The Wildest Things by Andrea Hannah is unexpected retelling of the classic Snow White story, blending gothic horror with deeply rooted connections to nature. It’s a unique and thrilling journey that reimagines a beloved fairy tale while keeping readers on edge with it's gritty dark atmosphere.

After twenty years in a glass coffin, Snow White awakens to find her world decayed, cursed by a blight that has turned the once-lush land into a twisted, magical nightmare. Her kingdom is no more, and the evil queen’s daughter, Iliana, now holds the throne. Snow’s quest to restore her land, protect herself from betrayal, and reclaim her identity is fraught with danger, twisted magic, and new alliances.

What really intrigued me about this retelling was its world-building. The blighted forest, alive with eerie magic, creates a perfect backdrop for Snow’s journey, giving the story a haunting atmosphere that stays with you. The introduction of mossfolk and tree-like creatures adds a layer of complexity, transforming the fairy tale into something darker and more intricate. The seasonal magic system, where power is linked to nature’s cycles, is also a brilliant addition, giving Snow’s transformation and growth real weight.

While Snow’s character arc is compelling, the pacing of her journey can feel uneven. At times, she’s more passive than expected, which fits with the traditional Snow White character but may leave some readers wanting more agency from the heroine earlier on. However, as she uncovers the truth about her magic and the blight, her journey becomes increasingly engaging, especially as she faces both external and internal battles.

The book is marketed as a sapphic romance, though the romantic subplot takes a backseat to Snow’s more pressing challenges. Still, there’s undeniable tension between Snow and Iliana, making the possibility of a future romantic development intriguing. Some moments feel rushed, particularly in the final act, leaving a few unanswered questions, but the story’s dark, immersive atmosphere compensates for this.

Fans of dark fantasy, fairy tale retellings, and morally complex characters will find The Wildest Things a rich, immersive experience. With a beautifully eerie setting, an innovative magic system, and a Snow White who’s anything but trembling princess, this retelling stands out as a fresh, exciting addition to the genre. The book’s open-ended conclusion leaves room for more, and I’m eager to see where Snow’s journey will take her next.

My first thoughts were: this book is a dark child of Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, Briar Rose, and The Wizard of Oz. The creeping foreboding overlaid onto a familiar fairytale.

Could Snow White's tale get darker? Apparently.

The crafting of this world is dark and wonderful. The rabbits with jagged poisonous teeth? Nightmare fuel.

I definitely appreciate the feminist overtones. Snow proves you can be good, strong, and brave while becoming the hero you needed all along.

And to switch things up, there's LGBTQIA+ representation! Applause!

Not to mention, the mirror is given a strong voice.

"For every light, there is a shadow, every dawn a dusk."

The Wildest Things… eh, it didn’t really do it for me. The concept had so much potential—feral girls in the wilderness sounds amazing—but it never quite hit the mark. The pacing dragged, the characters felt kind of flat, and I just didn’t feel as connected or invested as I hoped. There were a few cool moments, but overall it fell pretty flat. Gave it a 2/5.

No Prince Needed
This week has been all about discovering new-to-me authors, and The Wildest Things by Andrea Hannah was my first read from her. I’m giving it a solid 3.5 stars—and honestly, I wish I’d picked it up sooner.

I fell for this book the moment I saw the cover, and luckily, the story inside had plenty of charm too. If you enjoy fairytale retellings (especially the darker, moodier kind), this reimagined Snow White might be right up your alley. There’s no prince, no seven dwarves—just a powerful, flawed girl who saves herself, and I loved that.

One of my favorite parts was how magic was so deeply tied to nature. The world is built around territories that represent the seasons—Roanfrost being the wintry one—and it made for a setting that felt alive and immersive. Snow’s connection with nature gave the story a grounded, almost primal feel. Watching her interact with the land, the animals, and the spirit of the world around her added a lot of depth—and made the damage caused by the villains feel especially cruel.

Snow as a character felt fully human. The decree naming her the next Seasonkeeper talks about being “fair,” but she no longer sees herself that way—physically scarred, emotionally conflicted, and prone to mistakes. And yet, she’s still chosen. That contradiction made her feel real and relatable. She didn’t need saving—she did the saving.

Now, about the romance... It’s complicated. There’s a sort-of love triangle between Snow and a set of twins—a brother and sister—who are technically her step-siblings. It’s a little murky (they’re strangers, raised apart, etc.), but it still made me raise an eyebrow, especially with the age gap (Snow is technically 20 years older, though you could argue magic timelines blur things). It didn’t ruin the story for me, but it was the one thing that felt a bit off.

Still, the world-building won me over. The Blight, the politics of the land, the way nature was portrayed as both beautiful and brutal—it all kept me intrigued. And with how the book ended? There has to be more coming. No way we’re done here. I’d love to see this turn into a duology or a full trilogy. Honestly, it would make a fantastic show.

Overall, The Wildest Things was a dark, lush fairytale with a complex lead and a beautifully imagined world. It surprised me in the best way, and I’ll definitely be picking up more from Andrea Hannah in the future.

Ok so when I saw this cover I didn’t care what this was about lol But then I saw that it was a fairy tale retelling and I immediately needed it. Especially since this isn’t a direct re-telling.

Ok so when I say it wasn’t a direct re-telling, it was only because of the different places across the land. But I think that part was better than nothing. I don’t love that we don’t get that info from the regular story. And there’s also the dude that she finds. And the dwarves……… Yeah we won’t talk about them. Let’s just say, this is a dark re-telling and it’s not the one you’re used to.

One thing I didn’t like was the fact that it was marketed as a wlw romance to me. And there is that in the book, but there was like 30 minutes left in the book. And it wasn’t a real kiss? It was during a fight? Idk. When I saw sapphic and wlw I wanted to see this happen throughout the whole book. Or at least more than just 30 minutes. The dang book was like 15 hours long.

The fantasy element was a nice touch. I love the idea of elemental magic. I do wish we could have seen the other places tho. I think it would be cool if Hannah did the other fairy tales in those lands. Hopefully everything is going back to normal after the ending of this. Because let’s be real…. I need to know what that ending meant and I need to know why Mirror was Mirroring like that lmao (IYKYK)

This was good, but I think it missed the mark in a few places. But even still, I still enjoyed it. Enough to warrant a want to read for the next book. Because there IS A SEQUEL RIGHT? There better lol

I wanted to love this so much but unfortunately it just did not grab my attention like I thought it would.

I found this book to be an interesting take on the story of Snow White. It’s creative and engaging, an easy binge read with a lot going on. I found the story to be somewhat convoluted at times but Snow White’s introspection was probably my favourite result of all the different things that happen. She is naive and it takes her constantly making mistakes to realize just how much she trusted the wrong people in her life. She is flawed and as a result, she grows so much during the novel. I just also wish her connection to the Queen was explored more. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I’d recommend it for an easygoing read. Thanks!

I really wanted to love this book so much, but it just did not grab my attention enough to continue reading it. I DNF’d around 30%.

Snow White awakens to a ravaged world when her glass coffin shatters. Her kingdom of Roanfrost suffered under the Blight, and now Snow wants to restore her kingdom. She must go on a dangerous journey to become the Seasonkeeper and access the life-giving magic that will heal the plague. She must be careful, because the wild things have awakened and Snow’s darker impulses want to set them free.

The world this takes place in has seasonal magic, with Nature choosing who wields it in balance to maintain the seasons. After her mother's death, Snow White's father had her stepmother installed as Seasonkeeper even though she didn't hear the call of Nature, further destabilizing the land. Snow grew up thinking she was good for nothing but running away, singing and crying. She starts off her reawakening in this frame of mind, and we learn about the land and the magic along with her. She thinks that her worth is in being beautiful and pure, and the journey she takes in the book shakes the foundation of that belief.

The book has the premise "what if Snow White fights back?" It's not necessarily the kind of fight where she takes on an army, but where she uses the skills she has and the allies she made to effect change. The magic of winter is subtle, so she misses for a long time what actually works for her. The conflict with the new Evil Queen hovers throughout the novel; both girls were made to feel less than, trapped by the expectations of the evil stepmother. The balance of life and nature must be maintained, so there are hints that another book will continue this story.

I have a lot of mixed feelings on this one soI’ll break it down into likes and dislikes.

𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝: I loved the way in which she took the Snow White fairytale and completely made it her own. The magic system and world is really cool, I loved that instead of dwarfs there were the mossfolk. The seasonal realms, each with their own special magic were cool.

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝: I had trouble staying engaged with this one, I took a break and came back to it. I struggled to connect with the characters at times and I really did not enjoy the ending. It felt like there were a lot of different and exciting paths this could have taken but it didn’t go there.

I was drawn to this book for the stunning cover and premise. The story felt a bit slow and was a bit heavy on interiority for my taste.

I didn't finish this. The premise sounded so good - a dark retelling of Snow White. I love retelling old fairy tales, but this was so slow in the beginning that I found I didn't care what happened. I didn't finish the book because it just didn't hold my interest long enough to decide it was worth it. Too many other good books our there to read. If you enjoy a book that does a very slow build up, you would like this. I would read the author again because I think she has a lot of talent.

Okay, things I liked about this book. I enjoyed that there is the twist of a Blight and Snow White wakes up to a very changed kingdom, full of toothy animals looking for meat snacks. I liked the view points of the mirror (who is a right interesting character who has seen a lot). I also really liked the side characters of Henrik and Briar (would love to see more of their history). And Iliana could have been so good with how she searches for power but also seems to be conflicted in whether she forges her own path or will follow in her mother's footsteps. Plus the cover is awesome.

The issues I had with this book are a few. One. I got irritated with how Snow cried, screamed, and ran so much in the beginning. She did get more of a backbone as she realized her powers, but still I did not click with her character. Also the attraction between her and Iliana seemed a bit too forced as they only caught glimpses of each other in reflections. And, the big thing that drove me crazy is how nothing was resolved. No fixing of the blight, all the characters in limbo, and a mysterious third party appearing. I think that is what frustrated me most and so I can only rate this as okay. It could have been great though and maybe the next book will redeem the series.

I struggled a bit on my first read but I think that was a me problem—I just picked it back up and loved it!

𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯’𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 | 𝘞𝘦𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤!

I really wanted to love this Snow White retelling, but something was definitely amiss for me as I struggled to fully invest myself in the story and its characters. I really appreciated how Andrea Hannah took a classic fairy tale and made it her own, with a sapphic retelling.
Would love to read more of her novels in the future.

When her glass coffin unexpectedly shatters, Snow White awakens. The land is rotting. The animals have mutated. In the twenty years that have passed since Snow bit into the poisoned apple, the kingdom of Roanfrost has transformed from a luscious wild land to a blight-ravaged nightmare. In search of answers and a way to restore her kingdom to its former glory, Snow sets out on a dangerous journey that will test the strength she never knew she had. Friends will become foes. New alliances will form. The Queen will stop at nothing to seize her power as well as her heart.
If Snow has any chance to survive and restore not only her kingdom, but all of Garedenne, her only option is to become the Seasonkeeper and access the life-giving magic that will heal the plague. But the path to becoming the Season keeper is more treacherous than she could ever imagine. The wild things have awakened and Snow’s darker impulses yearn to set them free. What will happen?

White I knew as a child.”Snow White” this is different enough that it did surprise me at times. It is different enough that II wondered if we are losing what the original fairy tale was about. Here is a difference. The original fairy tales have an easy to understand story. The author has written a good story. What age do you need to be to understand the story?

The Wildest Things by Andrea Hannah
⭐⭐⭐ | 🍎 Snow White, but make it apocalyptic

So I just finished this sapphic Snow White retelling and honestly? My feelings are as twisted as those mutated woodland creatures.

The premise is FIRE though - Snow White wakes up from her glass coffin 20 years later to find everything's gone to hell. The landscape? Blighted. The animals? Nightmare fuel. Her old pals? Giving major trust issues. And she's supposed to save everything by becoming the "Seasonkeeper" which sounds like a fantasy LinkedIn job title I didn't know I wanted.

The vibes we're tracking:
🌑 Decaying fairytale aesthetic
🏃‍♀️ Perpetual quest energy
🐿️ Rabid chipmunks (yes, really)
💔 Slow-burn romance that's actually SLOW
📚 First-book-in-a-series energy

Let's be real - the pacing is where this book lost me. Snow spends SO much time running around collecting magical plot coupons that I kept checking how many pages were left. The worldbuilding has moments of gorgeous, macabre imagery, but then we're back to quest-mode and I'm like "are we there yet?"

The whole "I must kill the queen's daughter but oops she's kinda cute" angle had potential but doesn't really deliver the sapphic tension I was promised until wayyyy too late. One kiss? In this economy??

Also fair warning: cliffhanger ending that basically screams "buy the sequel!"

Would recommend if: you love dark fairy tale vibes, don't mind a slow middle, and have patience for book one of what's clearly going to be a series. Just don't get attached to any woodland creatures, mkay?

The Wildest Things had such an aesthetic—gothic forest vibes, corrupted magic, sapphic tension, and a Snow White retelling with bite—but it didn’t fully sweep me away like I hoped. The atmosphere? Absolutely stunning. The prose? Lush. But the pacing dragged in places, and while the romance had potential, it didn’t hit that swoon or heartbreak level I wanted. I kept waiting for the emotional stakes to cut deeper, and they just... didn’t. Still, if you love dark fairytales, morally gray girls, and forests that feel alive in the worst possible way, it’s worth checking out—it just didn’t become my new obsession.

Dear The Wildest Things,
I really really wanted to let love you. I get really into fairy tale retellings and a sapphic retelling of Snow White sounded like it would be right up my alley. But you just were a miss for me. Your characters were weak, and you were not a retelling but a continuation of the Snow White fairy tale. I just feel like I didn't get what I was looking for from you.

Some books grip you with action, others with language—this one does it with a quiet, undeniable pull. Before you know it, you’re fully inside its world, thinking about its characters as if they’re real. It’s not just a book you read; it’s a book you live with.