I wish that I had made time for this book sooner. I think I have a strong contender for Favourite Books of 2016 already!

I do not want to gush too much about this book because I think it is better if you go in with less information. Discover this book for yourself. If you like any of the following, then you’d probably really enjoy The Snow Child:

- historical fiction genre
- detailed scenic descriptions
- flawed but loveable characters who are struggling in their relationship
- magical realism

The Snow Child is a retelling of a Russian fairytale called Snegurochka (or The Snow Maiden). The original story and other retellings are mentioned throughout this book in the section dividers.

I enjoyed many things about this read but what I liked most of all was the conflicting doubt you felt about the snow child’s existence. You believe that the child is real when the story is closely intertwined with the Jack and Mabel’s perspectives, but it seems that are the only two who see this snow child — so are we all crazy for believing she exists? Then there is the subtle stylistic way that Ivey writes the dialogue for whenever the snow child speaks, again this could be to show that there is some distinction between reality and the magic that might be present. It is these tiny details that got to me!

Another two noteworthy pieces that I would like to share is that The Snow Child had well-rounded characters. I cared for all the characters, each equally loveable and flawed in their own way. Secondly, I especially loved Ivey’s descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness; the scenic explanations were captivating and had me feeling nostalgic of home (a small town in Ontario, Canada). The landscape and way in which Ivey wrote about it play an important role in the story.

I highly recommend this book! I will caution that if you are someone who likes there to be no loose-ends and require a concrete resolution by the end, this book may not be for you. I personally found the ending beautiful, but this is one of those endings that readers can interpret a number of ways.

The conclusion left me wondering and feeling somewhat hopeful. I was thinking back on the book for days afterward — and it has been a while since a book has done that to me.

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