Review | Girls Made Of Snow & Glass

Title: Girls Made Of Snow and Glass
Author: Melissa Bashardoust
Publisher Info / Release: Flatiron Books
Source: ARC
Rating: 4.5 / 5 *’s
Synopsis:

At sixteen, Mina’s mother is dead, her magician father is vicious, and her silent heart has never beat with love for anyone—has never beat at all, in fact, but she’d always thought that fact normal. She never guessed that her father cut out her heart and replaced it with one of glass. When she moves to Whitespring Castle and sees its king for the first time, Mina forms a plan: win the king’s heart with her beauty, become queen, and finally know love. The only catch is that she’ll have to become a stepmother.

Fifteen-year-old Lynet looks just like her late mother, and one day she discovers why: a magician created her out of snow in the dead queen’s image, at her father’s order. But despite being the dead queen made flesh, Lynet would rather be like her fierce and regal stepmother, Mina. She gets her wish when her father makes Lynet queen of the southern territories, displacing Mina. Now Mina is starting to look at Lynet with something like hatred, and Lynet must decide what to do—and who to be—to win back the only mother she’s ever known…or else defeat her once and for all.

Entwining the stories of both Lynet and Mina in the past and present, Girls Made of Snow and Glass traces the relationship of two young women doomed to be rivals from the start. Only one can win all, while the other must lose everything—unless both can find a way to reshape themselves and their story.

Thank you to Flatiron books for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It took me a while to get to this book because of lots of things changing in my personal life but I am so glad that I was able to focus on this book with a clear mind! This has honestly got to be one of the most beautifully written books I have read in a while. Snow White hasn’t been one of my most favorite stories but Girls Made of Snow and Glass has changed my mind.

We start by meeting character Lynet who is watching the new court surgeon and then her very beautiful step-mother Mina later in the chapter. The entire book is told between both of their perspectives and it’s amazing to see the differences between the two of them when they’re both sixteen, present time Lynet and Mina before she becomes the queen of Whitespring. The two come from the north and south respectively, Lynet being the princess born of the snow cursed North (it’s always snowing and cold, people don’t stay long) and Mina comes from the south where they have all seasons and it’s heavily populated.

Both women are fiercely independent and have their own ideas on what type of person they want to be, despite how their fathers treat them. The king – who is extremely overprotective and loving then Mina’s who is often cruel with his words and actions. Their stories show how similar the two women are and how Lynet wants to win back her step-mother’s favor after a series of unfortunate circumstances lead them to Mina feeling a sort of hatred for her step daughter.

Without going into any spoilers, I felt heartbroken for most of this book though it wasn’t in a bad way! Mina’s story was absolutely heartbreaking and you feel sympathy for her even though she fights to make a name for herself, despite the rumors of her father being a magician and the unwelcome looks from the northern court. She protects her heart, even keeping Lynet an arm’s length away until after the young girl’s sixteenth birthday. As the reader, I wanted to fight for Mina and protect her because no one understands her inner thoughts and how fragile she really is, despite her tough exterior. And then you want to cheer for Lynet and all that she is fighting for, for both herself, Mina and the kingdom.

Overall, I absolutely loved the focus on the females and how they all come together to fight for what they think is the best for their kingdom. The relationships and dynamics are wonderful and I adored the evolution of Mina and Lynet’s relationship. As much as your heart breaks for them, it will soon be put back together with a truly wonderful ending. It’s a beautiful world and I highly recommend it!

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