Fairest - Mairi MacMillan

This book is a retelling of Snow White with a fantasy twist. The fantasy elements aren’t immediately clear, which made the opening feel slightly disorienting as I worked to understand the world and how everything fit together.

Niamh has been close friends with Rose for years. Rose is Cillian’s sister, and Cillian is engaged to Vittoria in order to gain power in the fantasy world and secure his future as king. From the beginning, there is a constant pull between Niamh and Cillian, but he repeatedly pushes her away, choosing duty and ambition over what feels right.

I struggled with the early part of the story, largely because of how Cillian and Vittoria’s relationship. I wasn’t a fan of Vittoria, and their dynamic felt uncomfortable and unsettling, which made it difficult to watch Niamh remain on the sidelines.

Rose was fiercely loyalty to Niamh and their deep friendship were intense, emotional, and genuinely touching. Once Cillian begins to make a few important realizations, the story really gains momentum.

The first half of the book was a struggle for me because I felt so deeply for Niamh and everything she endured. But once the main conflict emerged, the second half surged forward and fully captured my attention. I received this book as an ARC and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

You have to know that you are infinitely… desirable, Gléigeál.