10.11.2025

Chapters 1 thru 20

I will say that I didn’t listen to the first 20 chapters of the epic novel in one night. I started it on a Friday and didn’t get a chance to write up a reaction all weekend but I couldn’t stop listening to it each night OBSESSIVELY.

On Saturday night I was so determined to get through the first few chapters that every time I woke up for any reason I would restart the story to where I remembered leaving off and I would inevitably fall asleep again and wake up and restart and fall asleep … this went on as you can see from the image ALL night long … I was so tired but I wanted so badly to listen to this book. I think by that night I was up to chapter 5 and I was so absolutely enthralled by the story that I just couldn’t stop trying to listen to it. I did get through a few chapters around 2am but then the rest of the morning was just try after try after try with no success. I remembered very little from that night.

I plowed through a chunk last night and I knew I had to get to this react before I finished the whole thing – there are only 32 chapters.

First off, as you know I only choose books based on maybe a cover image and if I like the narrator. My tribemate of over 30 years has the last name of Pickens and a old friend of mine was named Jennifer so I was immediately drawn to the name of the narrator. I listened to the sample and COMPLETELY fell in love with her reading style. I can usually tell if I am going to like a narrator with the first sentence … and I knew from the first few words. The cadence, the attitude, the low-key sarcasm, the absolute brilliance … I was hooked. I didn’t even finish listening to the sample and bought the book IMMEDIATELY.

I saw when I was getting the book cover for this reaction that on Amazon it says the book is a retelling of Snow White? I had no idea … and I’m 20 chapters in and that seemed weird to me. When you learn the King’s daughter’s name is Snow, it really didn’t even register for me since I don’t know the tale at all. I am more familiar with Sleeping Beauty because that ending – music included – is literally one of the greatest pieces of animation ever (IT CANNOT BE!) and Eleanor Zellman was one of the greatest voices ever as well and Mary Costa‘s Once Upon A Dream is a classic.

I will familiarize myself with Snow White when I have finished the book and see how I feel about this being some adaptation of it. As far as I’m concerned the story is a great piece of wonderful storytelling and I really don’t care that it’s some alternate version of some Grimm tale. I don’t need to know that to enjoy it but perhaps it will take on new meaning once I check out the original fairy tale.

I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK.
I. LOVE. THIS. CHARACTER.
I. LOVE. THIS. NARRATOR.

It’s really wonderful when I discover a new author AND a new narrator at the same time because it opens up two new worlds for me when it comes to finding new books to read … ones read by a narrator I love and discovering additional work from an author I really enjoyed. I had never heard of T. Kingfisher until this book and it looks like she has won many awards and also that Jennifer reads many of her books … BONUS!

The book only JUST became kind of frightening … but in a glorious way.

Story this session: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Narration: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0