East by Edith Pattou is a delightful re-imagining of the fairytale ‘East of the Sun, West of the Moon’.

Rose is born into a large, poor family, to a superstitious ma. The family is starving, the farm failing, when a mysterious visitor approaches them and says he will give the family an improvement of their fortunes in exchange for Rose. Oh, yeah, and this stranger is a bear. A great white bear. Rose takes the decision upon herself and leaves with him. He takes her to his enchanted castle, where they slowly get to know one another. When he leaves one day, Rose follows, determined to help him. Her journey takes her to the reaches of her world, all the way to the home of the Troll Queen which lies ‘East of the Sun, West of the Moon’. Along the way, Rose gets to really know herself and the depths of her feelings for her new friend.

This was a lovely read! It’s rich with detail, and the characters are just precious. Pattou did a marvelous job of researching to enhance her tale. I loved getting a real feel for Norse culture of the time (1700s). The perspective shifted between characters, including the Troll Queen, allowing the reader to really get to know all of them. I actually enjoy multiple perspectives in books, as long as it’s made clear who we are with at the time. Recommended for any who love fantasy!

***Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. This book was reviewed for the Fantastic Flying Book Club.

West by Edith Pattou is the sequel to East and continues the tale of Rose and her lover. Years pass, and the pair have a baby they name Winn. Things are going great, til one day Charles, now free of the bear enchantment, is presumed lost at sea when the ship he was traveling on sinks. Rose refuses to accept that, and once again our intrepid explorer sets off after her love. Rose is more right than she knows, and she’s in for the adventure of her life, living up to her ‘curse’ as a North-born babe. In the course of her travels and investigations, new friends and enemies abound, and some ‘old friends’ come to play.

As with the previous book in the duology, West sports multiple perspectives, allowing for a richer story. Rose was my favourite to follow. I feel she grew from her last adventure, and she’s growing through this one, despite everything thrown at her. I loved the references and weaving in of Norse mythology and folklore. I did feel the chapters were a bit shorter than I would have liked. I felt I didn’t have enough time to really settle in with a narrator before moving on to the next. It wasn’t terrible though, and I still enjoyed the multiple perspectives. Recommended for any who love fantasy!

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. This book was reviewed for the Fantastic Flying Book Club.