The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen( Book #1 of the Fairytale Keeper series) by Andrea Cefalo: A Book Review

The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen (Book #! of the Fairytale Keeper series
Author: Andrea Cefalo
Genre: YA, Historical Fiction
Publisher: Scarlet Primrose Press/ Andrea Cefalo
Release Date: 2013
Pages: 268
Source: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Adelaide’s mother, Katrina, was the finest storyteller in all of Airsbach, a borough in the great city of Cologne, but she left one story untold, that of her daughter, that of Snow White. Snow White was a pet name Adelaide’s mother had given her. It was a name that Adelaide hated until now. Now, she would give anything to hear her mother say it once more.

     A rampant fever claimed Adelaide’s mother just like a thousand others in Cologne where the people die without last rites and the dead are dumped in a vast pit outside the city walls. In an effort to save Katrina’s soul, Adelaide's father obtains a secret funeral for his wife by bribing the parish priest, Father Soren.

     Soren commits an unforgivable atrocity, pushing Adelaide toward vengeance. When Adelaide realizes that the corruption in Cologne reaches far beyond Soren, the cost of settling scores quickly escalates. Avenging the mother she lost may cost Adelaide everything she left: her father, her friends, her first love, and maybe even her life.

     My Review: The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen is the first novel in the series. It is a unique retelling of "Snow White" set in medieval Germany. While the story centers on Snow White, other Grimm fairy tales are interwoven into the story. Each of these fairy tales in the novel has a twist and unique ending. The fairytales do not only help drive the plot, but also help the motives of the main characters.

     The story begins with Adelaide’s mother telling her daughter a story, she calls her “little Snow White”. Two years later, her mother dies of a fever, and her father bribes Father Soren to give her a funeral to help save his beloved wife’s soul. However, Soren betrays them and turns out to be cruel and mistreats Adelaide’s mother. Father Soren’s act turns Adelaide towards anger and hatred for this priest. She then begins to plot to avenge her mother by giving the priest a just punishment she believes he deserves.

     The setting of the story is dark and grim. The story begins with a fog. Some people die of the fever and are not given their last rites. The citizens of the town are ruled by clergymen who are ruthless, ambitious, power-hungry, and desire material wealth rather than spiritual wealth. Indeed if a person rebels against the clergymen, then they will be subject to the harshest punishments.

     Adelaide  is a strong heroine. She is not a damsel in distress. Rather, she is the one that helps and saves others around her. She is caring and loyal. She is spirited and feisty. She is also stubborn, which helps drives the plot of the novel. She is also judgmental and temperamental. She is not afraid to speak her mind. She is not afraid to stand up to those she thinks makes wrong actions, even if it is her father.

     Overall, this novel is about  love, friendship, and family. It also questions and reminds us about the true costs of vengeance. The characters are well-developed and the plot is fast-paced. This novel leaves eagerly one anticipating the sequel to find out what happens next. I recommend this book to fans of fairy tales, and also to fans of the hit tv series, Once Upon a Time.

 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This is the author's official book trailer of The Fairytale Keeper: Avenging the Queen: