From the Bookshelf of Retro Chapter Chicks …

The Snow Child

Eowyn Ivey

Start date: February 1, 2021

Finish date: February 28, 2021

Discussion: Buddy Reads

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Buddy Reads

* Buddy Reads 2025
By Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Jenn Ƹ̴… , Founding Retro Chick · 128 posts · 22 views

last updated Aug 03, 2025 05:15AM

* Historical Fiction Timeline Tag
By Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Jenn Ƹ̴… , Founding Retro Chick · 208 posts · 25 views

last updated Sep 06, 2025 05:56PM

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What Members Thought

Dec 13, 2015 debbicat *made of stardust* rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: audible, buddy-read, 2015-reads, i-bought-it-or-own-it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book haunts me. That might be good in some ways, but not for me in this one. I read this as a buddy read and may have only finished it because of that. It troubled me in many ways and I probably should have stopped around ch. 13. There was a lot of cruelty to animals in this book. I do understand it was 1920's Alaska and the wilderness with people trying to survive. Hunting and trapping were a way of survival at the time of course. It just took up too much of the plot in this book and descr This book haunts me. That might be good in some ways, but not for me in this one. I read this as a buddy read and may have only finished it because of that. It troubled me in many ways and I probably should have stopped around ch. 13. There was a lot of cruelty to animals in this book. I do understand it was 1920's Alaska and the wilderness with people trying to survive. Hunting and trapping were a way of survival at the time of course. It just took up too much of the plot in this book and described in much more detail than I think it needed to be. If you are sensitive to the suffering of animals, and some being killed just because you can, this book is likely not for you. The spoiler coming up gives some additional details about some of the specifics of what I struggled with in regards to the animal cruelty. I would like to make the future reader aware of numerous descriptions of slaughter, and trapping. (view spoiler) ...more

14 likes · Like · see review

Dec 12, 2015 Book Concierge rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: debut, historical-fiction, magical-realism, nature, concierge, strong-women, library, fairy-tale, family

Updating a traditional Russian folk tale, Ivey gives us the story of an older, childless couple, and the little girl they find and “adopt” in the snowy woods of Alaska, circa 1920.

I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting myself into when I picked this up. Was it a fantasy? A simple retelling of a folk / fairy tale? A morality lesson? A child’s story? Ivey captured my attention fairly quickly, however, because she chose to spend time revealing the central adult characters – Jack and Mabel. They a ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Feb 15, 2021 Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Jenn Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ Schu rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nature, winter-2020-challenge

This was a beautifully written book. The magical realism element meshed beautifully with the fairytale and the atmosphere was so well described. I loved the characters of Jack and Mabel, especially Mabel and I could truly emphasize with her grief. At times, she was a kindred spirit. A beautifully executed story and I look forward to more books from the author.

8 likes · Like · see review

Jan 16, 2012 Tasha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy-sci-fi

A slow, beautiful unfolding of a heartwarming story. A wonderful debut novel. I'm looking forward to more from Eowyn Ivey. ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Feb 10, 2021 Tasha rated it really liked it

Loved this the second time around just as much as the first. Great writing with strong, interesting characters. The setting of Alaska was the perfect backdrop to this story and a beautiful part of the story.

3 likes · Like · see review

May 03, 2018 Theresa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, highly-recommended-by-me, myth-legend-fairytale, classics-and-classic-redos, debut, friends-recommended, z-pop-sugar-2018-reading-challenge, arctic

Beautiful, mystical, haunting. I loved this story of the girl who came out of the snow and changed the lives of a childless older couple homesteading in 1920s Alaska. Indeed, the descriptions of Alaska itself leave you breathless. Drop whatever you are reading and grab a copy. You will not regret it!

I read this because a friend recommended it. Lucky me it fits a 2018 Pop Sugar Reading Challenge prompt - for a book recommended by someone also participating in the challenge. Also fit 2018 ATY #44. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Feb 12, 2021 Samantha rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary-literature-post-1900, owned

Set in Alaska in the 1920's, this book follows the lives of Mabel and Jack, a couple in their '50s who have moved to the Alaskan frontier to establish a farm as a means to overcome the grief over the loss of their still-born son ten years prior. The book cleverly interweaves the Russian fairy tale The Snow Maiden such that Mable and Jack's creation of Faina mimics the fairy tale. Ivey once again uses nature to demonstrate to us the importance of mindfulness in our everyday lives, especially in t ...more

1 like · Like · see review