I have just finished reading Gregory Maguire’s Mirror, Mirror, which is a retelling of the Snow White myth set around C15 Italy. Maguire interweaves the myth with historical fact which largely gives the story a fresh sense of realism not generally associated with fairytales. Indeed, Maguire paints such a vivid world that the mythical elements which inevitably arise, such as the seven dwarfs who appear to be born of elemental spirits, seem somewhat of a disappointing burden to the credible elements of the narrative. The mythic and factual blending otherwise works fantastically, with the former tasting rather deliciously of the bizarre Icelandic folk stories. Maguire’s florid literary style is unmistakable, though the characters in this book seem rather crudely drawn in comparison to his later creations such as Wicked and Son of a Witch, with a greater emphasis on story than psychological depth. Snow White, for example, is merely a generic girl-child who appears largely unmoved by the various events that occur. The ‘evil stepmother’ persona is far richer, but even here motivation and emotion are essentially merely alludes. That said, the book is not critically flawed so long as you are prepared to go along with its whimsy, and is both refreshing and familiar. If only Disney could have such sense.