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Snares and Delusions
Dreams and nightmares take Hedda to hell and back.
The combined forces of opium and pain brings her face to face with her life. From rural Sweden in late nineteenth century, over Silkeborg to the Danish Capital, and during the Great War, she experiences love and loss, poverty and betrayal.
Hedda gives up everything to win independence. She soon discovers that this is one thing to wish for, but another to achieve. Life handles her roughly, but can she develop strength of character? Will she pay for her freedom in ways she doesn’t anticipate?
The combined forces of opium and pain brings her face to face with her life. From rural Sweden in late nineteenth century, over Silkeborg to the Danish Capital, and during the Great War, she experiences love and loss, poverty and betrayal.
Hedda gives up everything to win independence. She soon discovers that this is one thing to wish for, but another to achieve. Life handles her roughly, but can she develop strength of character? Will she pay for her freedom in ways she doesn’t anticipate?
446 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 10, 2017
About the author
H.M. Holten
4 books54 followersBorn in Denmark, HM grew up in a scholastic family with Croatian, Swedish, and German ties. HM’s family took great interest in music and literature. Initially, HM had no interest in academia but learned to read and play several instruments at a young age.
For fifteen years, HM lived and worked in London, at first, taking on Pizza Hut, and later, The Danish Embassy — as a cook. HM also graduated as an opera singer, designed costumes for a children’s opera, and managed more than one chamber music group. Painting in acrylics and watercolour was, and still is a favourite pastime, and HM exhibited her artworks in Guildford.
Starting while living in Denmark, HM alternately performed and taught singing, but never stopped writing poetry, short stories, and diaries. This eventually resulted in the full-scale novel, Snares and Delusions, followed by Woes and Wonders. While writing this second book, it became clear to HM that it was a sequel to Secrets and Lies, as its characters lived on, the only change being that the point of view changed to the next generation. Hence, the stand-alone novel became the first part of a trilogy, which is an examination of a family during the time spanning the two world wars. HM named this trilogy The Triptych.
At present, living in Germany, HM works on the third novel in this series, Secrets and Lies, as well as poetry and short stories. HM plans to write more historical novels that encompass this theme.
For fifteen years, HM lived and worked in London, at first, taking on Pizza Hut, and later, The Danish Embassy — as a cook. HM also graduated as an opera singer, designed costumes for a children’s opera, and managed more than one chamber music group. Painting in acrylics and watercolour was, and still is a favourite pastime, and HM exhibited her artworks in Guildford.
Starting while living in Denmark, HM alternately performed and taught singing, but never stopped writing poetry, short stories, and diaries. This eventually resulted in the full-scale novel, Snares and Delusions, followed by Woes and Wonders. While writing this second book, it became clear to HM that it was a sequel to Secrets and Lies, as its characters lived on, the only change being that the point of view changed to the next generation. Hence, the stand-alone novel became the first part of a trilogy, which is an examination of a family during the time spanning the two world wars. HM named this trilogy The Triptych.
At present, living in Germany, HM works on the third novel in this series, Secrets and Lies, as well as poetry and short stories. HM plans to write more historical novels that encompass this theme.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 12, 2019
We begin with a woman on her death bed, seeing her life in vignettes and scenes. The time is far different from ours; assumptions are made concerning all the rules of love and marriage, motherhood and livelihood. Not every scene or conversation is a stone in a grand story arc. But every conversation, every scene, serves as brushstroke to the final picture of the dying woman’s life.
Hedda Gullberg is a survivor. Not a burned out anti-heroine indifferent to pain, whether hers or another’s. Nor a supergirl able to throw groping men over her shoulder. She is a bright young thing (plays the harmonium, can sew lace) with one super-power: the gift of forthrightness. She sees things are they are, and does not work to pretend she sees anything else. And early on she sees: the path her family pushes her down is destruction. Later she will come to see that the path all women in the 19th century are pushed down is destruction. But Hedda has a flame of defiance that gives her the strength to march the other way. Or run, when need be.
On occasion her honest sight gives strange visions; of life through other's eyes, of magical folk, of secrets beyond this world. Interesting; but she has no time for magical visions. And they matter little to the story. They are mere side effect to the clarity with which she sees THIS world, the real world. To hell with seeing elves; the importance of her sight is in seeing that a ‘match’ everyone says will make her rich, is fairy glamour cast over a pig.
‘Snares and Delusions’ – the world is full of tricks. H. M. Holton gives us the life of someone who sees past snares and delusions, and so saves herself. Not by absurd destiny, not by kryptonian muscles, but by shear honesty and determination. Hedda doesn’t lie to herself about what she sees, what she feels. And so we are present with her at life's end, seeing her existence as she saw it. All the delusions and illusions of love and greed, small-mindedness and life lived lukewarm. And all the things that are real. Things people ignore all their lives. The wonderful holy ordinary things of keeping a house, aiding strangers, raising a child, knowing the value of love and friendship.
Holten calls it ‘Snares and Delusions’; but it isn’t all dark vision. Hedda in her final bed, is seeing light and joy as well. There would be no point to avoiding the traps, unless there were some goal to be reached.
Five of Five stars. This is a book that kept surprising me.
Hedda Gullberg is a survivor. Not a burned out anti-heroine indifferent to pain, whether hers or another’s. Nor a supergirl able to throw groping men over her shoulder. She is a bright young thing (plays the harmonium, can sew lace) with one super-power: the gift of forthrightness. She sees things are they are, and does not work to pretend she sees anything else. And early on she sees: the path her family pushes her down is destruction. Later she will come to see that the path all women in the 19th century are pushed down is destruction. But Hedda has a flame of defiance that gives her the strength to march the other way. Or run, when need be.
On occasion her honest sight gives strange visions; of life through other's eyes, of magical folk, of secrets beyond this world. Interesting; but she has no time for magical visions. And they matter little to the story. They are mere side effect to the clarity with which she sees THIS world, the real world. To hell with seeing elves; the importance of her sight is in seeing that a ‘match’ everyone says will make her rich, is fairy glamour cast over a pig.
‘Snares and Delusions’ – the world is full of tricks. H. M. Holton gives us the life of someone who sees past snares and delusions, and so saves herself. Not by absurd destiny, not by kryptonian muscles, but by shear honesty and determination. Hedda doesn’t lie to herself about what she sees, what she feels. And so we are present with her at life's end, seeing her existence as she saw it. All the delusions and illusions of love and greed, small-mindedness and life lived lukewarm. And all the things that are real. Things people ignore all their lives. The wonderful holy ordinary things of keeping a house, aiding strangers, raising a child, knowing the value of love and friendship.
Holten calls it ‘Snares and Delusions’; but it isn’t all dark vision. Hedda in her final bed, is seeing light and joy as well. There would be no point to avoiding the traps, unless there were some goal to be reached.
Five of Five stars. This is a book that kept surprising me.
October 17, 2021
I typically steer toward historical fiction and Snares and Delusions absolutely satisfied my cravings. Written in flashback, it spans Hedda’s life (as she lies on her deathbed). My heart on my sleeve, as it were, as this profoundly moving story will grasp your heart strings and tug at them fiercely where each breath becomes one with Hedda’s as she relives (in her mind’s eye), the brutality of her younger years. But, this isn’t a story of victim hood but rather one of finding peace and acceptance despite life’s, sometimes, aberrant dictates. Highly recommend!!
July 18, 2019
Snares and Delusions is an engrossing and vividly told work of historical fiction, mostly set between 1878 and the years of the Great War of 1914-18. During that time, the story moves from Scania in Sweden, to various places in Denmark, the last of these being the capital city, Copenhagen.
We first meet the protagonist, Hedda, as she lies on her deathbed in a Copenhagen hospital in 1936, many years after the story ends. As the old lady drifts into a pain-relieving, drug-induced sleep, memories of her journey through life return…
Hedda is a great character: a pretty, intelligent and headstrong young girl in the opening stages of the story, with a habit of being outspoken that often gets her into trouble. She also has the ability to ‘see’ things through visions and disturbing nightmares – some of them involving elves and the magical world. Suddenly finding herself facing a future in which her uncaring and self-centred father forces her to marry a particularly unintelligent and unattractive man, Hedda inwardly rebels, knowing herself to be capable of doing much better in life. Despite not knowing how she’ll survive on her own, with no work to provide money to keep herself and nowhere to live, she eventually manages to flee.
From then on Hedda’s journey is a mix of highs and lows as she meets good people who help her on her way as well as others who cause her misfortune and further hardship. It is a character-building journey and Hedda learns much about people and how to better herself in life without allowing others to make decisions for her. It is truly a tale of the snares and delusions that Hedda must face and overcome.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. There is a cast of colourful and memorable characters, with some to love and some to hate, and the author has a refreshingly unique writing style. Most scenes play out primarily through dialogue in the ‘show don’t tell’ style I love, and I was drawn into each as though I was actually there. I would recommend the book to lovers of historical fiction, but also to anyone who enjoys a great story with a strong and resourceful female protagonist.
We first meet the protagonist, Hedda, as she lies on her deathbed in a Copenhagen hospital in 1936, many years after the story ends. As the old lady drifts into a pain-relieving, drug-induced sleep, memories of her journey through life return…
Hedda is a great character: a pretty, intelligent and headstrong young girl in the opening stages of the story, with a habit of being outspoken that often gets her into trouble. She also has the ability to ‘see’ things through visions and disturbing nightmares – some of them involving elves and the magical world. Suddenly finding herself facing a future in which her uncaring and self-centred father forces her to marry a particularly unintelligent and unattractive man, Hedda inwardly rebels, knowing herself to be capable of doing much better in life. Despite not knowing how she’ll survive on her own, with no work to provide money to keep herself and nowhere to live, she eventually manages to flee.
From then on Hedda’s journey is a mix of highs and lows as she meets good people who help her on her way as well as others who cause her misfortune and further hardship. It is a character-building journey and Hedda learns much about people and how to better herself in life without allowing others to make decisions for her. It is truly a tale of the snares and delusions that Hedda must face and overcome.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. There is a cast of colourful and memorable characters, with some to love and some to hate, and the author has a refreshingly unique writing style. Most scenes play out primarily through dialogue in the ‘show don’t tell’ style I love, and I was drawn into each as though I was actually there. I would recommend the book to lovers of historical fiction, but also to anyone who enjoys a great story with a strong and resourceful female protagonist.
October 24, 2019
A written account of a dying woman's life remembered in flashbacks.
Each stop along the trip is well developed and flows from the one before.
With visions of mystical beings and curses you wonder if the events are all true or have been tainted by the Opium residue in her mind.
A new topic and style of presentation both done very well.
Each stop along the trip is well developed and flows from the one before.
With visions of mystical beings and curses you wonder if the events are all true or have been tainted by the Opium residue in her mind.
A new topic and style of presentation both done very well.
August 11, 2022
Hedda Gullberg is incredibly strong in the face of all odds. There could be no more fitting title for this extraordinary novel, as its main character is both trapped and deluded by people and life events. In the first chapter, we get a snapshot of Hedda at the end of her life in 1936. The tale truly begins in 1878 when she is a young girl, the daughter of a miller in Scania (in southern Sweden). After she gets wind of the fact that her father and sister are scheming to marry her off to the imbecile brother of her sister’s fiancé, we realize her independent spirit. No way will Hedda go for that arrangement!
After misfortune befalls her father and sister, Hedda gets her chance to move away. When she arrives in Silkeborg, Denmark at a luxurious spa, she at first enjoys the acquaintance of Conrad Walther and his mother. There she falls prey to the ‘snares’—the traps—of the world in which they inhabit. Hedda is then rescued from this particular trap and released in hopes of becoming a free woman of independent means. Despite her relentless toil, she winds up in a poorhouse. But from there, she will again be rescued. However, becoming Mrs. Walther’s companion proves to be another snare for Hedda, as well as her marriage to the woman’s son once Hedda discovers the reason the marriage cannot be consummated.
This brief synopsis of the initial plot does little justice to HM Holten’s rich storytelling. Her initial use of the famous Shakespeare quote: “We are such stuff as dreams are made” is a better tip-off to this rich, dramatic, and often dreamlike narrative. While the story is told through third person point of view, readers are bearing witness to a life review of a woman who has known more troubled time than tender ones. Still, there are enough of the better dreams for Hedda to remain curious—not about what life has in store for her, so much as how she will actively respond to circumstances.
The many obstacles she surmounts make Hedda increasingly stronger and more capable. Holten’s description of Hedda giving birth to her daughter in “a small pool sheltered by towering silver-birches,” is amazing! There’s a fairytale magic to it. I’d even say it’s transcendent, but it also perfectly exemplifies Hedda’s inner strength, courage, and compassion. The crone who assists Hedda asks her what she’s afraid of and her response is: “Not much – not anymore.” Referring to her newborn, Hedda adds: “But I’d kill—I’d do anything for her.” I had little problem believing that she would.
Hedda and her daughter, Ellie, travel to Copenhagen. It’s there they take up residence in a large home given to Hedda by Ellie’s father. Hedda turns the large house into a rooming house. She can now truly be a woman of independent means. While she has found it difficult to forgive others given her early circumstances, Hedda is now both caring and capable of finding room in her life for others—even Frode (one of her borders who has fallen deeply in love with her).
Snares and Delusions is ultimately a tale about an incredible woman – a survivor like no other. How apt the author’s quote by Milton, placed before Part Three of this incredible tome: “Life’s a voyage that’s homeward bound.” I can’t wait to read the next one in this remarkable trilogy!
After misfortune befalls her father and sister, Hedda gets her chance to move away. When she arrives in Silkeborg, Denmark at a luxurious spa, she at first enjoys the acquaintance of Conrad Walther and his mother. There she falls prey to the ‘snares’—the traps—of the world in which they inhabit. Hedda is then rescued from this particular trap and released in hopes of becoming a free woman of independent means. Despite her relentless toil, she winds up in a poorhouse. But from there, she will again be rescued. However, becoming Mrs. Walther’s companion proves to be another snare for Hedda, as well as her marriage to the woman’s son once Hedda discovers the reason the marriage cannot be consummated.
This brief synopsis of the initial plot does little justice to HM Holten’s rich storytelling. Her initial use of the famous Shakespeare quote: “We are such stuff as dreams are made” is a better tip-off to this rich, dramatic, and often dreamlike narrative. While the story is told through third person point of view, readers are bearing witness to a life review of a woman who has known more troubled time than tender ones. Still, there are enough of the better dreams for Hedda to remain curious—not about what life has in store for her, so much as how she will actively respond to circumstances.
The many obstacles she surmounts make Hedda increasingly stronger and more capable. Holten’s description of Hedda giving birth to her daughter in “a small pool sheltered by towering silver-birches,” is amazing! There’s a fairytale magic to it. I’d even say it’s transcendent, but it also perfectly exemplifies Hedda’s inner strength, courage, and compassion. The crone who assists Hedda asks her what she’s afraid of and her response is: “Not much – not anymore.” Referring to her newborn, Hedda adds: “But I’d kill—I’d do anything for her.” I had little problem believing that she would.
Hedda and her daughter, Ellie, travel to Copenhagen. It’s there they take up residence in a large home given to Hedda by Ellie’s father. Hedda turns the large house into a rooming house. She can now truly be a woman of independent means. While she has found it difficult to forgive others given her early circumstances, Hedda is now both caring and capable of finding room in her life for others—even Frode (one of her borders who has fallen deeply in love with her).
Snares and Delusions is ultimately a tale about an incredible woman – a survivor like no other. How apt the author’s quote by Milton, placed before Part Three of this incredible tome: “Life’s a voyage that’s homeward bound.” I can’t wait to read the next one in this remarkable trilogy!
October 5, 2020
Hanne Holten has a way with captivating words as she writes a beautiful Historical Fiction story that will take you to Hedda world, a world of problems and fearless woman as they force her to marry and mistreatment such as violence.
A powerful character. It made her even more resilient. Hedda laying painfully on her deathbed in 1936, takes us into the mindset of reminiscing past. A strong woman her harrowing journey. This book is an astonishing page-turner.
I recommend Snares and Delusions an intriguing book.
A powerful character. It made her even more resilient. Hedda laying painfully on her deathbed in 1936, takes us into the mindset of reminiscing past. A strong woman her harrowing journey. This book is an astonishing page-turner.
I recommend Snares and Delusions an intriguing book.
July 13, 2019
Great read. Hedda is a wonderful character, forthright and defiant. The writing is poetic and the story captivating. Enjoyable; examines the darkness and joy in life.
January 1, 2022
H.M. Holten uses late 19th and early 20th century Sweden and Denmark as a backdrop for this historical fiction novel. The story actually begins later than this in 1936 at the Copenhagen Municipal Hospital. Here we meet Hedda who, even when dying, refuses to abide by the rules. ‘I live as I chose — don’t mollycoddle me,’ she tells her daughter, Ellie.
The doctor injects a sedative and Hedda begins to dream. ‘In fragments at first, but then it seems as if she moves through a tunnel, and she begins to recognise her surroundings.’
Her mind glides through the decades and lands in 1878, where a thirteen-year-old Hedda utters great whoops of delight as she plunges into a stream wearing nothing more than her underwear. Those carefree days are short-lived, as her family plans to marry her off to a vacuous clod.
Hedda soon makes a break for freedom and thus begins her journey, navigating the snares and delusions of life. She is intelligent and beautiful but naïve. Her determination sees her through many challenges.
In Hedda’s words: ‘I mean. I can take a lot. Being traded to better my family’s position was bad enough. I believe money changed hands — but I got out of that. I didn’t mind working my fingers to the bone when I ran away.’
After losing her virginity at thirty-six, she gives birth to Ellie and raises her as a single mother.
The plot is intriguing, the writing quite charming and the ending an invitation to read on.
For those who habitually avoid this genre, please let me assure you that ‘Snare and Delusions’ is not a barely fictionalised textbook. The meticulous research is judiciously used to transport us into the past, not to educate us. At no point did I feel that Hedda’s saga was being suffocated by a history lesson.
H.M Holten certainly meets my five-star criteria.
The doctor injects a sedative and Hedda begins to dream. ‘In fragments at first, but then it seems as if she moves through a tunnel, and she begins to recognise her surroundings.’
Her mind glides through the decades and lands in 1878, where a thirteen-year-old Hedda utters great whoops of delight as she plunges into a stream wearing nothing more than her underwear. Those carefree days are short-lived, as her family plans to marry her off to a vacuous clod.
Hedda soon makes a break for freedom and thus begins her journey, navigating the snares and delusions of life. She is intelligent and beautiful but naïve. Her determination sees her through many challenges.
In Hedda’s words: ‘I mean. I can take a lot. Being traded to better my family’s position was bad enough. I believe money changed hands — but I got out of that. I didn’t mind working my fingers to the bone when I ran away.’
After losing her virginity at thirty-six, she gives birth to Ellie and raises her as a single mother.
The plot is intriguing, the writing quite charming and the ending an invitation to read on.
For those who habitually avoid this genre, please let me assure you that ‘Snare and Delusions’ is not a barely fictionalised textbook. The meticulous research is judiciously used to transport us into the past, not to educate us. At no point did I feel that Hedda’s saga was being suffocated by a history lesson.
H.M Holten certainly meets my five-star criteria.
May 11, 2022
The story opens in a hospital in Copenhagen in 1936 and from there flashes back to Sweden to a miller and his family. Hedda Gullberg is his youngest daughter who has a blossoming romance with Kasper, a musician but her family have other plans for her, marriage to the odious Carl-Micael. Kasper is accepted by the Royal Academy of Music and must leave for Stockholm. The next one to be whisked away is Hedda herself to Denmark with the sour Miss Dalquist and she must forget her first love. We follow her through struggles, her marriage into an ailing family and onto an illicit passionate encounter which changes her life. This was the point where for me the story really took off and I was really interested in how she coped. I liked the author's writing style and her author voice which I think is so important for a reader, I find if I don't like the author's voice the story is flat. There was some beautiful imagery: fingers and toes like sea anemones, and there was another one earlier in the book which I thought was beautiful and forgot to jot down! I thoroughly enjoyed the story and am full of admiration for the author in writing a story in a language that isn't her first, impeccable English! Better than mine and it's my first and only language!
June 10, 2022
‘Freedom comes with a price’ - Snares and Delusions highlights this time-tested dictum and endows Hedda with the courage to make her own decisions. Once she chooses to defy her father to avoid marrying a man he chose for her, she doesn't look back and has no time to regret the bold stride she takes on the curve of life. Despite a miserable life, she perseveres but how far will she go into the unknown alleys? As the title suggests, there are snares but Holten knows how to handle her amazing plot, which takes a new direction each time you wonder - what now? It becomes more engrossing as it proceeds into darker edges and who bothers about delusions! They are momentary, they are created to enlighten her characters.
A character oriented story, it moves at a steady pace, evoking awe rather than sympathy for Hedda. Her growth can be felt; it reaches your heart, it inspires immense respect for a 13 year old girl who grows up into a benevolent and kindhearted woman despite the travails of life. Holten’s unique style of writing shines throughout the book. She creates riveting scenes and makes you a part of them. What I like about this book is that it doesn't dump any historical facts on you but they gel so well into the web of the story that you emerge well-informed about the times it refers to. I really enjoyed this book.
A character oriented story, it moves at a steady pace, evoking awe rather than sympathy for Hedda. Her growth can be felt; it reaches your heart, it inspires immense respect for a 13 year old girl who grows up into a benevolent and kindhearted woman despite the travails of life. Holten’s unique style of writing shines throughout the book. She creates riveting scenes and makes you a part of them. What I like about this book is that it doesn't dump any historical facts on you but they gel so well into the web of the story that you emerge well-informed about the times it refers to. I really enjoyed this book.
October 16, 2020
I give ‘Snares and Delusions’ five enormous stars and highly recommend it to everyone.
Life is a journey and certainly a rocky one for antagonist Hedda, in this beautifully written tale by author, Hanne Holten. This historical fiction is set in the late 1800s-early 1900’s. The story spans Hedda’s lifetime as she travels from her childhood home in rural Sweden and eventually as her life ends as an old woman in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Upon opening the book, the reader finds the elderly Hedda on her deathbed. After she says her goodbyes to her daughter, the doctor gives her opium to sedate her and to make her comfortable. As the drug soon takes its effect, the elderly woman begins to have flashbacks and the reader is taken back many years to the woman’s childhood where the story continues.
The next chapter begins as young Hedda is throwing her clothes asunder and then jumps into a lake in her under garments. You understand right off that she is a spontaneous, impulsive girl. After only a paragraph into the story, she begins to tug on your heartstrings. Later you learn that Hedde is also rebellious and stubborn, kind, and strong. I like the way the author portrays this girl/woman’s character throughout the book. Hedda does not have an easy life, in fact it is extremely difficult at times-thus the title, Snares and Delusions- but over and over she is resilient, strong and thrives against great odds. In many ways she has the characteristics of a woman of 2020.
Ms. Holten writes beautiful, lyrical descriptions throughout her narrative. One of my favorite lines is “Large snowflakes float in the air, the moonlight spreads its radiance on the ground, the trees sigh in the frost. Another vivid image the author paints is “Thunder rumbles in the distance and the sky turns a sickly yellow.” With her delightful and graphic descriptions of nature, as well as the colorful characters that wind their way through her tale, the reader IS THERE standing next to that cigar-smoking evil man as thunder rumbles in the distance.
Although I don’t read much historical fiction, I am glad I read Holten’s portrayal of life in Sweden and Denmark during this period of time. It made history very real to me. I felt like I was walking the streets and living the day-to-day life of an amazing woman in the early 1900s. Having the ability to write a scene where it seems real is truly the gift of a great author.
If you are a lover of Historical Fiction or like me, haven’t read the genre much, you will find that you will be wholly engrossed in Hedda’s turbulent life as you flip through the pages of in this well-written novel by Hanne Holten. Therefore, I give ‘Snares and Delusions’ five enormous stars and highly recommend it to everyone.
March 6, 2022
Snares and Delusions, by HM Holten, is the first of three intended volumes of historical fiction collectively called The Triptych (the second, Woes and Wonders, has also been published). Snares and Delusions relates the tale of Hedda and her family, beginning with a brief snapshot of Hedda as an old woman, spending her last hours in a Danish hospital in the mid-1930s. The story follows from there, told as an extended flashback from Hedda’s point of view as the drugs meant to ease her dying are entering her bloodstream, sending her into a dreamlike state and releasing a flood of memories that start with her girlhood in Sweden in the late 1870s. At once I was swept along.
The novel is written in the present tense, a stylistic choice that gives it a sense of immediacy and urgency. At times I felt I had barely time to catch my breath before another dramatic, unexpected event propelled me forward. Holten writes movingly and with great skill, and if she sets her mind to break the reader’s heart, she will. Hedda’s development from an impulsive, headstrong girl to a woman of great courage and determination who never shirks a task, no matter how unpleasant, is engrossing and realistic. All of the characters, even the ones who occupy only a few pages, are well drawn. The good are engaging and relatable; they develop and change for better or worse, just as in real life. The bad are thoroughly loathsome but still three-dimensional, the kind whose behavior is so repellent that often I was left staring at the page in open-mouthed astonishment. But such is Holten’s ability that not once did I disbelieve. All of this is set against the historic backdrop—the customs of the time, the vastly different lives of city dwellers and country folk, the often harsh, demeaning treatment of women, the looming Great War. Wisely, Holten never allows the period details to diminish the impact of the story.
Holten’s writing is as captivating as the tale itself. Her descriptions are so poetic that sometimes I would pause to reread an especially vivid passage. She also employs surprising fantastical elements here and there, thinning the barrier between the prosaic world of history and the beguiling one of myth (or “the old ways,” as one character puts it). Sometimes these scenes seem to be part of Hedda’s dreams, other times, tantalizingly real. All of which makes Snares and Delusions unlike anything else I’ve ever read. I found it to be compulsively readable and I highly recommend it.
The novel is written in the present tense, a stylistic choice that gives it a sense of immediacy and urgency. At times I felt I had barely time to catch my breath before another dramatic, unexpected event propelled me forward. Holten writes movingly and with great skill, and if she sets her mind to break the reader’s heart, she will. Hedda’s development from an impulsive, headstrong girl to a woman of great courage and determination who never shirks a task, no matter how unpleasant, is engrossing and realistic. All of the characters, even the ones who occupy only a few pages, are well drawn. The good are engaging and relatable; they develop and change for better or worse, just as in real life. The bad are thoroughly loathsome but still three-dimensional, the kind whose behavior is so repellent that often I was left staring at the page in open-mouthed astonishment. But such is Holten’s ability that not once did I disbelieve. All of this is set against the historic backdrop—the customs of the time, the vastly different lives of city dwellers and country folk, the often harsh, demeaning treatment of women, the looming Great War. Wisely, Holten never allows the period details to diminish the impact of the story.
Holten’s writing is as captivating as the tale itself. Her descriptions are so poetic that sometimes I would pause to reread an especially vivid passage. She also employs surprising fantastical elements here and there, thinning the barrier between the prosaic world of history and the beguiling one of myth (or “the old ways,” as one character puts it). Sometimes these scenes seem to be part of Hedda’s dreams, other times, tantalizingly real. All of which makes Snares and Delusions unlike anything else I’ve ever read. I found it to be compulsively readable and I highly recommend it.
January 7, 2021
A Woman’s Courageous Journey
When I read the first part of this story, called PASSAGE, I was struck with the way in which an elderly woman named Hedda was coping with her impending death. Instead of lying in her hospital bed and feeling sorry for herself, she manages to fall to the floor and crawl over to a wall. When her daughter, Ellie, comes into the room, and sees Hedda kneeling and rocking, Ellie starts to sob. But Hedda tells the younger women not to “mollycoddle” her, that she, Hedda, lives as she chooses to live, even when her death is imminent.
That scene sets the stage for Hedda’s story, a story fraught with hardship and at times, cruelty. Yet Hedda doesn’t give in to the harsh challenges that plague her life. Unlike some who might turn bitter when treated unfairly and with total lack of goodness, she manages to retain a persevering spirit that is giving and generous.
The story also vividly portrays the social mores that women faced during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Those very defined morally acceptable norms severely limited a woman’s rights, including the right to think independently. In this formidable and intimidating climate, Hedda, the protagonist in the story, finds the courage to seek her freedom and build a better life for herself and her child, Ellie.
This is a beautifully written, engrossing story that kept me turning pages from beginning to the end. Highly recommended for any reader who wants to learn about the strength it takes to hold on to one’s bright spirit in the face of great adversity.
When I read the first part of this story, called PASSAGE, I was struck with the way in which an elderly woman named Hedda was coping with her impending death. Instead of lying in her hospital bed and feeling sorry for herself, she manages to fall to the floor and crawl over to a wall. When her daughter, Ellie, comes into the room, and sees Hedda kneeling and rocking, Ellie starts to sob. But Hedda tells the younger women not to “mollycoddle” her, that she, Hedda, lives as she chooses to live, even when her death is imminent.
That scene sets the stage for Hedda’s story, a story fraught with hardship and at times, cruelty. Yet Hedda doesn’t give in to the harsh challenges that plague her life. Unlike some who might turn bitter when treated unfairly and with total lack of goodness, she manages to retain a persevering spirit that is giving and generous.
The story also vividly portrays the social mores that women faced during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Those very defined morally acceptable norms severely limited a woman’s rights, including the right to think independently. In this formidable and intimidating climate, Hedda, the protagonist in the story, finds the courage to seek her freedom and build a better life for herself and her child, Ellie.
This is a beautifully written, engrossing story that kept me turning pages from beginning to the end. Highly recommended for any reader who wants to learn about the strength it takes to hold on to one’s bright spirit in the face of great adversity.
February 14, 2021
Against the Tide
Throughout HM Holten’s ‘Snares and Delusions,’ I wore my heart on my sleeve as I empathized with her protagonist, Hedda Gullberg (West), who wades against the tide of social mores at the turn of the twentieth century.
Whereas the reader first gets a glimpse of Hedda’s tenacity on the brink of death, rocking back and forth on the floor of a hospital in Copenhagen in 1936, her dreamlike delusions bring us to the beginning of her trials and tribulations.
Born in May of 1865, Hedda’s childhood and adolescence may very well have been the best years of her life, despite an ill-fated love. Then, there’s her sister and father contemplating the monetary gains of marrying her off to a boorish simpleton.
Through twists of fate, bouts of homelessness, marriage to an abusive husband with congenital syphilis who is of the prevailing opinion of the times that women have a soul but no intelligence—she perseveres. Carrying and caring for a child born out of wedlock to a married man, she makes her way in the world yet again.
The story is told impeccably: well-written, infused with history and its impact, period dialogue, and finely-drawn characters—especially Hedda.
Apropos for the last scene in the novel, Hedda makes her way toward the beach. She finds a spot and rocks back and forth, contemplating her life of snares and delusions, grateful for surviving the tides against her.
I highly recommend this literary masterpiece which, for this reader, elicited more tears than smiles.
Throughout HM Holten’s ‘Snares and Delusions,’ I wore my heart on my sleeve as I empathized with her protagonist, Hedda Gullberg (West), who wades against the tide of social mores at the turn of the twentieth century.
Whereas the reader first gets a glimpse of Hedda’s tenacity on the brink of death, rocking back and forth on the floor of a hospital in Copenhagen in 1936, her dreamlike delusions bring us to the beginning of her trials and tribulations.
Born in May of 1865, Hedda’s childhood and adolescence may very well have been the best years of her life, despite an ill-fated love. Then, there’s her sister and father contemplating the monetary gains of marrying her off to a boorish simpleton.
Through twists of fate, bouts of homelessness, marriage to an abusive husband with congenital syphilis who is of the prevailing opinion of the times that women have a soul but no intelligence—she perseveres. Carrying and caring for a child born out of wedlock to a married man, she makes her way in the world yet again.
The story is told impeccably: well-written, infused with history and its impact, period dialogue, and finely-drawn characters—especially Hedda.
Apropos for the last scene in the novel, Hedda makes her way toward the beach. She finds a spot and rocks back and forth, contemplating her life of snares and delusions, grateful for surviving the tides against her.
I highly recommend this literary masterpiece which, for this reader, elicited more tears than smiles.
May 15, 2021
From the author’s bio, we can assume some degree of inspiration for this wonderfully written tale is drawn from the author’s life and her family’s experiences. This can be seen in the wonderfully descriptive scenes and insights into Scandinavian culture. The timeline, however illustrates the considerable amount of research done to bring this historical fiction to life.
The heroine of “Snares and Delusions” is Hedda Gullberg (later West), who we initially meet as she breathes her last in a 1936 Copenhagen hospital. Her story rewinds to the time of her early adolescence when she’s treated as second rate due to the order of her birth. She soon discovers her father and sister’s plot for an arranged marriage for her to a well-to-do dullard. Hedda flees her family and all she knows...and this is but a taste of the trials and tribulations she must face in the years ahead. Life was not easy for a single woman on her own in this time and place. A true survivor, Hedda is by turns deserted, dejected, and destitute. She suffers beatings and emotional abuse, yet somehow rises above it all. I found myself cheering her on, reveling in her successes and miserable during her set-backs. This is the mark of phenomenal character development—when a character leaps from the page and takes up residence in the reader’s subconscious.
I do not hesitate to award 5 stars to this well written and engaging tale. Kudos to the author, H.M. Holten. Well done!
The heroine of “Snares and Delusions” is Hedda Gullberg (later West), who we initially meet as she breathes her last in a 1936 Copenhagen hospital. Her story rewinds to the time of her early adolescence when she’s treated as second rate due to the order of her birth. She soon discovers her father and sister’s plot for an arranged marriage for her to a well-to-do dullard. Hedda flees her family and all she knows...and this is but a taste of the trials and tribulations she must face in the years ahead. Life was not easy for a single woman on her own in this time and place. A true survivor, Hedda is by turns deserted, dejected, and destitute. She suffers beatings and emotional abuse, yet somehow rises above it all. I found myself cheering her on, reveling in her successes and miserable during her set-backs. This is the mark of phenomenal character development—when a character leaps from the page and takes up residence in the reader’s subconscious.
I do not hesitate to award 5 stars to this well written and engaging tale. Kudos to the author, H.M. Holten. Well done!
January 8, 2021
Hedda was a powerhouse woman who had been through a life full of problems and disappointments by the time you meet her in the first chapters. The author puts Hedda on her deathbed, and the reader in her memories as she relives her difficult and often painful journey through life. Hedda is her own woman even when her father pushes her into the worst part of her life. She wasn’t the only unique character, though. Her sister had her own story to tell and when compared, the difference was palpable. This was a different genre for me to read. I don’t usually read historical fiction but the authors writing style sucks you in from the first page and holds your interest until the very last word.
November 26, 2021
Beautifully written, and with a fine sense of time and place, H.M. Holten’s ‘Snares and Delusions’ is a saga of will and tribulation. The main protagonist, Hedda Gullberg, is a strong-minded woman who locks horns with life time and time again, yet remains unbowed if bloodied. The narrative is both engaging and emotional and written in the present tense which, for all its historical settings, gives the novel a sense of immediacy, and the reader a sense of presence.
‘Snares and Delusions’ is artfully constructed: a well-executed piece of literary fiction.
‘Woes and Wonders’, the second book in ‘The Triptych’ trilogy, is already on my ‘To Read’ list.
‘Snares and Delusions’ is artfully constructed: a well-executed piece of literary fiction.
‘Woes and Wonders’, the second book in ‘The Triptych’ trilogy, is already on my ‘To Read’ list.
January 8, 2022
A journey back in time!
I was amazed at how I felt as if I were in the room with the characters during the course of this book! At times I wished I wasn't, as some of the scenes were fraught with pain for Hedda. Any author that can make you feel the character's pain should be applauded!
A great deal of research must have transpired for this book, or the author was very well versed in the era as it was written in! It was very realistic and you simply did not know what would happen next!
I kept hoping for a reunion between Hedda and her first love, but I won't give any spoilers!
I look forward to the next installment of this captivating story!
I was amazed at how I felt as if I were in the room with the characters during the course of this book! At times I wished I wasn't, as some of the scenes were fraught with pain for Hedda. Any author that can make you feel the character's pain should be applauded!
A great deal of research must have transpired for this book, or the author was very well versed in the era as it was written in! It was very realistic and you simply did not know what would happen next!
I kept hoping for a reunion between Hedda and her first love, but I won't give any spoilers!
I look forward to the next installment of this captivating story!
March 25, 2020
A vivid and candid look into the life of young Hedda as she is a teen living with her family in rural Sweden at the end of the 19th century and then through her adult years in the early 20th century. After Hedda flees her home in search of freedom, she encounters Snares and Delusions as she struggles many years to survive in Denmark before settling in its capital of Copenhagen. In this story set against the backdrop of the Great War, independent Hedda finds her strength, her purpose, and her closest companions amid struggles, losses, attacks, and nightmares. Author H.M. Holten delivers a well described and thought-provoking read.
July 29, 2020
A compelling and vivid read!
The main character of Hedda is a pioneering feminist in the making, spurning an arranged marriage to a loathsome toad of a man of her father's choosing to head off for adventures particular to her sex, which inevitably include many dangers and mishaps. Her sister choses the conventional route and the two paths of the two sisters are later powerfully compared. Hedda keeps bouncing back from adversity, and the tone of the book has a kind of romp feel to it, akin to Henry Fielding's 'The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling' Picaresque novel from the 1700's. Because of these aspects, it was hard to put down and was an entertaining as well as a dramatic read.
The main character of Hedda is a pioneering feminist in the making, spurning an arranged marriage to a loathsome toad of a man of her father's choosing to head off for adventures particular to her sex, which inevitably include many dangers and mishaps. Her sister choses the conventional route and the two paths of the two sisters are later powerfully compared. Hedda keeps bouncing back from adversity, and the tone of the book has a kind of romp feel to it, akin to Henry Fielding's 'The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling' Picaresque novel from the 1700's. Because of these aspects, it was hard to put down and was an entertaining as well as a dramatic read.
July 14, 2018
A truly magnificent and vivid boo! I truly enjoyed this book. The writing style is detailed and is teleporting you directly into the story and it’s surroundings. Following the wonderful character Hedda on her journey is vivid. The author “Holten” wrote a truly magnificent book and for that she deserves my 5 star rating! Go for it! You will love it! ~Jacqueline Pirtle
February 20, 2020
A wonderful and highly recommended Historical Fiction read
A wonderful Historical Fiction read thats let’s us into the mind and memories of Hedda as she lies on her deathbed in 1936. We are transported back nearly 60 years to where we see a young Hedda, a carefree yet forthright young lass who is forced into an arranged marriage to further the family name and fortunes.
Her journey is full of trials and tribulations in this harsh time and country, for women in the late nineteenth century.
Beaten and harshly treated, Hedda shows amazing strength and courage to remain unbowed. Her independent spirit allows her to keep her head above all what life has thrown at her.
Hanne Holten draws inspiration from her own family history and upbringing to give this wonderful tale a true sense of realism.
This is a definite five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read that I recommend highly to all lovers of this genre.
A wonderful Historical Fiction read thats let’s us into the mind and memories of Hedda as she lies on her deathbed in 1936. We are transported back nearly 60 years to where we see a young Hedda, a carefree yet forthright young lass who is forced into an arranged marriage to further the family name and fortunes.
Her journey is full of trials and tribulations in this harsh time and country, for women in the late nineteenth century.
Beaten and harshly treated, Hedda shows amazing strength and courage to remain unbowed. Her independent spirit allows her to keep her head above all what life has thrown at her.
Hanne Holten draws inspiration from her own family history and upbringing to give this wonderful tale a true sense of realism.
This is a definite five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read that I recommend highly to all lovers of this genre.
October 29, 2024
This is a captivating historical tale set in the late nineteenth century.
Beautiful, headstrong, wilful Hedda, growing up in rural Sweden is a disappointment to her father and sister Minna, who consider her to be a burden. They make arrangements for Hedda to be married off and thus absolving them of the drain on their finances; only things don’t go according to plan.
Without a second thought, Hedda steps up to care for her father. She effortlessly takes charge of organising the home as well as run the family business - until Minna returns with her betrothed in tow. The pair are determined to take up the reigns and thus poor Hedda is resigned to the fact that her arranged union is back on. Only this time, however, she manages to make her escape.
An incredible tale of strength, courage and love that is beautifully written. Five stars? I’d give it ten! Read it for yourself.
Beautiful, headstrong, wilful Hedda, growing up in rural Sweden is a disappointment to her father and sister Minna, who consider her to be a burden. They make arrangements for Hedda to be married off and thus absolving them of the drain on their finances; only things don’t go according to plan.
Without a second thought, Hedda steps up to care for her father. She effortlessly takes charge of organising the home as well as run the family business - until Minna returns with her betrothed in tow. The pair are determined to take up the reigns and thus poor Hedda is resigned to the fact that her arranged union is back on. Only this time, however, she manages to make her escape.
An incredible tale of strength, courage and love that is beautifully written. Five stars? I’d give it ten! Read it for yourself.
July 23, 2019
Reminiscent of classics
This story was an inspiring journey of a young woman named Hedda. The story and the way it was structured reminded me of classics like Anne of Green Gables and Sense & Sensibility. It wasn't cliche, either, which was refreshing. It felt like a true look into the life of a lady who lived in the late 1800s/early 1900s, complete with arranged marriages, betrayals, and close friends and patrons. My favourite character was the kindhearted lady who helped Hedda find lodgers for her boarding house. There were plenty of unlikeable characters as well, which added some great tension. And some Norse mythology too. Lovely read.
This story was an inspiring journey of a young woman named Hedda. The story and the way it was structured reminded me of classics like Anne of Green Gables and Sense & Sensibility. It wasn't cliche, either, which was refreshing. It felt like a true look into the life of a lady who lived in the late 1800s/early 1900s, complete with arranged marriages, betrayals, and close friends and patrons. My favourite character was the kindhearted lady who helped Hedda find lodgers for her boarding house. There were plenty of unlikeable characters as well, which added some great tension. And some Norse mythology too. Lovely read.
October 23, 2023
Strong female character
I can't say enough about Hanne Holten. She writes an amazing song female character in Hedda.
Any woman who takes her destiny in her own hands and not only survives but thrives is an inspiration and a pleasure to read about.
All of the characters will come to life for the reader, the good and the bad. It was so well written that you feel an connection with them, they come to life for the reader. I highly recommend this wonderful book.
I can't say enough about Hanne Holten. She writes an amazing song female character in Hedda.
Any woman who takes her destiny in her own hands and not only survives but thrives is an inspiration and a pleasure to read about.
All of the characters will come to life for the reader, the good and the bad. It was so well written that you feel an connection with them, they come to life for the reader. I highly recommend this wonderful book.
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