East

by Edith Pattou

Summary: This is an adaptation of the folk tale East of the Sun and West of the Moon. Rose's family falls on hard times and her sister gets sick. Her mother can't handle the stress of possibly losing her child, and her father is doing everything he can to save the family, but nothing works until the white bear appears at the door. The bear makes the family an offer: great wealth and her sister's improved health in exchange for Rose. Surprisingly, Rose's mother wants to accept the deal, but her father is violently opposed to it. Rose does end up going with the bear, and becomes his prisoner in an ice palace. The evil Troll Queen runs the show at this palace, where other humans are enslaved and kept stupid by drinking a magical potion prepared by the Queen. Complicating matters, the Queen can feel the chemistry between Rose and the bear, but desperately wants the bear for herself. (He's really a prince, you see!) Rose figures this out, and embarks on a quest to not only free herself, but to free the white bear from an evil enchantment, and the others trapped in the palace.

My thoughts: It's probably clear by now that I'm a sucker for the re-told fairy tales, and I love this one. I remember reading fairy tales as a child, and always wanting to know more of the story. This tale is similar to Beauty and the Beast, but definitely has more adventure and excitement. The evil trolls with their scaly white skin are totally creepy. Fans of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (guys and girls!) will love this book.