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cyndireadsbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. Love love loved it. But I wouldn't recommend it to very many people because I'd worry they would be bored with it. There IS a story. It's basically a fairy tale, the kind that is normally told in 16 pages in a picture book. So imagine sixteen pages of a story stretched out to 400 pages. If that makes you want to gauge your eyes out, you will hate this book.
This book is about people, about place, about mysticism. It's about homesteading in the Alaskan wilderness in the early part of the 20th century. It's about despair. Deep, dark despair that is so well described that you can feel it. One of the book jacket quotes says this is like Willa Cather meets Gabriel Garcia Marquez and that's a really good description. Thematically I think the book is beyond the experience of most teenagers, so I wouldn't classify it as YA fiction, but there isn't much to object to content wise.
This book is about people, about place, about mysticism. It's about homesteading in the Alaskan wilderness in the early part of the 20th century. It's about despair. Deep, dark despair that is so well described that you can feel it. One of the book jacket quotes says this is like Willa Cather meets Gabriel Garcia Marquez and that's a really good description. Thematically I think the book is beyond the experience of most teenagers, so I wouldn't classify it as YA fiction, but there isn't much to object to content wise.
heddas_bookgems's review against another edition
4.0
“In my old age, I see that life itself is often more fantastic and terrible than the stories we believed as children, and that perhaps there is no harm in finding magic among the trees.”
It’s 1920, Alaska. A harsh land where you need to work hard in order to survive. Jack and Mabel have just moved to start their life over. They are childless and because of grief drifting apart. When seasons first snowfall appears they carve a child out of snow. The next morning the snow girl is gone, but they see a young girl peaking out of the trees.
Snow Child is the debut by Eowyn Ivey. And holy smoke, did she made herself known by this wonderful retelling. It even made it into finalist of the Pulitzer Prize. And after reading this, I can understand why. It weaves the pain of grief so well together with the struggles of beginning a new life in a rough place like Alaska.
And no wonder, because Eowyn is born Alaskan. In the Guardian she mentions: It’s a little overwhelming as a place, even when you’ve grown up here as I have. […] The landscape is much bigger than civilisation here.“
That Alaska can be overwhelming, especially during winter, is so distinctly palpable in Snow Child. And choosing the 19th century retelling of a Slavic folktale, Snegurochka, to illustrate that, is so fitting. This tale is linked to snow and ice where a child appears to a childless couple in winter as a blessing.
I really enjoyed this retelling. It fabricated all the wonderful elements in a completely new, heartwarming and at times heart wrenching novel that made you feel warm and also so so cold. Highly recommend this for a cold winter night.
It’s 1920, Alaska. A harsh land where you need to work hard in order to survive. Jack and Mabel have just moved to start their life over. They are childless and because of grief drifting apart. When seasons first snowfall appears they carve a child out of snow. The next morning the snow girl is gone, but they see a young girl peaking out of the trees.
Snow Child is the debut by Eowyn Ivey. And holy smoke, did she made herself known by this wonderful retelling. It even made it into finalist of the Pulitzer Prize. And after reading this, I can understand why. It weaves the pain of grief so well together with the struggles of beginning a new life in a rough place like Alaska.
And no wonder, because Eowyn is born Alaskan. In the Guardian she mentions: It’s a little overwhelming as a place, even when you’ve grown up here as I have. […] The landscape is much bigger than civilisation here.“
That Alaska can be overwhelming, especially during winter, is so distinctly palpable in Snow Child. And choosing the 19th century retelling of a Slavic folktale, Snegurochka, to illustrate that, is so fitting. This tale is linked to snow and ice where a child appears to a childless couple in winter as a blessing.
I really enjoyed this retelling. It fabricated all the wonderful elements in a completely new, heartwarming and at times heart wrenching novel that made you feel warm and also so so cold. Highly recommend this for a cold winter night.
yessica_chw's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Give me any book that has a snow scene in it, and I’ll love it
charlietuna92's review against another edition
4.0
What made this book so lovely and bittersweet was not the plot, but the characters. The relationships in the book are so heartwarming, and even though it’s always hinted at that the ending won’t be happy, it’s also not altogether sad. I really liked the setting and the historical aspect as well. It was an environment I haven’t really read much about, and it seemed otherworldly and beautiful if not harsh and unforgiving.
janey's review against another edition
3.0
Meh. I think I would have liked this one much better if it had ended about halfway through. Everything beyond the first winter felt stapled on.
khubberman's review against another edition
4.0
If you go into this expecting the usual booktok book it’ll be 3 stars, but if you remember it’s a fairytale retelling it’s 4
bulbousbovine's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
camdensbooknook's review against another edition
3.0
The relationships in this book were great and real and relatable. The emotions were deep and honest, but I found myself still sad at the ending. But also happy, I think that’s what it describes so well, the balance of happiness and sadness in life, and making the best of it all. Listened and enjoyed the audio version.
what_katie_read_in_ca's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this beautiful story filled with both joy and sorrow--definitely a fantastic pick for the winter season. Also one to re-read....
merfdiff's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0