Firstly, a word of caution: Snow, Glass, Apples is not your average Disney fairy tail.
Neil Gaiman, the Grand Master of Dark (and gorgeous!) Fantasy, puts a vampiric spin on the classic tale of Snow White with this beautiful graphic novel. In this version, we focus on the so-called Evil Queen...who, as we learn, may not be so evil after all.
This well-known Villain (who is not really a villain) narrates this creepy tale, telling how she came to the palace as an innocent girl who naively believed she was to have her own Happily Ever After... Until she met her new stepdaughter and learned that the girl, while impossibly beautiful, is not, in fact, the sweet and innocent princess Disney taught us to know and love. In fact, this Snow White is a bloodthirsty monster who murdered her mother and, when banished to the forest, preyed on the citizens of the kingdom. Using the classic poison apple ploy, the Queen believed she had defeated her stepdaughter. And she did...until a prince with exceptionally creepy ideals came along and foiled her plan. No spoilers, but I will say that things do not end well for the Queen. In this story, there is no Happily Ever After for anyone. Except, perhaps, the real villain.
To me, the dark and disturbing vibe of Snow Glass Apples was, perhaps, closer to what the Grimm's Brothers were shooting for when they first penned the tale. The illustrations are haunting and beautiful, and artist Colleen Doran did an amazing job bringing the tale to life.
If you prefer your fairy tales with Happy Endings, this is not for you. But if you have a taste for the macabre, you should absolutely pick this one up! It's just as good as How to Talk to Girls At Parties or Sleeper and the Spindle (if not better).
--AJB
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