Fairest of All

Fairest of All by Serena Valentino

Ever been curious about the Evil Stepmother in Snow White? Well, this book tells her story; everything from how she grew up, how she met and later married the King (Snow White's father), and how she came to be the evil and vain Queen.

The author does a great job of establishing the Queen's life events in a way that makes it clear to the reader why she became so evil. Her sad childhood upbringing makes her prone to obsessively seek approval from a mysterious man in the mirror. There were also a few influential and persuasive people in her life that led her to make bad decisions. If it wasn't for them, she may not have learned how to do the things that we know the Evil Queen is capable of doing. After all, you didn't think she'd learn about magic and potions by herself, did you?

It is easy to assume that people make bad decisions because they are bad people. On a daily basis, we have a tendency to assume the worst and always judge a book by its cover. You may not realize that the manager who has recently become moody and grumpy has just suffered the loss of a family member. You may not realize that the person who stole the box of Saltines from the store was just trying to feed their son. You may not realize that the girl with self-esteem and confidence issues was raised with a father who did not give her the attention and love that she deserved.

Things change when you look at things from a different perspective. This story will show you different sides to the Evil Queen that will make you feel sorry for her. I'll admit, however, that there were a few times when I thought, "Get a grip, woman!" But, for anyone who has suffered through heartbreak, loss, and lack of fatherly love, this book will give you a fairy tale villain that you can relate to.

Warning: while the book does have some psychological depth, it is written simplistically, almost like a children's book. But it works because this story is a children's story; it's just showing you a different side.

Would I recommend it or read it again?

I would recommend it to a Disney fanatic (trust me, I have a lot of friends that are!) but I don't think I'd recommend it for anyone else other than that. I would, however, read this story later on in the future to my daughter. It can be a good way to teach her that there is never just one side to any story.