kath61's review against another edition
4.0
A little slow at times but I found it gradually weaved a fascinating world. There is history and all of human life but not in an overblown way. I had never heard of the women's work at the Royaumont Abbey and their brave efforts should be more widely publicised. The futility of war and the strength of women are major themes and it is written with warmth.
lazygal's review against another edition
1.0
I got this as an eARC, and the more I think about it, the less I like them. Here's the problem: 25% of the way through, I didn't really care about the characters. There was too much digression into the lives of Iris (both in WWI France and 1970s Australia) and Grace. I don't mind time-shifting, but my guess is that this was in many ways supposed to mimic Iris' memories flitting from one thing to the other, but the overall effect was just jumbled. If I'd had this as a print ARC, I could easily have flipped through and seen if things came together, if it was worth sticking with. I can't do that with the eARC because it's just not set up for that kind of skimming. So, instead, this was a DNF.
I'm also wondering why WWI France is suddenly in vogue? This is the second book I've read, and fifth or sixth that I've heard about, set then. And because of that time setting, the "modern day" stuff needed to be in the 70s (the 60th anniversary of Iris' time there). Again, why? Because authors don't need to take modern technology into account? What am I missing?
ARC provided by publisher.
I'm also wondering why WWI France is suddenly in vogue? This is the second book I've read, and fifth or sixth that I've heard about, set then. And because of that time setting, the "modern day" stuff needed to be in the 70s (the 60th anniversary of Iris' time there). Again, why? Because authors don't need to take modern technology into account? What am I missing?
ARC provided by publisher.
shelleyrae's review against another edition
5.0
In this captivating novel, Australian author Mary-Rose MacColl moves between the past and the present, from Australia to war torn France to create a compelling story of love, loss, friendship, family and dreams.
When Iris Crane receives an invitation to a ceremony honouring les dames ecossais de Royaumont she is forced to confront the events of sixty years ago. At twenty one, Iris followed her younger brother to war in Europe, determined to bring him home, but instead remained in France to serve at Royaumont, a field hospital established in an Abbey on the outskirts of Paris, staffed exclusively by women. Despite the horrors of war, Royaumont became home for Iris. She befriended a remarkable group of women including the spirited Violet Heron, discovered a talent for medicine and fell in love. Yet just three years later, Iris left Royaumont and never looked back.
I was immediately drawn to Iris, an old woman in failing health, who is remembering both the best and worst moments of her long life. As she drifts between the present and past she relates a full life of adventure, love, heartbreak and tragedy. From a motherless child on her father's farm, to a young nurse in the midst of World War 1 combat in France and then to her role as a wife, widow, mother, grandmother and great grandmother in Brisbane's suburbs, Iris reveals long held secrets and lingering regrets.
A mother of three and a obstetrician at a major hospital, Grace is struggling with her grandmother's decline as she tries to juggle the demands of work and family. Caught up in her own personal drama including being the target of a complaint and her growing concern about the health of her youngest son, Rose is dismissive of Iris's desire to attend the reunion at Royaumont. Despite being raised from birth by Iris, Grace is unaware of most of her grandmother's incredible past and is stunned by what she discovers when she honours Iris's last wish. There were times when I felt Grace's complications distracted from Iris's story somewhat but I also appreciated that MacColl ensured Grace was a well developed character.
MacColl develops interesting comparisons between the lives of Iris and Grace as she switches between narrative voices, exploring society's shifting perspectives of issues such as gender roles, motherhood, age expectations and health care. The author draws attention to the extraordinary changes in social attitudes that have affected women in particular during the past century, as well as the shameful instances where little has changed at all. MacColl also highlights the way in which the devastating toll of the first world war impacted on the generations that followed.
I was engrossed in both women's stories but I must admit I was especially fascinated by Iris's experiences at Royaumont. The Author's Notes reveal that In Falling Snow is inspired by the real life role of the Royaumont during World War 1 and though MacColl admits the story contains some historical inaccuracies for the purposes of fiction, she has tried to honour the incredible spirit of the women who served as surgeons, doctors, orderlies, nurses and drivers in the all woman military hospital that treated the casualties of war. I was absolutely fascinated by this aspect of the novel, enthralled by the courage and determination of the women who challenged society's expectations of them and MacColl's portrayal of life in the Abbey during an extraordinary time.
Royaumont almost becomes a character in its' own right. I was easily able to imagine the staff of Abbey working hard to prepare the space for the wounded as MacColl described but the scale of the challenge, and the incredible achievement of The Scottish Women's Auxiliary really only became obvious when I viewed the photographs online of the astonishing echoing rooms and vaulted ceilings.
I found In Falling Snow a wonderfully engaging tale, so caught up in life at Royaumont I regretted putting it down to attend to the mundane tasks of everyday life. I would recommend this novel particularly to participants of the Australian Women Writers Challenge, but I also feel it would be widely enjoyed by readers who find the synopsis appealing.
donnamunroauthor's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not quite finished but I loved Iris, both when she is young, and particularly when she is old. It was a very realistic insight into the aging processes of the mind and how we often look back into our past. Well researched and written. I'm hoping the ending concludes all secrets blended into the story line. I'll give a further review when I'm finished.
Second review (once finished)
I loved it. It gave me an insight into what nurses did during WWI and the terrible tragedies that unfolded. The resilience to endure those things makes you wonder, if placed in the same circumstances, that you would get through it the way they did.
I won't give too much away. Just read it.
Thank you Mary-Rose. It's a unique and wonderful book. [author:Mary-Rose MacColl|1596534]
Second review (once finished)
I loved it. It gave me an insight into what nurses did during WWI and the terrible tragedies that unfolded. The resilience to endure those things makes you wonder, if placed in the same circumstances, that you would get through it the way they did.
I won't give too much away. Just read it.
Thank you Mary-Rose. It's a unique and wonderful book. [author:Mary-Rose MacColl|1596534]
yyc_heather's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this glimpse of women's involvement in World War Iris, a young nurse from Australia, travels to France to bring home her brother Tom, who at age 15 has run away to join the British army. Instead, she stays in France, working at Royaumont, a field hospital staffed entirely by women. Iris's story alternates with that of her granddaughter, Grace, an obstetrician in 1970s Australia who embodies the professional opportunities that the female doctors of her grandmother's generation fought for. However, this book lacks the visceral depictions of war found in a lot of novels of the Great War (Sebastian Faulks' Birdsong, Timothy Findley's The Wars). The focus is very much on the women, their relationships with one another, and Iris's attempts to balance her feelings of duty toward the younger brother she raised like a mother against the opportunity to pursue a medical career and do meaningful work.
oliviabrisebois's review against another edition
2.0
In Falling Snow was both dull and informative at the same time, while the twist at the end shocked me, much of the novel truly left me bored. I enjoyed Grace's parts of the story much more than Iris's and came to resent seeing Iris's name as the chapter title.
bristoni74's review against another edition
4.0
I choose to read this story as its the 100th anniversary of WW1 and I wasn't disappointed. This would have to be one of my favourites this year. I love books that move back and forth in time. The author does this well moving between France during World War I and Brisbane in 1978. The historical story is of Iris who is 21 and goes to France in 1915 to retrieve her brother who is only 15 (this reminded me of my own great-grandfather who celebrated his 16th birthday on the ship to Europe). Iris stays to help set up a hospital to treat the wounded. The contemporary story is set in Brisbane in 1978 and focuses on Grace (Iris's granddaughter). This is a story about secrets, suffragettes, motherhood and love. I loved the twists - highly recommended.
fabmom52's review against another edition
So boring. I know this was somewhat intended to be a slow book-but by the last 150 pages I skimmed it.
By the end-I did not care about the big secrets-So little happened in Iris' life.
I could have summed up the first 200 pages; Iris goes to help out and establish a war hospital.
As far as the "price" Iris pays that echo's down generations" I didn't see it or care by the end.
The only person that paid a price was me-reading this book!!!
By the end-I did not care about the big secrets-So little happened in Iris' life.
I could have summed up the first 200 pages; Iris goes to help out and establish a war hospital.
As far as the "price" Iris pays that echo's down generations" I didn't see it or care by the end.
The only person that paid a price was me-reading this book!!!
bee_cee's review against another edition
2.0
I just didn't see what all the fuss was about- the timeline was confusing, and there was a lot of jumping around and too much going on that didn't tie together well for me at the end. I almost gave up on it early, but kept going, and I wish I'd just put it down instead.