The Night Queen of the North - A Snow Queen Inspired Tale

Abstract

he Night Queen of the North, a work in progress, tells the story of three girls who live in the countryside of Virginia at their grandmother’s estate, Alistair House. Told from the third person point of view, the story focuses on the middle child, Sylvie, and her longing to stand out from her sisters and be “special.” When the sisters find a magic brooch in their grandmother’s attic, Sylvie activates the ancient power of the Night Queen, giving her the power to see—and change—the future. But the Night Queen’s gift come at a steep price. Sylvie’s sisters become jealous of her newfound powers, driving a deep wedge between them and ruining their relationship. Feeling betrayed by her family, Sylvie flees to New York City, creating a new life. But when her grandmother dies, she’s unable to resist the call to return home, and the chance to rebuild her relationships. The inspiration for this story comes from two primary places. First, Hans Christian Andersen’s, “The Snow Queen,” one of my favorite childhood stories. As one of Andersen’s longest works, “The Snow Queen” offers a chance for character development not usually seen in fairy tales, and a deep exploration of good vs. evil. The second inspiration for this story was my grandmother’s ivory jewelry box, a veritable treasure trove of glittering costume jewelry. Much as we follow Kai and Gerda on their path to adulthood in “The Snow Queen,” we follow Sylvie’s journey from her childhood home in the countryside of Virginia, to adulthood in the Upper East Side of New York. Other elements drawn from Andersen’s work include the ebony mirror in the attic, the repeated elements of snow and ice, and the way the brooch fills Sylvie with icy sensation.