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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
The Snow Song is the most gorgeous of dark fairy tales, set in an isolated village where the word of the male elders and the weight of age-old superstitions keeps the people in check, especially the womenfolk.
Edith, in common with her fellow women, has fallen prey to the whims of the village butcher - a man who wields both his fortune and the pursuit of his desires at the expense of his neighbours and even his own family. He wants Edith... and therefore he must have her at all costs.
But Edith has fallen in love with an outsider - a man who appears to be a simple shepherd - and he promises to return for her before the first snows fall. And the consequences of their doomed love will come to affect the whole village.
This is the most magical tale about the importance of listening to others, of finding your own voice and making yourself heard. Sally Gardner weaves these themes beautifully through this novel by using the love story of Edith and her shepherd, which draws in all the villagers who have suffered at the hands of the butcher and his fellow elders, and proves the catalyst they need to bring about positive change in their lives.
Although the setting for this tale is one that takes us back in time, to a place far removed from the world we know, this is nonetheless, at heart, a tale of oppression, control, finding yourself and gathering the courage to take a stand against evil. There is a lot to take from this book about the modern world, which I found rather clever.
There is plenty of sadness to be endured in these pages, much of it quite difficult to read as the women of the village finally have to courage to share the truth about their experiences, but there is also much to make your heart soar too. The power of love, friendship, stories and music shines through and lead us to the most wonderful of endings, which made me shed more than a few tears - and the way Sally Gardner uses both the snow and the whispers of underlying magic to underpin this beautiful fable is simply wonderful. I loved it.
Edith, in common with her fellow women, has fallen prey to the whims of the village butcher - a man who wields both his fortune and the pursuit of his desires at the expense of his neighbours and even his own family. He wants Edith... and therefore he must have her at all costs.
But Edith has fallen in love with an outsider - a man who appears to be a simple shepherd - and he promises to return for her before the first snows fall. And the consequences of their doomed love will come to affect the whole village.
This is the most magical tale about the importance of listening to others, of finding your own voice and making yourself heard. Sally Gardner weaves these themes beautifully through this novel by using the love story of Edith and her shepherd, which draws in all the villagers who have suffered at the hands of the butcher and his fellow elders, and proves the catalyst they need to bring about positive change in their lives.
Although the setting for this tale is one that takes us back in time, to a place far removed from the world we know, this is nonetheless, at heart, a tale of oppression, control, finding yourself and gathering the courage to take a stand against evil. There is a lot to take from this book about the modern world, which I found rather clever.
There is plenty of sadness to be endured in these pages, much of it quite difficult to read as the women of the village finally have to courage to share the truth about their experiences, but there is also much to make your heart soar too. The power of love, friendship, stories and music shines through and lead us to the most wonderful of endings, which made me shed more than a few tears - and the way Sally Gardner uses both the snow and the whispers of underlying magic to underpin this beautiful fable is simply wonderful. I loved it.
The most breathtakingly perfect read! Highly recommend to anyone wanting a bit of atmospheric wintery magic.
Absolutely beautifully written from beginning to end, this is a mesmerising story that draws you in slowly then weaves a spell to keep you hooked. The ending had me in tears and I will be back to walk with Edith through her journey for many years to come.
Absolutely beautifully written from beginning to end, this is a mesmerising story that draws you in slowly then weaves a spell to keep you hooked. The ending had me in tears and I will be back to walk with Edith through her journey for many years to come.
A beautiful story of women breaking free from the shackles of the patriarchy.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this book. It’s atmospheric, and magical, and extremely sad but also hopeful. The writing is beautiful and lyrical. It reads like a folktale/fairytale for adults.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Rating: 7/10
I liked this well enough. Gardner mixes elements of folk tale with history to craft a story about a woman who loses her power of speech as a result of pressure on her to conform to certain behaviours.
Edith is supposed to marry the shepherd she loves when he comes down from the mountain, but her father has made her promise that, if her shepherd doesn’t return, she will marry the butcher instead. The butcher, who is old enough to be her grandfather, holds the running of their town in an iron fist. But Edith’s loss of speech begins a chain reaction of secrets being revealed that will shift the balance of power in the town for good.
This story is about tradition and the fear of change. Gardner does a good job of painting an image of a village, fearful and stuck in the past, rejecting all outside influence. She also does a good job of showing the power of silence. Though Edith can’t speak for herself, her silence conceals secrets, and a circle of trusting women forms around her that threatens the status quo. Through her silence, Edith is able to rebel against all expectations of her. Traditionally, female silence has tended to mean lack of power, but Gardner turns that idea on its head here, and I quite liked what she did with it.
The magical elements didn’t work as well for me in this story, but as an allegory about secrets and women’s power, the book worked well.
Blog: awonderfulbook.com | Instagram: katiemotenbooks | Twitter: katiemotenbooks
I liked this well enough. Gardner mixes elements of folk tale with history to craft a story about a woman who loses her power of speech as a result of pressure on her to conform to certain behaviours.
Edith is supposed to marry the shepherd she loves when he comes down from the mountain, but her father has made her promise that, if her shepherd doesn’t return, she will marry the butcher instead. The butcher, who is old enough to be her grandfather, holds the running of their town in an iron fist. But Edith’s loss of speech begins a chain reaction of secrets being revealed that will shift the balance of power in the town for good.
This story is about tradition and the fear of change. Gardner does a good job of painting an image of a village, fearful and stuck in the past, rejecting all outside influence. She also does a good job of showing the power of silence. Though Edith can’t speak for herself, her silence conceals secrets, and a circle of trusting women forms around her that threatens the status quo. Through her silence, Edith is able to rebel against all expectations of her. Traditionally, female silence has tended to mean lack of power, but Gardner turns that idea on its head here, and I quite liked what she did with it.
The magical elements didn’t work as well for me in this story, but as an allegory about secrets and women’s power, the book worked well.
Blog: awonderfulbook.com | Instagram: katiemotenbooks | Twitter: katiemotenbooks
Faced paced. Beautifully written. Short chapters. A smidge confusing at times but overall a almost perfect read. 4.5 ⭐️
mysterious
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No