Gr 10 Up—In this unique and gripping spin on the "Snow White" tale, Dolce is a giant and a freak, ridiculed by everyone on Torcello. Her mother is the only person who is kind to her, and Dolce struggles to find her way until she finds peace in mirror making. But when her mother passes away, Dolce leaves Torcello and finds a world full of other "giants." She soon meets and grows to love a nobleman and his daughter, Biancaneve, and quickly becomes a member of the family. All seems to be well with Dolce until she begins to go mad from prolonged exposure to quicksilver vapors from her mirror making, and her streak of madness leads her to believe that her mirror tells her she is no longer the fairest of them all. While her husband is away, she makes many attempts to kill her stepdaughter, who finds safe haven in a cottage filled with seven dwarves. While the pacing is a little slow at the beginning, the plot and concept are both well executed. Each of the characters is very well developed, and the unique Italian setting give this fairy tale an engrossing and original feel.
VERDICT This well-written and brilliant spin on a familiar fairy tale provides a refreshing and thought-provoking point of view that will leave readers sympathetic to the evil stepmother.
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