A review by somewheregirl7
The Snow Child, by Eowyn Ivey

3.0

The Snow Child is a modern retelling of the traditional Russian folktale of the same name. Mabel and Jack are an older couple who long to have a child of their own but have had to give up on that dream. Instead the two move to Alaska to eke out a living in 1920, farming a homestead far away from friends and family who may remind them of their childless state. One night the snow child they built disappears and instead they catch glimpses of a pale haired child of around 8, living in the forest. Eventually they come to know the child and fall in love with her. Every year she disappears with the spring and then returns to them with the first snow fall.

This is a pretty story, a nice retelling. The descriptions are beautiful and loving and the characters well developed. The plot is excruciatingly slow, however. It takes forever for anything to happen and for the story to wind to its eventual end.

Spoiler

I was hoping for a better ending, but Ivey decided to go with the traditional ending to the tale. I was surprised that more didn't come of Garret searching for the girl the night she disappears. And nothing was made of the fact that her son is half fae, there has to be something of his mother in him. It's a sad story overall but with some truly beautiful moments.