Eowyn has a knack for blending the magical with the real. Here we meet a young, single mother and her daughter living on the edges of a very wild Alaskan landscape. She's a bit wild herself, partying and generally struggling to break free from the mundanity of life. She meets a kind, unusual man and a relationship blossoms. Of course, with Eowyn, the human and the wild overlap in fairy tale-like ways. As the mother & daughter move in with the man, it's clear that there is more to him than meets the eye.

Her books always walk the line between the wild and the domestic. She explores that line here again. Can one straddle it successfully? What is sacrificed and gained?

Mostly gentle though not without its tearful moments.

I absolutely loved this book, I was immersed in the Atlanta wilderness which was described beautifully. This is the story of Birdie and her daughter Emaleen., she is a single mother , a little wild who falls in love with Arthur a recluse and loner. She goes to live in the wilderness with them . . We have some brilliant descriptions of the flowers and wildlife and the dangers of living in such a remote place, constantly watching for bears. We have an arrange of characters, Warren who is Arthur’s father with a story to tell , Della who looks out for Birdie , and a close community who look out for each other. This is like a fairytale and is described as a modern re telling of Beauty and the Beast , which I agree has similarities. What happens in the wilderness is fascinating, magical , frightening and emotional. Part of me was furious with Birdie for taking a six year old to such a remote place with so much danger , but she was besotted with Arthur and obviously loved her daughter. It’s a great read as is the The Snow Child which I read some years ago.

4 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2025/02/28/review-black-woods-blue-sky-by-eowyn-ivey/
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Beautiful Writing packed with atmosphere

A few years ago I read The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey and was really captivated by her beautiful writing, the atmosphere that she manages to create and the magical realism and folklore that seem to be part and parcel of her storytelling. I’m not sure that I loved Black Woods, Blue Sky as much as the Snow Child but it was a compelling read nonetheless. Similarly to SC the ending is bitter sweet and the story is fraught with ups and downs, sometimes feeling really quite sad and on occasion even managing to exasperate me slightly. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

This story centres around a young woman called Birdie and her six year old daughter Emaleen. Birdie is a single mother struggling to cope. She works in a bar at a roadside lodge in Alaska and frequently indulges in more than she should which leads people to side-eye her more often than not. She doesn’t have a great deal of money, little support and frequently leaves her daughter in their cabin while she works (at nights) or takes her with her (if she’s working days). There are lots of questionable actions here yet I wouldn’t say Birdie has bad intentions. She clearly loves her daughter and this is reciprocated but without doubt their life is a hard one and in some ways Birdie is not only ill prepared to look after another human being but she’s also still hankering after more of a life for herself. Little surprise that when love comes in the form of a gentle giant of a man who seems to be short on words and shy of relationships she jumps at the chance. The chance to run away with her daughter into the wilds and live a life of freedom. Unfortunately, there isn’t always a happily ever after.

I don’t really want to elaborate too much on the plot but rather discuss my thoughts and feelings, which might be a bit messy with this book as it certainly felt like it put me through the emotional wrangler.

Ivey definitely has a winning way with words and the ability to conjure a scene. Similarly her characters were well drawn and I found myself wanting something better for Birdie and Em – I really wanted things to work out.

Birdie. Well, she’s perhaps not the type of character that you will immediately warm to. I felt exasperated with her at times as she made reckless decisions that for me were just unimaginably dangerous for her daughter – I mean, she decides to go and live up in the mountains, with a man she barely knows, in a place where there is no electricity, no running water, no basic amenities, no way to buy provisions, and yet, in spite of all my concerns – at times the life seemed almost idyllic. Chasing butterflies, swimming in the nearby stream, picking berries and eating them with pancakes and honey. The problem with it all – I had a bad feeling about the whole packing up and going to live in the forest endeavour – and this is compounded by the way the story is written. You never really have a chance to relax, like the author doesn’t really try to lull you into a sense of false security – you are constantly aware that things could, and probably will, turn ugly.

This brings me to Birdie’s love interest, Arthur. I’m not going to give you his back story. He lives a strange and unaccountable life and yet he suddenly finds himself becoming attached to Birdie and her daughter. He’s an unusual man in that he simply doesn’t mix with others. His ability even to converse is limited and yet I found myself particularly enjoying the exchanges that he and Em had and perhaps this is because Arthur is almost like a child himself in some respects.

Now, I don’t want to give away spoilers but Arthur can be dangerous. Which isn’t to say that he is violent or aggressive or that he treats Birdie or Em badly. More he has a side to his character that is untamed and the more that he and Birdie become attached – the more they become undone. Arthur isn’t used to restrictions. He comes and goes at will and yet he now wants to please Birdie, which ultimately starts to have a negative impact on him in unforeseen ways. On the other hand, Birdie also finds herself falling in love with Arthur which makes her act rashly and without thought about what could be dangerous. So, here they are, just bumbling along and yet the tension is rising and you can feel the anticipation of something going to hell in a handcart – like the air is positively crackling with the possibility of doom.

Then there are all the thoughts that were churning through my brain. It just didn’t seem right for Birdie to drag Em up to the middle of the mountains practically on a whim. Partly if felt like she was running away – on the one hand from all the judgemental looks and interference but on the other – also from responsibility. It felt like a delicate thing, a bubble, that could burst at any time.

In terms of reservations. I thought the last, maybe 20/30% felt almost rushed, particularly given the way the earlier parts of the book meandered and, yes, I would mention, this is not a particularly fast read – or not one that you should try to race through. It is thought provoking, the writing begs to be lingered over, the backstories are intriguing and well thought out. The scenery springs to life off the page. But, like I mentioned above, it feels inevitably sad. Then there’s this bitter sweet ending which just left me feeling almost unaccountably aggravated, I’m not even expressing myself very well here because even now I have moments of annoyance at some of the events and almost, still, like a longing, a ‘what if’ maybe things could have been different and then I have to give my head a wobble. It is what it is. I also had another slight niggle which is difficult to discuss here as it could be a spoiler. It centres around Arthur and his final actions – I don’t think I really understood how in one respect he is a slave to his own nature and yet later on in the story he seems to feel sadness and guilt – I’m still pondering that one. I know this is infuriatingly vague but I just don’t want to be that person who spills the beans.

Overall, I enjoyed this. I think I’d describe it as a little heavier on the black woods than the blue sky but I am a sucker for this author’s way with words. I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

The story:
Struggling to make ends meet in a small Alaskan town, and with half an eye on the distant mountains, Birdie has dreams of flying away into the wilderness, just her and her young daughter Emaleen.

Arthur is a loner, who spends most of his time at his distant cabin in the mountains. Adopted by his parents when he was found abandoned in the forest, he has never really fit in with those around him.

When Arthur and Birdie strike up an unlikely friendship, Birdie sees her chance for a truly free life. But can love survive in the face of the startling truth of Arthur’s origins, and in the harsh but beautiful wild Alaskan landscape?

My thoughts:
Although I was familiar with Eowyn Ivey’s first two books (including her hugely popular debut “The Snow Child”), “Black Woods, Blue Sky” is the first of her books I’ve read and I didn’t really know what to expect…

The book starts as a piece of contemporary fiction, as we meet Birdie (so-nicknamed because of her desire when she was a child to be able to fly)—a single mother struggling to balance her work as a waitress, care of her 6-year-old daughter Emaleen, and her general dissatisfaction with her life.

Arthur is an enigma, and while we experience the story from both Birdie and Emaleen’s point of view, we are kept more separate from him, adding to his sense of ‘otherness’.

As the story progresses, and we join all three characters as they try to make a life for themselves in Arthur’s remote cabin, it takes on an almost dream-like, fairy tale quality and I loved both the story itself and Birdie’s wish to embrace a life among nature, on her own terms.

You can tell from the writing that Ivey herself lives and grew up in this landscape, with her writing really evoking the beauty but also the wildness of the landscape. I don’t know how much the character of Birdie’s daughter Emaleen reflects Ivey herself, but I she is a great character, with her imagination and love of her mother and their home. All the characters are wonderfully imagined, and the final third of the book in particular had me speeding through the story, which is one of sadness but also joy and hope. If you’ve ever daydreamed of an off-grid life, and have a love of beautiful, heartfelt writing, this is definitely a book for you!

If you’ve ever daydreamed of an off-grid life, and have a love of beautiful, heartfelt writing, this is definitely a book for you!

Another novel set in the wilds of Alaska from the author of The Snow Child. At first I was wondering if there was going to be a "magical/supernatural" element to this book like its predecessor.
It follows the story of young mother Birdie and her daughter Emaleen. Birdie is struggling to make a living and be a responsible mother to Emaleen despite their tight bond. Della, her employer at the local café/diner , keeps a caring but critical eye out for them both.

One day Emaleen goes missing in the woods and is rescued by local "oddball" Arthur (think Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird) A connection builds between Birdie and Arthur. Birdie yearns for the wild and decides to move them both to a hut with Arthur in a remote woodland location.

Arthur disappears periodically and a bear is seen by Emaleen . Emaleen is a charming character and reminds me of the child in Room by Emma Donoghue, as does the close relationship between mother and child. You see the forest and its wonders partially through Emaleen's eyes as Arthur introduces her to the plants and wildlife.
However all is not idyllic and small changes mount to take a darker turn...

I'm not going to give any spoilers but the supernatural/magical element enquiry I had was answered but in a a way that leaves the reader to decide for themselves. A popular folk legend plays a large part here.

As dark as a forest with glades of sunlight.

I loved the first and last parts of this story unreservedly but I did get bogged down in the middle, although by the end I could see why it was necessary to draw the tale out.
The descriptions of Alaska make me really want to visit the area and I loved the way that local legend/folklore were woven into the novel so that you could read it in many ways.

It's my first Eowyn Ivey book and I'll read many more! The story is compelling, and I loved the main characters. I read some of the reviews on Goddreads, and a lot of them agreed that Birdie was a terrible mother and an unlikeable character. I do not agree in both instances. She was very young herself, and I think Ivey did a terrific job in building a mother-daughter-relationship with nuances; I thought it was heartbreakingly beautiful how much Birdie actually *saw* Emmalee - at one point she said she just liked hanging around her, marvelling in the way her daughter sees the world, all the while struggling to maintain her own sense of self apart from her mother role. Apart from this I thought the implementation of fairytale elements were amazing. I recently read "Cascadia," where I thought the execution of this was much poorer. All in all, "Black Woods, Blue Sky" was a beautiful read with interesting characters and a language that makes you marvel at its artistry.

Thanks to NetGalley and Headline for the arc!

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

"It was bewildering, how closely grief ran alongside joy."

Eowyn Ivey's wintry modern fairytale is a haunting exploration of love, loss, and motherhood. 'Black Woods, Blue Sky' is a gorgeous excursion into the Alaskan wilderness.

Ivey's prose exudes the essence of winter with every word. The descriptions of the landscape ranging from the pretty yet fragile and ephemeral wildflowers to the biting chill of the snow took my breath away. The narrative itself is difficult to capture in words in a way that does it justice and I feel like it's something every reader must experience by themselves. The magical realism is a subtle touch and doesn't make the story feel to far off from reality. Ivey explores the nuances of the human connection via characters that are wonderfully fleshed out. I loved Bridie for her willingness to sacrifice almost everything for her daughter and yet want a life and freedom for herself. Emaleen adds so much heart to the story and Arthur an air of suspense. I haven't read the original Beauty and the Beast fairytale and cannot say if this did it justice as a retelling or not.

I'd recommend this to fans of literary fiction but not fantasy. The 'it's a beauty and the beast retelling' might set up the wrong expectations for some. 'Black Woods, Blue Sky' will linger in my mind for a long time and I'm looking forward to reading 'The Snow Child' soon!

A fabulously dark fairytale introducing us to some amazing characters - no more so than young Emaleen, who we hear a lot from, following her over the years to the twists and turns that life throws her way.

Her mother is Birdie, and who is a struggling single mum trying hard to do right by her daughter, but also wanting to live her own life with no responsibilities. she forms a friendship with Arthur who lives in the woods and keeps himself to himself, and she wants some of that lifestyle of not having to conform - you really get the impression that she's not sure what she's looking for in life other than safety and security, and she feels that around Arthur despite others concerns about him.

And then we begin to learn more about people who keep secrets to themselves, are they hiding things to keep others safe or are they afraid to let people into their life? The story features different POV's and I loved how this worked for the story, especially when young Emaleen tells her story as she captures that innocence of a child, but showing a steely edge - she really is a chip off the old block!

It does get very dark and takes you as a reader to some odd places, but I loved that sense of not knowing which path the story would then take and getting to know more about each character lets you into the secrets held and seeing how people react to discovering the true identities of people they think they know.. Highly recommended!

In a Nutshell: An poignant literary fiction set in Alaska. Haunting plot, flawed characters, atmospheric writing, intense emotions, slow pace, magical realism. Not a ‘Beauty & the Beast’ retelling as some sources claim. Much recommended but not to those who prefer likeable/perfect characters.

Plot Preview:
Twenty-six-year-old Birdie is a single mother to six-year-old Emaleen. Her waitressing job in an Alaskan lodge helps them survive, and the lodge owner even allows Birdie to live with Emaleen in one of the cabins. But while Birdie loves her daughter, she still has a reckless side to her that makes her yearn for more wild adventures. When Arthur, a local recluse who barely speaks to anyone, brings Emaleen back to safety when she goes wandering into the woods one day, Birdie finds a new hero, and a new dream. Ignoring the advice of those around her, Birdie decides to move along with Emaleen into Arthur’s isolated cabin atop the mountains alongside the Wolverine river. With just the three of them living in a small and shabby wooden cabin with no indoor plumbing or electricity, things are tough, but Birdie is determined to make this new part of her life work.
The story comes to us in the third person perspective of Birdie, Emaleen, and Warren – Arthur’s father.

First things first. Merely having a pretty woman and a physically-unattractive man in a romantic relationship doesn’t make a story the retelling of ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ An NYT article states: “In an author’s note, Ivey cites “Beauty and the Beast” and “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” as inspirations.” My copy doesn’t have the author’s note, but even if I believe NYT’s report, “inspiration” doesn’t equate to “retelling”. It will be unfair to the book if readers pick it up expecting either of these fairy tales and then bash it for not being an accurate retelling. So please get that idea out of your head. This is NOT a retelling and bears only a minor point in common with both those fairy tales.

I have kept my review spoiler-free as usual. This book is best discovered by going in blind.

Bookish Yays:
🏔️ Emaleen – this little one won my heart! I wish I could jump into the book and rescue her from the adults in her life. I felt like crying for her so many times, but she herself hardly cried. Among the best child characters of all time!
🏔️ The child's voice is so authentic! Love it when authors write children in an age-appropriate manner.
🏔️ Arthur. I don’t know what to say about him. But this book wouldn’t be *this book* without Arthur. What a character!
🏔️ The choice of the three narrators. Perfect! Each sounds their age and represents their character’s personality excellently, even though the narration is in third person. Warren’s perspective is the most poignant.
🏔️ The secondary characters, especially Della, Syd, and Carol, are also memorable in their limited roles.
🏔️ The magical realism! I had forgotten to expect it, and was surprised when it popped up. The first scene containing this is so subtle that you'll miss it if you are speed-reading. The whole concept is intelligent as well as imaginative!
🏔️ While the pacing is generally on the slow-ish side, which is quite common in literary fiction, this book kept me on my toes. It takes its time to get going, but once we know what we know, the whole situation creates interest as well as dread.
🏔️ Love how the plot plays on the typical fears of people and uses these to heighten the tension. Even something as routine as a child’s alarm over a parent who hasn’t returned by the promised time is written in a gripping manner.
🏔️ The Alaskan setting is brought to life by the author’s words. Her being a native of Alaska helps!
🏔️ ‘Haunting’ and ‘atmospheric’ aren’t words you will see me use often, but this book has both those attributes in plenty. I am going to have a book hangover for many days now.

Bookish Mixed Bags:
🐻 Birdie: not an ideal mother in any sense, but her shortcomings are written in a way that make you frustrated, and at times, even annoyed with her decisions. It’s not easy to write such a flawed character impactfully, but the author manages it to a great extent. But the heart being what it is, I wish I could have connected better with Birdie. Though I rooted for her, I couldn’t relate to her wild side.
🐻 The relationship between Birdie and Arthur was a bit too instantaneous. But considering Birdie’s personality, I guess it does make sense for things to zoom from zero to hundred that quickly.
🐻 The book is divided into three parts. The third part involves a time-jump, which left me with a couple of questions about the interim period. I still loved all the three parts; I just wish the gaps had been clarified.

Bookish Nays:
❄️ The ending is a bit abrupt. It might be a fitting finish to such a story, but I wanted more, much more.

Overall, this is the kind of book you cannot race through. It offers plenty of thought-provoking content through its characters and their flawed choices, the remote Alaskan wilderness and its denizens, and of course, the magical realism bits that seem utterly real. I relished the writing, the characters as well as the plot. Though the pacing was slower, the storytelling style and the emotional intensity of the events bowled me over.

This is my first book by Eowyn Ivey, and I am officially a fan of her writing now.

Much recommended to literary fiction lovers who have a taste for magical realism. Do yourself a favour and don’t read this as a fairy tale retelling.

4.25 stars.

My thanks to Headline and Tinder Press for providing the DRC of “Black Woods, Blue Sky” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This s a fabulous book and a joy to read. It’s a magical tale full of emotion and atmosphere. If you enjoyed The Snow Child by the same author, I’m sure you’ll love this as much as I have.

My thanks to the author, to the publisher and to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Having read and loved Eowyn Ivey’s previous two books, I wondered if her latest could live up to my expectations. I need not have worried. Once again set in Eowyn’s home state, I was pulled from the start into the wild and dangerous beauty of Alaska. The majesty of the mountains, the emptiness of the wilderness, the tiny details of the plant and berries. And the ever-present danger. Black Woods, Blue Sky shares this vivid sense of place with both Eowyn’s earlier books. Unlike them, however, this book has a fully contemporary setting yet it also shares the fantastical, mythical element that has been a trademark of Eowyn’s writing. I wasn’t sure how this could work, but for me it certainly did.
Birdie is a young single mother, living in an isolated community who look out for each other. She is a free spirit and yearns for another life in which she is not constrained by society and convention, in which she doesn’t have to worry about where the money is coming from to support herself and her much-loved young daughter, Emaleen. Arthur is an enigmatic young man who drifts in and out of town, saying little and keeping largely to himself. Slowly Birdie and Arthur strike up a friendship which becomes so much more.
Every character in this novel is drawn lovingly and realistically. I felt that I would recognise each of them. Emaleen is six years old when the story begins and Ivey’s ability to write from within the mind of a child is glorious. I loved young Emaleen!
From the beginning there is an inevitable sense of doom but this is not a bleak book. I was captivated from beginning to end. As with her other books, Eowyn writes of love in its many guises. Black Woods, Blue Sky is a slow, mesmerising read from start to finish. Uplifting and heartbreaking in equal measure. I loved it.

Black Woods, Blue Sky is the story of Birdie who is striving to provide for her young daughter Emaleen. When they become involved with the enigmatic Arthur Neilsen the fairy tale begins. I appreciate the human side of the story interwoven with the magical. It's a page turning plotted tale that keeps the readers attention and mind working. It encourages you to use your imagination. The characters develop throughout and it was exciting watching it happen. Black Woods, Blue Sky is a different type of story which I appreciate as I'm sure others will too.

A fairytale sort of a read with a dark undertone. There's lots of layers to it but the way the author draws you into the Alaskan wilderness was out of this world. Emotional!

I had very mixed feelings about this book and having now finished it I'm still not really sure if I loved or hated it. I'll start out with the positives. The setting is excellent. I felt utterly transported into the isolated wilderness of Alaska. Eowyn Ivey does an excellent job of crafting a believable and beautiful environment and every scene was incredibly vivid. The culture of rural town community life was deeply authentic and the characters all felt like people you might meet in real life which is no easy feat as a writer. I even loved the concept of the book. Birdie and Arthur's complex and unique relationship was well thought out and initially I really enjoyed reading it.

However, the longer the novel went on, the more the story seemed to unravel instead of coming together for me. And by the end I found myself wondering what I was supposed to be taking away from what I'd just read. It's not that I was necessarily expecting a happy ending by any means, but I felt dissatisfied with how things tied up. Especially with how things ended with Arthur and Emmaline. I don't mind a well thought out tragedy, but Black Woods, Blue Sky ends almost abruptly and it didn't feel like there was really any impact for the community after what happened. I always found Emmaline's POV chapters a bit jarring as she thinks like a child. Which isn't inherently bad, it was just a bit jarring compared to the rest of the writing style, and when the time skip came it took me off guard.

It's strange because I can appreciate that this novel is well written I just don't think it really appealed to me in the way that I thought that it would.

Unfortunately this archive date wasn't as 6th February. And has been taken off my list unexpectedly.
I was really looking forward to reading it.
Therefore I can't send a review.

This book was a delight from start to finish. I admit I am a huge fan of Ivey’s previous books so was really looking forward to this.

The story ( which has echoes for me of the original Grimm Little Mermaid) is fantastical, heartbreaking, beautiful and engrossing. I raced through this but tried not to go too fast in order to relish the beauty of the writing. Many of the incidents in the book made me gasp and several had me on the edge of my seat. The ending seemed like a fitting resolution.

If you’ve not read any of her books before I’d urge you to go back and read them both. She is a storyteller of the highest level.

Really enjoyed this book! The writing is beautiful which just draws you in - completely immersive. Books of this length I just think are the perfect length - not too long, not too short

Another beautiful, whimsical tale from the author of The Snow Child (which I only read in December and was what prompted me to request this). Her evocative descriptions of the Alaskan landscape allow the reader in and set the scene. Getting to know Birdie, Emaleen and Arthur, the author's takes the reader on a magical realism ride of adventure, love and nature. This is a story that has stayed with me, the exploration of the balance between desire and realism. Such a beautiful and clever front cover too!

I read The Snow Child a long time ago, and had totally forgotten the beauty of Eowyn Ivey's writing. I was swept away by this wonderful adult fairy tale and loved this whole, emotional story.