Snowstop

by Alan Sillitoe

As snow falls over the peaks, twelve people, nine men and three women, head towards the comfort of the remote White Cavalier Hotel. Each has their own psychological baggage and they are trapped with in this haven with a terrorist.

Genres: Fiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Alan Sillitoe was an English writer, one of the "Angry Young Men" of the 1950s (although he, in common with most of the other writers to whom the label was applied, had never welcomed it).
For more see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Sil...

Reviews

[Mandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book started promisingly. Twelve people – nine men and three women – find themselves snowed in at a hotel and are trapped together. Each had been on their own separate journey, both physical and emotional and all have secrets to hide and conflicts to resolve. It’s no spoiler to say that the hotel doesn’t turn out to be any sort of refuge and the tension escalates. So an interesting premise. However, for a thriller the action is too slow-moving and there’s too much unconvincing dialogue. Characterisation is weak and the three women in particular are portrayed as stereotypes, not least because the first thing they do is instantly fall for one of their fellow inmates. It’s hard to keep track of the characters as the point of view changes too quickly and the reader (or at least this reader) has to keep stopping to work out who’s talking. All in all I found this quite a tedious read instead of the fast-moving adventure story it could have been without detriment to any wider issues Sillitoe was perhaps trying to express. I’ve seen the novel described as an “existential” thriller, with each character needing to atone in some way for the wrongs they have committed. I could buy into that theory – if only the characters had been likeable and engaging, with more interesting back stories. As it was, I really didn’t care what happened and only struggled on to the end so that I could write this review for NetGalley who kindly sent me the book.

[Caroline Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Snowstop tells the story of a group of travellers who end up stranded in a hotel together after inclement weather forces them to take refuge.
Much of the beginning of the novel is spent introducing us to each of the characters as we learn a little about their history and personalities. The characters are described to us one by one on almost a chapter by chapter basis and at times I must admit to finding myself a bit confused and having to re-read parts to check who was who.
One we get to know a little more about each individual, though, it is fascinating to see how each of them cope with the events that unfold during their ill-fated stay at the White Cavalier hotel.
Very well written novel as you would expect from Sillitoe, each character is well thought out and expertly developed throughout the book. I would recommend this novel to anyone but would say be prepared to concentrate at the beginning so as not to lose track of the characters as they are being introduced

[Maria Beltrami · Rating 4 out of 5]

In una notte di tregenda, con l'Inghilterra colpita da una terribile tempesta di neve, un eterogeneo gruppo di viandanti trova rifugio in una locanda, dove i diversi caratteri, il pregresso, le frustrazioni daranno origine a una commedia che, per molti di loro, finirà in tragedia.
Un libro complesso, che scava a fondo nei meccanismi che l'isolamento e una situazione di apparente mancanza di via d'uscita mette in moto nell'animo umano, in cui nessuno è innocente e dove tutti hanno segreti motivi per comportarsi come si comportano.
La storia avviene in una notte, tuttavia la trasformazione dei personaggi è così radicale da sembrare avvenuta in una intera vita e chi sarà ancora vivo al far del mattino non sarà mai più lo stesso.
Inquietante e scritto molto bene, se ne consiglia la lettura solo a chi non è impressionabile.

On a haunting night, with England hit by a terrible snowstorm, a heterogeneous group of travellers find refuge in an inn, where the different characters, the past, the frustrations will give rise to a comedy that, for many of them, will end in tragedy.
A complex book, which digs deep into the mechanisms that isolation and a situation of apparent lack of way out sets in motion in the human soul, in which no one is innocent and where everyone has secret reasons to behave as they behave.
The story takes place overnight, but the characters' transformation is so radical that it seems to have happened in a whole life, and those who will still be alive in the morning will never be the same again.
Disturbing and very well written, I recommend reading it only to those who are not impressionable.
I thank Open Road Integrated Media and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest review.

[E Vikander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snowstop is an interesting, but slow moving story about people who get stuck at a remote hotel during a blizzard. Complicating their stay, is a parked van buried under the snow at the hotel that is filled with explosives with a timed detonator; it was destined to destroy a target that cannot be reached by the driver who is one of the guests. Each of the men and women involved are either deeply flawed or rather lost. Sillitoe’s female characters don’t ring true, especially since each immediately fall in love with one of guests and have sex with them—all before they find out about the explosives. I found it amazing that not one of the characters totally lost it under the imminent threat of being blown to bits. I didn’t like any of the characters and didn’t really care what happened to them. However, I did care about the cleverness and the telling of the story itself. This was the first time I’ve read Sillitoe and it won’t be the last.

[Sascha · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** 1/2
I came to Snowstop by Alan Sillitoe expecting some type of upscale literary variation on Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None but instead encountered initial chapters of sometimes mind-numbing prose, which almost halted my progress. However, like the desperate characters in Snowstop, I carried on.

The first twelve chapters introduce the reader to the characters who are all destined for the White Cavalier Hotel. None of the characters comes across as likable, with the exception of Lance, a biker who seems to combine working class and poet, much like Sillitoe. Lance is the only one who comes across as fair and without extreme moral baggage. Each of the other characters is desperately running from something besides the blizzard and, more than the averages would allow, several are running from the law.

Read more here: https://saschadarlington.wordpress.co...

[Irene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite always enjoying novels by Alan Sillitoe, found this one extremely hard going and there were numerous times when I wanted to give up which is why it took me so long to read it. Loved the idea, lots of heavy snow, a group of people with things to hide sheltering together etc, but sadly that was all I did like about it. It was far too slow and cumbersome and took an awful long time to actually get going plus I didn't like any of the characters at all. There was a feeling of disappointment when I finally got to the end of this book. I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Expertly written if a bit slow-moving and peopled with characters that are just that - none of their actions or reactions seem particularly rooted in reality per se, but rather as a "lets see what happens" kind of way. Now I'm wondering if this was more of an allegory, Middle Ages-ish passion play? I don't know. Anyway, not particularly my cup of tea BUT one can obviously see Mr. Sillitoe's skill at work.

I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.