Hi guys! So while I was on vacation, (yes, I was on vacation) my family and I visited a few towns. In one of these towns, because of my persistence, we went to a bookstore. (No, not the book emporium I posted about, though that was when we were on vacation.)
Here we visited a quaint bookstore and at this store were free, unpublished book manuscripts.
Anyway, that's a summarized version of how I received a copy of Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige, which is released in September.
To get this manuscript, I basically have to write a book review. Plus if I go back to the same store, I get two dollars off my next book purchase and I'm all for book discounts/free books/books.
(Shoutout to the very awesome woman who ran the store. If you're reading this-- 1. Thanks for the free book, 2. Your store is adorable!, 3. Sorry for yelling in your store.)
Stealing Snow is about a girl named Snow who has been trapped in Whittaker, a mental hospital, for all of her life after trying to walk into a mirror. But she knows she isn't crazy, no matter what everyone says.
She's been having mysterious dreams of a tree, of a boy, and of another world entirely. When her best friend, Bale, dissappears, she goes off in search of who she is, which ends up turning into finding Bale. (Which could be a title for another Finding Nemo movie.)
It's also a retelling of the Snow Queen. I don't really know that story though, I've kind of skimmed through it.
Well here's the thing. The first hundred or so pages were really, really interesting. I've read too many books where the characters won't call the police or tell anyone anything about their situation because they'll think they're crazy, so it was refreshing to see a character who's actually perceived as insane. I liked how Snow referred to her pills as the seven dwarves. The beginning was really gripping and I was really intrigued about Snow's dreams and the whole scenario. I liked Vern, I liked that Snow learned by television which I thought showed how sheltered she really was. I really liked the beginning so I figured I would love the rest.
But after a hundred pages, something happened . . . It just went downhill. The pacing was so, so rushed. I don't usually like Tolkien pacing unless Tolkien wrote it, but I also don't like speedy rushing. I get that this is a draft, but still . . . I feel like the entire story was cut off from the page and we only got snippets without an explanation of how they occurred.
She met Kai, (that really threw me off because I kept imagining Iko's voice screeching, "Prince Kai!") he absolutely hated her, and then the next minute he kissed her.
And I just sat there like "Wait what?"
Now I can usually tell when a fictional guy who seems cruel has a crush on Miss main character. *cough* Will Herondale, *cough* but I could see absolutely no chemistry between (prince) Kai and Snow. None. He just seemed like a total jerk. Plus they knew each other for, um, a week. I couldn't take the romance seriously. I'm getting so tired of seeing insta-love.
I liked Gerde through. Her secret really surprised me.
Events occurred without an explanation, and I know I said that before, but it was really infuriating. I was confused about what was going on half the time, things just happened.
Also, Snow accepted magic and her fantasy land completely. She wasn't dubious at all, she just nodded and went along with it. I get that she's been coped up at Whittaker and that finding out her visions were real is refreshing, but I don't like that she adjusted without even thinking 'what?' even once. Or considering that maybe she is actually crazy at least once.
I liked that she was very adamant about finding Bale (coming soon to theaters near you). I mean he was her only companion, but it did get annoying because she mentioned him ten thousand times. I get missing him, I understand wanting him back, I know Snow was distressed, but she didn't need to think of him that many times. It just took up page space that could have been used, oh, I don't know, explaining the story. (Plus in The Son of Neptune, Percy mentioned Annabeth enough for us to know that he was hurting and missing her, but not enough that we got aggravated. Thanks Rick.)
I thought that the Robbers were pretty cool and though the world building was terrible and we weren't given enough information about magic/Snow grasping magic, it was still interesting.
I kind of liked Jagger but not enough for him to make any lasting impression.
The end took me off guard and I honestly didn't expect some of the things. (What really upset me was when her mother appeared. How did she even get there? What? *confused*)
All in all . . . I'm not sure. I was really interested in the beginning and then it dwindled and I lost interest several times but also regained it several times.
Hopefully it picks up in the final version . . .
I gave it three stars on Goodreads.
Anyway thanks for reading this rough review. BYEEEEE!