Reviews

Snøbarnet by Eowyn Ivey, Heidi Grinde

lin127's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

lola_rocha's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

status_woe's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

mamakiwi's review against another edition

I was depressed when I started it and I needed something like this. I will come back to it one day

the_sunken_library's review against another edition

3.0

Really a 3.5 stars.

Beautifully written and incredibly atmospheric but the last quarter felt rushed and also meandering, like the author didn't know how to finish the story. A shame.

pilateschick's review against another edition

4.0

A lovely and intriguing fairytale brought to life in the wintry landscape of Alaska. Very tranquil read, while some intense scenes keep things rolling. Unique. Well-written.

Negatives: I like quotation marks, but they're missing in most if this book. It's sort of cool in places, i guess, but I didn't like that my brain had to constantly sort and identify who was saying what. Also language- profaning diety many, many times.

taralee9's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

threegoodrats's review against another edition

5.0

Review is here.

dclaw's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

salgalruns's review against another edition

4.0

More of a 3.5 review, but I bumped it up, rather than down... Initially, I had a tough time getting into this book. I just couldn't connect with the characters and it wasn't super clear if it was fantasy or reality half the time. Of course, that may be what the author intended to start.

After about halfway through, I couldn't put it down.

Spoiler

The story takes place in the middle of nowhere, Alaska where Jack and Mabel have recently decided to live after a tragic loss back in the states. Mabel is extremely lonely and you don't get the sense that the two of them will even survive their relationship, let alone a winter in Alaska. On a whim, they build a snowgirl one evening, and then it disappears. However, they soon find out that there is a girl living in the mountain, highly reminiscent of their snow child, and they forge an amazing parental bond which seems to take place only in the winter.

I grew to love Mabel once she got some spunk in her - thank goodness too, because I was getting a little bummed out with her. She grew to be an amazing worker, a dedicated mother, and an incredible friend. She had a calm about her that allowed her to be intuitive and understanding beyond all belief. She would be someone who I would want to get to know, and I'm a little jealous of Esther for being able to be with her. Esther - OMG, just love her. She was the comic relief of the book, but the author just made me love her sense of style with the overalls during the 1920's when flappers were the rage. Hysterical. Practical, yes, but hysterical.

I ended up truly loving this story, but sad that it ended - I wanted to find out the "next" part of the characters' lives. Truly the mark of a great book.