Poisoned

Written by Jennifer Donnelly

Narrated by Rosie Jones

From Jennifer Donnelly, author of the acclaimed New York Times bestseller Stepsister, comes a fairytale retelling that'll forever change the way you think about strength, power, and the real meaning of "happily ever after."

Once upon a time, a girl named Sophie rode into the forest with the queen's huntsman. Her lips were the color of ripe cherries, her skin as soft as new-fallen snow, her hair as dark as midnight. When they stopped to rest, the huntsman pulled out his knife . . . and took Sophie's heart.It shouldn't have come as a surprise. Sophie had heard the rumors, the whispers. They said she was too kind and foolish to rule -- a waste of a princess. A disaster of a future queen. And Sophie believed them. She believed everything she'd heard about herself, the poisonous words people use to keep girls like Sophie from becoming too powerful, too strong . . .With the help of seven mysterious strangers, Sophie manages to survive. But when she realizes that the jealous queen might not be to blame, Sophie must find the courage to face an even more terrifying enemy, proving that even the darkest magic can't extinguish the fire burning inside every girl, and that kindness is the ultimate form of strength.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scholastic Audio Books
• Release date: Oct 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781338637472

Jennifer Donnelly

Historical fiction author Jennifer Donnelly graduated cum laude with distinction in English Literature from the University of Rochester, New York. She is best known for her novels A NORTHERN LIGHT, THE TEA ROSE and THE WINTER ROSE, but has also written HUMBLE PIE, a picture book for children.Jennifer currently lives in New York’s Hudson Valley with her husband, daughter and one rescued greyhound.

Reviews for Poisoned

[Emily Preun · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A retelling of The Queen and her Huntsman. This book was slow paced and felt a bit repetitive. Considering the main character, Sophia's name stands for wisdom, she was quite gullible. The Queen manages to attempt murder 3 times which was a bit unbelievable. I liked the morals shared throughout the story and I came to love Sophie in the end.

[Tiffani Smith · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow, I was not expecting this too be so good but I ended up loving it!

[Ailed Rguez · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a retelling of Snow White, one of my least favorite tales, yet I found it okay. Although it's not my favorite story, I believe it has a nice message. I couldn't really bond with the characters either; I think it was because everything happens very quickly, although it makes sense since it’s a story that is racing against time. (Translated from Spanish)

[Bre0498 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked the story and although I didn't enjoy it as much as Stepsister, it was certainly an entertaining read. (Translated from Spanish)

[Crismp70 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It is a version of Snow White and although it tells us about the importance of overcoming fear and following our heart, about the strength of being ourselves regardless of what others say, I have not completely empathized with Sophie, who sometimes frustrates me with her naivety... Personally, I found it hard to finish it. (Translated from Spanish)

[Juanant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The book introduces us to Sophie, a kind, gentle, and loving girl, qualities that Queen Adelaide despises. She wants Sophie to only think of herself and what is best for the kingdom to grow when she becomes the future queen, even if that brings misfortune to its inhabitants. The queen betrays her and sends a hunter to kill her and bring back her heart. Sophie comes back to life and decides to take revenge and reclaim her kingdom. On her journey back, we see how she transforms from the silliest girl in the land into a strong and determined young woman, although the story really becomes messy later and she ends up fighting against Corvus, who is apparently the true villain of the story. At the end of the book, the seven sins and the horsemen of the apocalypse appear, finding new kingdoms to invade, which suggests to me that there will be more books with similar themes, designed primarily for quick sales, no matter how original they may be. (Translated from Spanish)

[Lectora Nocturna · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

What a naive and dull protagonist, throughout the book she needs the help of some man or animal. She doesn’t do anything on her own, well, except for falling three times for her stepmother's tricks. The character of the stepmother is also not exploited when she could be very interesting; rather, she seems like a puppet. In general, the characters are worthless and the plot initially looks very good but deflates along the way. (Translated from Spanish)

[Mariela Bloom · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It is a retelling of Snow White.
It starts from the moment Sophie (Snow White) is killed, telling that chapter from the hunter's point of view.

I had high expectations for Stepsister but it didn't surpass them and I think it was because of the protagonist, who was so naïve. I agree with this:

—Stop acting like a fool. Sophie blinked, offended.
—Excuse me?
—Someone comes out of the forest and pretends to be your friend. They offer you something like a ribbon or a comb, and you accept it. Stop. Stop accepting poison from false friends. You're going to end up dead. (Translated from Spanish)