The blurb sells this as a take on Snow White and the Snow Queen. I started it out of my childhood crush on the latter, but I don’t think the novel is at all close to these tales, in characters or themes. Rather, it deals with topics one sees more often in sci-fi: What it feels like for your body to be artificial, constructed; what it feels like to be dehumanised for it; being built differently; being told that because of your nature, you're unable to love; being a mother but just a substitute. Probably the most accidentally trans novel I’ve read in quite a while.

One fairy-tale archetype that is explored in depth is that of the social-climber stepmother, of the world pushing women against one another. I came for the lesbians, stayed for the mother-daughter relationship.

It was a quick, light read and I enjoyed it.