Publishers Weekly
10/20/2014
Even by the rough-and-tumble standards of the frozen planet Thanda, Essie is unusual—she likes to cage-fight angry men just back from working in the mines, and when Essie isn't fighting, she's a mechanic, fixing ships and tinkering with drones. After a stranger named Dane crashes on Thanda, Essie tries to help him, but ends up getting kidnapped. She's taken to Dane's planet, Candara, where his people plan to trade her to the king in exchange for the release of Candaran prisoners, one of whom is Dane's father. Essie is a valuable find—she's actually a young princess who escaped the clutches of the stepmother who tried to kill her when she was nine. In this interplanetary retelling of Snow White, debut author Lewis reveals a talent for worldbuilding and creating complex, memorable characters. As Essie owns up to her past and takes control of her fate, SF and fairytale fans alike will enjoy watching her beat the odds and find romance in the process. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
"'Snow White' gets an upgrade in this clever, surprisingly gritty science-fiction version."— Kirkus Reviews
"[A] gripping story with lots of moving parts and will likely appeal to fans of genre fiction."— Booklist
"This has strong appeal for sci-fi and fantasy lovers and fans of Marissa Meyer's 'Lunar Chronicles.'"— School Library Journal
"In this interplanetary retelling of Snow White, debut author Lewis reveals a talent for worldbuilding and creating complex, memorable characters. As Essie owns up to her past and takes control of her fate, SF and fairytale fans alike will enjoy watching her beat the odds and find romance in the process."— Publishers Weekly
"Essie's got the wit and strength to compete with any YA heroine, but it's her conflicted feelings toward her father and her willingness to finally save herself that make her memorable. This will certainly ease the wait for readers anxious for Meyer's next installment."— Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Stitching Snow is a satisfying read for those who appreciate strong female protagonists embedded in plots of intrigue."— VOYA
School Library Journal
08/01/2014
Gr 7 Up—Essie is the only female living in mining settlement Forty-Two and earns her keep by "stitching" or repairing junk-tech for the local miners. She is an unwelcome presence, despite her much-needed expertise, and leads a precarious and solitary existence. When a shuttle crashes, leaving a stranger named Dane without a functional ship, Essie begrudgingly agrees to help him. It turns out that Dane is on a search for Princess Snow, the royal heir who went missing eight years ago. Once he realizes that Essie is indeed the princess, he kidnaps her, intending to use her as a bargaining chip in a prisoner swap. Forced to divulge secrets that she has long guarded, Essie convinces Dane that she is no friend of the court and the two join forces. This is a superb sci-fi retelling of "Snow White." Lewis does a marvelous job of slowly revealing the backstory of Essie's royal childhood, her incestuous relationship with the king, and the mystery surrounding her real mother. Inventive nods to the original fairy tale, such as the seven droids Essie built and the death scene of the evil queen, are expertly done. This has strong appeal for sci-fi and fantasy lovers and fans of Marissa Meyer's "Lunar Chronicles" (Feiwel & Friends).—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, St. Joseph, MI
Kirkus Reviews
2014-08-15
"Snow White" gets an upgrade in this clever, surprisingly gritty science-fiction version. Essie has spent eight years hiding in the hardscrabble mining settlements of Thanda, cage fighting for cash and "stitching" machine code, especially for her seven autonomous drones. When Dane, the charming offworlder she rescues from a shuttle crash, discovers that she is the long-lost Princess Snow, he can't leave behind such a valuable pawn in the ongoing interplanetary war. But what if Essie refuses to go home? Elements of the classic fairy tale are skillfully woven into this update, with a particularly delightful nod to the Disney dwarves. But Essie is no passive, pretty princess; she is tough, cynical, paranoid and prone to violent rages—rough edges that gradually make sense as the horrific truths about her childhood are revealed. Dane, in contrast, is the perfect prince: strong, gentle, devoted and (irritatingly) slightly better than Essie at everything. Sweet romance and graphic violence, earthy humor and chilling abuse, space-opera settings and vintage derring-do—they all intertwine with unexpected panache. If the wicked king and the downright monstrous stepmother are cartoonishly evil, their villainous schemes implausibly over-the-top and the climactic revolt against their tyranny ludicrously simple…well, the source tale is hardly free of plot holes, either, and who cares when it's so entertaining? A fine addition to the ever popular subgenre of fairy-tale adaptations. (Science fiction. 12-18)
