Reviewed by Katelyn Hensel for Readers' Favorite

Almost Snow White by Jeffrey Blount is the story of Precious Anne Sprately. Her mother was raped by her father, resulting in a mixed race child that, although she can pass for white, struggles with her identity. She has lived the pain of life as a Negro for as long as she can remember, but it's time to get out. Time to get away. Time to find a future that isn't down in the dirt like a dog. A deeply internal and thought driven novel, Almost Snow White succeeds on all levels to be a sort of combination coming of age and self-identity story that brings to light issues faced by a mulatto during the Jim Crow period in the United States.

One of the things I liked best about this book was to see Precious' internal struggle in dealing with and coming to terms with her bi-racial heritage. This could be of more interest to me than most because I'm married to a black man and am white, but I wonder what our children will have to deal with in terms of identity. They aren't black...they aren't white, but have to live with and deal with both sides of their heritage. Precious had this massive internal battle where she had to understand both sides of herself. I hope my children won't be as upset or stressed out by their bi-racial heritage, but luckily they don't live in Precious' world. Jeffrey Blount brings a dramatic and powerful realism to the text and story of Almost Snow White that I find very compelling!