Northern Lights, Southern Stars is a unique take on the story of Snow White. Deeper than the original fairy tale, it looked at international politics, the slave trade, racism, and the power of kindness and hope and love. Instead of white, Princess Ebony is dark-skinned, as is her entire nation. The prince she loves is white. They would not be the first mixed-race marriage, yet there were many who refused to accept the mixed relationships and the children that came from these marriages. That was difficult to read. There was also a contrast between those who believed in God and those who practiced evil magic. Ebony was mistreated and had her life threatened on many occasions. However, she never gave up faith or allowed her trials to make her bitter. She was a lovely, compelling hero who made faith and hope and love seem attainable to any of us.

The story was told in three perspectives, the princess, the prince, and the evil queen. Each of these was clearly marked and easy to follow. However, they also meant the reader is stuck in the head of each of these three people a bit more than necessary. I struggled with that - a bit too much of the omniscient perspective. This lessened as the book progressed and by the end, I had almost forgotten my annoyance at the beginning. Additionally, much of the story was written in present tense, which made it more difficult to read. Overall, I recommend the book and look forward to reading more books by C.S. Johnson. The imaginative take on the overtold story of Snow White was delightful and refreshing.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and have reviewed it willingly. ( )