Sunday, November 19, 2017

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

Jack and Mabel felt unwelcome back east in Pennsylvania.  Childless, they didn't fit in so they headed to Alaska to homestead and start a new life.  The cold and unforgiving territory tested everything they knew and handed then far more than they ever expected.

What they never lost however, was their love for each other.  One night as they frolicked in the snow, building a snow child, complete with a scarf and mittens, they laughed and kissed and forgot their worries in that moment.  And that is when the girl appeared.

At first Jack and Mabel thought she was an illusion, popping up for a minute or only an instant, out of the corner of an eye.  Little by little she shared meals at their table, stole a quick hug or brought an animal pelt.  But when the snow disappeared so did Faina, only to return again in winter after the first snow.

I loved this magical, mystical story.  Jack and Mabel were such kind and lovable characters.  Esther and George were loud, and messy, the opposite of Jack and Mabel, who became the dearest of friends.  The Snow Child paints a wonderful picture of how hard life was in the 1920's for the inhabitants of Alaska along the Wolverine River.  Their life was simple, filled with hard work just to survive the long, dark winter, but it was also a place of love, where neighbors helped neighbors no matter what they needed.

The Snow Child will leave you guessing and wondering. And it will leave your heart filled with the warmth of loving what you can't always hold in your hand.


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