Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This one was just not for me. For the age of the protagonist, the writing and dialogue was rather juvenile, and the story never really took off. Some fairy tale retellings manage a new, interesting take on the original, but I think the author wanted to write a feminist literary analysis of fairy tales and then built a plot around it. I'm all for fun discussions of what our stories say about our society, beliefs, and values, but I think in terms of tone, this was just difficult to engage with. If I did recommend this to someone, I'd go for a younger age group.
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A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow is book two in the Fractured Fables series. I recently read the first book and decided to take the plunge into the second novella. Alix has written an adult rendition of the Snow White fairytale. I enjoyed stepping back into Zinnia Gray’s life where she has been assisting various Sleeping Beauties in other dimensions for a few years. All the while continuing to navigate her illness with the ever reliable tactic of denial.

Unexpectedly, Zinnia finds herself deposited into the life of Snow White’s wicked stepmother. The evil queen has learned how her story ends and she demands to find another ending. Throughout their suspenseful shenanigans, Zinnia gets to know the wicked stepmother she calls, Eva, which teaches her another interpretation of this fairytale.

I liked the alternative perspective Alix told in this story. I also think she wrote an ending that is definitely more applicable to readers. Zinnia learns many lessons on her travels that she can apply to her own life, back home with her friends and family. It was nice to see Zinnia’s character grow. I certainly appreciate a message I can carry with me once I close the book that final time.

While reading this series, I couldn’t help but wonder how much of Alix’s personal experiences were included in this story? For example, Zinnia often refers to her college degree and a professor who taught classes on fairytales. I’m just curious...is there a sprinkle of Alix in Zinnia’s character?

The hardcover edition of this book is a work of art. There are beautiful black and white images throughout the pages.

I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog ( )

Long terminally ill Zinnia has been fixing versions of her own tale, Sleeping Beauty, but things are getting askew when she is hijacked into Snow White by a nameless evil stepmother queen who wants out before being forced to dance in hot iron shoes. Maybe evil queens have as little agency as narcoleptic princesses and Zinnia needs to reevaluate her own actions when confronted by the consequences. ( )

A Mirror Mended picks up where Alix E. Harrow's similarly excellent A Spindle Splintered leaves off: with protagonist Zinnia Gray hopping across the fairy-tale-verse rescuing various iterations of Sleeping Beauty, not least by giving them agency in their own narratives.

But then, through a mirror, Zinnia is drawn into a Snow White tale. That's a twist. Zinnia promptly gets captured by and forms a crush on a villain who may not fully be a villain, finds out that the innocent may not be so innocent after all, and learns that being hero doesn't mean going solo but involves a community of friends.

Brimming with pop-cultural and academic references, and moments of genuine emotion and insight, A Mirror Mended is a brief but rich and rewarding book. Protagonist-narrator Zinnia is snarky and smart and self-doubting and absolutely wonderful. I can only hope that Harrow will write a third Fractured Fable. ( )

3.5 stars rounded down only bc I wanted a little more of the story. I liked it better than the first one for sure though. The lore was fun and original. Zinnia was much less annoying in this one and more relatable. Loved the villain angle instead of princesses. And the gayness was off the charts. If you read the first one I highly recommend you check this one out ( )