Henrietta Snow

The Snowy Series #3

by Ruth Doan MacDougall

And what happens next?

This is the question that readers of the best-seller The Cheerleader and its sequel, Snowy , have been asking, and now they can discover the answer in Henrietta Snow . New readers will relish a satisfying novel complete in itself.

"Our generation," Snowy says, "is 'the disappeared.' We've dropped out of sight between our parents' generation--'The Greatest Generation'--and the baby boomers. Remember how we were called 'The Silent Generation'? Nobody knows about us."  But here they are, Snowy, Bev, Puddles, Tom, Dudley, and all the Gang from Gunthwaite High School, turning fifty and then-eek!-sixty. How do they reshape their dreams and their lives?

Henrietta Snow is the third title in The Snowy Serie s; at this time there are five titles in the series. All titles in the series are available here on amazon.com, and are sold separately.

484 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2004

Reviews

[CaliNativeBalboa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third in "The Cheerleader" trilogy was an unexpectedly enjoyable, cozy type read. For those unfamiliar with this series, "The Cheerleader" was a racy (in it's time) novel of 1950's naughty behavior, elevated by the ambitious lead character, cheerleader Snowy. Set in 50's New Hampshire, the series follows Snowy from the iconic high school character portrayed in "The Cheerleader" to her 60th birthday in "Henrietta Snow". I found the middle installment "Snowy", a tepid read that failed to reflect the tumultuous decades it spanned, so I had low expectations 480+ page "Henrietta Snow".
This book would have benefited from a 30% edit, but it still held my interest, if a bit overly detailed and slow paced. Despite these rantings, I enjoyed the continuing story of Snowy's friends and family in the aftermath of the suicide of Snowy's husband, Alan, friendship ups and downs and aging overall. I agree with other reviewers that Snowy is a bit of a sanctimonious bore, friends Bev and Puddles are livelier and more engaging. But isn't there usually one in a group who's a bit of a buzzkill and keeps things in control? I also found her falling out with Bev pretty realistic. Haven't most of us fallen out with friends for a period? The crazed stalker twist was a bit weird but livened things up a bit since this book is LOOOONG! It was also an accurate reflection of many North easterners I've met.
Overall, I'd recommend it to fans of "The Cheerleader" but give yourself plenty of time to slog through it.

[Barbara Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes I feel wary about seeing old friends after decades have passed. Too much time separates the former closeness, the conversations filled with shorthand details, the deep understanding of each other. Then I connect with my old friends, and we easily pick up where we left off, and it's a delight.

That's how I felt while reading "Henrietta Snow." The first in the series, "The Cheerleader," was one of my favorite novels as a teenager. (I still have my tattered copy.) But a few years ago I came across the sequel, "Snowy," and it fell flat. I just didn't care about the group of friends' college and 30-something years.

So I picked up "Henrietta Snow" with a bit of wariness. Had too much time passed for me to rekindle my interest in Snowy and her friends?

Maybe it's because I'm the same age as them now, but "Henrietta Snow" has been an instant, absorbing pleasure. I don't feel a need to dissect the plot line -- you'll either find the minuscule details entertaining or tedious -- but I do want to say, pay attention to the cover's photo of a New England fire tower. As the story continues, the levels of meaning to it become deeper -- sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes heartfelt.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather Be Reading YA

At almost 500 pages, Henrietta Snow takes place from 1987 through New Year’s Eve 1999, and ages the title character, nicknamed Snowy, from 48 to 60. A recent widow forced to sell her home in hopes of protecting herself from bankruptcy, Snowy faces many life changes during these twelve years: her daughter growing up (Ruhamah is 16 at the beginning of the book, so nearly grown), romance with an old boyfriend, death, changes in friendships, and a new career. But this book isn’t just about the big stuff. It also details Snowy’s day to day life in running her business, socializing, birthdays and holidays. It’s small town life in New Hampshire and most of Snowy’s closest associates are people she’s known since high school.

The pacing of the book is steady, almost plodding. Everything, big and small, is dealt with rather matter-of-factly. It happens, Snowy experiences it, and then something else happens. Even the big events are not overly dramatic.

I love Snowy as a character, so I was happy to meet up with her and spend this time with her and catch up. I usually don’t like to think of characters I love growing old, but I don’t mind it in this case. I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because Snowy was always older than I am, but not so much older as to be inaccessible. She could be my grandmother — someone I know rather than a distant ancestor the way a character living through the Civil War or in the Middle Ages would be — and I’ve always related to her in that way, even as I was reading about her teen years.

I recommend reading this series in order. I wish I had. There are a lot of references to things that happened in the timespan between The Cheerleader and Henrietta Snow, and I think at least some of them were probably covered in Snowy. Now when I eventually read Snowy, I will know they are coming. The Cheerleader chronicles Snowy’s high school years (Class of 1957); Snowy takes her through the next thirty. With Henrietta Snow starting in 1987, it must pick up shortly after Snowy ends. There are also two additional books: The Husband Bench or Bev’s Book and A Born Maniac or Puddles’ Progress. I have not yet read those either, but I believe they should be read after Snowy and in that order: Bev then Puddles. Bev and Puddles are Snowy’s best friends from high school, still in her life all these years later.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/14: Okay, I liked this a lot more the second time around. Maybe because my expectations were lowered? I barely remembered anything (Ruhamah and Brandon v. DJ came as a total surprise, as did Libby) so it was almost like getting to read it for the first time again. I liked the characters a lot more and the plots didn't bother me quite as much. But really, it makes me want to go back and reread The Cheerleader again because I like these character best as teens, ha.

7/11: I'm glad I read it, I love Snowy and Tom, but the magic definitely wore thin. The crazy bomber guy, Ruhamah reliving all her mother's issues (and, also, couldn't she have shoe-horned the pronunciation into the last book?) and frankly, all the brands and clothing descriptions got old. I loved that in the 50s, but 1999, not really the same level of interest. The worst is that there wasn't enough plot or, more importantly, characterization for the size of this novel.

I know there's the Bev book, but man, I don't really like her. Like Snowy, I like her more as an old friend than a person. Is there enough Snowy and Tom to keep my interest in her book?

And does Snowy ever tell Linda that she probably cost her the varsity spot? *g*

Grumblings aside, this did keep me up until 1am the day after I'd gotten maybe 5 hours of interrupted sleep due to Harry Potter, and then I finished it the next day, so clearly I liked it. But now I want to reread The Cheerleader to remind myself why I fell in love with these characters in the first place.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was interesting -- to a certain degree -- to catch up on the characters from one of my all-time beloved books, The Cheerleader. But I found that I didn't much care about them, one way or the other. It might have been the author's obsession with descriptive minutae, which in turn made the writing style seem packed and jumbled. It might also have been that the characters didn't turn out to be particularly likeable. While I will reread The Cheerleader forever, I don't ever plan to reread this.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sometimes, I run out of things to read and I just grab something lying around my apartment. This is the third in a series that began with The Cheerleader, which is a favorite novel of mine and of so many other women. This takes Snowy from her 40s to her 60s. It's...I guess I'll say it's one of those cases where a good editor would have been really advantageous.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In many ways the richest book in the series. Snowy is older, wiser, but still securely in New Hampshire and surrounded by the comfortingly familiar. The ups and downs with Bev ring true, as does the struggle to remain relevant in her poetry career. My only complaint is always the Collins subplot. Too big a reach.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book better than Snowy but not quite as well as the first. This book spans 12 years - from the ages of 48 to 60 - and the year 2000. These three ladies certainly have exciting lives! I hope the last book is good - it is told in another voice - so it should be interesting.

[Tacykelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of Ruth's books. A wonderful follow up to all those who wondered whatever happened to.....

[Mary Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third book in the 'Snowy' trilogy; is a satisfying end.

[Susann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Far-fetched plot twists? Yeah, but it's a fun ride.

Last read: 7-18-07