Author: Eowyn Ivey
ISBN: 978-0-7553-8052-7
Wildly captivating and breathtakingly haunting the debut novel of Eowyn Ivey will hold your imagination in thrall with the perfect symmetry drawn between the Russian fairy tale that inspired the story and Ivey’s own Snow Child.
The book is bound in a blue cover, as was the book of Mabel’s childhood, and printed with a snowy white silhouette reminiscent of books that I can imagine being printed early last century – when this book was set.
Set alongside the Wolverine River, Alaska in 1920 when the area was untamed wilderness and the settlers were fighting nature every season to survive. A time when every battle was hard won and every crop was hard fought. The scenery is stark and vivid with much of the story being told throughout the winter months. You can just picture the pristine snow blanketing the forest, and feel the arctic wind blowing through the gaps in the cabin walls.
Jack and Mabel are an older couple who move to Alaska to find a little peace and quiet, a fresh start in a new life that is all about the two of them. Somewhere quiet where there are no babies crying and children playing to haunt Mabel and cut to the heart of her grief for the baby she lost, away from the family who whisper and judge her for the lack of children.
Panning out over a decade and a half this is a story that builds slowly, like the success of a new farm, the growth of a friendship, and the bond of a family that you choose.
Arriving in Alaska Mabel wants solitude and silence in a world built for two; no neighbours, no family, no friends – just Jack and Mabel in partnership against the harsh climate of the Alaskan wilderness so when Jack embarks on a friendship with the Benson’s Mabel is a little frosty, but soon blossoms alongside her friendship with Esther.
There is an ever widening distance between the couple that Mabel had hoped to diminish with their move, and in all her imaginings things didn’t quite turn out the way she had thought. The joint venture of them working together panned out a little differently and sees the chasm taking them further apart, both of them trapped in their own head and heart unable to express themselves.
The magical first snow of winter brings with it a lighter mood that sees the 50-something Jack and Mabel making a snowman in their yard, a child sized snowman with a beautiful face etched with love, dressed in hand knitted scarf and mittens.
The morning light brings the discovery of the snow child missing, and child sized footprints leading away from the scene….
Is this a case of Cabin Fever as Esther suggests? Is there a logical explanation? Or is it really the magical transformation of snow child to real child of the snow as captured in the fairy tale of Mabel’s childhood?
This is a question that is never completely answered, never settled without a doubt, and remains shrouded in a little magic, a little mystery right up to the closing lines.
Regardless of the answer there is no denying that the entrance of Faina into the lives of Jack and Mabel is a turning point in so many aspects of their life. The beginning of a new chapter that brings heightened awareness, heightened emotion and heightened clarity.
A novel filled with emotional highs and lows, of going to the farthest reaches of civilisation to really get to know yourself, of opening yourself to the possibilities around you.
Ivey captured my heart and my imagination with the mystery surrounding the Alaskan homestead, the magic inherent in every page. A beautiful story that weaves the threads of the original fairy tale through the novel, comparing the fairy tale to what is unfolding before them. And for those who are intrigued by the fairy tale but never come across it there is a telling of the original story in the back of the book.
40 members of our Beauty Chick Chat panel have been reading The Snow Child, find out what they thought below…
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
I’ve been reading regularly, since I was able to. It is my favourite thing to do. So I was excited when this opportunity came along. I love the book cover, it reminds me of books from years and years ago, that always had the same textured hard cover. From the first page I was interested. I cannot believe that this book is the Authors first, she has an amazing talent for writing and expressing herself and putting images and words together, her style of writing just drew me in. I related to Mabel’s depression, the feelings and thoughts that Mabel was going through, I’ve felt myself. From the first word the mental images began to form in my mind, so I had a rolling movie going as I read. I feel like I know the Alaskan wilderness even though I’ve never been there. I feel I know Mabel, Jack, Garret, Esther, George and of course Faina. I can see there cabin and the snow covered fields. I found myself astounded, frustrated, laughing to myself, tears welling in my eyes, happy, sad, empathetic, and a huge feeling of hope. The relationship between Mabel and Jack grew to be so strong and their love was special, Mabel changed completely through the stages of the book, finally becoming the strong and proud woman that was always inside her. I love to believe in miracles and this book had a sense of magic about it, although I had a feeling from the day Faina first appeared that she was going to be lost again one day, so I was setting myself up for that early on.
The Snow Child is about coping with loss, about overcoming great difficulties, learning to love again, the human need for strong friendships and bonds, acceptance, perserverance, believing in miracles, optimism, respect, humour and survival.
I received the book on Friday and started reading it on Saturday night, it took me only 4 nights. But that was because once I got to bed and began reading, I literally couldn’t put it down. I’d have to keep reading….just one more chapter…and then I’d look at the clock and it’d be 1am or later, then I’d have to put it down.
I’d recommend The Snow Child highly, it’s a wonderful, uplifting story that does get you thinking about aspects of your own life. I will definately be keeping my eye out for any more of Eowyn Ivey’s books.
I am a little disappointed that I didnt get asked to review this book, I think it would have been an enchanting read.
I’ve always enjoyed reading and totally absorb myself in books. When in high school we were given a book to read for the month and I was finished within two nights. I couldn’t wait to read The Snow Child whether I received the book or not. I knew that I would read it somehow. Thankfully I received the book (big thank you smiley) on the Friday, started Saturday arvo and finished Wednesday night. I am so impressed with the blue/silver cover of the hardcover book….it is hauntingly magical and beautifully enchanting at the same time.
The Snow Child is a fairytale entwined with fantasy and I was completely absorbed from the beginning as I felt an instant compassionate bond with Mabel. Definitely a tissue or two needed here.
The book is set in the 1920’s. Mabel and husband Jack decide to create a new life in the remote wilderness of Alaska. Mable wanted to live an isolated life except for Jacks company. From the first few chapters we learn that Mabel is feeling depressed and unworthy due to the stillborn of their first child. Due to the loss of the child their love was lost because they couldn’t bear to talk about the baby. Somewhere, though deep inside, both still had a great love for each other that was yearning and intense.
One night they build a snow child out of snow and adorn the child with woollen mittens and a scarf. This brings happiness to both of them and a playful sparkle emerges between them. Next morning the snow child has disappeared but both see glimpses of a young blonde-haired child running wild through the trees and wearing the exact mittens and scarf as the one they built.
As we see more and more of the child whose name is Faina, it’s not possible to understand if she is real or not as only Mabel and Jack have seen her. This is where you want to read more and more to find the answer.
Although Mabel wanted to just be alone with Jack they do befriend neigbours George and Esther and their 3 sons. Esther is a bit rough around the edges but as we get to know the family, you can’t help but like them. Their characters bring humour to the pages and Mabel makes a lifelong friend.
From reading the book, I could visualize the house, the surrounding environment and wildlife. It has been beautifully written because it deals with the journey of what they have lost and gained in their lives. In parts of the book it is slow moving but I never lost interest as my emotions were wanting to learn more plus there are funny, sad and heartbreaking moments which in turn want you to read more. I found it hard to actually put the book down. I was intrigued at how the book would end so I was ready either way with more tissues.
Eowyn Ivey certainly captures your attention in her first written book and I look forward to reading more books from her.
This book was just beautiful, I loved the way the book was presented just like the book in the story. The tale is etheral in it’s beauty and touched me deeply as am childless myself. I found myself engrossed in this book and I literally could not put it down. Do yourself a favour and read this book….it will not dissapoint. This is the most enchanting book I have read in a long time…I will treasure it always!
From the second I opened the parcel that contained this amazing book, I saw the cover and instantly felt like I’d been sent back in time. The author is incredibly talented and her words suck you in to the extreme that you dont want to put it down. Everything was described with such passion that by the end of of the story I felt like I was there and I personally knew the characters in the story and experienced every emotion possible. Keep a couple of tissues handy.
THIS IS A MUST READ!!
Although a prolific reader, this is probably not a novel I would have normally picked up. I am used to lots of action and drama, plenty of characters and more familiar settings. The Snow Child had none of these features and yet I was captivated from beginning to end. The physical novel itself is beautifully bound and cleverly reminiscent of several elements of the narrative.
The characters are like none I have come across before and yet Ivey’s portrayal of each makes them so familiar. Many women have suffered childlessness as Mabel did, many men the difficulty of not knowing what to say or how to respond. The setting is so far removed from what I know, yet again, Ivey manages to describe it so vividly that even as I read during a stifling hot day, I somehow felt the chill and the isolation of winter in the Alaskan outback.
The Snow Child is indeed a very poignant novel with elements of a fairytale, but still realistic. To the last page, I was captivated by Ivey’s eloquent storytelling and her characters, particularly the enchanting and mysterious, Faina. A definite recommended read!
From the moment this book arrived I fell in love with it and could’nt wait to sit down,put my feet up and relax. It has been many years since I have had the opportunity or motivation to pick up a book and take time out for myself. The Snow Child did not disappoint me and I soon found myself not being able to put it down. I fell in love with the author and the fantastic characters in her novel and could never wait to finish work and get home and pick it up again. The Snow Child is a great read and is written with such passion that I often found myself thinking about it and dreaming of Alaska. This is one author that I will be watching out for and one that Im sure everyone will love. A great book written by a brilliant author. Thank you for this opportunity and giving me the passion to start reading once again.
I was a lucky recipient asked to review this book. i loved the presentation of the book with the hardcover and silver image was the start of something magical. I felt the author was able to capture the reader and draw them into a long forgotten world, you could feel Mable’s pain form the onset, and the loneliness that surrounded her, the other characters especially Esther with her loud ways made the story more believable and endearing.
When The Author Eowyn writes you almost hear the spoken word, very real and captivates your mind entirely. Just beware it is hard to put down until you have finsihed. Many a late night spent reading this one. Looking forward to her next book, I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
I was captured by this book from the moment I opened the parcel and took out the textured hard cover. It’s design just called out to me to open the pages and read, which is exactly what I did. I received the book on the Monday night and finished it by Saturday night. I couldn’t put it down, as I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. I was enthralled, both by the story and that this was the author’s first book! Eowyn Ivey has definitely got the gift of the written word! The story was well written, with plenty of detail, so I could literally see the cabin and it surrounds on every page. It was heart-wrenching and funny where it should be and the characters had plenty of “life” in them, so you could picture it all whilst reading. I love these types of novels and I’m looking forward to reading more from the author. Thanks for the opportunity to read such a beautiful book, as this is one I would definitely recommend to my family and friends.
What a great book to have had the honour of reading. I finished the book in less than a week, and had trouble putting it down. Its very well written and I found it easy to read. I got to learn about farming and hunting in the freezing conditions and can only imagine how hard it can be. The relationships that developed between neighbours was good to read about and how they pitched in to help when jack was in need. I just feel sad now that I have finished reading it.
Thanks for letting me read The Snow Child, I recommend everyone gets a copy