Essie has been scraping by in the frozen mining communities of Thanda with her talent for “stitching” computer programs and winning fights. When an offworld shuttle crashes nearby, Essie finds herself both working on repairs and establishing a tentative friendship with the pilot, Dane. But Dane brings with him connections to the past that Essie ran from years ago. Forced to confront both her past as well as choices about what sort of future she wants, Essie will have to decide who she trusts and what she is willing to risk.
This is a really interesting take on Snow White. I really like the sci-fi setting which is a rarity for fairytale adaptions, and the world building works really well. It was also interesting to have the focus be more on Essie’s return to her kingdom rather than her escape from it or her time away which makes for a different take on the Snow White story. The way Essie and Dane’s relationship grew and developed worked and made for a more romance that made sense with Essie’s character. There are a few things about her life in Windsong that are implied more than spelled out that I wish were clearer to the reader and handled more thoroughly, but over all it was a good read. It is a looser adaptation of Snow White than a lot of versions, but I think it still works as an adaptation. Three out of five stars.
Bingo – Repair – Essie does a lot of repairs throughout the book.
