"The Rose Bride: A Retelling of "The White Bride and the Black Bride" (Once Upon a Time)" by Nancy Holder

3 out of 5 stars

Read April 1 to 2, 2014


Pages: 245
Published: June 26, 2007
Publisher: Simon Pulse


So I've never read or heard of "The White Bride and the Black Bride," but I decided to still read this book. When I read the synopsis, I realized that it sounds a lot like "Cinderella." In both the mother dies, father remarries, the stepmother is terrible, the father dies, and the stepfamily hate the daughter. The only thing that keeps me from thinking that they're the same stories is that "Cinderella" is French and this story is German.



I started off liking this book pretty well. I felt bad for Rose, both of her parents were dead and she had to put up with her stepmother, Ombrine, and sister, Desiree, who treated her terribly. They only things she has left are her nurse, who Ombrine eventually fires, the statue of Artemis, and the purple roses that grew in the garden after her mother's death. The other story that happens is of a young king whose wife dies during her pregnancy.


I was worried from the beginning that Rose and the king would end up together, but I'll get to that later. Rose grows up and when tended to her roses, her long lost half-brother shows up. They don't realize who each other is, but he buys some of the flowers. Rose looks just like the dead queen, so the king has her sent to him. However, Rose goes missing and Ombrine uses magic to make Desiree look like her stepsister. Desiree, pretending to be Rose, and the king marry. Rose was turned into a doe, and watches all of this happen.


After a couple months, Desiree pretends to be pregnant and tells the king to kill Rose the deer, who he has become close with. While trying to kill Rose, Desiree is killed and her glamor falls. Rose turns into a human again and the king realizes his mistake. Rose could have stayed a deer and become the mate of the deer leader (?), but she chooses to become a human. They don't get married, because Rose doesn't want to. However, the eventually do get married. I was not happy about that.





I can't believe I used a Taylor Sift gif cause I can't stand that bitch.





But I love Anderson Cooper!





I'll add a third!!


Rose
I liked you, until you married the king. Dumbass. He only likes you cause you look like his DEAD WIFE!!!


Ombrine/Desiree
They're pretty much the same person and I hated them both.


The King
I think his name was Jean-Marc or something, but I think it should be Dick-Head instead.


Overall, I didn't like this and the only thing enjoyable was the purple roses. I love roses so much! I hope the other books in this collection can lift my spirits!