Snow Moon Rising

by Lori L. Lake

Mischka Gallo, a proud Roma woman, knows horses, dancing, and travel. Every day since her birth, she and her extended family have been on the road in their vardo wagons meandering mostly through Poland and Germany. She learned early to ignore the taunts and insults of all those who call her people "Gypsies" and do not understand their close-knit society and way of life. Pauline "Pippi" Stanek has lived a settled life in a small German town along the eastern border of Poland and Germany. In her mid-teens, she meets Mischka and her family through her brother, Emil Stanek, a World War I soldier who went AWOL and was adopted by Mischka's troupe. Mischka and Pippi become fast friends, and they keep in touch over the years. But then, the Second World War heats up, and all of Europe is in turmoil. Men are conscripted into the Axis or the Allied armies, "undesirables" are turned over to slave labor camps, and with every day that passes, the danger for Mischka, Emil, and their families increases. The Nazi forces will not stop until they've rounded up and destroyed every Gypsy, Jew, dissident, and homosexual. On the run and separated from her family, Mischka can hardly comprehend the obstacles that face her. When she is captured, she must use all her wits just to stay alive. Can Mischka survive through the hell of the war in Europe and find her family? In a world beset by war, two women on either side of the conflagration breach the divide-and save one another. Snow Moon Rising is a stunning novel of two women's enduring love and friendship across family, clan, and cultural barriers. It's a novel of desperation and honor, hope and fear at a time when the world was split into a million pieces.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, LGBT, Lesbian, Fiction, Lesbian Fiction, Ebooks

346 pages, Paperback

First published October 17, 2006

About the author

Lori L. Lake is the author of ten novels, two books of short stories, and editor of two anthologies. She'll soon have four books available in The Gun Series as well as the next book in The Public Eye Mystery Series. Her crime fiction stories have been featured in "Silence of the Loons," "Once Upon a Crime," and "Women of the Mean Streets. She's had romance stories anthologized in "Best Lesbian Romance" and "Women in Uniform." Lori lived in Minnesota for 26 years, but re-located to Portland, Oregon, in 2009. She presents seminars and workshops on writing topics such as character building, plot, the writing process, the writing life, mystery structure, and form and structure in the modern novel. When she's not working at her computer, you can find her either at the local movie house or curled up in a chair reading. She is currently at work on her next novel. Lori very much likes to hear from her readers. (from the publisher's website)

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spanning from World War I to the fall of the Berlin Wall, Snow Moon Rising is a heart-wrenching story about family and love and loss in terrifying and bleak circumstances, set mostly in a Holocaust work camp in Poland during the Second World War. And it's a really hard book to read in subject matter, but it's important to revisit history (even in a work of fiction) and to remember what happened, however hard it is to read.

It's also the love story between two women, one who is Roma and the other German, whose friendship, then love, endures cultural differences, regional and language barriers, first marriages, and opposites sides at a concentration camp. It's a lot! And Lori L. Lake handles those dichotomies so well.

I did feel there was a lot Lake leaves out, especially in regards to the concentration camp scenes. While it is important to show how the Nazis targeted many groups (and Lake's focus is the Roma in this novel), there was little mention about the fact that the vast majority of the Nazi's targets were Jewish people. And we don't know enough about the backgrounds of the women in the concentration camps--were they Jewish? Homosexual? Catholic? Why were they there? Because they weren't Roma. So I felt Lake couldn't have spent some more time contextualizing that more.

But overall this is a wonderful read. I hesitate to call it a romance because if you're here for that, you're going to struggle. But the romance is lovely. But it's also a super slow burn.

[BeniGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Historical Genre is a particular favourite of mine, but despite that this is a story of that genre it is also beautifully written.

The story is told in 1989 by Mischka Gallo a Roma (Gypsy) women and Pippi Stanek a German woman to young members of their family .It starts off at the tail end of WWI when Mishka’s family come across Pippi’s brother and take him under their wing. This leads to the two young girls meeting each other and forming a strong bond of friendship that will eventually lead to a deeper relationship.

However, before they get to that almost 3 decades and another war must pass. Lori takes the girls and their families through the trials and tribulations of the 1920s, 1930s and WWII. They both, especially Mishka, face extreme adversity and learn how to survive in such difficult times, before meeting up again and ending up in New York.

The amount of detail that Lori has given the reader, without being the least bit boring, makes you feel you are actually standing there watching what is going on. Although it eventually has a happy ending, this is not so much a love story, but a lesson in history and the art of survival!

Lori’s story telling is first rate and the book is extremely well written. If this is the standard of the rest of her books I can really look forward to many a good read in the future!

[Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I understand (even from the author) that this book is very different from what she normally writes. Too bad! As this is an incredible story about two women (who fall in love) caught in traditional cultures in Europe, starting toward the end of WWI and going through the holocaust and into the modern age.

An excellent read for anyone looking for good solid fiction that happens to be about lesbians, and also for anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the kind of book that each time I stopped reading, I found it hard to put the book down … I would discover myself hugging the book, unwilling to let go. Every page taught me something I didn’t know but never at the expense of the story of Mischka. LL created quite a gift – sharing with us the story of remarkable women … strong women whose stories moved beyond the historical times they lived through. The characters grew up between the pages and struggled through the pain of the 2nd World War. You'll learn to love and invest in both Lori's primary and secondary characters. She'll teach you history and you won't even mind. And you'll learn about love through a lifetime. I do so love a good storyteller.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a relatively good read, but seemed to gloss over a million things. Like, who were the other women in the camp? They didn't seem to be Jews or Roma. What was it like for the Roma to lose their community and stop traveling after the war? Was there prejudice against Roma in the camp, and in America? Too many of the things that seemed important emotionally were left out. Also, even though we know from the beginning that the two women are going to end up together, it still reads as abrupt and unexpected. There's no indication that Pippi sees Mischka as anything other than a friend until she suddenly kisses her. Interesting story, but it was like a mad rush through seventy years that should've been described in greater detail.

[Sandra de Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book that talks about the holocaust of WWII from a different point of view. This story is about the Roma people, and about two women who love each other. So well written, so deeply moving. I love this book.

[Bett · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXcellent historical fiction spanning WWII through the events as they affected a Roma clan in Europe.

[Victor J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absorbing novel of the persecution of the Roma by the Nazis during WW II.

[Jessica Wicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read. I've always enjoyed Lori's works. It tells the story of being Roma during the era of Nazi occupation. Highly recommended.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Ulla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This I think is Lori Lake's best so far, an amazing tour de force! (if you'll pardon my French!)

[Sarah Kiesling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book!! Great character development, interesting story format, memorable topic with a unique viewpoint!

[Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow start while learning the characters and getting engaged in the story. In general, enjoyed the story, the history lessons and the steadfastness of the main characters.

[Caroline Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding read with real characters and a story with soul. I didn't ever want to finish reading.

[susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another of my favorite books. Grabs your attention and won't let loose.