This mesmerizing retelling of a classic fairy tale features a young woman struggling to let go of a painful childhood, so that she can embrace adulthood. Cassie has grown up hearing her mother’s absence explained by her grandmother, who has always told Cassie that her mother made a deal with the polar bear king, who took her to the ends of the earth. Cassie has long since stopped listening to this story, and as she nears her eighteenth birthday, all Cassie is focused on is her scientific studies at an Artic research station. Then, on her birthday, Cassie has an encounter that changes everything. Cassie meets a polar bear that not only speaks to her, but also tells her that her mother is being held prisoner. The bear says he can help Cassie bring her mother back, as long as Cassie agrees to become his bride. Can Cassie save her mother, without losing herself?