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!
From the first page of this book I was drawn in. It is magical and realistic and had me feeling like I was apart of the lives Mabel and Jack lived. I picked the book up and didn’t stop reading, there was a presence that made me feel welcome and excited for them and at times sad for them and I just didn’t want to put the book down.
I would most certainly recommend this book, it was so well written and captivating. Amazing!
I really enjoyed this book. It was very magical and engaging. I did find it quite sad at times but I loved the way you felt everything Mabel was feeling. I truly felt her isolation and loneliness and although it made me sad I still loved the book.
I feel that the author did a great job of making you feel the protagonists thoughts and feelings so strongly. To me that is what makes a book so amazing to read. When you actually put yourself into the book, put yourself in the shoes of the protagonist and really get into, really allow yourself to fall into that world.
I love the actual book too. When I first opened it I thought wow what have I come across. It reminded me of books I read as a little girl that were old books that my mum had kept from years before or books that I had come across in op shops. I love hard covered books, they just feel right to read. This is why to me the internet and Ipads will never ever replace the book!
Thank you so much for this wonderful book. I love Beauty and Lace
Wow what an amazing story. Sometimes it takes a while to ‘get into’ a book but this one has you wanting to discover more straight away.
This is a wonderful story of Mabel and Jack.
It begins with Mabel ready to give up on the world. Nothing is as she dreamed it would be. The most longed for child died before its time and here they are living in Alaska cold, lonely and barely survivin
Then unexpectedly life changes, they make friends with another family and finally Mabel has another female to talk to.
Then suddenly one day a child apears that changes their life forever.
Mabel thinks about a story from her childhood and decides to write to her sister, something she hadn’t done before.
The arrival of friends and a little girl all come to change Mabel from the women barely holding it together to a fun, loving Mabel who sees life is on the rise. The relationship she has with Jack grows and together they bring a spark back to their marriage.
This is such a wonderfully written story that you see and feel the cold of Alaska and when they are in their cabin you feel as if you are standing there watching it all happen around you.
Eowyn Ivey takes you on a wonderful journey of love, compassion, friendship and more.
Its a touching, sad, happy story that will touch your heart.
I loved how while reading the book you discover why it has no dust jacket and its not a paperback.
Many wonderful little things to discover along the way.
Loved this book and would recommend it to anyone that loves to read.
I found “The Snow Child” to be a very moving book, and I suspect that over time it’ll also prove to be a memorable one. I’m not sure I’d choose the word enjoyable to describe it, as in places it was quite a harrowing read. The depiction of Mabel and Jack’s grief over their lost son is clear-eyed, powerful, and at times desperately sad. I find it hard to imagine anyone reading this and not being moved emotionally; I had to put the book down to give myself some space a couple of times.
But despite this strong plot strand, “The Snow Child” is ultimately an optimistic and positive book. It recognises that no matter how devastating grief is – often justly so – there are still joys to be found. I was really drawn to the subtle depiction of Mabel and Jack gradually repairing their fractured marriage; they’d never stopped loving each other, or knowing each other well, but they had for a long time stopped showing this to each other. It was a great pleasure to see them draw together again over the years. Although nominally the story of Mabel and Jack’s relationship with Faina (the snow child of the title), the book was at least as much about the couple’s relationship with each other.
Most people will read this as magic realism – a very grounded, realistic novel with only touches of fantasy in it. Depending on your own mind set you can read more fantastical elements into it, or less; there’s a great deal to appreciate whatever level you choose to read it on.
Overall, I’d recommend this to a wide audience. It’s a sensitive and emotional story with a strong grounding in realistic emotion and reactions. The characters will strike a chord with many readers, and engage many more deeply than they might initially expect. Ivey has also vividly depicted the Alaskan frontier, making it a truly believable setting. And finally, her clever layering of the story will reward readers looking for different things from the novel. As others have said, this is also a beautifully presented book which is a physical pleasure to hold and read.
There’s nothing I enjoy more than having a good few hours to curl up and get totally immersed in a good book. I was so excited to get into this one particularly because of its fantasy feel. It didn’t take me long at all to get sucked in and then I just couldn’t put it down! 🙂
One some levels I could really relate to some of the female characters which helped me to understand and really create the images in my mind.
I love the hard cover of the book and even though the artwork is simple, it really suits the story completely and I actually think it is done beautifully to match the timeless writing style of the author.
This truly wonderful, emotional and captivating book now has its own proud place on my “books I’ve read” bookshelf where no doubt it’ll be borrowed and read by family and friends who like to use my collection as a library! 🙂
Thank you for this lovely opportunity to read and review this book, I will never forget this one. I’m sure I will go back to it again and again like an old friend as happens with so many of my favourite books. 🙂
The look and feel of the book alone tells you that you’re in for a beautiful breath taking story. Such a lovely cover and it immediately made me think of books that sit proudly on your shelf.
The first chapter grabbed my attention straight away, captivating me with thoughts and feelings from Mabel, while revealing her and Jack’s past throughout the book that really gave you a great insight into the meaning of loss through their eyes. The story moved me to tears, and not many books generate such a feeling from me!!
I loved that the story was bold and mystical at the same time. Dealing with all facets of life – relationships, love, loss, friendship and grief. At times I could imagine the frosty world, the tapping of a horses shoe, the longing for their lost child and could truly understand what Mabel or Jack may have been feeling, the words connected with me and was beautifully written. I could not put the book down!
I definitely recommend this book and thanks to Beauty and Lace for giving me the chance to read it.
When I opened the package to find a copy of “The Snow Child” I was struck by how special and inviting the book looked with its beautiful blue hard cover with the white drawings of trees, snow, a fox and a little girl.
Once I began reading it was instantly one of those books that you just dont want to put down but at the same time as you start to near the end of the book you feel sad as you so dont want this experience to end. I carried The Snow Child with me in my head where ever I went. I found I spent time thinking about her and wondering what might happen next.
The story tells of a childless couple that have set down new roots in the wilderness of Alaska where initally they dont know anyone which suits Mabel as she feels being alone with her husband Jack is much better then being around people that are judging her for being childless. But life has a way of messing with her plans and they end up befriending a neighbouring family. Friends that become extreemly close and worth their weight in gold.
One night The snow child arrives into their lives and from that point on life will never be the same. Both Jack and Mabel learn so many life lessons from this little girl. Children have a way of teaching adults lessons we had no idea we would learn. The Snow Child teaches them how important it is to love someone for who they are and to not try and change them and make them become who we want them to be for if we do manage to change them then we will actually lose the person we love.
I wont spoil the story for you but urge you to pick this book up and im sure that once you start reading you will find that you too are swept up in this truely delightful story.
For me this story has now become a favorite and its a story I will keep with me for life and im sure this book will be read over and over again in the years to come. For me this is a new Classic.
The first thought that crossed my mind when I took this book out of the package was how beautiful it is. The lovely purpley-blue cover with shimmery white writing & pictures brings to mind the fairy tales that we used to read as children. Once I started reading, I found the book to be a wonderful story, with reality and magic skilfully interwoven.
Jack and Mabel are an older couple who have moved to the wilds of Alaska to start a new life. Struggling to cope with the grief of a stillborn child, their relationship has become stilted and difficult. They are hoping to start again and rediscover the passionate love they once felt for one another. Sadly though, the stark and harsh reality of the Alaskan landscape has almost the opposite effect and the couple are almost at breaking point.
This is when, one magical night during the first snow of winter, they find themselves playfully building a child out of snow. We are never sure whether this ‘Snow Child’ has come to life or whether Faina really is an orphaned human child, however her presence in their lives proves to be the catalyst which turns everything around for them. They discover a love for the Alaskan landscape, the wildlife, and particularly for the harsh cold winter because it is during this time that Faina comes to them. Most importantly, in taking this strange and wonderful child into their hearts, they rediscover their strong love for one another and find that together they can overcome adversity.
The true nature of Faina remains a mystery but I think there was magic in the winter snow that brought her just when Jack & Mabel needed her most. Whether human, or ‘snow sprite’ or a mixture of both, she captured their hearts and taught them to feel again. As to where she came from, I like a theory expressed by Mabel when trying to explain Faina to Esther. She tells Esther; “Don’t you see? She was reborn that night . . . reborn out of snow and suffering and love.”
Thank you to Beauty & Lace for giving me the chance to read this book and to share my thoughts. It is beautifully written, and really draws you into the hard but rewarding lifestyle in the stark beauty of a 1920’s Alaskan landscape. I’m going to lend it to my mum now and would happily recommend it to anyone who likes a bit of magic 🙂
Expanding a children’s fairytale into an intricate novel has been attempted (and successfully too) by countless authors, but Ivey’s novel stands its own ground in this field due to its unique choice of inspiration: a Russian fairytale. In comparison to the many novels that appropriate the ‘traditional’ fairytales (think the Grimm brothers), Ivey’s “The Snow Child” provides a breath of air as fresh as that of the Alaskan wilderness described in the book with its unconventional characters and imaginative plot.
From the beginning, the potential for an emotionally captivating tale is apparent. Protagonist, Mabel, is introduced as a middle aged woman who is struggling with “winter’s stranglehold tightening” around her in the harsh conditions of the Alaskan wilderness. Equally, in the opening chapter, we are provided a glimpse into Mabel’s fractured marriage with her husband, Jack. They are described as each “fading away without the other’s notice”, with the bleak atmosphere and dull tension of the opening scene and the interaction between the two characters simply scratching the surface of the issues that will later provide the backbone for the emotional drive of the story. So far, not bad. Nothing too exciting or captivating has occurred, but the style of Ivey’s writing flows well enough that it never feels like a struggle to continue to the next page.
The setting of the scene and the introduction of several other characters occurs over the next few chapters, but it is when we meet the mysterious Faina – the “Snow Child” who comes to life from a snow girl the couple build – that the direction of the story changes and the routine life of Mabel and Jack is injected with a dose of magic. Her increasingly entwined existence with the two struggling individuals, and her consequent affect on their relationship, is fascinating to follow. Her involvement in the plot certainly picks up the pace of the story and makes for a solid middle section of the book.
The final third of the novel was probably my favourite – largely due to the fast paced action through the pages, the jump in time frame and the inclusion of some unexpected turn of events. Without giving too much away, this section was the climax that the previous few hundred pages built towards – the meeting of many characters, the unfolding of an inevitable outcome and a fine line between reality and fantasy. It is also impossible to ignore the changes that have occurred in all the characters of the novel, especially Mabel and Jack, and following such character developments within the blue hardback bound pages certainly makes for a great read that taps into the most raw and basic of human emotions.
As a reader in the younger category of the audience range, however, I did personally find it hard at times to relate empathetically to Mabel and Jack. Perhaps due to the incompatibility of life experiences, or a different outlook on life, or the fact that the setting of the novel in 1920 develops characters with a contrasting mind set and lifestyle – but whatever the reason, I did find myself backing the younger characters, namely Faina and Garrett. So perhaps this novel would suit an older audience over a younger one.
Overall, the heart of this novel lies with Ivey’s ability to paint a vividly realistic image of the Alaskan landscape with nothing more than words. From the weather conditions to the intricate animal trails in the snow, she encompasses her talents as a writer and her insight as an Alaskan to weave a delicate but definite portrayal of the environment. Even the most Australian of beach lovers would not have to strain their imagination to experience the raw brilliance of Alaska.
In conclusion, this novel is a solid read that would appeal to readers who enjoy imaginative plots or stories that keep you thinking after you have finished them. I found that I wanted to continue reading onto the next chapter (and increasingly so as the novel progressed), but at the same time, it was not so strongly attached to my hands that I could not put it down if I had something else to do. In comparison to other novels of the imaginative or fairytale field, “The Snow Child” was below Markus Zusak’s “The Book Thief” (this one I could not put down), but above Murray Bail’s “Eucalyptus”. Nonetheless, it was a lovely read and a huge thank you to Beauty and Lace for allowing me to review it!
From the minute I opened the package I was intrigued. Not often these days do you get books bound in this way. I first thought, is this just the pre-published “look”?
I continued to question as I read. Am I going to like this book? Is the the sad, heart-breaking theme going to continue until the end? And so on I read and IT WAS SO WORTH IT!!!
It captured so many emotions that are so close to so many women today yet it was set almost a century ago….have we really changed that much! The last few chapters roller-coastered between pure joy on one page and then devastation on the next, it truly was had to put down.
I feel in love with the Alaskan wilderness and formed extremely vivid pictures in my head. In fact, it was almost like watching a movie the narrative was so good! I even cast some of the characters (Kathy Bates as Ester, Gwyneth Paltrow as a mature Fianna!!!)
I loved the book in the end and agree with several other reviews that I find it incredible that it is Eowyn Ivey’s debut. I would definately read future novels.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review this book