As you read the reviews on Bookshop Talk, you'll notice that every review is positive. No, we're not a bunch of literary
pushovers who love everything we pick up; we just see no point in telling you about a book if we didn't like it.

June 20, 2011

EAST by Edith Pattou, 2003



EastRose has always felt out of place in her family. So when an enormous white bear mysteriously shows up and asks her to come away with him, she readily agrees. The bear takes Rose to a distant castle, where each night she is confronted with a mystery. In solving that mystery, she finds love, discovers her purpose, and realizes her travels have only just begun. (Amazon)

Reviewed by Shelby N, bookworm extraordinaire

This is a wonderful book. With approximately four hundred and ninety four pages, I finished it in one day! It is a retelling of 'East of the Sun, West of the Moon'. The main character, falsely named Ebba Rose, agrees to go with a talking white bear, or Isbjorn, in return for the health of her sister and wealth for her family. Every night she is joined in bed by a stranger. After discovering that the stranger is none other than the is the Isbjorn, turned human by night, the Troll Queen come, and takes him away. Rose searches for him, using the clue he gave her: East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Along her journey, she discovers her feelings for the Isbjorn, and realizes her adventure has just begun.

This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is wonderfully written, in several different point of views. It is separated into four ''books". One thing I loved about it is that after Rose and the Isbjorn escape the troll palace, the book still goes on for several chapters. The book is not over, even when the original tale is. The plot is amazing, and, even though it is a retelling, it truly feels like the original tale, that the author took and made her own.

I would recommend this book to fans of Jessica Day George’s, Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, lovers of fantasy, or adventure, or mystery, or romance. This is a great book for every one, whether you are a teen or an adult. I will probably read this several times, and still love it!

Market: YA
Language: None
Sensuality: EXTREMELY Mild
Violence: Mild
Mature Themes: Dark Magic

Book formats:

To learn more about the author, visit: Edith Pattou

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great review! I haven't read this retelling, but it's on my list. I'll have to bump it up.

Amy Finnegan {BookshopTalk.com} said...

You know, I have never heard a single bad word about this novel! That's pretty amazing :)

Thanks for the great review!!

Anonymous said...

I love this book! Thanks for the review, Shelby!

Whacked Out Teenager said...

Thanks so much for the great review! I am so glad to find someone else that loved this book as much as I did.

MKHutchins said...

I read this some time ago and enjoyed it. It was really fun to pick up Jessica Day George's Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow and see the different takes. (I'm a huge fan of fairy tale retellings)