Debbie lives on a dairy farm in rural Ireland with her eccentric, dysfunctional mother and Uncle Billy, who lives in a caravan in the garden. She feels ill- equipped to begin a new life as a student at Trinity College Dublin, and feels lost despite becoming friends with wealthy and vibrant Xanthe. A tragedy causes her mother’s mental health to spiral downwards and the family implodes, yet Debbie comes to understand the value of being part of a small community and a broken but loving family, and that even someone as assured as Xanthe may not be as strong as she seems. This is a beautifully written, poignant and often funny novel. The characters are very well drawn, odd and often endearing, and the chaotic excitement and confusion of leaving home for college and student life is spot on. The darker side of the story is handled with a light touch. A very enjoyable read.

I absolutely loved this book, which has hidden depths beyond the title and description. The story of Debbie adjusting to university in Dublin from her life on a dairy farm on the one hand is beautifully balanced against the tragedy of Maeve and Billy’s lives and what they would all do for each other. A magical book about the literal and metaphorical power of dreams and highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

It took me a little while to get into this book but once I did I really enjoyed it. It’s quite unlike anything I’ve read before.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for providing me with an ARC of this book. Snowflake centres around Debbie White, who lives on a dairy farm in rural Ireland with her mother and her uncle. As Debbie steps out into the next stage of her life as a student at Trinity College in Dublin, the behaviour of her family, which she once viewed as a mundane fact of life, begins to spin out of control and stands in sharp contrast to the seemingly ordered and untroubled lives of her new university friends. I really don’t know what I was expecting when I launched into reading Snowflake and that is likely because it is a very difficult novel to pin down. It seems to be constantly shifting, even as you read it, between being a wry coming of age story, a dark examination of mental illness and trauma and something quite magical and poetic that is difficult to capture in a review. Ultimately this novel feels like a cathartic journey, as Debbie comes to accept herself and her family and finds a kind of balance between the person she has always been and the person she’s becoming. It’s a strange, special read and at the end you’ll (fittingly) feel as if you’ve just awoken from a very vivid dream that you can’t fully capture when you try to describe it to others.

A thoroughly deserved 5 stars.

Beautiful, poignant, touching, emotive, tender, affirming and laugh-out-loud funny.

Magically written and truly captivating. Surprising and inventive and thoroughly believable. An absolute gem. I almost want to keep it a secret because it is so perfect.

It's hard to pick my favourite thing about this beautiful book. I adore Debbie. Her wit is brilliant. Her one liners made me laugh, loudly. Her relationship with her Uncle is beguiling and her journey of self discovery is one I would happily (and voyeuristically!) continue to watch with great interest. Debbie's complicated relationship with her mother is tragic but somehow fills you with hope.

Sometimes, just sometimes, you find a book that will always hold a place in your heart no matter how many more books you devour. Snowflake is one of those books.

I cannot wait to read more from Louise Nealon.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Louise Nealon for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Snowflake by Louise Nealon

In this coming of age novel set in Ireland, we follow the story of eighteen year old Debbie as she moves between her childhood home, a dairy farm in Kildare, and Trinity College Dublin where she studies for a degree in english literature.

Wow, what an astonishing debut! This book is absolutely brilliant - so wise and insightful about mental illness, love, grief, growing up, social awkwardness, rural Ireland/Dublin city, friendship, family.... and everything else! I could go on but suffice to say it's AMAZING! I predict great things for this book and for Louise Nealon, and she really deserves them. Very highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Thanks so much to Bonnier for letting me read Snowflake in advance. This is a story about eighteen-year-old Debbie, who lives on a dairy farm an hour away from Dublin, with her uncle Billy and her mum Maeve. She's just started at Trinity College Dublin, and is finding it difficult to fit in. As well as dealing with mental health, family relationships and friendship, Snowflake is really about navigating the first steps into adulthood.

Snowflake was so readable, but it was quite different from what I was expecting. I'm not really a fan of books set in the countryside or about country life - even when it's not idyllic - and a lot about this book didn't really work for me, but overall I enjoyed it. The more I read, the more I was invested in Louise Nealon's quite sparse narrative, the way she leaves a lot unsaid, and Debbie's attempts to deal with the turmoil that unfolds. I think the only other books I've read featuring modern Trinity are - of course - Sally Rooney's books, so it was fun seeing it from a different perspective. I too lived at my family home throughout uni - although I was a lot closer than Debbie is - and it's something I don't think I've ever seen represented in books, so I really enjoyed that aspect of it too! I would give it 3.5 stars - entertaining, v easy to binge, but not as perceptive or atmospheric as I was hoping.

A masterful debut, the perfect mix of tragedy and comedy that you can expect from the best Irish writers. This is more than just "the next Normal People" or "the next Exciting Times"--I can't wait to see what Louise Nealon puts out next considering SNOWFLAKE was such a vibrant debut.

Snowflake follows our slightly awkward protagonist, Debbie White, as she prepares to transition from life at home on her uncle’s dairy farm in Kildare, to the big bad world of University at Trinity College in Dublin.

As such, this could easily be pegged as a coming-of-age story; however, I think it’s far more than that. There is such a strong focus on mental health; in fact, no main character appears to escape unscathed by some form of mental struggle, which I think Nealon should be applauded for. After all, we do all have “mental health”, the quality of it is all that peaks and troughs depending on the situation(s) we find ourselves in.

This strikes me as the kind of book that you could read repeatedly, and always take something different away from. Equally, it would undoubtedly make a wonderful Book Club read, with plenty to discuss in terms of personal experiences and representations of different personalities and struggles.

As an English reader with a husband of Irish heritage, I particularly enjoyed the look at Irish culture, which I found fascinating and intriguing in equal measures. Unlike other writers, this felt genuine instead of a cliched look at stereotypes, which made it such a comfortable read despite some new vocabulary.

However, I confess I struggled to a certain extent with the ultimate lack of conclusion. There were quite a few elements to this story, none of which felt like they really went anywhere. On reading the last page I was convinced there was an error with my copy, as it didn’t make sense to end there. For me, it was quite an abrupt and disappointing ending – there is no conclusion. Really, I’m not sure there’s any anything. Perhaps I don’t get it. Perhaps I was expecting something else, and this flies in the fact of my conventional approach to story, but after investing time in Debbie and her family/friends, I felt let down.

This was a very enjoyable coming out of age story, set in Ireland - rural Kildare, and Dublin. Debbie grew up on a dairy farm, and has been accepted at Trinity College to study English. She is full of anxieties about her new studies in the city, commuting every day from the farm, leaving behind her uncle Billy and his drinking problem, and her mum Maeve who spends many hours sleeping and recording her dreams - which may or may not predict the future. The book is organised in little vignettes, each one showing a scene from Debbie's life, from watching the stars with her uncle, on the roof of the caravan he lives in, evenings out with new hipster friend Xanthe, mornings spent milking the cows on the farm.... I found the beginning of the novel relatively uninteresting - well-written, but without much to keep me hooked; but a dramatic event about a quarter in the book started to give it more urgency and more pace, and it became a fascinating glimpse on the life of a very young woman, surrounded by dysfunctional adults, while trying to manage her own mental health. The ending of the book felt optimistic, and warm, if a bit rushed. The writing was very enjoyable, poetic without being too lyrical, and the dialogues were also wel-written.

I finished Snowflake last week and I’m still thinking about it. This is Irish author Louise Nealon’s debut novel. It’s an engrossing, really funny, cannily written coming-of-age story about Debbie White, an 18-year old Irish woman who lives on her family Dairy farm and is taking her first tentative steps towards independence by heading off to university – to study English at Trinity College.

From the title, you might think this book is going to be packed full of woke phrasing and ideas about delicate Millennials and although that version of the word is referenced, this novel really quite movingly takes snowflake imagery and breaks it down to represent nuances and individual quirks, which I really liked.

So, the story: at uni, Debbie is shy nervous and unsure how to make friends. Luckily, she is befriended by the far more confident Xanthe who takes charge of their friendship. Debbie has to then balance her home life (her mother, Maeve and uncle, Billy) with the person she is trying to become at uni, while also facing up to a few home truths about why she acts in certain ways.

Debbie grips your heart from the early pages. So well written, it was not difficult to see flashes of my own wandering 20s in her and feel fully invested in her story. Pretty much every key character we meet has layers and things that are slowly revealed. Snowflake is written in such a thoughtful and nuanced way – every sentence has a purpose and is a delight to read.

The Trinity College setting and exploration of young people’s feelings obviously puts you in mind of Normal People by Sally Rooney while reading, but Snowflake has its very own unique voice. It’s exploration of dreams, their meaning and impact on life was an element I wasn’t expecting but really enjoyed.

One thing though – I felt this book just ended abruptly. I wanted to know more about Debbie and her family! There were a lot of plot points that were left open and I absolutely would have loved to learn more about, fingers crossed for a sequel.

A touching and compelling debut novel, Debbie is starting University whilst living on a dairy farm in rural Ireland. The book explores her different worlds, new and old colliding and her finding her feet and navigating and struggling this new life against a backdrop of family relationships, mental health issues and new found friends. It mixes anguish and tragedy along with humor and hope in a deft and engrossing way. It’s beautifully and dexterously written.

I found the mental illness aspect to be very thoughtfully written, not in the slightest sensationalist but also not minimised or demanded in any way. Tender and touching. A very exciting debut, will be keeping my eye on Louise Nealon!

Snowflake is an interesting story of family bonds, friendship and a village community, with overriding themes of mental health issues and ‘finding your feet in the world’.

I found this book rather slow-going until I was about 40% of the way through. The story picked up a little after this but overall I didn’t feel there was much of a plot to make this an engaging read for me. The story also seemed to lack any conclusion - it felt like there was just an abrupt stop.

The story features a real mix of characters and they are well-depicted by the author. The chapters are short and concise which makes it easier to read. Snowflake is a good debut novel but lacking the ‘wow-factor’ for me.

Thank you to the publisher, Manilla Press for an advance digital copy of this book via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

‘Snowflake’ -Louise Nealon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️ Death, Mental Health Deterioration, Anxiety, Depression, Gaslighting, Alcoholism & Negligent Parenting ⚠️

Snowflakes. A spoilt, entitled generation that ‘have never had it so easy.’ Right? Well, for 18 year old Debbie, this stigma sticks, a lumbering burden that she struggles to carry with her as she negotiates the treacherous waters of adult life.

True, authentic Irish roots permeates every page of this rich, enlightening book. It perfectly encapsulates modern society; discussing pertinent issues such as mental health, the painful process of growth; mentally, spiritually and physically. We live in a society where culture is continually changing and evolving but one things remains unanimous amongst all living humans; each of us is fighting a battle the other knows nothing about.

Nealon adopts a unique and distinctive writing style that I predict many will relate to. A provocative debut novel that will open up an important line of discourse regarding mental health in the 21st century.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK and author, Louise Nealon for an eARC of this book to review.

Coming soon!
Publication date: 13th May 2021

I'm not sure how to categorise this book. It's sort of a coming of age book, but its also not a coming of age book. Debbie White is about to start at Trinity College in Dublin. She will commute in every day from the family's dairy farm in Kildare. Her family is not your normal family. Her mother, Maeve, spends most of her days in her bedroom asleep or analysing her dreams. Her Uncle Billy runs the farm and lives in a caravan on the farm. James, her mother's toy boy lover seems to hold it all together. Debbie is afraid that she isn't going to make new friends at college, but meets Xanthe who she unwitting calls Santy at first. They become friends even surviving arguments and boy troubles.
When Debbie has a strange dream, she is troubled that it has come true and the family is turned upside down. Maeve has the biggest trouble righting herself, but the incident sends ripples all through the family and friends.
This is one of those books that doesn't tie it up nicely with a bow at the end, it kind of judders to a stop, However, it was a nice book to read and you can empathise with the characters.

Irish fiction has a special place in my heart and Snowflake is no exception.

18-year-old Debbie grew up on a rural dairy farm with her mentally ill Mam and her caravan-dwelling uncle Billy. Debbie begins commuting to Trinity to study English and as a first generation uni student, she faces her own problems there - fitting in amongst her obviously richer peers, especially with new friend Xanthe who seemingly has everything she could ever want.

Snowflake delves into issues of mental health and a family’s response to it, growing up and fitting in, maintaining friendships when life is at its most difficult and for me, gave off a very important message - you never know what’s happening behind closed doors.

5 stars for sure, I adored this, devoured it and didn’t want it to end ⭐️

Snowflake follows 18-year-old Debbie who lives with her mother and her uncle, Billy who sleeps out in a caravan on a dairy farm. Debbie is about to start her English degree at Trinity College in Dublin, which she has her reservations about. The story follows Debbie’s first year at college, making friends, dealing with family issues, when things begin to come apart around her.

I enjoyed reading this book, and always enjoy reading stories that focus on people at university as it’s a big change in life that I can relate to. This story is about growing up and learning who you are. This novel focuses on mental health, friendship and family. The depictions on mental illness was handled well and seemed realistic – including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, addiction and suicide. Although the book tackles these topics, it was still an easy and funny read. I found Debbie an authentic protagonist in her feelings towards university and her reactions to the events in her life.

I did feel like some of the plot points and story lines did get a bit lost along the way and would have liked more development and focus on certain aspects such as the dreams. I also did feel a bit detached from the characters, but I don’t know if that was just a me thing as I am feeling that a lot lately.

Overall, I think so many people will love this story and I would recommend it for an easy read that tackles mental health in a relatable and rich way.

3.5

There is a chance that this book might be touted as the new "Normal People" as it deals with university life and Irish people. The similarities stop there though. "Snowflake" by Louise Nealon is a breath of fresh air. It shows that however strange or different your background is, you are going to find people who accept you who you are, are jealous of your life and might even want to be you. Some real gems of incidents in this book that take me right back to university life.

I have a feeling this could be a very popular book of 2021. I for one really enjoyed it.

Debbie has grown up on an Irish dairy farm with her mother (who suffers from poor mental health) and her uncle, who lives in a caravan and drinks too much. We meet her as she turns 18 and starts commuting to the world of university, where she meets Xanthe who seemingly has it all. Debbie’s own life is not running smoothly as she struggles to balance between different locations, growing up and trying to get it all together too.

This book took me quite a while to get into and then I read the last 75% in one fell swoop as it all started to click into place. It’s a very clever novel, with a fairly distinctive writing style and many issues explored. It addresses mental health, the image we send out to others, family, friendship and the fact that everybody is fighting something.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Snowflake by Louise Nealon Pub Date 13 May 21
Eighteen-year-old Debbie White lives on a dairy farm with her mother, Maeve, and her uncle, Billy. Billy sleeps in a caravan in the garden with a bottle of whiskey and the stars overhead for company.
Maeve spends her days recording her dreams, which she believes to be prophecies.
Debbie's life is about to change; she is to become a Trinity College student in Dublin.
Sensitively touching on mental health issues, loss, heartbreak, and family relationships with a touch of humour mixed in, the short and up to the point chapters keep your curiosity to the end.
A well-written, memorable debut, which I enjoyed and am happy to recommend.
I want to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK and author Louise Nealon for a pre-publication copy to review.