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This was such a lovely holiday fairytale I cannot believe I’ve never read it before! It does, obviously, have Christian overtones to it, and I’m guessing Nordic cultural undertones but it’s still so wonderful and relateable. I definitely would love to share this with children. Plus, the illustrations are absolutely GORGEOUS in this edition. An absolute gem to add to your holiday collection of reads. ( )

I was excited at the prospect of this new edition of Hans Christian Andersen's story, The Snow Queen. It has been years since I've read fairy tales and I had not ever read The Snow Queen. The unusual illustrations lend a modern look to the old story. And the cloth bound, hard cover book is reminiscent of books from the past.

Though the story is short and should have been a quick read, I found I simply could not get that interested in it. It begins with a sinister mirror that is like a devil. It shatters and the slivers fall to the Earth impaling people with the evil of the mirror causing them to be like it.

This should not have surprised me because fairy tales of long ago have usually had a grimness to them and a bountiful amount of evil. Usually, evil is overcome by the good others do. So one probably should expect a dark side to exist in fairy tales.

The illustrations are Scandinavian and modern with a weirdness that is indicative of the story itself - as well it should be. Would the story be better illustrated with more realistic "people" roaming the cold countryside? That would be interesting to see but Sanna Annukka chose this style and it does suit. The cover is beautiful in the deep aqua-blue with silver accents.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from the Blogging for Books reviewer's program to facilitate a review of my honest opinions which are freely given. ( )

As you get older, there comes a point when you look back at childhood stories and see that there’s something not right about many of them. Hans Christian Andersen’s tales are like this – there is something dark and deceptively twisted. Since these particular two share a similar new publication, I am reviewing them together. “The Snow Queen”: in which Gerda sets out to find her lost best friend Kay, and “The Fir Tree”: in which a sentient fir tree gets removed from its forest home and is introduced to fire. Rather than shortening their summary, I will focus on some common elements and what sets the new releases apart (the artwork).

Fairy tales in general have a nice simplicity to them, where all the loose ends gets tied up, and can be read or told in a short amount of time. Hans’s stories feature talking plants and animals, common in fantasy, but still absurd. Often there is a benevolent grandmother, and strangers that the protagonists shouldn’t talk to, let alone follow. You have to wonder sometimes, who was he writing for? Yet, we still read and celebrate these stories so many generations later. “The Snow Queen,” where a mirror made by the devil distorts everyone’s vision, was an inspiration for the movie “Frozen.” The best adaptation though, in my opinion, is GrooveLily’s “Striking 12,” their take on “The Little Match Girl,” which gave me a new appreciation for this Danish writer. “The Snow Queen” is unusual in having a relatively happy ending; the poor, lonesome “Fir Tree” is left to its fate, while its human users are oblivious to its wooden feelings.

The new artwork, by Sanna Annukka, complements the simplicity of the stories, and is really nice to look at on its own. Appearing very Scandinavian, there are solid backgrounds and only a few choice colors. The images are composed largely of triangles, parallel patterns, and symmetry, and do not overlap with the words. The pages are much taller than they are wide. As I read an e-galley, I cannot comment further on physical attributes of these books, but can say that if you like Hans Christian Andersen, you will enjoy these. They might be best suited for Christmastime, but as winter is finally over, they can be read at any time of the year.

Note: this e-book was provided through Net Galley. For more reviews, follow my blog at http://matt-stats.blogspot.com/ ( )

The Snow Queen tells the story of two close childhood friends Greta and Kay. When Kay is pieced by an evil mirror he disappears during the winter and Greta sets out to find her long lost friend. ( )