Girls Made of Glass and Snow- Book Review

Girls Made of Glass and Snow is the second book by Melissa Barshadoust that I have read. I loved reading Girl, Serpent, Thorn earlier in the year (review coming!) and so I eagerly bought myself a copy of Girls Made of Glass and Snow as soon as I saw it on the shelf. And it did not disappoint. Telling the tales of two women whose lives have been shaped by their fathers and the magical curse binding half the country to winter, this book was a fascinating exploration of love and the families we choose to create. Mina, whose glass heart has stood her apart from those around her, and Lynett, who constantly lives in the shadow and expectation of her dead mother, show that even the most accepted 'truths' can be overturned. I found Mina's characterisation fascinating, and loved each of her chapters.

I adore fairy tales and their retellings, and this impressive debut by Bashadoust covers the tale of Snow White in an utterly refreshing way. It was a delight as I was reading through to identify different allusions to the classic tale. And yet it was also an utterly unique story- at each plot twist, I was genuinely unsure what direction the plot would go in next. One part I found particularly fascinating was the emphasis placed on the cost of using magic within this world, a theme that arches over the entire novel.

There were a host of delightful romantic subplots as well. There was beautifully represented sapphic romance, friends-to-lovers, friends-enemies-to-lovers, and creation(?)-to-lovers (I promise it is less Frankensteinian than that sounds!). There was even a fair amount of social commentary for a plot revolving around a monarchy. A lovely read, 5-stars.