5.45k reviews for:

Χιονοστιβάδα

Ruth Ware

3.64 AVERAGE


This book grabs you from the first paragraph on the first page. Right away Ware’s gift for description is on display – it may still be summer when you read this, but her description of the chalet’s guests arriving will make you try to remember where you put that throw you used last winter to keep warm.

Ware’s world-building is on full display here from the frozen beauty of the French Alps to the luxury trappings of the chalet. Her characters are well drawn, and as the narrators begin to tell their stories and reveal their secrets the reader gets drawn deeper into the story until she realizes that it’s the wee hours of the morning and she’s been reading for a few hours. The reader may suspect she knows who the killer is, but not really.

Ware doesn’t rush her story. She takes her time building the tension until the reader is turning pages as quickly as she can. The ending, too, isn’t rushed nor is the aftermath of an avalanche.

All in all if you like your tension building slowly over a goodly part of the book, this is the book for you. If you like books that have you murmuring, “I did not see that coming,” put this book at the top of your to-be-read list.

My thanks to Gallery Press and Edelweiss for an eARC.
dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
challenging mysterious tense fast-paced
fast-paced
mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Quite a compelling story that keeps you on your toes

Creepy but felt like it could have been edited down for flow.
dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes