White as Snow - Tanith Lee

This is a very dark retelling of snow white, nothing like the Disney and children's versions. Combining fantasy and horror Lee follows the history of a noble maiden Arpazia who captured, raped and finally married by a conquering barbaric king. All she has left her past life is a glass mirror that possesses witching powers. The murder of her sister and a loveless marriage and the birth of a child that she sees as evil leads Arpazia down her dark magic path. The story elicits sympathy from the reader as they follow Arpazia's life from loving sister to tortured soul, especially when her lover rejects her for her daughter. The daughter Candacis (called Coira) is seeking love from her cold and remote mother but must find it elsewhere.
The two main characters, mother and daughter are very passive in the story and are victims of their circumstances with love, hate and jealousy abounding. Although a well crafted story, for a romantic like me there is no handsome prince at the end :( 6/10