about this new one and so glad to get to read it. I'm really looking forward to holding a copy in my hands once it goes on sale. I think this will be really popular with fans of fairy tales, or clever stories, or beautiful writing. I hope there's more in the series; I'd love to explore more of this fabulous, magical world.
This room was not large, but it was beautifully appointed. Roughly circular, with walls of a strange silvery colour and texture. The floors were thick with plush, soft rugs in shades of blue and silver which made it pleasant to walk even in my bare feet. The bed was a four poster, hung with silky material, draped lavishly so that so that it pooled on the rugs. There were no windows. The light streamed down, chilly and just as blue as the silk, from a round glass cupola in the high, white ceiling.
And it was silent. Utterly silent. I could have thrown a pin from one end of the room to the other and heard it fall. If, of course, I had owned a pin.
Wrapping my arms around myself and wishing for something to wear - anything, even a dressing gown - I walked uncertainly through the adjoining chamber. A dressing room, complete with cabinets, dressing table, mirrors and the other expected fittings, all empty because the possessions that should have adorned them were now bait for fish. The final chamber would be my receiving room. Much smaller than my public room at home, and again, circular. The furnishings were rich velvets and brocades in shades of midnight, with the odd accent of silver and white. There was a nook with a writing desk of pale wood. I gravitated towards it, absently picking up the leather bound book that sat on the blotter to flick through its pages. The thick cream paper was blank. A journal, then, probably intended to record social engagements.
I closed it and brought it to my chest, wrapping my arms around it. Any book, even a blank one, was better than none.
Ah. That was soothing, wasn't it?
I love a fairy tale retelling, especially one that digs into the background and really builds a functioning civilization out of the bits we're given. The queen of this, for me, has always been Shannon Hale, and the jewel in her crown is the Book of a Thousand Days. Maybe it's destiny that the Book of Snow and Silence is drawing level with her.
Zoe has created three completely functioning civilizations, although we don't see much of the mermaids and we're never actually in Yamarr at all. However, since Theoai often thinks of Yamarr and contrasts her new home with it, we gain quite a good picture of it.
Without ever actually being told, we know that Yamarr is a desert country, probably somewhere in what we'd think of as Africa, and that Silingana is at the very least a Nordic country, maybe even more northerly, like Greenland. (I know this novel isn't actually set in this world, but it helps me grasp the distances and differences.) Zoe evokes the sights and sounds of these countries so well. I was shivering for most of the novel.
I loved Theo; she's fierce and clever and loving, and we never get to see the 'other princess's point of view. She's usually condescendingly kind, but there was none of that here. I liked Shell. She's brave and strong and smart, and we could see all that even though this wasn't her point of view. I didn't hate Uldar. He was just young and coddled. Katja was lovely. Several other characters now feel very real to me. There'll be ice palaces and Northern Lights in my dreams for a while. (But hopefully not bears. They were scary.)
The writing is smooth and lyrical. Several things mentioned in passing became important later on, and I didn't realise (character spoiler censored here) at all, which is very unusual for me; I almost always catch that kind of thing. I also didn't guess that (minor spoiler censored here, sorry guys!)
I've loved Zoe's books since the days of Shadows on the Moon. I was so thrilled to hear about this new one and so glad to get to read it. I'm really looking forward to holding a copy in my hands once it goes on sale. I think this will be really popular with fans of fairy tales, or clever stories, or beautiful writing. I hope there's more in the series; I'd love to explore more of this fabulous, magical world.
This room was not large, but it was beautifully appointed. Roughly circular, with walls of a strange silvery colour and texture. The floors were thick with plush, soft rugs in shades of blue and silver which made it pleasant to walk even in my bare feet. The bed was a four poster, hung with silky material, draped lavishly so that so that it pooled on the rugs. There were no windows. The light streamed down, chilly and just as blue as the silk, from a round glass cupola in the high, white ceiling.
And it was silent. Utterly silent. I could have thrown a pin from one end of the room to the other and heard it fall. If, of course, I had owned a pin.
Wrapping my arms around myself and wishing for something to wear - anything, even a dressing gown - I walked uncertainly through the adjoining chamber. A dressing room, complete with cabinets, dressing table, mirrors and the other expected fittings, all empty because the possessions that should have adorned them were now bait for fish. The final chamber would be my receiving room. Much smaller than my public room at home, and again, circular. The furnishings were rich velvets and brocades in shades of midnight, with the odd accent of silver and white. There was a nook with a writing desk of pale wood. I gravitated towards it, absently picking up the leather bound book that sat on the blotter to flick through its pages. The thick cream paper was blank. A journal, then, probably intended to record social engagements.
I closed it and brought it to my chest, wrapping my arms around it. Any book, even a blank one, was better than none.
July 4, 2020
This novel follows disgraced Princess Theoai has been exiled across the sea to Siligna to wed Prince Uldar – a man she has never met. The journey is not as safe as it should be, and in a shipwreck, Theoai comes across the young, beautiful and mute Shell. Theoai and Shell are brought to the palace, and a romantic rivalry begins. The bitter, treacherous kingdom is as dangerous as the seas, and it isn’t long before Theoai finds herself drawn to Shell, forgoing their rivalry, and beginning a hesitant, yet endearing friendship…
This was such an enjoyable read, and I thoroughly loved it. I did find the novel slow to start, but I will attribute this to my own mental health issues at the time. This was a novel that I just wanted to keep reading, and it is thoroughly captivating. I started this book on July 2, and finished it this morning (July 4) at 1am – I utterly devoured this!
There is mystery surrounding Theoai and her exile, however, this doesn’t make her weak. This is a heroine who is feisty, unashamed to be herself, but with a soft heart at the centre. She allows herself to feel jealous of Shell, and this was something I could really connect with on a personal level - I appreciated this so much, and found that deeper connection with the novel.
Back to Theoia – she is a fierce feminist, who continues to grow from strength to strength. Theoai’s perspective allows the reader to be a witness to the cultural shifts. Her home country of Yamarr is vastly different to Siligna, and not just in climate and wildlife. The descriptions are subtle enough to provide enough information, but to also allow the reader to flesh things out themselves.
Prince Uldar has many sides to him, and I found him almost typical of a spoiled Prince – something that Theoia recognises instantly. Uldar can’t see further than the end of his nose, ignoring his own family difficulties, and being so unaware of his actions. Shell, meanwhile, is mysterious and beguiling, and every time she was on the page, I was drawn further in. Other background characters have been fleshed out, with many layers to their personalities, that it’s truly a joy.
I was a huge fan of the mythology and fantasy aspects! This is a huge skill of Marriott’s – her writing has gone from strength to strength, and this is so far from her usual Asian inspired worlds, that it really was a delight. Whilst the characters are so strong, the plot is very well written, with no huge information dumping, with a fantasy world where magical is integral to surviving, yet, is something to perhaps hide.
The themes of feminism and the LGBT representation feel genuine, with growth, and not like tick box exercises – there is so much heart in this, and I found that as a bisexual woman, I felt represented. I can’t speak for everyone’s experience’s though! There are also themes of loss and power that are so well crafted – once again, they are subtle and allow for things to settle in the reader’s brain, to make sense of things, making things so powerful.
This was such an enjoyable read, and I thoroughly loved it. I did find the novel slow to start, but I will attribute this to my own mental health issues at the time. This was a novel that I just wanted to keep reading, and it is thoroughly captivating. I started this book on July 2, and finished it this morning (July 4) at 1am – I utterly devoured this!
There is mystery surrounding Theoai and her exile, however, this doesn’t make her weak. This is a heroine who is feisty, unashamed to be herself, but with a soft heart at the centre. She allows herself to feel jealous of Shell, and this was something I could really connect with on a personal level - I appreciated this so much, and found that deeper connection with the novel.
Back to Theoia – she is a fierce feminist, who continues to grow from strength to strength. Theoai’s perspective allows the reader to be a witness to the cultural shifts. Her home country of Yamarr is vastly different to Siligna, and not just in climate and wildlife. The descriptions are subtle enough to provide enough information, but to also allow the reader to flesh things out themselves.
Prince Uldar has many sides to him, and I found him almost typical of a spoiled Prince – something that Theoia recognises instantly. Uldar can’t see further than the end of his nose, ignoring his own family difficulties, and being so unaware of his actions. Shell, meanwhile, is mysterious and beguiling, and every time she was on the page, I was drawn further in. Other background characters have been fleshed out, with many layers to their personalities, that it’s truly a joy.
I was a huge fan of the mythology and fantasy aspects! This is a huge skill of Marriott’s – her writing has gone from strength to strength, and this is so far from her usual Asian inspired worlds, that it really was a delight. Whilst the characters are so strong, the plot is very well written, with no huge information dumping, with a fantasy world where magical is integral to surviving, yet, is something to perhaps hide.
The themes of feminism and the LGBT representation feel genuine, with growth, and not like tick box exercises – there is so much heart in this, and I found that as a bisexual woman, I felt represented. I can’t speak for everyone’s experience’s though! There are also themes of loss and power that are so well crafted – once again, they are subtle and allow for things to settle in the reader’s brain, to make sense of things, making things so powerful.
June 30, 2020
The moment I saw Zoe announce this book on twitter I just knew that it was up my street. A queer retelling (of sorts) of the original Has Christian Anderson version of The Little Mermaid. Erm, yes please and thank you very much.
Princess Theoai is aboard a ship destined for her new home, the frozen world of Silinga, a far cry from her desert homeland of Yamarr, where she is to wed the Prince, the spoilt and Uldar. When disaster strikes and Theoai finds herself alone in these foreign lands, she is determined to do what it takes to get the crown. But as she finds herself more and more entertained with the mysterious mute, Shell, things will not be as easy as she had first hoped.
I really enjoyed this book and I had thought that I would. It features some of my favourite things. First off, I am a winter guy. Give me winter over summer any day of the week and I will be happy. I like it cold. I like snow and ice and so this was perfect for me. I adore The Little Mermaid both Disney and Hans Christian Andersons decidedly darker original. When I was younger, I wanted to be the actual mermaid herself so I have always loved any variation on the tale. But for it to be a queer retelling. Ugh, be still my beating heart. I love betrayal, I love the sea, I loved so much in this book that it was a pleasure to read from start to finish.
There is a great cast of characters for you to fall in love with and also to dislike. From our narrator herself, to Shell, the Crown Prince. Captains of the ships. And the animals! They're characters too, right?! I loved the use of animals in the book. The second I saw the word orca I was sold. If you want to get me hook, line and sinker just mention orcas and I am down. And the bears. Good lord, the bears. I shall say no more.
Zoe's writing is so fluid and rich, it was a joy to read. I felt like I was being taken along for the journey, almost as if I was there. It was that engaging and entrancing. The world is so well fleshed out and it just made sense. The different nations and their cultures. The differences between them, and indeed their similarities. It all felt so real.
I really hope that this is the beginning of something because I want more. It was so fun and enjoyable that I don't want it to stop more. Sequel? Please and thank you!
My thanks to Zoe for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me a sneak peak at this wonderful world!
Princess Theoai is aboard a ship destined for her new home, the frozen world of Silinga, a far cry from her desert homeland of Yamarr, where she is to wed the Prince, the spoilt and Uldar. When disaster strikes and Theoai finds herself alone in these foreign lands, she is determined to do what it takes to get the crown. But as she finds herself more and more entertained with the mysterious mute, Shell, things will not be as easy as she had first hoped.
I really enjoyed this book and I had thought that I would. It features some of my favourite things. First off, I am a winter guy. Give me winter over summer any day of the week and I will be happy. I like it cold. I like snow and ice and so this was perfect for me. I adore The Little Mermaid both Disney and Hans Christian Andersons decidedly darker original. When I was younger, I wanted to be the actual mermaid herself so I have always loved any variation on the tale. But for it to be a queer retelling. Ugh, be still my beating heart. I love betrayal, I love the sea, I loved so much in this book that it was a pleasure to read from start to finish.
There is a great cast of characters for you to fall in love with and also to dislike. From our narrator herself, to Shell, the Crown Prince. Captains of the ships. And the animals! They're characters too, right?! I loved the use of animals in the book. The second I saw the word orca I was sold. If you want to get me hook, line and sinker just mention orcas and I am down. And the bears. Good lord, the bears. I shall say no more.
Zoe's writing is so fluid and rich, it was a joy to read. I felt like I was being taken along for the journey, almost as if I was there. It was that engaging and entrancing. The world is so well fleshed out and it just made sense. The different nations and their cultures. The differences between them, and indeed their similarities. It all felt so real.
I really hope that this is the beginning of something because I want more. It was so fun and enjoyable that I don't want it to stop more. Sequel? Please and thank you!
My thanks to Zoe for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me a sneak peak at this wonderful world!
July 9, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - so much that it hardly lasted me 24 hours.
The author's heroine, travelling to marry a prince she has never met, survives a near-fatal shipwreck in a sea of icebergs, to find a hardly more friendly reception on shore. The prince is immature and spoiled, the king a serious drunk and the queen - well, the queen doesn't seem too bad as a potential mother-in-law especially as Princess Theoai has been rejected by her own mother "You are unfit. You are broken," under mysterious circumstances which only later become clear - only too clear, as Theoai only releases how far and how seriously she has been betrayed much later in the story
To make matters worse the Prince seems much more interested in the beautiful mute waif who was rescued along with them from the icy sea than he does in his future wife.
Theoai struggles with attempted murders by poison and bear-attack, her own mysterious weakness, and the nagging fear of the secret that may lie under the fantastic ice palace of Singala until the final revelation at the end...
but the reader will be happy to wait for that.
And do read the book. You will enjoy it.
I promise.
The author's heroine, travelling to marry a prince she has never met, survives a near-fatal shipwreck in a sea of icebergs, to find a hardly more friendly reception on shore. The prince is immature and spoiled, the king a serious drunk and the queen - well, the queen doesn't seem too bad as a potential mother-in-law especially as Princess Theoai has been rejected by her own mother "You are unfit. You are broken," under mysterious circumstances which only later become clear - only too clear, as Theoai only releases how far and how seriously she has been betrayed much later in the story
To make matters worse the Prince seems much more interested in the beautiful mute waif who was rescued along with them from the icy sea than he does in his future wife.
Theoai struggles with attempted murders by poison and bear-attack, her own mysterious weakness, and the nagging fear of the secret that may lie under the fantastic ice palace of Singala until the final revelation at the end...
but the reader will be happy to wait for that.
And do read the book. You will enjoy it.
I promise.
February 8, 2021
It's been a very long time since I was so worried about the way a book was going to end. But, thankfully, I adored the ending. I've read nearly all of Zoë Marriott's books and I have to say that this one and "The Hand, the Eye and the Heart" are my favourites. Theoai was a compelling character, she was so smart and strong, and her romance with Shell was adorable. I only wish that there had been more of Theoai and Shell together because I loved their interactions. Can't wait to see what Zoë Marriott writes next!
July 12, 2020
This retelling was able to take all the interesting aspects of the original fairytale while excising everything I hated about it. I highly recommend giving it a chance if you love headstrong protagonists with a tough physical and emotional journey ahead, love blossoming where it could easily have been squashed, and a story that will keep pulling the rug from underneath you in the best possible ways.
August 11, 2020
A really interesting take on The Little Mermaid with some very interesting twists on the original story
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
January 22, 2021
Oh my gosh what a book! A magical, thoroughly empowering retelling of The Little Mermaid — and so much more. Truly original. A must read!
August 1, 2022
3.75
I quite like this take on the Little Mermaid story, it was really unique. The opening was also gripping, I couldn't put the couple of first chapters down!
There were some great sub-plots like . The world that was built was fascinating and I wish the author had explored that more, digging into the politics. I could have easily seen this as two books!
Overall though, an enjoyable read.
I quite like this take on the Little Mermaid story, it was really unique. The opening was also gripping, I couldn't put the couple of first chapters down!
There were some great sub-plots like . The world that was built was fascinating and I wish the author had explored that more, digging into the politics. I could have easily seen this as two books!
Overall though, an enjoyable read.
February 13, 2024
This book was a refreshing dynamic between the characters. I felt a lot of sympathy for the main character and I loved reading her emotional journey. It has been a little while since I read it so I could be wrong but I remember finding the ending slightly bitter which is why I haven't rated it 5 stars. But my personal preference isn't enough to say anything negative about this wonderful book.
February 2, 2024
Really good book had me entised
Very different and interesting. The onky reason it didnt get 5 stars is due to the editing. The odd word was duplicated or missed a word in a sentence sadly other wise 5 stars
Very different and interesting. The onky reason it didnt get 5 stars is due to the editing. The odd word was duplicated or missed a word in a sentence sadly other wise 5 stars
November 13, 2021
Snow and silence combines the little mermaid and the snow queen in an original way. Zoe Marriott's books are always filled with complex characters and diverse cultures. I love all her books.
August 24, 2025
тема медведей-оборотней не раскрыта. других вопросов не имею
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