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The Devil in the Snow
All Shona wants is a simple life with her young son, and to get free of Maynard, the ex who’s still living in the house. When her teenage daughter goes missing, she’s certain Maynard is the culprit. Her mother, Greta, is no help as she’s too obsessed with the devil. Her Uncle Jimmy is fresh out of prison and has never been entirely straight with her. Then there’s the shaman living in her shed. Shona soon discovers that the secrets she buried are as dangerous as the family curse haunting her mother.
290 pages, Paperback
Published February 16, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 19, 2017
This is a book that is mainly about a painful divorce and the attempt by the protagonist Shona to take back control of her ruined life. In doing so, she seeks revenge against her art dealer husband who has callously put her through misery. It's a wonderful tale and, amongst a cast of very good characters, Shona's two children Jude and Cerys stand out as being drawn really well. To say whether she gets her revenge or not would be a plot spoiler, so I'll avoid going down that line.
There is an intriguing, super-natural sub-plot: Shona is haunted by her past, the fear that, like the other women in her blood-line, she is pursued by the Devil, whose footprints are visible when it snows. This gives us an insight into Shona's familial backstory and we are introduced from the outset to Shona's troubled mother, Greta, still being pursued by the Devil, and her grandmother, who died whilst being pursued.
The two sub-plots, the mundane and the fantastic, are connected through a strange youth, Kallu, who inserts himself into Shona's life and is soon living in her garden shed. His odd, clairvoyant, meditating, barefoot antics and riddle-strewn conversations make him an interesting antithesis to the humdrum of Shona's life - the school run, the feeding of children, her fractured relationships with Greta, Jude and Cerys and her tawdry sexual relationship with a teacher at her daughter's school. Kallu is a talisman who seems to have some mystic insight into her difficulties and Shona feels that he can help her to find a way through them and she persists with him.
The divorce / evil husband sub-plot builds and reaches a satisfying climax, leaving the Devil in the Snow sub-plot to resolve itself. I believe it does, but, frustratingly, I didn't understand it. And that's the reason why such a well written page-turner drops a star; had I grasped that final thread, it would definitely have been a five-star read. I should add here that I don't read super-natural books normally and it may be that a reader more versed in the genre might well get it.
This is a great read and I thorougly recommend it. Don't be put off by the little mystery at the end - instead see it as Kallu himself would probably see it - a tempting little riddle to try to solve, an exotic teaser to look forward to after the kitchen-sink drama has so satisfyingly played itself out.
There is an intriguing, super-natural sub-plot: Shona is haunted by her past, the fear that, like the other women in her blood-line, she is pursued by the Devil, whose footprints are visible when it snows. This gives us an insight into Shona's familial backstory and we are introduced from the outset to Shona's troubled mother, Greta, still being pursued by the Devil, and her grandmother, who died whilst being pursued.
The two sub-plots, the mundane and the fantastic, are connected through a strange youth, Kallu, who inserts himself into Shona's life and is soon living in her garden shed. His odd, clairvoyant, meditating, barefoot antics and riddle-strewn conversations make him an interesting antithesis to the humdrum of Shona's life - the school run, the feeding of children, her fractured relationships with Greta, Jude and Cerys and her tawdry sexual relationship with a teacher at her daughter's school. Kallu is a talisman who seems to have some mystic insight into her difficulties and Shona feels that he can help her to find a way through them and she persists with him.
The divorce / evil husband sub-plot builds and reaches a satisfying climax, leaving the Devil in the Snow sub-plot to resolve itself. I believe it does, but, frustratingly, I didn't understand it. And that's the reason why such a well written page-turner drops a star; had I grasped that final thread, it would definitely have been a five-star read. I should add here that I don't read super-natural books normally and it may be that a reader more versed in the genre might well get it.
This is a great read and I thorougly recommend it. Don't be put off by the little mystery at the end - instead see it as Kallu himself would probably see it - a tempting little riddle to try to solve, an exotic teaser to look forward to after the kitchen-sink drama has so satisfyingly played itself out.
April 25, 2017
Sarah Armstrong’s second novel is a story of parenthood, domestic abuse, transgenerational trauma and belief in the supernatural, such that “they all listened to completely different stories made from the same words”.
Full review: What makes us who we are? http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post/...
Full review: What makes us who we are? http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post/...
February 17, 2017
*thank you to the publisher for a complimentary copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*
I don’t think the synopsis does this book justice – I initially though that this was going to be a humourous book, and that’s the one thing that it was not! This book is very surreal at times and impossible to classify as a genre, but it’s definitely not a comedy.
This book is told from the perspective of Shona and her mother, Greta. It covers the history of the women in their family and the traditions and poor choices which seem to have been passed down through the generations.
I’m sure that a lot of the subtext in this book flew right over my head, I’m a very literal kind of reader and I could tell while I was reading this book that there were hidden meanings to things that I just wasn’t getting. It didn’t really affect my enjoyment, I don’t think, but I would be aware of this when you give this book a read.
My fascination with this book was held by the exploration of relationships between mothers and daughters, Shona has shitty relationships with both her mother and her daughter – she certainly hopes for a better one with her daughter but isn’t prepared to make the effort with her mother.
The relationships between characters in this book were very authentic, a narrative of messy lives and how people try to make their best in a bad situation – even if they’re responsible for getting in the situation in the first place.
Armstrong’s writing style is very much in the genre of literary fiction in my mind, adding more than a dash of poetry and subtext for you to dwell on as you go through the book. Her characters are believable and well developed, even though I can’t say I really liked a single one of them – which is a sign of a job well done on the author’s part!
My conclusion is that I would recommend this book to fans of literary fiction, looking for a profound look at the relationships between mothers and daughters rather than the suspenseful thriller I was expecting.
I don’t think the synopsis does this book justice – I initially though that this was going to be a humourous book, and that’s the one thing that it was not! This book is very surreal at times and impossible to classify as a genre, but it’s definitely not a comedy.
This book is told from the perspective of Shona and her mother, Greta. It covers the history of the women in their family and the traditions and poor choices which seem to have been passed down through the generations.
I’m sure that a lot of the subtext in this book flew right over my head, I’m a very literal kind of reader and I could tell while I was reading this book that there were hidden meanings to things that I just wasn’t getting. It didn’t really affect my enjoyment, I don’t think, but I would be aware of this when you give this book a read.
My fascination with this book was held by the exploration of relationships between mothers and daughters, Shona has shitty relationships with both her mother and her daughter – she certainly hopes for a better one with her daughter but isn’t prepared to make the effort with her mother.
The relationships between characters in this book were very authentic, a narrative of messy lives and how people try to make their best in a bad situation – even if they’re responsible for getting in the situation in the first place.
Armstrong’s writing style is very much in the genre of literary fiction in my mind, adding more than a dash of poetry and subtext for you to dwell on as you go through the book. Her characters are believable and well developed, even though I can’t say I really liked a single one of them – which is a sign of a job well done on the author’s part!
My conclusion is that I would recommend this book to fans of literary fiction, looking for a profound look at the relationships between mothers and daughters rather than the suspenseful thriller I was expecting.
June 8, 2017
I received this book for free via Goodreads First Reads.
Review part 1:
It is a hard book to review mostly as it packs a lot of content yet for the most part lacks a real punch. Some of the characters are believable yet some of the others seem like they belong in fiction. I felt next to nothing for at least of two of the main characters and struggled not to skip over their words. Some of this book really is boring and just seemed like padding.
Review part 2:
But maybe that was the point. The book is about the separation of a couple and how it affects the main character. The supernatural element was her way of coping. Stories get passed on and people believe them. There are long silences (despite the words) to endure. There are some great paragraphs in between the padding. Was this deliberate? I don't know.
Some books get polarising opinions. This one caused one in me. 3 stars. It is worth reading but maybe I was completely wrong about it.
Review part 1:
It is a hard book to review mostly as it packs a lot of content yet for the most part lacks a real punch. Some of the characters are believable yet some of the others seem like they belong in fiction. I felt next to nothing for at least of two of the main characters and struggled not to skip over their words. Some of this book really is boring and just seemed like padding.
Review part 2:
But maybe that was the point. The book is about the separation of a couple and how it affects the main character. The supernatural element was her way of coping. Stories get passed on and people believe them. There are long silences (despite the words) to endure. There are some great paragraphs in between the padding. Was this deliberate? I don't know.
Some books get polarising opinions. This one caused one in me. 3 stars. It is worth reading but maybe I was completely wrong about it.
May 15, 2020
I gave this a 3.5 stars or 7/10. This was a book that I chose randomly from my local Library. I was drawn to the cover and then the blurb.
However, it's an unusual book to review. I will be back with my full review when I've had some time to think about it.
Back with my thoughts 15/05/20.
Personally I feel that this book would make a great Reading Group read. There's plenty to discuss in my opinion that will see people forming differing opinions of it.
The story focuses on the estranged relationship between Shona and her ex Maynard. The relationship is more complicated than some relationships between exes, as Maynard still lives with Shona. This isn't ideal in anyway at all for them or their children.
Life is in no way easy for any of them and becomes even more complicated when their teenage daughter disappears.
If you like reading books that are more action driven, then this is not the book for you. The book deals with the disjointed relationships between the characters and at times doesn't seem to be taking the reader anywhere at all as it explores the complexities of relationships.
Well written it will keep you reading, but at times you might feel a little lost among it all, as it doesn't seem to be taking you anywhere that much.
However, it's an unusual book to review. I will be back with my full review when I've had some time to think about it.
Back with my thoughts 15/05/20.
Personally I feel that this book would make a great Reading Group read. There's plenty to discuss in my opinion that will see people forming differing opinions of it.
The story focuses on the estranged relationship between Shona and her ex Maynard. The relationship is more complicated than some relationships between exes, as Maynard still lives with Shona. This isn't ideal in anyway at all for them or their children.
Life is in no way easy for any of them and becomes even more complicated when their teenage daughter disappears.
If you like reading books that are more action driven, then this is not the book for you. The book deals with the disjointed relationships between the characters and at times doesn't seem to be taking the reader anywhere at all as it explores the complexities of relationships.
Well written it will keep you reading, but at times you might feel a little lost among it all, as it doesn't seem to be taking you anywhere that much.
January 3, 2018
Well written literary fiction with a bit of myth and fairy-tale included. Great 'voice' and characterisation. Lovely use of language. Quite gripping despite it not being a 'thriller'.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews