maddyb001's review
5.0
I loved this book because of the parallels within the two stories. It showed it was okay to be a mixture of a person and struggle to navigate family relationships. IT was cool to see the different perspectives and how the different sisters remembered their family history so differently.
mactammonty's review
5.0
The two stories, on in Feudal Japan the other in modern day San Diego, melded perfectly together. Both stories feature strong women in difficult family circumstances.
I really enjoyed how the stories with their differnt types of struggles were juxtaposed, enhancing both stories. All of the characters benefited from this, bring ing forth more traits in eqch segment.
It is a beautiful story about sisters of circumstance. The strength and love that each gives the other.
I really enjoyed how the stories with their differnt types of struggles were juxtaposed, enhancing both stories. All of the characters benefited from this, bring ing forth more traits in eqch segment.
It is a beautiful story about sisters of circumstance. The strength and love that each gives the other.
kasscanread's review
2.0
I couldn't find the strength to get through this book (though that happens to me often, being a picky reader). Sisters of Heart and Snow focuses around two storylines taking place centuries apart, which I suppose intertwine farther along in the novel. One story is about the dysfunctional family of Killian, Drew, and Rachel Snow, and their mother I can't remember the name of, and the other is about Tomoe Gozen, the amazing female samurai in ancient Japan.
Which of these storylines seems like it should have the most focus - especially early on in the novel to catch the reader's attention - the mostly boring modern family drama (as far as I got into the book) or a freakin' amazing female samurai? Unfortunately, Margaret Dilloway seems to think it is the former deserving of 90% of the book's attention, and even manages to drain what thrill their was to read about the rarely covered Tomoe Gozen in scarce, somewhat poorly written two-page chapters.
The problem with this book was apparent by page thirty, at which point I will usually stop reading a novel that is uninteresting or can't find its plot (unless something equally interesting as the main plot is there to entertain until later on). If it is good in the middle or near the end, I would still say it wasn't worth it to have to read the trite thirty or so pages that I did.
If any author's read this review (not likely) I would like to challenge them to the task of writing a better book about Tomoe Gozen. She deserves one.
Which of these storylines seems like it should have the most focus - especially early on in the novel to catch the reader's attention - the mostly boring modern family drama (as far as I got into the book) or a freakin' amazing female samurai? Unfortunately, Margaret Dilloway seems to think it is the former deserving of 90% of the book's attention, and even manages to drain what thrill their was to read about the rarely covered Tomoe Gozen in scarce, somewhat poorly written two-page chapters.
The problem with this book was apparent by page thirty, at which point I will usually stop reading a novel that is uninteresting or can't find its plot (unless something equally interesting as the main plot is there to entertain until later on). If it is good in the middle or near the end, I would still say it wasn't worth it to have to read the trite thirty or so pages that I did.
If any author's read this review (not likely) I would like to challenge them to the task of writing a better book about Tomoe Gozen. She deserves one.
mcoppadge07's review
3.0
I received this book courtesy of a Goodreads giveaway.
Honestly it took me awhile to get into this book. I loved the alternating stories between now with Rachel and Drew and the 1100's with Tomoe and Yamabuki. Rachel and Drew comparing themselves to Tomoe and Yamabuki and taking strength from their story made for good character growth.
Overall the story was a good one. The sisters mending their relationship and also realizing things that they needed to fix or make better when it came to themselves kept the story going.
I would skip the first part before Chapter One. It's totally misleading when it comes to the story in itself and I wasn't pleased to read it and then think about it constantly while reading the book wondering when that was going to happen.
Honestly it took me awhile to get into this book. I loved the alternating stories between now with Rachel and Drew and the 1100's with Tomoe and Yamabuki. Rachel and Drew comparing themselves to Tomoe and Yamabuki and taking strength from their story made for good character growth.
Overall the story was a good one. The sisters mending their relationship and also realizing things that they needed to fix or make better when it came to themselves kept the story going.
I would skip the first part before Chapter One. It's totally misleading when it comes to the story in itself and I wasn't pleased to read it and then think about it constantly while reading the book wondering when that was going to happen.
phylflemham's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This one has been on my shelves for about a year— Sisters of Heart and Snow by Margaret Dilloway is a novel tying in an ancient Japanese story of a female warrior with a present day Japanese-American family. The pacing is pretty slow but weaving in the warrior’s story helps it move along. The novel really explores the dynamic between a mother and her two daughters and how our pasts influence relationships and choices we make. It wasn’t an earth shattering book for me, but it was pleasant to listen to and I did really care about all of the characters. A great read for that extra mid-March snowstorm we just got 😵💫
ashley0929's review against another edition
5.0
I won this book on goodreads first reads and I am so glad I did. This book is amazing! I love how it switches from current time to the past. Both story lines within the book were so interesting and I couldn't put the book down. I fell in love with this book I am adding it to my favorites list. I think everyone should read this book. I am interested in seeing what else the author has wrote!!
fudge's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
geminipenguin's review against another edition
4.0
Sisters of Heart and Snow is written in 3 different point of views. One is during the 1100s in Japan and the other 2 sisters from modern day California. I enjoyed the parts of the book from the 1100s much more than the present. The present wasn't horrible, but some parts in the middle dragged. It was a good story overall and if not for the dragging and the odd change between 2 POVs being first person and one being third I would have given this book 5 stars. With all that said, I would like to read other books by this writer.
kasscanread's review against another edition
2.0
I couldn't find the strength to get through this book (though that happens to me often, being a picky reader). Sisters of Heart and Snow focuses around two storylines taking place centuries apart, which I suppose intertwine farther along in the novel. One story is about the dysfunctional family of Killian, Drew, and Rachel Snow, and their mother I can't remember the name of, and the other is about Tomoe Gozen, the amazing female samurai in ancient Japan.
Which of these storylines seems like it should have the most focus - especially early on in the novel to catch the reader's attention - the mostly boring modern family drama (as far as I got into the book) or a freakin' amazing female samurai? Unfortunately, Margaret Dilloway seems to think it is the former deserving of 90% of the book's attention, and even manages to drain what thrill their was to read about the rarely covered Tomoe Gozen in scarce, somewhat poorly written two-page chapters.
The problem with this book was apparent by page thirty, at which point I will usually stop reading a novel that is uninteresting or can't find its plot (unless something equally interesting as the main plot is there to entertain until later on). If it is good in the middle or near the end, I would still say it wasn't worth it to have to read the trite thirty or so pages that I did.
If any author's read this review (not likely) I would like to challenge them to the task of writing a better book about Tomoe Gozen. She deserves one.
Which of these storylines seems like it should have the most focus - especially early on in the novel to catch the reader's attention - the mostly boring modern family drama (as far as I got into the book) or a freakin' amazing female samurai? Unfortunately, Margaret Dilloway seems to think it is the former deserving of 90% of the book's attention, and even manages to drain what thrill their was to read about the rarely covered Tomoe Gozen in scarce, somewhat poorly written two-page chapters.
The problem with this book was apparent by page thirty, at which point I will usually stop reading a novel that is uninteresting or can't find its plot (unless something equally interesting as the main plot is there to entertain until later on). If it is good in the middle or near the end, I would still say it wasn't worth it to have to read the trite thirty or so pages that I did.
If any author's read this review (not likely) I would like to challenge them to the task of writing a better book about Tomoe Gozen. She deserves one.