bellatora's review against another edition
4.0
I know nothing about Nordic history, so I figured a travelogue would be a good way to go about it. Sjoholm is a good travelogue writer and also brings in some interesting modern-day experiences – the Ice Hotel, dog sledding, etc. But what I didn’t realize but becomes more and more blatant is that Sjoholm’s main focus is not the countries themselves but the Sami people (the native people of the area). Sami people and their rights is Sjoholm’s passion. And it is definitely interesting to learn about a group of people I barely knew existed but I wish that Sjoholm had also taken more of an interest in the general history of Sweden, Norway, and Finland. When Sjoholm discusses maybe one or two things about general Nordic history, when the past is talked about, it’s usually about the Sami (which, since her focus stays in the arctic north does make sense, because the Sami history is the history of that area).
katrinadreamer's review against another edition
4.0
I've been interested in the far North since researching my Scandinavian roots several years ago and that is when I first learned about the Sami. I appreciated the research that went into the book and learned a good deal more about the struggles, history and the culture of the Sami from reading it.
I've been to Norway and Sweden and have high hopes of returning soon. This book has made me consider taking that trip in winter rather than summer.
I've been to Norway and Sweden and have high hopes of returning soon. This book has made me consider taking that trip in winter rather than summer.
abbythompson's review against another edition
I had to renew this one twice from the library. While I love travel writing, this one just didn't grab me. I kept getting confused as to why the author was there and when she was there. Many trips to the north are referenced and it's often difficult to tell if something happened before, during or after the moment she's narrating.
One thing I learned, though, was the struggle of the Sami (indigenous people of Lapland). They are going through similar struggles as the many of the indigenous people of the US and Australia (to name a few). The Sami's struggled to hold on to their traditional lifestyles in the face of the rapidly booming tourist industry was sobering and enlightening. (Note: think twice about dogsledding in Lapland.)
This book challenged me to think about WHY I travel and why I want to travel to places like Lapland. Until I read this book, it was a place of darkness, Northern Lights, ice, snow and reindeer. Now I have begun to think of it differently and think about what impact my tourism could have on the region.
One thing I learned, though, was the struggle of the Sami (indigenous people of Lapland). They are going through similar struggles as the many of the indigenous people of the US and Australia (to name a few). The Sami's struggled to hold on to their traditional lifestyles in the face of the rapidly booming tourist industry was sobering and enlightening. (Note: think twice about dogsledding in Lapland.)
This book challenged me to think about WHY I travel and why I want to travel to places like Lapland. Until I read this book, it was a place of darkness, Northern Lights, ice, snow and reindeer. Now I have begun to think of it differently and think about what impact my tourism could have on the region.
mkat303's review against another edition
3.0
This book started off really good for me and then I just got bored. However, for the time I was into it, I learned a lot about the Sami people and northern Scandinavia. Considering I'm not all that interested in the far north (I had mainly picked it up because of the author), I think that's pretty good.
balancinghistorybooks's review
5.0
I was incredibly excited to read Barbara Sjoholm's The Palace of the Snow Queen, in which she spends several winters in the Arctic Circle. Sjoholm's entire account is vivid and fascinating; she brings to light so many elements of life in the far north, always with the utmost sensitivity for those who live there.
Throughout, Sjoholm writes about the Sami, tourism, custom and tradition, the Icehotel in Sweden, and ways to travel around, amongst a plethora of other things. She strongly demonstrates just how quickly times change, and how some centuries-old traditions are being dropped in favour of the necessity of tourism.
Everything has been so well researched here, not only with regard to her own experiences, but with insight by others who have explored the region in years past. Her narrative voice is incredibly engaging, and I learnt so much from her account. It was the perfect tome to read over the Christmas period, and has extended my wanderlust even further. The Palace of the Snow Queen is undoubtedly one of the best travelogues which I have ever read, and is a sheer transportative joy to settle down with during long winters' nights.
Throughout, Sjoholm writes about the Sami, tourism, custom and tradition, the Icehotel in Sweden, and ways to travel around, amongst a plethora of other things. She strongly demonstrates just how quickly times change, and how some centuries-old traditions are being dropped in favour of the necessity of tourism.
Everything has been so well researched here, not only with regard to her own experiences, but with insight by others who have explored the region in years past. Her narrative voice is incredibly engaging, and I learnt so much from her account. It was the perfect tome to read over the Christmas period, and has extended my wanderlust even further. The Palace of the Snow Queen is undoubtedly one of the best travelogues which I have ever read, and is a sheer transportative joy to settle down with during long winters' nights.
saras's review
3.0
It was fun to read about life in the far north during the summer! It's great that the writer had the time and connections and language skills to get to know various locals and learn about the some of the history and the complex land use issues in the region. But she seemed unnecessarily harsh to other tourists who came to appreciate the area and weren't inclined or weren't able to engage as deeply.
stifledlaughter's review
5.0
This book unexpectedly yanked at my heartstrings, incredibly so.
For context, I normally read nonfiction travelogues before bed to settle in, drift off to sleep. However, it became apparent about a third of the way in I could not sleep well while reading this. Not only was it too engaging, it pulled me into the dark, snowy north where I had only previously vaguely heard of the Sami conflicts against the countries' governments they were ruled by. Along with that topic, along with the concept of the industry of the Luossavaara mountain in Kiruna, those who answer Santa's letters, and the industry of "the untouched North" being sold to tourists when the tourism industry was what was ironically causing it to be "impure", I was hooked.
It is not a "feel good" read, nor should it be. Sjoholm writes with excellent research skills and a doggedness that gets to the heart of matters from multiple sides. She also brings a personal side to it (she's very open how she 'ran away to Lapland' to escape the heartache of a recent long-term breakup) and addresses her own conflicts with how she approaches Native Americans back in her home of Seattle. (In one part, she addresses how she at first noticed a woman she was staying with had no Sami art in her apartment - but Sjoholm herself had no Washington-area Native American art on her walls at home either.)
I look forward to reading other writings by Sjoholm - I found this book almost entirely by chance and now feel extremely lucky, if not a bit more sorrowful, to know the plight of the Sami, the environment and lands of Lappland, and all of the other items Sjoholm touched on in her book.
For context, I normally read nonfiction travelogues before bed to settle in, drift off to sleep. However, it became apparent about a third of the way in I could not sleep well while reading this. Not only was it too engaging, it pulled me into the dark, snowy north where I had only previously vaguely heard of the Sami conflicts against the countries' governments they were ruled by. Along with that topic, along with the concept of the industry of the Luossavaara mountain in Kiruna, those who answer Santa's letters, and the industry of "the untouched North" being sold to tourists when the tourism industry was what was ironically causing it to be "impure", I was hooked.
It is not a "feel good" read, nor should it be. Sjoholm writes with excellent research skills and a doggedness that gets to the heart of matters from multiple sides. She also brings a personal side to it (she's very open how she 'ran away to Lapland' to escape the heartache of a recent long-term breakup) and addresses her own conflicts with how she approaches Native Americans back in her home of Seattle. (In one part, she addresses how she at first noticed a woman she was staying with had no Sami art in her apartment - but Sjoholm herself had no Washington-area Native American art on her walls at home either.)
I look forward to reading other writings by Sjoholm - I found this book almost entirely by chance and now feel extremely lucky, if not a bit more sorrowful, to know the plight of the Sami, the environment and lands of Lappland, and all of the other items Sjoholm touched on in her book.
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