East

Edith Pattou's latest children's novel is a retelling of the Scandinavian fairy tale, East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Which is really a mix of Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and Rose Red, and the Cupid/Psyche myth. There's a big bear taking off with the youngest daughter, she can't see his face or he won't be turned back into the prince, etc etc.

The best way to enjoy the fairytale is to read it (there's plenty of versions online) and skip this story. I say this because the beauty of a fairy-story is in its language, its rhythmic poetical phrases and imagery. The beauty of a retelling of a fairytale is in its depth, both of ideas and language, and those things are missing in this version. Edith Pattou isn't a bad writer, but she lacks that spark of quality. Most irritating about this version is that each chapter is by a different character, and is about a page and a half long. You simply can't get involved in a story that way.

If you want to read a good version of Beauty and the Beast, read Robin McKinley's Beauty; if you want to read a good version of Snow White and Rose Red, try to get hold of Hesba Brinsmead's Bianca and Roja; if you want a wonderful version of the Cupid/Psyche myth, grab C. S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces. Don't bother with this book.