Book Review: The Snow Queen

Book: The Snow Queen by Alana Albertson

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available Now

Description:

Five years ago, Cambridge Ballet's Sugar Plum Fairy vanished after performing The Nutcracker. Despite extensive city and statewide searches, no traces of her, besides her ballet slippers, were ever found. Every year since, another member of the cast has gone missing after closing night: the Mouse King, an Arabian Dancer, The Dew Drop Fairy, a Flower. Eighteen-year-old Nieves Alba, who played Clara in the first ill-fated performance, is now cast as the Snow Queen. On closing night, every police officer in Boston surrounds the theater, determined to catch the perpetrator whom they’ve dubbed “The Nutcracker.” Can Nieves break the curse or will she be the next victim of America's favorite ballet?





Rating: 1 star

Review:

This was so frustrating to read because the main character Nieves Alba was a complete idiot. It doesn't matter if she's 18 or not, she shouldn't be that stupid. 

What made me want to read this was the mysterious premise that prima ballerinas had been disappearing after the end of the ballet shows' last performance. And the cover stood out, it's very beautiful. However, what I didn't like was the story. It didn't work because the main character Nieves Alba was just too stupid for words. There was also no real suspense or wonder because it was too easy to figure out who was responsible for the disappearing women.

I really wish Nieves wasn't written so naively because despite the fact that she's starring as the Snow Queen and could possible go missing, she's so hung up on this insanely creepy guy Mikhail. He was once a former dancer but had gotten injured and was now a critic and not to mention he also had a girlfriend who disappeared five years ago from the ballet. Nieves had no common sense at all. All the red flags were showing about Mikhail but she didn't see any of them.

She was such an idiot because despite two strange incidents where she was receiving messages for help, she quickly disregarded them even though they pointed suspensions toward Mikhail. She had a one track mind and it was only on Mikhail and nothing would change that.

The guy just screams creepy stalker but all she had was love on the brain in regards to him even though his is so creepy. How could she be okay with Mikhail's creepy request for her to change out of her clothes into clothes he gave her when she went to meet him for dinner and training. She showed up in jeans and a sweater, but no that just wasn't good enough for him. He likes when ladies dressed like ladies.

She should have listened to her friend and dance partner Evan that Mikhail was a total creep but she was completely enchanted with this guy and unfortunately it didn't turn out too well for her no matter how she tried to rationalize it in the end.

On a last note, I do wish many of the dance terms had been explained because unless you know about ballet those terms are just terms.