A retelling – of sorts – of Snow White, Bashardoust’s first novel, before Girl, Serpent, Thorn is just as compelling, if not quite as lyrically captivating as its slightly more assured successor.
Mina, 16, beautiful, and heartless, is thrown into the path of the King of Whitespring Castle by her evil magician father. The King has lost his wife, leaving him with a daughter, Lynet, who is her mother’s mirror image. Mina plots to win his heart, and secure safety, love, family – and freedom from her father.
Told across two timelines – Mina at 16 in one, and Lynet at 15 in the other – the story weaves together a sympathetic storyline for the traditionally evil queen, and the present-day collision of the King’s ambitions for Lynet with her stepmother’s need for security she can control.
Lynet’s childhood is everything Mina’s was not – she’s wholly, exuberantly herself, climbing trees and towers and striking up a relationship with the new, female doctor in the palace. Her home is forever shrouded in snow, but she’s sunny and warm. In direct contrast, Mina hails from sunny climes, but has never quite lost her iciness and reserve towards those surrounding her.
Their story takes them through betrayals, a quest, and revelations about their origins. It ask questions about whether one is defined by the circumstances of their birth, or by their actions. Most of all, Girls of Snow & Glass considers the possibility that the story could have a completely different ending, should the women involved work together, instead of considering themselves rivals.
Carefully plotted and effortlessly, evocatively executed, this is a young adult novel that works equally well for adults. I’ve loved both books by Bashardoust, and I’m hoping that the five-year-drought between novels is soon ended.
