Hines not only wraps up this series satisfyingly for the main characters, he manages to click into place several bigger-picture elements which he’s been maneuvering into position over the entire four-book series. It’s a testament to the depth of Hines’ character creation that it wasn’t until after I’d finished the book that it occurred to me to think about it at all.

Joining them is a newly-introduced character, Gerta.Īs a result, of course, this means the “real” Snow doesn’t have much of an actual voice for most of this book – some of her personality comes through in the demon’s words and strategies, but clearly her actions are not her own – and yet she remains very present throughout, reflected in the motivations and emotions of her companions, the legacy of her family and kingdom, and the echoes of her magic. The emotionally-battered but unequaled warrior Talia is at her most raw and powerful, while the reluctantly-royal Danielle sheds her hesitance toward her future role and begins to wield the power that comes with it.Īnd while The Snow Queen’s Shadow‘s plot is driven by Snow, who falls victim to possession by a vision-distorting and vengeful demon, the story largely belongs to the journey undertaken by the two friends who find themselves among the few people that believe Snow can be saved. Hines has succeeded in developing his trio of fairy-tale inspired princesses Talia (Sleeping Beauty), Danielle (Cinderella) and Snow (really?) well beyond their original familiar-but-twisted roots, and they exist more fully independent in this book than ever before. Reading the original’s synopsis, it’s easy to see what drew Hines into a semi-retelling of the tale – though if you tend to be a spoiler-avoider like me, I’d suggest not researching the original until after you’ve finished reading Hines’ book.

Hines’ inspiration this time around is Hans Christian Andersen’s 1845 fairy tale “The Snow Queen,” – the cool-sounding Sneedronningen in the original Danish – about which I knew absolutely nothing until I looked it up after reading The Snow Queen’s Shadow.

Hines’ four-book “princess” series comes to a close on July 5 with the release of The Snow Queen’s Shadow, and while I’m sad to see this series end, he’s written a fantastic finisher.įrom The Stepsister Scheme through The Mermaid’s Madness and last summer’s Red Hood’s Revenge, Hines – a geeky dad himself who created the series partly to show his kids that princesses don’t have to be all pink icing and plastic sparkles – has constantly toyed with and turned around the worlds and tropes of classic fairy tales.

The Snow Queen's Shadow by Jim C. Hines