Alright, I’m apologizing now for the influx of reviews you’re about to see! Trying to get caught up without only doing mini reviews to round out the month.
Thank you to Del Rey Books for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review
THE CRIMSON CROWN – Heather Walter (Released August 27th, 2024)
You can see my thoughts on the Malice series here
Book Description:
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the wickedest of them all? Snow White’s dark queen tells her side of the story in the first book of a queer, witchy duology that reimagines the classic fairy tale—from the author of Malice.
“An alluring, vengeful origin story that brings tremendous dimension to a classic fairytale.”—Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Longings
Legends tell of a witch who became a queen—the heartless villain in the story of Snow White.
But now the wicked queen is stepping out of Snow White’s shadow to become the heroine of her own legend.
Her real “once upon a time” begins when she is just Ayleth, a young witch who lives in the forest with her coven. The witches practice their magic in secret, hiding from the White King and his brutal war against witchcraft.
Ayleth, however, faces a war of her own. Her magical gifts have yet to reveal themselves, and as the threat of the Royal Huntsmen intensifies, Ayleth fears she will never become the witch her coven needs.
To prove herself, Ayleth sets out on a perilous quest that sends her to the White Palace, a decadent world of drama and deceit. There, Ayleth encounters an unlikely figure from her past: Jacquetta, a witch who once held Ayleth’s heart—and betrayed her.
As events at the palace escalate, Ayleth finds herself caught in the web of the White King, whose dark charisma is as dangerous as the sinister force that seems to be haunting the palace—and perhaps even Ayleth herself. With the threat of discovery looming, Ayleth and Jacquetta must set aside the wounds of their past and work together to survive.
As she uncovers the secrets of the White Court—and those of her own heart—Ayleth must find the strength to transform into someone she never imagined she could be.
A powerful witch, the very wickedest of them all
My Thoughts: 4/5 stars
For those who read the Malice duology, you’ll be equally impressed with the start of a new duology. Malice followed Maleficent and how she came to be the Mistress of All Evil, and now we follow Ayleth, who becomes the Evil Queen of Snow White.
Ayleth is a young witch trying to find her place in the world and within her coven. Her world comes crashing down when her sister, the original heir to the coven, is killed by the Huntsman. While dealing with her grief, she also faces pressure from her mother and the coven and heartbreak from the betrayal of Jacquetta. There are so many things pulling her in all directions, and the world building opens up immensely when she begins her journey to the White Palace.
I think my favorite interactions so far have been between Ayleth and Blodwyn, our Snow White character of this universe. There was so much foreshadowing sprinkled in, and I just know there’s going to be something explosive in book two. Knowing this is book one, there were a couple of aspects I was hoping for more from, BUT I have a feeling we could get more in the final installment.
Walter expertly sprinkles in the Easter eggs throughout the book and gives us the classic Snow White references and elements. This sapphic retelling did not disappoint, and I’m anxious to see the conclusion to another villain origin story!
Jessicamap Reviews 