The Perks Of Being A Book Addict discussion

Our winning group read with a cover with a wintry scene/vibe for December 2020 is The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. Please discuss here and remember to use spoiler tags as needed, as everyone may start at different times and reads at different speeds.



Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart--he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone--but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them.

Either there are other people in this group that live in my area, or this is a crazy coincidence. I checked to see if my library had this book on the 13th and there are two copies, with one of them available. On the 15th, when I realized this was officially the book we're reading, I looked at the book again and realized both copies were checked out, so I placed a hold. I'm 4th in line! So between the 13th and the 15th, one person checked the book out, and three other people placed holds on the book. Must be a good book if it's in such high demand :)

I am debating on if I want to read this. I was told it is a brutal book. I am having a rough time with the world right now. I am not sure if I can handle brutal. At the same time I feel like the book is stalking me. It keeps coming up in different places in my life. Does this mean I am supposed to read this?

I've had that happen before, Lex, and I thought the same thing! Hopefully, you end up getting it quickly.

lol, Renee. Funny how some books do that.

@Renee I feel like in this times mental heath is more important than ever. I have suspended some things (movies, Tv series) that normally I could handle but today would trigger me.
So I can perfectly understand you. I think I'll read this one cause it beckons me too, but I'm kinda bracing myself! If you're bent to do this, maybe think about a "setting" that can help you (warm blankets, hot tea, sweet scented candles...you know, the usual anti anxiety tricks)

Have wrapped up some other books and just getting started on this one. It’s been on my TBR shelf for some time - looking forward to it.

I borrowed The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey from my Library and I'm looking forward to reading this

Ok yesterday I started reading the book and this morning I woke up to...snow.
Like, honest, heavy snow that is not melting and is catching on the grass of the garden.
I don't know if I'm scared or amazed XD

Jokes aside, I devoured the first 100 pages or so. The atmosphere is quite dense from the start and I'm already engrossed in the story.

Starting today! Very excited to read this one

I’m 15% of the way in, and already feel so much for Mabel and Jack.

I’m 54% of the way in and wanting to just sit down by a fire and have the time to finish it today. The characters and the story have captivated me; a bit of a slow burn and character driven rather than plot driven. I fear some sort of tragedy is around the corner for Jack and Mabel, who I have come to love.

I'm at half of the book too and I feel the same as Carol! I've come to love Mabel and Jack (Mabel especially. She's such a complex, layered woman. She is shy but stubborn at the same time and I love that).
I'm just sorry we didn't set up the pallet stove yet bc it would have been perfect for this book!

I just finished it and it was by far one of the best books I've read this year. I was just so confused as to with the author chose to not enquote the dialogue of Faina while she was talking to Mabel, Jack, and the others. Very unique and interesting formatting. I noticed this similar writing pattern when I read The Pull of the Stars, the dialogue wasn't in quotes. I have a faint idea why but nothing concrete. Amazing book though!

Comment from Ananya:

I finished it and it was captivating.
Jack and Mabel's story moved me and few of the scenes were really good. Still I thought the ending was rather abrupt, I expected more!

(view spoiler)[ If Faina was really winter magic then what about her dad's death...how is that explained? (hide spoiler)]

Ananya - I just copy and pasted your comment because your spoiler was showing. The format was off. To create a spoiler tag copy the code below, just remove all the periods (4) and don't leave any extra spaces. I put the periods there so it wouldn't form a tag and you could copy it.

<.spoiler.> Put the text you want hidden here. <./spoiler.>

Thank you @Kristie for sharing the correct format, I'll take care of this in future. I'm so sorry about the previous comment but I use Goodreads app version and I was unaware that my spoiler was showing.

I can still see it from the app to be honest ^^" but I was quick to look away!

I finished the book too. I have to say I liked the ending - I mean, after The Dark Tower, nothing fazes me on that department!

I loved how magic and reality were blended in the story, interwoven like white silk thread on a blue, furry coat...this book was warm and cold at the same time, deep but with levity, all in all a perfect winter read.

Just finished. I’m finding that I am a bit mesmerized by books set in Alaska....such a beautiful and raw setting. This is a character and not plot driven book and I fell in love with all the characters. The snow child is never fully explained but clearly has a mysticism to her - at the end, open to the reader’s interpretation, which added to the mystery and wonder. I loved Jack and Mabel’s relationship.

just completed this book and wow!!! such a beautiful story... one of the best reads of this year

Carol wrote: "Just finished. I’m finding that I am a bit mesmerized by books set in Alaska....such a beautiful and raw setting. This is a character and not plot driven book and I fell in love with all the charac..."

You might also like To The Bright Edge of the World also by Eowyn Ivey. It is also set in Alaska.

I just finished and I am in awe. Beautiful story.

I’ve just finished this book. It’s not typically the type of genre I read but I did enjoy this, a 4 star for me. The setting was captivating and there was little conflict which can be seen as a weakness but the environment helped here. I did correctly predict what the ending would be but it was emotional all the same. This was a great time of the year for me to read this :)

I would like to hold the person who nominated this book personally accountable for my emotional distress lol

Lex wrote: "I would like to hold the person who nominated this book personally accountable for my emotional distress lol"

lol!

I read The Snow Child last year and it was one of the best books I read. I was reading over the discussion and I remembered how much I liked the story. I hope everyone enjoys it or enjoyed it.

Lex wrote: "I would like to hold the person who nominated this book personally accountable for my emotional distress lol"

I don't think I nominated it, Lex, but I know I fuly endorsed the nomination. I loved this one! I just noticed that the opening quote in my review probably summed up what you (and I) feel.

“It was beautiful, Mabel knew, but it was a beauty that ripped you open and scoured you clean so that you were left helpless and exposed, if you lived at all."

I still like to look back on this story, whether or not I can 'explain' it all in my mind. I just like to think it's possible. Here's my review

Link to my Snow Child review

I read this a year ago and I loved this story. The imagery was beautiful and the characters were not over the top. It really is a story of hitting rock bottom and clinging to any tiny string that will pull you up out of your own despair.

I finished this one a few days ago and this is the new no.1 in my list of books I recommend to other people. Absolutely loved it!

I also was hooked from the beginning on, especially because I found the setting and the characters intriguing. The story is about survival in different areas of life. Personally, the book didn't get me super emotional or very sad; I was also a little afraid that it might be a tough read for me but I was fine. Finished the book within 2-3 days over Christmas. I can truly recommend it! And to anyone who might read it in German: The Hardcover edition is very pretty ;)

I found the first part of the story to be a real slow burn to get through. The second and third parts were much better for me in terms of pacing and things happening with the story.

I wonder what the truth is behind the snow child. I have my theories ☺

Amazing read!

I am about to pick this one up from the library today. better late than never!!! :)

This novel is enchanting. Alaska is a living, breathing creature embodied in the girl that flits in and out of this couple's life, providing the deep meaning, joy, and heartache that comes from the bond of eternal love.

Kaitlin wrote: "Carol wrote: "Just finished. I’m finding that I am a bit mesmerized by books set in Alaska....such a beautiful and raw setting. This is a character and not plot driven book and I fell in love with ..."

Or even the Great Alone by Kristin Hannah.

a little late in this one but I will finish it today!! love it so far. just at the (hopefully) predictable ending at the moment....almost finished the book :)