May I start by saying that I love the fact that this is based on the Russian fairy tale.
I am of the opinion that Snegurochka and The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter have similarities, which is natural considering how myths and fairy tales transcend cultures and geographies.
Hence, due to the minor similarities, especially in the themes at the start of this novel, I wished to refer to the above Japanese story.
Mabel and Jack, a loving couple, start anew in the 1920s Alaska, which is beautifully described in the novel.
Soon, all that snow brings them a beautiful being, or do they bring something in return?
A subtle exploration of sadness, grief of what we do not have, and isolation.

Oh wow, what a wonderful book. I just couldn't put it down. Set in 1920s Alaska this tale follows Jack and Mabel on their journey to start a new life in a very remote place. But is it too remote? And who is this mysterious girl who just shows up on their property? This is a book that will draw you in with its magical tale of hope, love and grief.

Such a well written book it flows with ease, it is emotional and atmospheric, the characters are so likeable and real and the story just comes to life with every turn of the page. I love this book and story and would highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Headline for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I absolutely loved this book.
I was hooked from the start. All of the characters are very likeable, and I felt like I knew them all.
It's beautifully written.
It's about the hardships of the Alaskan outback, loss, love, grief, and pulling together.
Faina brings something missing to Jack and Mabel, she is well described and I felt like I could see her throughout the book.
I couldn't get enough of it, despite knowing how it would end. But the ending brought more love and I thought it was just beautiful!
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy.

This book is one of the best things on the planet. It's prose, the way it makes you feel, the way it transports you to another place — priceless.

I read this book years ago when it first came out and jumped at the chance to relive the magic of this beautiful book. I loved it just as much at the second reading. A tale of love and longing of hope and lost loves. It is as near perfect as a book can be. Especially lovely to read during the snowy winter. Absolutely magical.

A beautifully written atmospheric story. This is a book to really savour. The story is told from the alternating points of view of Mabel and Jack. These characters and their relationship with each other and their friends are tenderly portrayed. In addition, the amazing Alaskan setting is a delight.
Highly recommended.

''There once was an old man and woman who loved each other very much and were content with their lot in life except for one great sadness- they had no children of their own.''

I've often read that it is difficult to write a review about books that left you indifferent, and distant. I agree, but for me, writing a review about a novel that left me speechless with its beauty is equally hard. Where do words stop? Where should we stop analyzing and dissecting a work of literature and let the power of the story speak for itself?

Jack and Mabel is a couple that love each other unconditionally and yet, their life together is tarnished by the absence of a child. Their decision to move to Alaska, in a remote area of the Last Frontier, is their final attempt to start anew, on virgin ground, away from their relatives' gossip and silent pity. A tough place to begin again, one may say, but I believe that we are often in need of a shock, in need of a drastic change of environment, to look upon our lives in a new light, to attempt to correct our wrongs or chase our fears away. It is not easy. Far from it. And it is not easy for our protagonists either.

''November was here, and it frightened her because she knew what it brought- cold upon the valley like a coming death, glacial wind through the cracks between the cabin logs. But most of all, darkness. Darkness so complete even the pale-lit hours would be chocked.''

While Jack retains his contact with the ''outside'' world, Mabel stays home waiting, reading, baking pies, slowly letting herself become a vulnerable prey to her sadness. Then, one cold, beautiful, snowy evening, she and Jack decide to let themselves become children again, and a miracle happens. A beautiful child starts visiting them.

No more about the plot, we are treading on thin ice here. Let us turn our focus to the characters. The way Ivey has created the relationship between Jack and Mabel is astonishing. It is a love that is realistic. earthy, devoted and full of equal trust. Jack is like a rock that supports Mabel in her every step, Mabel is tenderness, determination and the sole reason he keeps on going. Actually, they are each other's reason to persevere and tame the wild, formidable nature and make it their home. Mabel adds to the ambiguity of the narration. There is an intense feeling of uncertainty, especially in the first half of the story. Is she a reliable narrator? What is this young girl that seems to appear out of nowhere? Is she a forest child spirit? A creature of winter? Or is she a human child of flesh and blood with an unquenched, primaeval instinct of survival? The characters that move in the periphery of the action are quite interesting in their own merit. Aside from Faina, Esther and Garrett occupy much of the plot. Esther is a solid character, a strong woman, as strong as the harsh landscape. I'm sure that most of us would like to have her as our close friend. Garrett takes on quite a distinctive role during the second half of the novel.

Ivey writes her tale in a language of impeccable beauty, creating immediate images in the mind of a reader, with a vividness that takes you away, carrying you into the heart of the story. The characters jump out of the page, you are able to smell and feel the wintry air on your face, the aroma of the cold and the fur trees. You can feel the softness of the snow, the crispiness of a newly-formed snowball, the heat from the woodstove and its cosy light around the wooden cabin. There is a nightly ice-skating sequence that is, possibly, one of the finest, most beautiful, heartwarming passages I've ever read.

''We never know what is going to happen, do we? Life is always throwing us this way and that. That's where the adventure is.''

Based on a Russian fairy tale, this story resembles every bit of the beauty of Russian folk tales. It is sad, hopeful and sensitive, its characters are people like us. It is an example of how exciting can the mixture of realism and magic realism become when done right. It is a creation of love, nature, darkness and light. A creation of persistence and strength, of all those elements we encounter in our daily lives, those we adopt and the dark ones that we try to scare away. The way I see it, these are the ingredients of a beautiful, classic story. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey is certain to become one. So forget all pretentious ''philosophies'' about the ''deeper meaning the author wanted to convey'', and allow yourselves to become children, playing with the snow on a starry night. Escape to a snowy plain in Alaska and let magic in. You will not b

Atmospheric and magical.

A gentle wintry tale of magical realism.

Loved reading this over Christmas time.

4.25 stars
It just so happened that we chose The Snow Child as our January pick for the book club that I run.
And while I might not have been drawn to this story based on my usual reads of romance/crime and thriller, I definitely enjoyed and flew through it, particularly having read it over winter and as we moved into a new year.
Even though it’s based on a fairytale, part of me was getting the Snowdog vibes, without that sounding too silly.
The whole Alaskan homestead life in the early 1900s was an interesting one, as was seeing how little they needed, which felt rather timely as many of us think about needing and using less as we start 2025.
Was it easy to guess that Faina would soon disappear despite seeming to settle following the birth of her son? Yes. But it was no less impactful.
The overall story showed how much we do need human connection, even if we’re the kind who might prefer to keep to ourselves. And ultimately it was a story of survival, for me.
I also quite liked the open ended conclusion, with the return of snow and winter possibly heralding the return of Faina.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An atmospheric story set in Frontier Alaska, this book draws on a classic Russian fairy tale to tell the story of an older man and woman who move to Alaska in an attempt to leave behind the pain of losing their stillborn baby.

The landscape and wildlife of their snowy home and the struggles of this new existence are beautifully conveyed, as is their wonder and fear when they unexpectedly encounter a young girl who comes and goes in the snowy wastes. Is she even real or a creature of myth and fairytale?

A gorgeous story, it is evident why it has won such critical acclaim. This is one gets 3.5 stars and is well worth your time!

Childless couple Jack and Mabel one very cold winter build a child from the snow. In the morning the child has vanished. When they see Faina running through the woods they wonder is she their snow child.

What a wonderful folk tale.

This timeless classic is a joy to re read. it is just beautiful but quite sad and magical.

A must read

The Snow Child
By Eowyn Iver

With it's icy and remote Alaska setting, this quiet novel turned out to be the perfect choice for me over the Christmas period.

Based in traditional nordic lore, this is a familiar story of child made of snow, brought to life by a couple who are mired in grief over the death of a longed for baby, who never bring another child into the world, but whose parental impulses are somewhat appeased by the random and infrequent appearance of a little girl into their lives.

Ivey's prose is stunning. She creates a fragile yet atmospheric tension throughout the narrative in which she transports the reader into the vast, inhospitable yet achingly beautiful landscape of Northern Alaska, where survival depends on the dichotomy of pitting oneself against and simultaneously being at one with nature.

With it's fairytale basis, there is an unreliability to the existence of this girl. Where does she disappear to? Why have none of their neighbours seen to be aware of her? Why does she overheat indoors? Like all lasting tales, the layers that require an acceptance of magic also stand as metaphors for human relationships and reactions, and there are an abundance of themes which offer mirrors and windows to every possible human emotion; infertility, grief, isolation, despair, failure to thrive, to found family, friendship, community and sharing.

If you are looking for a seasonal read to lose yourself in, look no further, this book has it all.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #headlinebooks for providing an eGalley for review purposes.

”What a tragic tale! Why these stories for children always have to turn out so dreadfully is beyond me. I think if I ever tell it to my grandchildren, I will change the ending and have everyone live happily ever after. We are allowed to do that, are we not Mabel? To invent our own endings and choose joy over sorrow?”

❄️What a beautiful story! The story of The Snow Child is not a genre I would pick up quite often but I’m so happy I did. The book was so warm from the first chapter, that I was totally hooked onto it. An unputdownable read for me.

❄️ The Snow child is a Russian folklore, which tells the story of an old couple Mable & Jack who escape to the Alaskan wilderness to grieve the loss of their child in their own way, while they struggle through the loneliness of a childless marriage. To fill the void of a child, they make a snow girl, only later to find it gone. And then they start seeing glimpses of a young girl running through the woods. As the old couple try to understand whether the girl is real or a fairy tale, they come to love her as their daughter. But this fragile and innocent looking girl will change their life forever.

❄️The plot of the story is so beautiful. Each character so warm & tender that you can only just love them & be a part of their lives. The magical realism so well portrayed. The author catches the beauty & the sad harshness of the Alaskan wilderness so perfectly. The writing is so easy to read and understand though I did find it a bitter lengthy but that can be easily overlooked. I know there are a lot of versions of The Snow child out there but I haven’t read any as yet so this one will always be my favourite version.

❄️This book is highly recommended if you are looking for a cozy winter read & in for some magical realism.

I had read this book before I saw it here was just want to leave my review here as well.
Thanks to netgalley, the publishers and the author for this ARC.