Snow White and Rose Red

Snow White and Rose Red by Patricia C. Wrede, 2009 Firebird

   The Widow Arden and her two teen-aged daughters live on the edge of Mortlak between the mortal world and the Faerie Realms. They walk the fine line between two worlds and create medicines for their community to survive. When Blanche and Rosamund witness wizards stealing an essence of faerie they have no idea how deeply they will be immersed.
     Widow Arden has tried to keep her daughters from magic and anything that might hint at witchcraft. Their trips into Faerie and the widow's medicines are tenuous, but when the Queen's Astrologer lives in Mortlak and is regularly under suspicion for witchcraft any connection can be dangerous.
     When they meet a large black bear--formerly a half-faerie, half-mortal prince--Blanche and Rosamund do all they can to return him to his human form. They restore his sensibilities and draw his brother to their aid. John explains the transformation of his brother Hugh and the Arden women seek answers and a cure.
     Things become more and more dangerous when Hugh begins to revert to his bearish form and they discover the local wizards are none other than the Queen's Astrologer and his friend and compatriot. The two are trying to harness the powers of Faerie to increase their own magic, but their efforts bring them to the attentions of some unsavory characters in Faerie.
     The fear of witchcraft doesn't seem to stop the denizens of Mortlak from being fascinated by magic or working to practice it. When Faerie uses the mundane law system the attempt to return Hugh to his human form is nearly sabotaged. In the end, persistence and compassion save the Widow Arden and her family from the witch hunter's efforts and reward them in ways they could never imagine.
    Snow White and Rose Red is set in Renaissance England in an era of magic and skepticism. Wrede weaves a vibrant tale of two girls who use their forbidden learning to save friends who have been wronged; they are strong women in a world that refuses to allow women much beyond power over their husbands' household. Young adult readers will enjoy the subtle romance of the story, while readers of all ages can appreciate the fantasy.