Poisoned

By: Jennifer Donnelly

Narrated by: Rosie Jones

Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

Break the enchanted mirror. Burn the poisoned apple. Fight for your own version of happily ever after. 

Once upon a time, a girl named Sophie rode into the forest. Her lips were as red as blood, her skin as pale as snow, and her hair as dark as night. When she stopped to rest, her huntsman companion took his knife, plunged it into Sophie’s chest...and removed her heart. 

As she gasped for breath on the forest floor, Sophie was terrified but not surprised. She’d heard the rumors, the whispers. They said she was too weak and foolish to rule, a waste of a princess. A disaster of a future queen. And Sophie believed them. Because in this world, poisoned apples don’t put you into an enchanted sleep - they infect your mind with the cruelest things ever said about you. It’s what keeps girls like Sophie from becoming too powerful, too strong.... 

Yet Sophie doesn’t die. She’s rescued by seven mysterious engineers who manage to fashion her a temporary heart. It’s not perfect, but it has one advantage - it hasn’t been contaminated by fear. Now Sophie has the chance to hunt down the source of the poisoned apples, to find the person who stole her heart and take it back. To prove that even the darkest magic can’t extinguish the fire burning inside every girl.

©2020 Jennifer Donnelly (P)2020 Scholastic Inc.

So unique and hard to put down!!

I really enjoyed this!! It was so unique and hard to put down! I love a dark fairytale retelling, and this one is so well done! The audible was incredible! It was my first time listening to this narrator, Rosie Jones, and I’m so impressed with her range of different voices and how she made the story come to life!! It’s also the first book I’ve read by this author, and I will definitely be reading more!!

Disappointing

I loved stepsister and I’ve been waiting all year for this book to release, how truly disappointed I am at this retelling. The vallians in this story and the main character all are very corny and cringey. The storyline was underwhelming. Very very disappointed

Wonderfully twisted tale

I loved this story. It was beautifully written with many twists that I didn’t see coming. Has a great moral about how love and kindness are always stronger than fear. The story is a little slow to start but picks up after the first few chapters. I’ve read Jennifer Donnellys other fractured fairytale, Stepsister, and noticed she used characters from that story in this one. So seems to me she’s setting up a series of these. Can’t wait for the next one! Bravo!

Beautiful retelling

While I enjoy retelling of fairy tales, it's been a while since I've enjoyed one as much as Poisoned. It was, in my opinion, even better than Stepsister. Though the story centers around a Snow White heroine, we do learn more about the evil queen. This story is absolutely beautiful. It does get a bit violent in places so definitely for a bit older teens.

decent fairy tale retelling

I liked this book overall. I wasn't a huge fan of the POV changes that it would randomly get omniscient when most of the time it was limited. and the romance was a little underwhelming. I enjoyed the world and the magic and the overall plot.

A Vivid and Beautiful Retelling

Snow White has always been my favorite fairy tale because of its exploration of the meaning of true beauty. Jennifer Donnelly reshapes this familiar story into something wholly original and beautiful!
Princess Sophie has always struggled with feelings of inadequacy. In a kingdom under the tyrannical rule of her malevolent stepmother, Sophie has always been told that kindness is a weakness. Her empathy for others will only bring about her downfall. When a huntsman cuts out Sophie's heart and leaves her for dead, unusual events are set into motion. Things are not as they appear, and perhaps the true villain of this tale is not whom you may expect.

Poisoned delves deeply into the psychological depths of the Snow WHite fairy tale, unearthing gems of truth that resonate. I especially loved the author's exploration of what truly makes effective leadership. The theme of poisoned words unleashing irrevocable harm was so effectively conveyed. I especially loved the way Donnelly incorporated the familiar tropes of the tale but in fresh ways. The unique use of the ribbons and poisoned comb were particularly riveting.
Poisoned has a lovely feminist slant without making all the male characters despicable. Of course, there are a fair number of unsavory characters, but all of them are complex. The dwarves were delightful, and I loved their backstory. The stepmother's story is poignant and adds much depth to an often maligned character.

The narration of Poisoned was absolutely incredible! Once you begin listening to this book, you will be unable to stop. Each character is given a distinct voice, and much feeling is employed to convey emotion. Thoroughly recommended!
Happy listening, and God bless you all.