The live-action Snow White movie is set to be released later this month, joining the list of over 20 other films based on the classic tale of Snow White. The princess and her story haven’t only taken off in movies, however. In books like Jennifer Donnelly’s Poisoned, the plot is a reimagined version of the story.
Princess Sophie lives hiding her true self. She masks the deep concern she has for her people—she has to, not just for the princes that may one day marry her and rule her kingdom for her, but also her step-mother, the Queen Regent that rules over the kingdom cruelly and reminds Sophie that kindness is a dangerous weakness. For Queen Adelaide, the King of Crows, Corvus, sits at her side, whispering.
In this book, when the Queen’s huntsman is ordered to take the Princess’ heart, he does so successfully and readers get to witness Sophie’s first death before the prologue even ends. But with the help of seven legendary brothers and a spider’s silk to keep her warm and preserved, Princess Sophie is able to make a near full recovery. Except she now has absolutely no way of filtering herself or regulating her emotions (‘feeling too much’) and her heart is now made of tin, gears, and wire. But bad news comes crashing down on Sophie. She’s been separated from her fiance, her stepmother is attempting to kill her, and the heart that saved her is a clock that counts down the minutes she has left of life.
Sophie might be living on borrowed time, but she’s able to do a lot within the novel. The plot is well-paced with excitement in each page as she faces death multiple times, makes lasting friendships, suffers betrayal, and finds true love.
Princess Sophie doesn’t always make the wisest decisions, which might make her a little hard to follow through the entire book, but her kindness is undeniable and often pushes the plot in the right direction. In the end, all her trials and character development turns her into a better person and future Queen.
Poisoned does include darker themes of death, but overall, the book is hopeful and has a strong message of the power in kindness and love, and how they can trump fear. For readers looking for a Snow White retelling of strong worldbuilding, characters, and pacing who don’t mind the violence or waiting for the characters to develop and grow, Poisoned could be the perfect book to let readers experience a new take on the classic tale of Snow White.
