Review of “The Queen of Frost and Darkness” by Christine Pope

Summary:
Galina Andreevna Godunov is in love with the dashing young Baron Karel Ivanovich Saburov, and is sure he is about to propose. However, things don't go quite as she planned when a mysterious woman enters the scene...

The opulent czarist era of 1870s Russia comes vividly to life in this short story-length re-imagining of Hans Christian Andersen's classic fairytale, "The Snow Queen."


Review:
“The Queen of Frost and Darkness” is an adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Snow Queen.”  It tells the story of Galina, a debutante who hopes to receive an offer of marriage from her childhood playmate, but instead sees him fall for an enchanting stranger.

The author’s choice of upper-class, 19th-century St. Petersburg rather than a fictional place lends considerable realism to the story, and her attention to historical accuracy is exemplary. Her fluid, descriptive writing style makes for a smooth read, at first—the addition of magical elements feels choppy, and a suspenseful quest leads to an anticlimax without a villain.

3.5/5 stars
Reviewed by Purity Jones

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