It has very descriptive writing and the opening immediately draws you in. I couldn't tell it was a retelling at first which is a good thing because it's means it stood out on it's own. I will say it does at points rely a little too much on the atmosphere which could be a problem later in the book. The plot of the young girl with an overbearing mother and clashing classes within a monarchy aren't completely new so it will be interesting to see how this author plans to make it feel fresh.