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The Snow Witch
Alternate cover for ASIN B07F71PMXL
A GRANDFATHER CLOCK. A GLASS LOCKET. A POWERFUL CURSE UNLEASHED ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
Twelve-year-old Kitty Wigeon can't wait for Christmas at St Flurries, a grand old manor house in the countryside, until one chilly night she vanishes without a trace.
One hundred years later… Still grieving over the death of their mother, Kes Bunting and his younger sister Star, are sent to live at St Flurries. They find a house steeped in mystery and brimming with secrets.
Who, or what, is making footprints in the snow?
And what evil force is taking a cold grip on Star?
Wrap up warm as you join Kes, and a cast of eccentric snow creatures, in a race against time to solve a hundred-year-old curse. Will he succeed? Or will the fate of his sister be decided by a shivery kiss from… the Snow Witch?
A GRANDFATHER CLOCK. A GLASS LOCKET. A POWERFUL CURSE UNLEASHED ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
Twelve-year-old Kitty Wigeon can't wait for Christmas at St Flurries, a grand old manor house in the countryside, until one chilly night she vanishes without a trace.
One hundred years later… Still grieving over the death of their mother, Kes Bunting and his younger sister Star, are sent to live at St Flurries. They find a house steeped in mystery and brimming with secrets.
Who, or what, is making footprints in the snow?
And what evil force is taking a cold grip on Star?
Wrap up warm as you join Kes, and a cast of eccentric snow creatures, in a race against time to solve a hundred-year-old curse. Will he succeed? Or will the fate of his sister be decided by a shivery kiss from… the Snow Witch?
259 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2018
About the author
Rosie Boyes
2 books17 followersRosie Boyes is a children's author from the UK. She has been passionate about middle-grade books ever since she can remember. Her love of reading came at an early age when she escaped into classic stories, living out the lives of the characters she met. During her spare time, she dreams about dipping her toes in the sea, splashing through puddles, kicking up leaves in the autumn...
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 7, 2018
The Snow Witch is full of magic and childhood nostalgia. It’s two parts fantasy and one part faerie tale. If you love stories like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and the Nutcracker, you will fall in love with this one!
I absolutely adored this one! It was such an easy read, but so full of life and wonder! It was spectacularly written and beautifully vivid. Definitely a one sitting kind of read!
I loved the way the story was told. Part one was told from Kes’s perspective and followed he and his sister as they were sent to live with their grandmother. Part two was told from Kitty’s perspective almost 100 years prior, detailing the events leading up to her disappearance, and the appearance of the Snow Witch. Part three was then told from Kitty’s perspective in journal entries, which were both detailed and realistic feeling. Part four was told from Kes’s perspective again to round off the story, and part five was a special addition to part four to complete the puzzle.
It was quite interesting. I loved how the story made me feel the childhood nostalgia I got from watching the new Nuctracker movie recently. It also reminded me of the story behind Narnia and the siblings that found it through the wardrobe. It held all the magic, emotion, and beauty I loved from those classic tales, but stood on its own with originality and passion.
I fell in love with all the characters, especially Kes since he was so devoted to his sister. They really made the story soar. I also loved how Rosie created this little world and entwined both time periods so well. Everything was just perfect!
I just felt so satisfied after reading this! It had lively characters, enchantment, beauty, a well developed world, and it gave me all the feels. It was like The Secret Garden met The Snow Queen. I’d definitely recommend it because it got all the stars from me!
Thank you to the author for providing me with this free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely adored this one! It was such an easy read, but so full of life and wonder! It was spectacularly written and beautifully vivid. Definitely a one sitting kind of read!
I loved the way the story was told. Part one was told from Kes’s perspective and followed he and his sister as they were sent to live with their grandmother. Part two was told from Kitty’s perspective almost 100 years prior, detailing the events leading up to her disappearance, and the appearance of the Snow Witch. Part three was then told from Kitty’s perspective in journal entries, which were both detailed and realistic feeling. Part four was told from Kes’s perspective again to round off the story, and part five was a special addition to part four to complete the puzzle.
It was quite interesting. I loved how the story made me feel the childhood nostalgia I got from watching the new Nuctracker movie recently. It also reminded me of the story behind Narnia and the siblings that found it through the wardrobe. It held all the magic, emotion, and beauty I loved from those classic tales, but stood on its own with originality and passion.
I fell in love with all the characters, especially Kes since he was so devoted to his sister. They really made the story soar. I also loved how Rosie created this little world and entwined both time periods so well. Everything was just perfect!
I just felt so satisfied after reading this! It had lively characters, enchantment, beauty, a well developed world, and it gave me all the feels. It was like The Secret Garden met The Snow Queen. I’d definitely recommend it because it got all the stars from me!
Thank you to the author for providing me with this free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 6, 2018
A really fun, engaging middle grade read.
Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!
If you're looking for the perfect holiday-vibe book with a bit of mystery, magic, and entertaining characters, then The Snow Witch is the book for you. This is a delightful middle grade story that follows a young brother and sister, Kes and Star, as they move into a new house in the countryside with their grandmother whom they've just met for the first time. This book was such a lovely blend of fairy tale, fantasy, and family that I truly enjoyed reading and that felt like the perfect book to start off the month of December with. There are some serious themes and moments explored, but there are also plenty of lighthearted moments that help to keep the spirit of this story high.
The Snow Witch is told from two main perspectives, one from Kes' POV in the present day and one from Kitty's POV from the early twentieth century. I really liked that Boyes decided to tell the story in this way because it really helped bring both storylines lines to life, and they ended up connecting in a really clever and well-written manner. Since Kitty's POV took place in the early twentieth century, the first World War did play a bit of a background role and I found it very interesting how Boyes incorporated that element into the story itself and its impact in the lives of her and her family.
The characters were well varied in personality and a delight to read. Kes and Star are curious, kind children who have had to make the best of a rather unfortunate life situation. I admired Kes for his caring nature and how he had to take on such a mature role to take care of his younger sister; it really put into perspective what these two kids were going through in their lives and their apprehensive nature towards new people. Kitty was also a character that I found to be very endearing, and I appreciated how authentic her actions felt throughout the story. The rest of the characters that inhabit St. Flurries were such fun, from the harried cook to the stern yet merry staff members.
As much as I enjoyed this book, there were still a few inconsistencies in the writing that I noticed. Most of these seemed to be more of the early writer types of issues and weren't anything that majorly took away from my experience. One of these was a bit of consistency with the dialogue, such as when Kes, an eleven year old, used some words and phrases that just did not seem to fit in with his age or the time period. There were also times when Kes was described in a way that also felt younger than his current age, as well as older, which felt a bit off. There were also a few metaphors and sentences here and there that felt slightly overdone or unnecessary and it seemed like a bit of editing could tweak those into perfection. That being said, these issues were definitely minor and I think that the more Boyes writes, the better and better they'll get because this book was so fun and shows so much potential.
Overall, I've given The Snow Witch four stars! I honestly enjoyed every minute of reading this book and think it would be perfect any kid or adult looking for a lighthearted and entertaining wintry read. I really look forward to seeing what Boyes writes next!
Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!
If you're looking for the perfect holiday-vibe book with a bit of mystery, magic, and entertaining characters, then The Snow Witch is the book for you. This is a delightful middle grade story that follows a young brother and sister, Kes and Star, as they move into a new house in the countryside with their grandmother whom they've just met for the first time. This book was such a lovely blend of fairy tale, fantasy, and family that I truly enjoyed reading and that felt like the perfect book to start off the month of December with. There are some serious themes and moments explored, but there are also plenty of lighthearted moments that help to keep the spirit of this story high.
The Snow Witch is told from two main perspectives, one from Kes' POV in the present day and one from Kitty's POV from the early twentieth century. I really liked that Boyes decided to tell the story in this way because it really helped bring both storylines lines to life, and they ended up connecting in a really clever and well-written manner. Since Kitty's POV took place in the early twentieth century, the first World War did play a bit of a background role and I found it very interesting how Boyes incorporated that element into the story itself and its impact in the lives of her and her family.
The characters were well varied in personality and a delight to read. Kes and Star are curious, kind children who have had to make the best of a rather unfortunate life situation. I admired Kes for his caring nature and how he had to take on such a mature role to take care of his younger sister; it really put into perspective what these two kids were going through in their lives and their apprehensive nature towards new people. Kitty was also a character that I found to be very endearing, and I appreciated how authentic her actions felt throughout the story. The rest of the characters that inhabit St. Flurries were such fun, from the harried cook to the stern yet merry staff members.
As much as I enjoyed this book, there were still a few inconsistencies in the writing that I noticed. Most of these seemed to be more of the early writer types of issues and weren't anything that majorly took away from my experience. One of these was a bit of consistency with the dialogue, such as when Kes, an eleven year old, used some words and phrases that just did not seem to fit in with his age or the time period. There were also times when Kes was described in a way that also felt younger than his current age, as well as older, which felt a bit off. There were also a few metaphors and sentences here and there that felt slightly overdone or unnecessary and it seemed like a bit of editing could tweak those into perfection. That being said, these issues were definitely minor and I think that the more Boyes writes, the better and better they'll get because this book was so fun and shows so much potential.
Overall, I've given The Snow Witch four stars! I honestly enjoyed every minute of reading this book and think it would be perfect any kid or adult looking for a lighthearted and entertaining wintry read. I really look forward to seeing what Boyes writes next!
September 28, 2018
I received a pre-release copy of this book from Rosie Boyes herself in return for an honest review. The Snow Witch is a beautiful middle-grade novel which blends mystery, fantasy and the fairytale genre in one luxurious winter story.
The book begins by introducing us to our main protagonist, Kes and his sister, Star who have had a difficult time of late. We soon learn that their mother is dead and they have no idea where their useless and violent father is.
The plot begins to unravel as the brother and sister are given to their 'Granny Bird' - who is a lost relative and has offered to care for them.
Once the children move into Granny Bird's home - St Flurries - we're introduced to a host of characters and, importantly we meet Kitty who is a small child that went missing 100 years ago!
The story was enjoyable, paced and well written. I think being close to Christmas this would be a lovely festive read for children and adults alike! There's something to love for everyone.
3.5 🌟
September 19, 2018
The Snow Witch is the second book that I've read by Rosie Boyes, Clemmie's War being the first. I've always enjoyed old houses filled with nooks and crannies, expansive libraries brimming with books, a ballroom, and parlor. While I'm not quite ready for winter yet, I do love stories that give you that magical wintery feeling of swirling snowflakes, ice skating on a frozen lake, and breath visible in the crisp air. I was also really drawn to the premise of The Snow Witch, wanting to learn more about how the different components, grandfather clock, locket, and the curse were going to be linked together. I mean mystery and an old manor, sounds right up my alley.
I think the story touched on everything that I was looking for and then some. I enjoyed getting to know the various characters that inhabited St. Flurries, everyone from Goldie the 7-foot tall handyman to Chat the Cat. St. Flurries sounds absolutely adorable, despite it being rumored to be haunted, or maybe because of. Even Lady Bunting sounds wonderfully generous and kind, having spent most of her money trying to find the siblings. There's the mysterious disappearance of Kitty, the hundred-year-old curse, gypsies, and a riddle for Kes to solve. Oh, this was such a delightful read. I enjoyed how both sides of the story were reflected by splitting it into different parts, beginning in 2018 with Kes and Star, reflecting back to 1918 to tell Kitty's story and then coming back to the present. And Kitty, she's such a sweet girl and I was so saddened by the events that led to her to be bound to the grounds of St. Flurries. Overall, The Snow Witch was a delightful story of family, the bonds between brother and sister, and that "family always sticks together."
**An E ARC was received from the author in exchange for an honest review**
I think the story touched on everything that I was looking for and then some. I enjoyed getting to know the various characters that inhabited St. Flurries, everyone from Goldie the 7-foot tall handyman to Chat the Cat. St. Flurries sounds absolutely adorable, despite it being rumored to be haunted, or maybe because of. Even Lady Bunting sounds wonderfully generous and kind, having spent most of her money trying to find the siblings. There's the mysterious disappearance of Kitty, the hundred-year-old curse, gypsies, and a riddle for Kes to solve. Oh, this was such a delightful read. I enjoyed how both sides of the story were reflected by splitting it into different parts, beginning in 2018 with Kes and Star, reflecting back to 1918 to tell Kitty's story and then coming back to the present. And Kitty, she's such a sweet girl and I was so saddened by the events that led to her to be bound to the grounds of St. Flurries. Overall, The Snow Witch was a delightful story of family, the bonds between brother and sister, and that "family always sticks together."
**An E ARC was received from the author in exchange for an honest review**
September 25, 2018
When Kes and Star Bunting’s mother dies they are sent to live in foster care. They have no relatives that they know of except for their father who left them a long time ago before their mother died. Kes and Star have no idea if he is even still alive and don’t actually care. Their father loved to drink and gamble and became very abusive.
Kes and Star are later sent to live with their grandmother at St Flurries, an old house in the country with grand staircases, libraries and lots of rooms filled with mystery with an eccentric staff. Kes and Star had no idea that they had a grandmother. Kes and Star thought they were alone in the world with no one to love or care for them until they meet Granny Bird as they call her and found out that she spent most of her money looking for them over the years and is now left with no money and no way to keep the manor at St Flurries so she has made plans to sell it.
100 years ago twelve year old Kitty goes missing and is presumed dead but what no one knows is that a curse was placed on Kitty by an old witch. Kitty must find someone who can break the curse or she will die. The only person who can break the curse or is even strong enough has to be blood kin to Kitty but she has no idea who that is. Can Kitty find a way to break the curse before it is too late? How will she break the curse? Who is the blood relative who may be able to break it? Does Kitty even have any relatives left alive after all these years?
The Snow Witch is a very fast paced read that shows the love between brother and sister. It also shows that you don’t have to be blood kin to be family. It takes more than blood to make a family. It takes love and caring and thinking about someone other than yourself. I loved all the characters in The Snow Witch like Kes, Star, Kitty, Granny Bird, Goldie and Genevieve. Each character deserves a standing ovation as well as the writing. The Snow Witch flows along smoothly and keeps you coming back for more.
I would highly recommend The Snow Witch to all ages who loves a good fantasy with a little magic thrown in.
Kes and Star are later sent to live with their grandmother at St Flurries, an old house in the country with grand staircases, libraries and lots of rooms filled with mystery with an eccentric staff. Kes and Star had no idea that they had a grandmother. Kes and Star thought they were alone in the world with no one to love or care for them until they meet Granny Bird as they call her and found out that she spent most of her money looking for them over the years and is now left with no money and no way to keep the manor at St Flurries so she has made plans to sell it.
100 years ago twelve year old Kitty goes missing and is presumed dead but what no one knows is that a curse was placed on Kitty by an old witch. Kitty must find someone who can break the curse or she will die. The only person who can break the curse or is even strong enough has to be blood kin to Kitty but she has no idea who that is. Can Kitty find a way to break the curse before it is too late? How will she break the curse? Who is the blood relative who may be able to break it? Does Kitty even have any relatives left alive after all these years?
The Snow Witch is a very fast paced read that shows the love between brother and sister. It also shows that you don’t have to be blood kin to be family. It takes more than blood to make a family. It takes love and caring and thinking about someone other than yourself. I loved all the characters in The Snow Witch like Kes, Star, Kitty, Granny Bird, Goldie and Genevieve. Each character deserves a standing ovation as well as the writing. The Snow Witch flows along smoothly and keeps you coming back for more.
I would highly recommend The Snow Witch to all ages who loves a good fantasy with a little magic thrown in.
September 24, 2018
I received a pre-release copy for a review.
The Snow Witch is a fairy tale, a mystery, and a fantasy all mixed up in one glorious little story. The author, Rosie Boyes, started with a couple of orphaned children, Kes and Star, and continued her story into the past, back to the future, and into a fantasy world of gypsy curses. Her characters include a Granny Bird and her household full of caretakers and friends; Kitty, a girl from many years in the past; and a couple of snow white animals, just for pranks. They are all kept in line by a grandfather clock that runs backward. I dare say, most middle graders will find something to love in this delightful tale of suspense.
The Snow Witch is a fairy tale, a mystery, and a fantasy all mixed up in one glorious little story. The author, Rosie Boyes, started with a couple of orphaned children, Kes and Star, and continued her story into the past, back to the future, and into a fantasy world of gypsy curses. Her characters include a Granny Bird and her household full of caretakers and friends; Kitty, a girl from many years in the past; and a couple of snow white animals, just for pranks. They are all kept in line by a grandfather clock that runs backward. I dare say, most middle graders will find something to love in this delightful tale of suspense.
September 21, 2019
3.5
I really did enjoy this book. It was a short and investing read about kids who are thrust into a magical world unknowingly.
The Likes
I enjoyed the dynamic of characters. First we have the 2018 kids Kes and Star who just moved in with their grandmother in a very old and enchanting looking home. Kes was really the highlight here just because things go a little rough for Star, although I did love her spark! But Kes was a really sweet and curious kid, he just wanted to do the best for his sister after all that they have suffered. Then there is Kitty who is living in 1918 and goes on quite an adventure. I thought she was such a charming little girl and very brave for the kind of trouble she gets in. I felt really bad for her towards the end of the story and I can only imagine how hard life must have been on her and yeah I'm being vague to avoid spoilers.
I thought that the world created by the house was intriguing. There were so many secrets and magic that it held. I especially like how Boyes set it up as a treasure hunt for Kes almost and that there was a riddle he had to decipher in order to figure out how to save his family. The atmosphere that the house created was definitely haunting and wintry and all sorts of magic. I definitely felt some Narnia vibes that I was hoping for!
The book does get into some heavy topics so I might put in a content warning for alcoholism and domestic violence.
The Questionable
I am not 100% sure I was on board with the structure of the timeline of this book. It was split very starkly between 2018-1918-2018 and I felt like the flow of the story was kind of rough and messed up. I think it would have worked a lot better if the POVs switched more frequently. Like, I understand why they had to alternate in chunks and not split frequently, but how it was organised just did not exactly work for me.
I felt like the plot also fell flat in a few areas. It was a little tedious to get through because I just wanted to get back to the mystery solving! The pace was good, but it was slow in some areas.
There was a use of a racial slur that I don't think was dealt with properly. I think the story would have benefited from going in deeper with the analysis of certain characters who were labeled by it as they played such an important to the story.
Overall, I thought this was a good read. It has its flaws, but it does have great potential to entertain young readers. There is a lot of magic to be had, the characters are all quite charming, and a heartwarming ending that will enchant readers!
I really did enjoy this book. It was a short and investing read about kids who are thrust into a magical world unknowingly.
The Likes
I enjoyed the dynamic of characters. First we have the 2018 kids Kes and Star who just moved in with their grandmother in a very old and enchanting looking home. Kes was really the highlight here just because things go a little rough for Star, although I did love her spark! But Kes was a really sweet and curious kid, he just wanted to do the best for his sister after all that they have suffered. Then there is Kitty who is living in 1918 and goes on quite an adventure. I thought she was such a charming little girl and very brave for the kind of trouble she gets in. I felt really bad for her towards the end of the story and I can only imagine how hard life must have been on her and yeah I'm being vague to avoid spoilers.
I thought that the world created by the house was intriguing. There were so many secrets and magic that it held. I especially like how Boyes set it up as a treasure hunt for Kes almost and that there was a riddle he had to decipher in order to figure out how to save his family. The atmosphere that the house created was definitely haunting and wintry and all sorts of magic. I definitely felt some Narnia vibes that I was hoping for!
The book does get into some heavy topics so I might put in a content warning for alcoholism and domestic violence.
The Questionable
I am not 100% sure I was on board with the structure of the timeline of this book. It was split very starkly between 2018-1918-2018 and I felt like the flow of the story was kind of rough and messed up. I think it would have worked a lot better if the POVs switched more frequently. Like, I understand why they had to alternate in chunks and not split frequently, but how it was organised just did not exactly work for me.
I felt like the plot also fell flat in a few areas. It was a little tedious to get through because I just wanted to get back to the mystery solving! The pace was good, but it was slow in some areas.
There was a use of a racial slur that I don't think was dealt with properly. I think the story would have benefited from going in deeper with the analysis of certain characters who were labeled by it as they played such an important to the story.
Overall, I thought this was a good read. It has its flaws, but it does have great potential to entertain young readers. There is a lot of magic to be had, the characters are all quite charming, and a heartwarming ending that will enchant readers!
September 18, 2018
I was provided with an advanced e-book of 'Snow Witch' in exchange for an honest review, and whilst I do not usually take on ebooks I found myself compelled by the synopsis and I just HAD to find out more.
The book begins with an introduction to Kes and Star - brother and sister who have recently been Orphaned and are in foster care, their mother is dead and they have no idea where their waste of space father is. The story quickly unravels and reveals that they have a had a relative come forward to accept their care - their grandmother 'Granny Bird' that they knew nothing about, who happens to be mother of their waste of space father!
Soon Kes and Star arrive at the new mansion in the countryside that they are to call home over the Christmas period - St Flurries. Due to their grandmother spending a fortune trying to find them over the years she can no longer afford the home and has plans to sell it.
We are introduced to a number of different Characters throughout the book, from housekeeping staff to Genevieve - a 'crazy' old lady that has been living with Granny Bird for years - as well as Kitty, the small child that went missing 100 years ago! The character development is swift and basic, this was a refreshing change because I find a lot of books for younger audiences really focus around the characters which means the general story really loses its magic. This was not the case with Snow Witch, it continued to grip and compel you.
I devoured this book. I really enjoyed that the flow of the story was interrupted with flashbacks 100 years ago to Kitty's childhood, as well as the journal entries of the Snow Witch. This delivered plenty of information all while keeping you intrigued at how the mystery of the curse was to be broken.
The execution of this book was delivered perfectly. It was not drawn out over plenty of lifeless pages, it was direct - fast paced and magical. All loose ends were tied up and answered in one smooth motion and we were even treated to one further flashback, which I believed was vital to the story.
Overall: 4* - An enchanting, magical fairytale - perfect for children and big kids alike!
February 5, 2019
Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: October 1, 2018
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 10+ (death, alcohol, gambling, racial slurs, sexism, misogyny, trigger warnings for domestic violence.)
Publisher: KDP
Pages: 259
Amazon Link
Synopsis: A GRANDFATHER CLOCK. A GLASS LOCKET. A POWERFUL CURSE UNLEASHED ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
Twelve-year-old Kitty Wigeon can't wait for Christmas at St Flurries, a grand old manor house in the countryside, until one chilly night she vanishes without a trace.
One hundred years later… Still grieving over the death of their mother, Kes Bunting and his younger sister Star, are sent to live at St Flurries. They find a house steeped in mystery and brimming with secrets.
Who, or what, is making footprints in the snow?
And what evil force is taking a cold grip on Star?
Wrap up warm as you join Kes, and a cast of eccentric snow creatures, in a race against time to solve a hundred-year-old curse. Will he succeed? Or will the fate of his sister be decided by a shivery kiss from… the Snow Witch?
Review: I thought this book was good. The characters were enjoyable and developed. The world was interesting and intriguing. It would be a good winter read.
However, the writing was a bit weird. The dialogue was off and didn’t flow naturally. The ending was rushed and the pacing was off throughout the book. I also didn’t like that the book used the word gypsy as a slur and that there were so many stereotypes throughout the book. The book seemed to perpetuate myths that the Romani people want to dispel and I feel that the characters that were made out to be these stereotypes could have easily been written otherwise. These can be offensive to people and I wouldn’t want my child to think that all Romani people were evil and/or exotic.
Verdict: I wish it had less slurs, especially for a middle grade book.
Rating: 3/5
Publication Date: October 1, 2018
Genre: MG Fantasy
Recommended Age: 10+ (death, alcohol, gambling, racial slurs, sexism, misogyny, trigger warnings for domestic violence.)
Publisher: KDP
Pages: 259
Amazon Link
Synopsis: A GRANDFATHER CLOCK. A GLASS LOCKET. A POWERFUL CURSE UNLEASHED ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
Twelve-year-old Kitty Wigeon can't wait for Christmas at St Flurries, a grand old manor house in the countryside, until one chilly night she vanishes without a trace.
One hundred years later… Still grieving over the death of their mother, Kes Bunting and his younger sister Star, are sent to live at St Flurries. They find a house steeped in mystery and brimming with secrets.
Who, or what, is making footprints in the snow?
And what evil force is taking a cold grip on Star?
Wrap up warm as you join Kes, and a cast of eccentric snow creatures, in a race against time to solve a hundred-year-old curse. Will he succeed? Or will the fate of his sister be decided by a shivery kiss from… the Snow Witch?
Review: I thought this book was good. The characters were enjoyable and developed. The world was interesting and intriguing. It would be a good winter read.
However, the writing was a bit weird. The dialogue was off and didn’t flow naturally. The ending was rushed and the pacing was off throughout the book. I also didn’t like that the book used the word gypsy as a slur and that there were so many stereotypes throughout the book. The book seemed to perpetuate myths that the Romani people want to dispel and I feel that the characters that were made out to be these stereotypes could have easily been written otherwise. These can be offensive to people and I wouldn’t want my child to think that all Romani people were evil and/or exotic.
Verdict: I wish it had less slurs, especially for a middle grade book.
September 17, 2018
The Snow Witch is children’s book written by Rosie Boyes who also wrote Clemmie’s War. Like the first book, I also enjoyed reading this one as well, though I have to admit that I love this one more than the previous book.
It’s a story about a brother and sister called Kes and Star who lose their both parents and were put in foster care. About six months after their mother’s death they are found by their grandmother who lives in an old family home. Soon after Kes and Star move in, Star becomes ill and Kes encounters a Snow Witch whose a 100 years old curse, he has to break.
The characters are interesting and lovable. Ofcourse my favourite character are Kes and Star because they teach children about the bond that is amidst a brother and sister. Even though they don’t really know their grandmother, they soon grow fond of her and she of them. I love how Rosie presents value of family, love and friendship in such a sweet way.
As the first book, this one also has a unique style of writing which is sweet and bubbly. At the same time it’s not to simple, but it gives a child a chance to broaden his/hers vocabulary. Rosie does know how to write a wonderful book for children.
If I had children, I would definitely give them this book to read!
The review was originally posted on my blog: https://samyinbookworld.wordpress.com...
It’s a story about a brother and sister called Kes and Star who lose their both parents and were put in foster care. About six months after their mother’s death they are found by their grandmother who lives in an old family home. Soon after Kes and Star move in, Star becomes ill and Kes encounters a Snow Witch whose a 100 years old curse, he has to break.
The characters are interesting and lovable. Ofcourse my favourite character are Kes and Star because they teach children about the bond that is amidst a brother and sister. Even though they don’t really know their grandmother, they soon grow fond of her and she of them. I love how Rosie presents value of family, love and friendship in such a sweet way.
As the first book, this one also has a unique style of writing which is sweet and bubbly. At the same time it’s not to simple, but it gives a child a chance to broaden his/hers vocabulary. Rosie does know how to write a wonderful book for children.
If I had children, I would definitely give them this book to read!
The review was originally posted on my blog: https://samyinbookworld.wordpress.com...
September 22, 2018
The Snow Witch by Rosie Boyes
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 5/5 stars
Synopsis:
Star and Kes are sent to their grandmother to start a new life. But soon, things go missing and little messages are left throughout the house. It’s all about the Snow Witch and Kes has to help her, especially since his sister’s life depends on it.
My thoughts:
Some parts of the story were predictable, but there also were some surprises. Not to mention, that this is set in two different times, which makes everything more awesome than it already is! I really liked the story, how it was built up and how it ended. Especially the ending! It was so sweet and perfect for this book! I’m sure I’ll reread it when it’s close to Christmas.
I couldn’t put the book out of my hand, because I just had to know how all this ends!
Kes is an adorable protagonist, Star is just as sweet. The Snow Witch also is really interesting. I also liked the Grandma and Genevieve. Okay, I basically liked everyone, but how couldn’t I? They’re all adorable and get to develop at a nice pace.
Again, his book takes parts of our history and turns it into a fairytale like setting. This one was again inspired by a World War; the name was just changed into “Great Winter War”. The focus was on the house and its direct surroundings and I really enjoyed the description of the Witch’s life!
I could imagine everything really well; the language was picturesque and adorable. I liked the sections, which played at different times and gave a lot of background. I was never bored and really cheered for the kids in the end!
It’s an adorable read with lovely descriptions and brave characters! It’s one of my favourites now!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 5/5 stars
Synopsis:
Star and Kes are sent to their grandmother to start a new life. But soon, things go missing and little messages are left throughout the house. It’s all about the Snow Witch and Kes has to help her, especially since his sister’s life depends on it.
My thoughts:
Some parts of the story were predictable, but there also were some surprises. Not to mention, that this is set in two different times, which makes everything more awesome than it already is! I really liked the story, how it was built up and how it ended. Especially the ending! It was so sweet and perfect for this book! I’m sure I’ll reread it when it’s close to Christmas.
I couldn’t put the book out of my hand, because I just had to know how all this ends!
Kes is an adorable protagonist, Star is just as sweet. The Snow Witch also is really interesting. I also liked the Grandma and Genevieve. Okay, I basically liked everyone, but how couldn’t I? They’re all adorable and get to develop at a nice pace.
Again, his book takes parts of our history and turns it into a fairytale like setting. This one was again inspired by a World War; the name was just changed into “Great Winter War”. The focus was on the house and its direct surroundings and I really enjoyed the description of the Witch’s life!
I could imagine everything really well; the language was picturesque and adorable. I liked the sections, which played at different times and gave a lot of background. I was never bored and really cheered for the kids in the end!
It’s an adorable read with lovely descriptions and brave characters! It’s one of my favourites now!
January 3, 2019
I enjoyed a lot of things about this story: the brother/sister relationship, the family history and how it tied in with the current mystery, the fun English setting. Snow Witch has a lot of good things going for it. I want to call it a really cute story, but I’m worried that will backfire! Haha. I really just mean that it’s a sweet, fun winter tale with some mystery and magic.
I liked Kes a lot. He has such a big heart and has clearly been through so much already. His relationship with his sister is really sweet. I wasn’t as deeply moved by the section of the story from Kitty’s point-of-view. It’s kind of a long flashback, and I totally get why the story follows her memories. I think I just liked Kes so much better and wanted the story to get back where he has a chance to piece everything together and save the day. I liked both of the older ladies in the story, too. Honestly, I should just say it had great characters! Some, like the older ladies, were quirky and surprising. Others, like Kes and his sister, had so much courage.
If you’re looking for a book to read on a winter night with a cup of cocoa, check out Snow Witch. I think it would also appeal to fans of The Griffin of Darkwood by Becky Citra.
I liked Kes a lot. He has such a big heart and has clearly been through so much already. His relationship with his sister is really sweet. I wasn’t as deeply moved by the section of the story from Kitty’s point-of-view. It’s kind of a long flashback, and I totally get why the story follows her memories. I think I just liked Kes so much better and wanted the story to get back where he has a chance to piece everything together and save the day. I liked both of the older ladies in the story, too. Honestly, I should just say it had great characters! Some, like the older ladies, were quirky and surprising. Others, like Kes and his sister, had so much courage.
If you’re looking for a book to read on a winter night with a cup of cocoa, check out Snow Witch. I think it would also appeal to fans of The Griffin of Darkwood by Becky Citra.
October 10, 2018
review to come :)
January 4, 2019
I received this book as a part of Member Giveaway on LibraryThing in exchange for my honest opinion.
This review is extremely abbreviated due to the character limitations here on GR. For the entire review, check out my review on LibraryThing.
I wanted to like this more than I did. There were too many over-complications in the plot, too many unanswered questions, the curse itself was not executed or explained quite to my satisfaction, and, just overall, it was lacking a certain je ne sais quoi. Spoilers abound in this review.
PLOT SUMMARY
A 12-year-old girl named Kitty returns home after spending four years with her godmother during WWI to keep her safe. It's the holiday season and, to help with recovering from the death of Kitty's only brother and re-bonding after Kitty's absence, they attend a Christmas fair. Kitty plays tombola and wins a locket, then meets a gypsy dancer named Gwyn, who randomly tells Kitty that she is going to marry a local farm boy and give up her gypsy heritage, which has angered her mother because Gwyn will lose her gypsy magic and also not pass on any gypsy magic to her children. For reasons that aren't really clear, Gwyn then forcibly brings Kitty to her home so she can have her fortune told by her mother, Mama Rosa.
While waiting for Gwyn's mother to appear, Kitty reads a few pages of a secret gypsy spell book called The Witches Cooking Pot that was for some reason laying out in the open for anyone to look at. Mama Rosa catches her reading it and is very angry, but still reads Kitty's palm, tells Kitty that she is doomed, and then shoves Kitty rudely out the door. While standing outside recovering from that ordeal, Kitty spots Mama Rosa leaving her home a few minutes later, then watches as a man furtively enters the home and leaves a short time later with something he obviously stole. She recognizes the man as one of the soldiers still staying in the hospital wing of her family's home—he is supposed to be temporarily blind due to noxious fumes and he is basically under house arrest until he recovers from his injury before he is put to trial as a deserter.
Later that night, Kitty writes in her journal about her day and includes a few lines that she had memorized from the gypsy spell book. As she is wrapping this up, Mama Rosa pounds on the door of the estate, accusing Kitty of being a thief. Instead of just telling her parents what she knows about who the real thief is, she decides to use the house's secret passageways to get the book back from the "blind" soldier. Along the way, she decides to hide her journal key, which she had accidentally taken with her in all the excitement and which she does not want to take outside with her and risk losing, in the grandfather clock. She finds the book in the soldier's backpack, and decides for some reason to take the entire pack with her to the clearing so she can give it to Mama Rosa. Outside, a twig somehow snags Kitty's new locket and tugs it from her neck unnoticed.
Instead of being appreciative of Kitty's gesture, Mama Rosa accuses her of trying to sneak things back in to avoid being in trouble. She also asks about some missing money, but when Kitty says she doesn't know what Mama Rosa is talking about, Mama Rosa knocks her to the ground and chants the spell to curse her. Inside the family's home, the grandfather clock begins to run counterclockwise to count down the 100-year duration of Kitty's curse.
So... was Kitty "destined" to become the Snow Witch no matter what and Mama Rosa "saw" that when she read her palm and took it upon herself to make sure it happens (like a self-fulfilling prophecy almost)? But, if so, why? And, why wasn't there already a Snow Witch for it to transfer on its own? Who would Mama Rosa have cursed if Kitty hadn't come along, or would she not have cursed anyone at all? Or, if Mama Rosa hadn't been the one to curse Kitty, would someone else have done it? I could go on and on with speculation and circular questions because I just have no idea. None of this was explained adequately.
When Kitty wakes up, she is cold. Very cold. She makes her way back to her family's estate, only to find that no one can see or hear her. Watching through a window, she hears her father's decision that they are all going to leave the estate because it has too many bad memories now. Kitty runs to the clearing to escape the fear and sadness of what has happened to her, and Gwyn somehow finds her there, despite being unable to see or hear her (she tells Kitty that she can "sense" her). Gwyn informs Kitty that she knows what Mama Rosa did, that she will never forgive Mama Rosa for it, and that, while she cannot reverse the curse, she and her children and grandchildren will try to make Kitty's life more comfortable for the next 100 years. Gwyn keeps her promise only in two significant ways that I can tell, with a lot of years between each gesture (note that her children never actually do anything, the "help" sort of skips a generation):
- Three weeks after the curse sets in, she sends three animal companions to Kitty: a snow mouse named Pipit, a hedgehog named Bob, and an unusual dog named Buzz.
- In 1951, she sends one human companion, her grandchild named Genevieve, who starts to visit Kitty at the age of 6-years-old.
From 1918 - 2018, Kitty keeps a snow journal, which chronicles what she does to keep herself entertained and fed, and any news from the outside world that she hears about. Of all the things that happened during the 100 years, aside from the death of most of Kitty's relatives, only some are relevant (these are listed out on LibraryThing).
Upon arriving at St. Flurries, Kes and Star meet their grandmother and the rest of the estate's quirky inhabitants, are told some family history, experience some odd happenings, and some items go missing (it is later revealed that these were given to Kitty by Genevieve or taken by Kitty herself). Additionally, Granny Bird tells Kes and Star she must sell the estate and move to a smaller house on the grounds because she cannot afford the estate's upkeep any longer. They are also confused by the arrival of an additional (and mysterious) visitor. Star recognizes him from the solicitor's office and from the train, and for some reason the visitor is intent on what he calls "bird watching," which apparently consists of wandering around the house and grounds checking all of the taxidermy and statues for... something.
Unfortunately, not long after arriving, Star becomes ill with the flu and must stay in bed, which is most inopportune because this means Kes must find the Snow Witch and solve the mystery of Kitty on his own. Upon finally locating Kitty/Snow Witch's cottage, Kes's troubles increase when finds out from her that if he cannot help her break the curse, she will die and the next person to become the Snow Witch is the person nearest who is weak or ill—Star. Instead of focusing on that, he for some reason then grills the Snow Witch about where Kitty is, which angers Kitty/Snow Witch and, in a disproportionate fit of rage and frustration, she thrusts an icicle through his chest, freezing him into a pillar of ice.
Stunned at what has happened, Kitty asks Bob to find Genevieve, hoping that perhaps her fey magic can help. Genevieve arrives and tells Kitty that before she died, Gwyn told her that she can use her fey powers, but only once in her entire lifetime; meaning, she could help to free Kes but not subsequently help Star or Kitty. They both see no other option and go ahead with the plan.
Once freed, Kes realizes Kitty IS the Snow Witch and how Star is in danger, Genevieve explains that they need to work quickly to save Star, so they head back to the estate to come up with a plan, enlisting Granny Bird to help, as well. While Genevieve sits with Star, Kes and Granny Bird go to the Snow Witch’s cottage to locate her journal, which Genevieve has told them contains a clue for how to cure her. It turns out that it’s not the right one. They head out back to the estate to locate the other journal that Kitty had before she was the Snow Witch, which is in her bedside table, Kes retrieves the key from the grandfather clock (he knew it was there, thanks to the clue from the glass locket), and they open the journal to discover that even if they no longer have Mama Rosa's book, Kitty had unwittingly written down the cure for her own curse in her journal.
It is never explained how the message about the key in the grandfather clock even got inside the locket?? It's not like Kitty put it in there before she became the Snow Witch and it's not like she had access to the locket once she was the Snow Witch.
From this, they learn they need three mistletoe berries, a teaspoon of snow, and two cat hairs to create the remedy. Once the potion is ready, they administer it to Star and cure her; however, Kes realizes that the clock is still running backward and that they must also administer the remedy to Kitty.
At least Kes realizes this, as I was kind of wondering why Kes gave the potion to Star first when it was Kitty who needed it—even though the curse was transferring to Star, it was Kitty who still had it until midnight and we kept being told that Star could only be helped by relieving Kitty of the curse (which, to me, also means that really the cure should not have worked on Star at all).
Anyway, in a moment that is both scarring and anticlimactic, Kes gives Kitty the potion just in time, only to have the resulting after effects cause the cottage to come down upon Kitty and crush her.
Is this to kill her body in the future so that her other body in the past can be revived? Also, doesn't this kind of mean that, either way, whether she's cured or not, she would be killed, so doesn't that make breaking the curse moot? Maybe if it wasn't cured she would be dead completely as both Kitty and the Snow Witch and if she was cured she would be dead as the Snow Witch only and get a second chance to be Kitty? It just felt like a copout to me in an attempt to avoid having to explain intricacies of the curse that would be very complicated and probably had not been figured out by the author, especially since the rest of the book is very rushed and left so much else unexplained.
The next day, Christmas Day, Goldie calls everyone into the library. Finally, we learn that Garganey was supposed to deliver a letter at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, but he failed because he couldn't find find the "blackbird" he was supposed to deliver it to. Granny Bird tells them that her first name, Merle, is another name for blackbird (thus, Granny Bird). Garganey hands Granny Bird the envelope from his "extremely important client" who is a person who makes perfume. He then tells Granny Bird that, as of now, she owns the very profitable company that makes the Snowquet perfume of which she is so fond—which means they will no longer have to sell the estate. When Granny Bird reads the letter, they realize the owner of the perfume company is actually Kitty.
This was just strange to me because it's not like the perfume thing was super-significant for Kitty at the time she tried making it as an experiment while she was the Snow Witch. Yet, in the letter Kitty writes to Granny Bird as a part of her will, she says her "simple mistake" with the perfume led to her empire but it doesn't really explain how, after not being the Snow Witch anymore, Kitty decided that somehow this perfume experiment was her salvation??
Back in 1918, Kitty wakes up where she had first collapsed after Mama Rosa had cursed her, watches her snow journal crumble to pieces, and then hears her father calling her name. She races toward the house, only to find a sort-of familiar face on the doorstep: Buzz, only he is colored differently. After picking up the dog, she heads into the house to be crushed by her father with hugs and presumably live the life she would have had if she had never been the Snow Witch.
So... that's it?? The whole ending was really rushed, like the author just couldn't be bothered to make sure we really understand what happened with the logistics of the curse and time aspects.
OTHER OBSERVATIONS
I've already touched on some of the issues I had as they were specific to bits in the story as I wrote out the plot, but I also wanted to discuss a few broader issues.
Captain Finn’s Fall
Several things don't stand up for me: there is no explanation for why he would target Mama Rosa specifically or even know a gypsy has enough money worth stealing to make the risk of sneaking out worth it, there is no explanation for why Finn would even think the book is valuable and take it along with the money, and there is no explanation for why Kitty's father, the butler, and the police even suspected him in Kitty's disappearance or the robbery, except that he is a traitor. Sure, they were right about it, but that is beside the point if I can't be convinced of the logic concerning why they suspected him in the first place or even believed that Mama Rosa wasn't blowing smoke. There was no reason for them to go looking at Finn specifically, especially since they didn't even know he was pretending to be blind and Kitty never told them her suspicions before she was cursed and afterward she couldn't tell them. Basically, what I'm saying is that us knowing through Kitty that Captain Finn is guilty is not enough—we have to be able to reconcile her father and the police coming to that conclusion on their own and that was not successfully done, in my opinion.
Who Can See Kitty and Why
Why can Kes see Kitty and her cottage unaided if he doesn't have any fey blood or gypsy blood? He is not from Gwyn's line, he is from the non-magical Bunting line. For that matter, why couldn't Gwyn see Kitty when she was a full gypsy, if Genevieve is her granddaughter and could see Kitty despite being only half gypsy and by rights shouldn't have any gypsy blood at all since Gwyn gave all that up when she married the farmer? I could maybe see Gwyn losing the ability to see Kitty after she married and gave up her gypsy heritage, but she could not see Kitty even before she got married. Plus, where on earth did this "fey" magic even come from that Genevieve has?? Gwyn isn't fey, and neither, as far as we know, was the farmer. None of this was never explained adequately.
Curse Mechanics
I've already alluded to some issues about the curse, but *sigh* as with most books about curses, I have a lot of problems with this area. What is the point of the curse? The curse doesn't seem to serve any function, like thwarting evil or making sure the world continues to revolve. Kitty was just cursed to be cold and invisible and trapped on the estate grounds for 100 years. She didn't have to make sure winter happens or carry out any responsibilities having to do with cold weather or fight some sort of snow war or ANything. What happens to the Snow Witch if she breaks the curse and it does not transfer to someone else? Why can't she leave the grounds? Why can she eat the food there and interact with the "normal" world if she has "phased" outside of it to a point where she doesn't exist in it? And, what does this mean for all of the other "calendar year" witches in the Witch's Calendar Year book that Genevieve wrote?? None of this is explained, not how the multiple witch thing works, not why Genevieve wrote this book, not what the whole book is even about exactly, not why these witches/curses exist or are needed, and not even how Genevieve even learns this information because she doesn't mention it as something she learned from the clan when she talked to them later in life. Does this mean that there are, at all time, 12 cursed women for 100 years each? What happens if there is no witch for a particular month? And, what does it mean when some curses are broken but not all? I just, UHHHH.
Gypsy Magic and How It Works
I have heard about gypsy magic; however, I feel like it was a bit vague in this book and it sort of didn't really have a direction or explanation. All we learn is that gypsies have magic (though we don't know what kind of magic, exactly) and that they only keep it if they stay in the clan or else they lose it entirely and also cannot pass it on to offspring. This just seems weird to me—like if you are born into a gypsy clan then you are blood of that clan, which you cannot undo, no matter who you marry or how far you move away, so it seems to me the magic should stay with you for as long as you live and that, if you were to have children with a non-gypsy, then your children would, by blood, be half-gypsy and have half the magic you do. If it is all about whether you are part of a clan, then wouldn't that mean that if a non-gypsy marries INTO the clan that they would then gain gypsy magic (so, actually, Gwyn wouldn't lose her magic and her husband would have gained magic)? I don't know enough about gypsy magic lore to know if any of this is based on actual beliefs or if the author just used "gypsy magic" as a generic way to introduce some solutions.
Unexplained Bird References
I don't really get the bird references and why they are so significant, especially since this book isn't called something like "The Snow Bird" or "The Bird's Curse" or even "The Bird Witch." Everyone has bird names (creating the "nest" of characters the author lists in back) for no reason I can discern other than to make it easier to give them personalities and appearances based on those birds. I realize there's the whole "blackbird" thing in finding Granny Bird to tell her she has inherited Kitty's perfume business, but I don't really understand why it had to be a bird reference for that mystery instead of some other naming convention, like one having to do with SNOW or WINTER. It all just seems totally random and I don't get it.
Reading Level
One thing to note is this book is marketed toward children/middle grades. I am not sure what "middle grades" refers to, exactly, because I think all educational systems divide this differently. I would put this at closer to 8th grade (13-year-olds or even 14-year-olds), rather than 5th-6th (10-11-year-olds). Not because of the content, but because the writing level almost borders on young adult with some complicated words (for example, words like "paraphernalia," "ensconced," "viaduct," "metropolis," "prefabricated," "velocipede," and "pneumatic" are all in the first chapter alone). Parents who are considering this book for their child may want to take a look first at a couple chapters to check if they feel it falls within their child's reading comprehension abilities (regardless of their age). If it doesn't, maybe reading it together or making sure a parent is available to help with the harder words as the child goes through it might be good? Not that a challenge isn't a good thing because that is how we advance our reading skills, I'd just hate for reading this to become a point of frustration where comprehension (which would affect enjoyment) is concerned for a child if they struggle with unexpected high-level words within.
Target Audience
As I said in my introduction, this book just... lacked something for me. Now having written all this out, I realized it may actually have to do with the in-between nature of the reading level. I think (especially if the issues I noted were fixed) it had the potential to be an amazing dark young adult book (sort of on the lines of the His Fair Assassin or Poison Study series—something aimed at late teens/early 20s and more strongly young adult), but it sort of reads like it was written for a much older audience, but was modified for younger kids and had no real focus in the end.
This review is extremely abbreviated due to the character limitations here on GR. For the entire review, check out my review on LibraryThing.
I wanted to like this more than I did. There were too many over-complications in the plot, too many unanswered questions, the curse itself was not executed or explained quite to my satisfaction, and, just overall, it was lacking a certain je ne sais quoi. Spoilers abound in this review.
PLOT SUMMARY
A 12-year-old girl named Kitty returns home after spending four years with her godmother during WWI to keep her safe. It's the holiday season and, to help with recovering from the death of Kitty's only brother and re-bonding after Kitty's absence, they attend a Christmas fair. Kitty plays tombola and wins a locket, then meets a gypsy dancer named Gwyn, who randomly tells Kitty that she is going to marry a local farm boy and give up her gypsy heritage, which has angered her mother because Gwyn will lose her gypsy magic and also not pass on any gypsy magic to her children. For reasons that aren't really clear, Gwyn then forcibly brings Kitty to her home so she can have her fortune told by her mother, Mama Rosa.
While waiting for Gwyn's mother to appear, Kitty reads a few pages of a secret gypsy spell book called The Witches Cooking Pot that was for some reason laying out in the open for anyone to look at. Mama Rosa catches her reading it and is very angry, but still reads Kitty's palm, tells Kitty that she is doomed, and then shoves Kitty rudely out the door. While standing outside recovering from that ordeal, Kitty spots Mama Rosa leaving her home a few minutes later, then watches as a man furtively enters the home and leaves a short time later with something he obviously stole. She recognizes the man as one of the soldiers still staying in the hospital wing of her family's home—he is supposed to be temporarily blind due to noxious fumes and he is basically under house arrest until he recovers from his injury before he is put to trial as a deserter.
Later that night, Kitty writes in her journal about her day and includes a few lines that she had memorized from the gypsy spell book. As she is wrapping this up, Mama Rosa pounds on the door of the estate, accusing Kitty of being a thief. Instead of just telling her parents what she knows about who the real thief is, she decides to use the house's secret passageways to get the book back from the "blind" soldier. Along the way, she decides to hide her journal key, which she had accidentally taken with her in all the excitement and which she does not want to take outside with her and risk losing, in the grandfather clock. She finds the book in the soldier's backpack, and decides for some reason to take the entire pack with her to the clearing so she can give it to Mama Rosa. Outside, a twig somehow snags Kitty's new locket and tugs it from her neck unnoticed.
Instead of being appreciative of Kitty's gesture, Mama Rosa accuses her of trying to sneak things back in to avoid being in trouble. She also asks about some missing money, but when Kitty says she doesn't know what Mama Rosa is talking about, Mama Rosa knocks her to the ground and chants the spell to curse her. Inside the family's home, the grandfather clock begins to run counterclockwise to count down the 100-year duration of Kitty's curse.
So... was Kitty "destined" to become the Snow Witch no matter what and Mama Rosa "saw" that when she read her palm and took it upon herself to make sure it happens (like a self-fulfilling prophecy almost)? But, if so, why? And, why wasn't there already a Snow Witch for it to transfer on its own? Who would Mama Rosa have cursed if Kitty hadn't come along, or would she not have cursed anyone at all? Or, if Mama Rosa hadn't been the one to curse Kitty, would someone else have done it? I could go on and on with speculation and circular questions because I just have no idea. None of this was explained adequately.
When Kitty wakes up, she is cold. Very cold. She makes her way back to her family's estate, only to find that no one can see or hear her. Watching through a window, she hears her father's decision that they are all going to leave the estate because it has too many bad memories now. Kitty runs to the clearing to escape the fear and sadness of what has happened to her, and Gwyn somehow finds her there, despite being unable to see or hear her (she tells Kitty that she can "sense" her). Gwyn informs Kitty that she knows what Mama Rosa did, that she will never forgive Mama Rosa for it, and that, while she cannot reverse the curse, she and her children and grandchildren will try to make Kitty's life more comfortable for the next 100 years. Gwyn keeps her promise only in two significant ways that I can tell, with a lot of years between each gesture (note that her children never actually do anything, the "help" sort of skips a generation):
- Three weeks after the curse sets in, she sends three animal companions to Kitty: a snow mouse named Pipit, a hedgehog named Bob, and an unusual dog named Buzz.
- In 1951, she sends one human companion, her grandchild named Genevieve, who starts to visit Kitty at the age of 6-years-old.
From 1918 - 2018, Kitty keeps a snow journal, which chronicles what she does to keep herself entertained and fed, and any news from the outside world that she hears about. Of all the things that happened during the 100 years, aside from the death of most of Kitty's relatives, only some are relevant (these are listed out on LibraryThing).
Upon arriving at St. Flurries, Kes and Star meet their grandmother and the rest of the estate's quirky inhabitants, are told some family history, experience some odd happenings, and some items go missing (it is later revealed that these were given to Kitty by Genevieve or taken by Kitty herself). Additionally, Granny Bird tells Kes and Star she must sell the estate and move to a smaller house on the grounds because she cannot afford the estate's upkeep any longer. They are also confused by the arrival of an additional (and mysterious) visitor. Star recognizes him from the solicitor's office and from the train, and for some reason the visitor is intent on what he calls "bird watching," which apparently consists of wandering around the house and grounds checking all of the taxidermy and statues for... something.
Unfortunately, not long after arriving, Star becomes ill with the flu and must stay in bed, which is most inopportune because this means Kes must find the Snow Witch and solve the mystery of Kitty on his own. Upon finally locating Kitty/Snow Witch's cottage, Kes's troubles increase when finds out from her that if he cannot help her break the curse, she will die and the next person to become the Snow Witch is the person nearest who is weak or ill—Star. Instead of focusing on that, he for some reason then grills the Snow Witch about where Kitty is, which angers Kitty/Snow Witch and, in a disproportionate fit of rage and frustration, she thrusts an icicle through his chest, freezing him into a pillar of ice.
Stunned at what has happened, Kitty asks Bob to find Genevieve, hoping that perhaps her fey magic can help. Genevieve arrives and tells Kitty that before she died, Gwyn told her that she can use her fey powers, but only once in her entire lifetime; meaning, she could help to free Kes but not subsequently help Star or Kitty. They both see no other option and go ahead with the plan.
Once freed, Kes realizes Kitty IS the Snow Witch and how Star is in danger, Genevieve explains that they need to work quickly to save Star, so they head back to the estate to come up with a plan, enlisting Granny Bird to help, as well. While Genevieve sits with Star, Kes and Granny Bird go to the Snow Witch’s cottage to locate her journal, which Genevieve has told them contains a clue for how to cure her. It turns out that it’s not the right one. They head out back to the estate to locate the other journal that Kitty had before she was the Snow Witch, which is in her bedside table, Kes retrieves the key from the grandfather clock (he knew it was there, thanks to the clue from the glass locket), and they open the journal to discover that even if they no longer have Mama Rosa's book, Kitty had unwittingly written down the cure for her own curse in her journal.
It is never explained how the message about the key in the grandfather clock even got inside the locket?? It's not like Kitty put it in there before she became the Snow Witch and it's not like she had access to the locket once she was the Snow Witch.
From this, they learn they need three mistletoe berries, a teaspoon of snow, and two cat hairs to create the remedy. Once the potion is ready, they administer it to Star and cure her; however, Kes realizes that the clock is still running backward and that they must also administer the remedy to Kitty.
At least Kes realizes this, as I was kind of wondering why Kes gave the potion to Star first when it was Kitty who needed it—even though the curse was transferring to Star, it was Kitty who still had it until midnight and we kept being told that Star could only be helped by relieving Kitty of the curse (which, to me, also means that really the cure should not have worked on Star at all).
Anyway, in a moment that is both scarring and anticlimactic, Kes gives Kitty the potion just in time, only to have the resulting after effects cause the cottage to come down upon Kitty and crush her.
Is this to kill her body in the future so that her other body in the past can be revived? Also, doesn't this kind of mean that, either way, whether she's cured or not, she would be killed, so doesn't that make breaking the curse moot? Maybe if it wasn't cured she would be dead completely as both Kitty and the Snow Witch and if she was cured she would be dead as the Snow Witch only and get a second chance to be Kitty? It just felt like a copout to me in an attempt to avoid having to explain intricacies of the curse that would be very complicated and probably had not been figured out by the author, especially since the rest of the book is very rushed and left so much else unexplained.
The next day, Christmas Day, Goldie calls everyone into the library. Finally, we learn that Garganey was supposed to deliver a letter at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve, but he failed because he couldn't find find the "blackbird" he was supposed to deliver it to. Granny Bird tells them that her first name, Merle, is another name for blackbird (thus, Granny Bird). Garganey hands Granny Bird the envelope from his "extremely important client" who is a person who makes perfume. He then tells Granny Bird that, as of now, she owns the very profitable company that makes the Snowquet perfume of which she is so fond—which means they will no longer have to sell the estate. When Granny Bird reads the letter, they realize the owner of the perfume company is actually Kitty.
This was just strange to me because it's not like the perfume thing was super-significant for Kitty at the time she tried making it as an experiment while she was the Snow Witch. Yet, in the letter Kitty writes to Granny Bird as a part of her will, she says her "simple mistake" with the perfume led to her empire but it doesn't really explain how, after not being the Snow Witch anymore, Kitty decided that somehow this perfume experiment was her salvation??
Back in 1918, Kitty wakes up where she had first collapsed after Mama Rosa had cursed her, watches her snow journal crumble to pieces, and then hears her father calling her name. She races toward the house, only to find a sort-of familiar face on the doorstep: Buzz, only he is colored differently. After picking up the dog, she heads into the house to be crushed by her father with hugs and presumably live the life she would have had if she had never been the Snow Witch.
So... that's it?? The whole ending was really rushed, like the author just couldn't be bothered to make sure we really understand what happened with the logistics of the curse and time aspects.
OTHER OBSERVATIONS
I've already touched on some of the issues I had as they were specific to bits in the story as I wrote out the plot, but I also wanted to discuss a few broader issues.
Captain Finn’s Fall
Several things don't stand up for me: there is no explanation for why he would target Mama Rosa specifically or even know a gypsy has enough money worth stealing to make the risk of sneaking out worth it, there is no explanation for why Finn would even think the book is valuable and take it along with the money, and there is no explanation for why Kitty's father, the butler, and the police even suspected him in Kitty's disappearance or the robbery, except that he is a traitor. Sure, they were right about it, but that is beside the point if I can't be convinced of the logic concerning why they suspected him in the first place or even believed that Mama Rosa wasn't blowing smoke. There was no reason for them to go looking at Finn specifically, especially since they didn't even know he was pretending to be blind and Kitty never told them her suspicions before she was cursed and afterward she couldn't tell them. Basically, what I'm saying is that us knowing through Kitty that Captain Finn is guilty is not enough—we have to be able to reconcile her father and the police coming to that conclusion on their own and that was not successfully done, in my opinion.
Who Can See Kitty and Why
Why can Kes see Kitty and her cottage unaided if he doesn't have any fey blood or gypsy blood? He is not from Gwyn's line, he is from the non-magical Bunting line. For that matter, why couldn't Gwyn see Kitty when she was a full gypsy, if Genevieve is her granddaughter and could see Kitty despite being only half gypsy and by rights shouldn't have any gypsy blood at all since Gwyn gave all that up when she married the farmer? I could maybe see Gwyn losing the ability to see Kitty after she married and gave up her gypsy heritage, but she could not see Kitty even before she got married. Plus, where on earth did this "fey" magic even come from that Genevieve has?? Gwyn isn't fey, and neither, as far as we know, was the farmer. None of this was never explained adequately.
Curse Mechanics
I've already alluded to some issues about the curse, but *sigh* as with most books about curses, I have a lot of problems with this area. What is the point of the curse? The curse doesn't seem to serve any function, like thwarting evil or making sure the world continues to revolve. Kitty was just cursed to be cold and invisible and trapped on the estate grounds for 100 years. She didn't have to make sure winter happens or carry out any responsibilities having to do with cold weather or fight some sort of snow war or ANything. What happens to the Snow Witch if she breaks the curse and it does not transfer to someone else? Why can't she leave the grounds? Why can she eat the food there and interact with the "normal" world if she has "phased" outside of it to a point where she doesn't exist in it? And, what does this mean for all of the other "calendar year" witches in the Witch's Calendar Year book that Genevieve wrote?? None of this is explained, not how the multiple witch thing works, not why Genevieve wrote this book, not what the whole book is even about exactly, not why these witches/curses exist or are needed, and not even how Genevieve even learns this information because she doesn't mention it as something she learned from the clan when she talked to them later in life. Does this mean that there are, at all time, 12 cursed women for 100 years each? What happens if there is no witch for a particular month? And, what does it mean when some curses are broken but not all? I just, UHHHH.
Gypsy Magic and How It Works
I have heard about gypsy magic; however, I feel like it was a bit vague in this book and it sort of didn't really have a direction or explanation. All we learn is that gypsies have magic (though we don't know what kind of magic, exactly) and that they only keep it if they stay in the clan or else they lose it entirely and also cannot pass it on to offspring. This just seems weird to me—like if you are born into a gypsy clan then you are blood of that clan, which you cannot undo, no matter who you marry or how far you move away, so it seems to me the magic should stay with you for as long as you live and that, if you were to have children with a non-gypsy, then your children would, by blood, be half-gypsy and have half the magic you do. If it is all about whether you are part of a clan, then wouldn't that mean that if a non-gypsy marries INTO the clan that they would then gain gypsy magic (so, actually, Gwyn wouldn't lose her magic and her husband would have gained magic)? I don't know enough about gypsy magic lore to know if any of this is based on actual beliefs or if the author just used "gypsy magic" as a generic way to introduce some solutions.
Unexplained Bird References
I don't really get the bird references and why they are so significant, especially since this book isn't called something like "The Snow Bird" or "The Bird's Curse" or even "The Bird Witch." Everyone has bird names (creating the "nest" of characters the author lists in back) for no reason I can discern other than to make it easier to give them personalities and appearances based on those birds. I realize there's the whole "blackbird" thing in finding Granny Bird to tell her she has inherited Kitty's perfume business, but I don't really understand why it had to be a bird reference for that mystery instead of some other naming convention, like one having to do with SNOW or WINTER. It all just seems totally random and I don't get it.
Reading Level
One thing to note is this book is marketed toward children/middle grades. I am not sure what "middle grades" refers to, exactly, because I think all educational systems divide this differently. I would put this at closer to 8th grade (13-year-olds or even 14-year-olds), rather than 5th-6th (10-11-year-olds). Not because of the content, but because the writing level almost borders on young adult with some complicated words (for example, words like "paraphernalia," "ensconced," "viaduct," "metropolis," "prefabricated," "velocipede," and "pneumatic" are all in the first chapter alone). Parents who are considering this book for their child may want to take a look first at a couple chapters to check if they feel it falls within their child's reading comprehension abilities (regardless of their age). If it doesn't, maybe reading it together or making sure a parent is available to help with the harder words as the child goes through it might be good? Not that a challenge isn't a good thing because that is how we advance our reading skills, I'd just hate for reading this to become a point of frustration where comprehension (which would affect enjoyment) is concerned for a child if they struggle with unexpected high-level words within.
Target Audience
As I said in my introduction, this book just... lacked something for me. Now having written all this out, I realized it may actually have to do with the in-between nature of the reading level. I think (especially if the issues I noted were fixed) it had the potential to be an amazing dark young adult book (sort of on the lines of the His Fair Assassin or Poison Study series—something aimed at late teens/early 20s and more strongly young adult), but it sort of reads like it was written for a much older audience, but was modified for younger kids and had no real focus in the end.
September 23, 2018
I love a good fairy tale - especially ones with a little bit of a dark side. "The Snow Witch" by Rosie Boyes really scratched that itch for me - while it is technically a "young adult" book, it is a really well-crafted story with plenty to keep both young readers and adults entertained.
The book follows brother and sister pair Kes and Star, foster children who gets news that a relative has stepped forward to care for them, and that relative lives in a grand old house called St. Flurries, which is full of crazy characters, including possibly, a ghost. Kes has to solve the mystery of the house, hidden deep in the past, to keep him and his sister safe.
The story is told from two perspectives in two different time periods and both stories are interesting - I liked both storylines and thought both moved the action along really well.
The characters are what really makes this book, however. The cast of characters that inhabit St. Flurries are amazing, from Granny Bird, to her staff and companions (both human and feline). Boyes did a fabulous job crafting a world that really sucks you in and grabs you.
The author also does a great job at evoking a wide range of emotions throughout the book - from fear, to happiness, to sadness and then back to happy. This book really runs the gamut. I enjoyed it immensely and think that any reader who wants to cozy up with a quick read this winter that is just enough of a dark fairy tale to keep you interested until the very end.
Highly recommended,
The book follows brother and sister pair Kes and Star, foster children who gets news that a relative has stepped forward to care for them, and that relative lives in a grand old house called St. Flurries, which is full of crazy characters, including possibly, a ghost. Kes has to solve the mystery of the house, hidden deep in the past, to keep him and his sister safe.
The story is told from two perspectives in two different time periods and both stories are interesting - I liked both storylines and thought both moved the action along really well.
The characters are what really makes this book, however. The cast of characters that inhabit St. Flurries are amazing, from Granny Bird, to her staff and companions (both human and feline). Boyes did a fabulous job crafting a world that really sucks you in and grabs you.
The author also does a great job at evoking a wide range of emotions throughout the book - from fear, to happiness, to sadness and then back to happy. This book really runs the gamut. I enjoyed it immensely and think that any reader who wants to cozy up with a quick read this winter that is just enough of a dark fairy tale to keep you interested until the very end.
Highly recommended,
October 29, 2018
Also posted on my blog, Kitty Cat at the Library, with cat pictures and actual pictures of Natsu Dragneel! *not clickbait*
I received this book in exchange for an honest review
Ok, so, to start off, this book follows two people: the Snow Witch (who is the main character) and a ‘purehearted’ little teenager named Kes. The teenager has had a series of unfortunate events and finally finds a home in a (spooky) mansion. But then his sister gets sick. Why?? Find out…
This book has absolutely gripping writing. The descriptions were spot on and it felt like I could see and smell and touch everything in the book. I really wish some parts of it could have been animated because it would have been SO pretty. I love winter and this book seemed to capture some of the more beautiful aspects of it perfectly (which is good, since it is about a Snow Witch.) The story also had some interesting concepts and twists that I really was fascinated by! I loved how the magic was incorporated into the story, but it never really felt forced or otherworldly. Plus I LOVE stories where kids move into old houses and strange things happen and then they have to find out what is going on. It really tickles my hat, in a good way. (When you sort of know the phrase but forget it halfway through…) Plus I ADORED some of the characters and I loved how there were a lot of strong female characters too! So many characters had such interesting backstories and I wanted to see more of that.
Speaking of interesting characters, let’s talk about the Snow Witch. I’m glad we got to know lot’s about her. She was my favorite character and her whole life was a bit tragic, but she found happiness and that is truly beautiful. I was enraptured by her perspective on things and I loved reading about her life and all the changes around her.
Despite all of these good thing, I felt that the most interesting parts of the story were brushed off to make room for the clichéd aspects. There was so much potential for this book to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. There were magical gypsy troupes, witches, curses, clocks running backwards. You could take even just one of these things and create a fascinating story around it. Each are, or have the potential to be, utterly new, magical, and unique. However, The Snow Witch did not go into depth or really explain any of this. They were more thrown in to move along the plot and characters.
I also really hate how there was a time limit. It’s starting to get old. I think that time limits really make the plot more predictable because that leads to writers or creators of stories to lean on the countdown to build tension and urgency instead of the actual plot. This book falls into that trap. It also felt way to casual of a deadline as well. We did not get to know or were not attached to any of the characters or relationships to care in the first place. Personally, I would have prefered there to not be any deadline at all.
I also felt that there were too many ‘anime moments’. If any of you fellow Kittycatians have watched any sort of adventure anime, you’ll know that the (already) overpowered character will suddenly, for no reason at all, power up. Why is this? Usually it is because there is no other way for the characters to continue on their quest without some (impossible) new power or trick. For example, in the anime Fairy Tail (one of my favorites) the main character Natsu continuously gets new powers throughout the eight seasons, and then again gets the ultimate power up at the end of the series. He goes from this smol bean:
[image of cute, young anime character]
To this (not even his most overpowered form either) everytime something bad happens:
[image of the same anime character, only older and with a glowing red eye and explosions]
It’s pretty impossible if you really think about it. (Got a bit sidetracked by my love for Natsu. Whoops) ;) That’s what a lot of this book felt like to me: convenient things happening to move along and solve plot-holes instead of actual character decisions affecting the storyline.
There were different sections to this story, which actually worked pretty well. We needed exposure to the present and the past to really fully grasp what was happening in the story. However, I felt like the story added in too many irrelevant details to certain parts, which didn’t leave time for the actual important stuff.
There was also a minor issue that sort of bothered me while also making me chuckle a bit. The dialogue in some of the story felt SO old. During the more modern part, some of the things Kes was saying I’ve never heard a modern-day kid say before. I sometimes speak in a bit older english and say things like “For shame!” but that’s really just because I look at too many memes on the internet. I don’t really expect characters in books to be ‘yeeting’ all the time, but at some points it was just unrealistic. (The lack of Fortnite dancing was also disappointing.)
I was also super confused during the end. It was sort of like a ‘and it was all just a dream’ ending, but not? I was seriously confused and that entire part honestly could have been left out.
All in all, the book had wonderful writing but fell short of what it could have been. It was entertaining although throughly confusing at parts that all winded down into a surprising conclusion with an important message.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review
Ok, so, to start off, this book follows two people: the Snow Witch (who is the main character) and a ‘purehearted’ little teenager named Kes. The teenager has had a series of unfortunate events and finally finds a home in a (spooky) mansion. But then his sister gets sick. Why?? Find out…
This book has absolutely gripping writing. The descriptions were spot on and it felt like I could see and smell and touch everything in the book. I really wish some parts of it could have been animated because it would have been SO pretty. I love winter and this book seemed to capture some of the more beautiful aspects of it perfectly (which is good, since it is about a Snow Witch.) The story also had some interesting concepts and twists that I really was fascinated by! I loved how the magic was incorporated into the story, but it never really felt forced or otherworldly. Plus I LOVE stories where kids move into old houses and strange things happen and then they have to find out what is going on. It really tickles my hat, in a good way. (When you sort of know the phrase but forget it halfway through…) Plus I ADORED some of the characters and I loved how there were a lot of strong female characters too! So many characters had such interesting backstories and I wanted to see more of that.
Speaking of interesting characters, let’s talk about the Snow Witch. I’m glad we got to know lot’s about her. She was my favorite character and her whole life was a bit tragic, but she found happiness and that is truly beautiful. I was enraptured by her perspective on things and I loved reading about her life and all the changes around her.
Despite all of these good thing, I felt that the most interesting parts of the story were brushed off to make room for the clichéd aspects. There was so much potential for this book to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. There were magical gypsy troupes, witches, curses, clocks running backwards. You could take even just one of these things and create a fascinating story around it. Each are, or have the potential to be, utterly new, magical, and unique. However, The Snow Witch did not go into depth or really explain any of this. They were more thrown in to move along the plot and characters.
I also really hate how there was a time limit. It’s starting to get old. I think that time limits really make the plot more predictable because that leads to writers or creators of stories to lean on the countdown to build tension and urgency instead of the actual plot. This book falls into that trap. It also felt way to casual of a deadline as well. We did not get to know or were not attached to any of the characters or relationships to care in the first place. Personally, I would have prefered there to not be any deadline at all.
I also felt that there were too many ‘anime moments’. If any of you fellow Kittycatians have watched any sort of adventure anime, you’ll know that the (already) overpowered character will suddenly, for no reason at all, power up. Why is this? Usually it is because there is no other way for the characters to continue on their quest without some (impossible) new power or trick. For example, in the anime Fairy Tail (one of my favorites) the main character Natsu continuously gets new powers throughout the eight seasons, and then again gets the ultimate power up at the end of the series. He goes from this smol bean:
[image of cute, young anime character]
To this (not even his most overpowered form either) everytime something bad happens:
[image of the same anime character, only older and with a glowing red eye and explosions]
It’s pretty impossible if you really think about it. (Got a bit sidetracked by my love for Natsu. Whoops) ;) That’s what a lot of this book felt like to me: convenient things happening to move along and solve plot-holes instead of actual character decisions affecting the storyline.
There were different sections to this story, which actually worked pretty well. We needed exposure to the present and the past to really fully grasp what was happening in the story. However, I felt like the story added in too many irrelevant details to certain parts, which didn’t leave time for the actual important stuff.
There was also a minor issue that sort of bothered me while also making me chuckle a bit. The dialogue in some of the story felt SO old. During the more modern part, some of the things Kes was saying I’ve never heard a modern-day kid say before. I sometimes speak in a bit older english and say things like “For shame!” but that’s really just because I look at too many memes on the internet. I don’t really expect characters in books to be ‘yeeting’ all the time, but at some points it was just unrealistic. (The lack of Fortnite dancing was also disappointing.)
I was also super confused during the end. It was sort of like a ‘and it was all just a dream’ ending, but not? I was seriously confused and that entire part honestly could have been left out.
All in all, the book had wonderful writing but fell short of what it could have been. It was entertaining although throughly confusing at parts that all winded down into a surprising conclusion with an important message.
November 14, 2018
You can also see my review on my blog or on Amazon.
Actual Rating:
2.5/5 stars, rounded up to 3.
Trigger/Content warnings for the novel:
--- mentions of parental death
--- description of sibling death
--- mentions of domestic violence
--- mentions of alcoholism
--- mentions of gambling
--- sexism and misogyny
--- racial slur toward and stereotypes about Romani people
Representation in the novel:
N/A
I received this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Listen, I really wanted to love this book. And if it weren’t for the things I really didn’t like, I think this could have easily been a 3.5- or 4-star read for me. But alas…here we are.
The Snow Witch follows Kes and Star as they start to live at St. Flurries, the home of their grandmother. After their mother passed away, they had to live with a foster parent who didn’t act the best toward them until their grandmother was able to gain custody of them. Once there, Kes and Star are able to explore and get to know everyone who works for their grandmother, as well as their grandmother herself. However, Star soon gets sick, and Kes has to figure how to make her better because she’s actually succumbing to a curse.
I’m going to start with what I liked about The Snow Witch: I thought the characters were interesting and cute. It was fun to see everyone interact with each other. I also really enjoyed the setting. When it was warm and fuzzy, it was warm and fuzzy, but more often than not, it wanted me to make a grab for the thickest blanket I had because it isn’t every day I read something set during the winter. The theme surrounding family was nice, too, especially when the book touches on how family isn’t always blood, as well as the theme around friendship. Also? I’m always down for cute snow/ice/winter creatures, and The Snow Witch offers that for sure.
Now…on to the things I either didn’t really like or that made me really annoyed. First, the dialogue. It seemed to me that, whenever a few characters got a conversation going, they would abruptly stop right when it got good. This happened a few times. It’s not that big a deal, but for me, it sort of through me out of the story a little bit.
Second, the ending? While I love a happy ending just like a lot of other people, I thought it was a bit rushed. Again, it’s more of a me thing, maybe that’s just how middle grade books “are,” but it just seemed…eh? I suppose? It wasn’t necessarily bad by any means, but I was a bit thrown how it ended neatly within a few pages.
Third, and this is the huge reason for my rating: the use of the G-slur and the stereotypes perpetuated throughout the novel. If you don’t know what I’m talking about: it’s g*psy. Here's a great article that explains why the G-slur is considered a slur against Romani people, and why it shouldn’t be used by non-Romani people. And, uh, wow, this book goes full-force into stereotype territory: we not only have the exotic G-slur girl, but we also have the mysterious and evil G-slur witch. Y’all. It is 2018. There is no reason for people to use this slur and these stereotypes. There are so many other tropes to use instead. For example, there could have been just a regular witch or a mage or something other than what was used. I’m just so frustrated, especially since it’s a middle grade book. It would have been so much fun if it weren’t for the fact that negative racial stereotypes were continuously used.
So…yeah. While I didn’t really have any sort of expectations going in because I knew little about the book, I would have liked it a ton more if it weren’t for the continual use of a racial slur and stereotype.
Actual Rating:
2.5/5 stars, rounded up to 3.
Trigger/Content warnings for the novel:
--- mentions of parental death
--- description of sibling death
--- mentions of domestic violence
--- mentions of alcoholism
--- mentions of gambling
--- sexism and misogyny
--- racial slur toward and stereotypes about Romani people
Representation in the novel:
N/A
I received this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Listen, I really wanted to love this book. And if it weren’t for the things I really didn’t like, I think this could have easily been a 3.5- or 4-star read for me. But alas…here we are.
The Snow Witch follows Kes and Star as they start to live at St. Flurries, the home of their grandmother. After their mother passed away, they had to live with a foster parent who didn’t act the best toward them until their grandmother was able to gain custody of them. Once there, Kes and Star are able to explore and get to know everyone who works for their grandmother, as well as their grandmother herself. However, Star soon gets sick, and Kes has to figure how to make her better because she’s actually succumbing to a curse.
I’m going to start with what I liked about The Snow Witch: I thought the characters were interesting and cute. It was fun to see everyone interact with each other. I also really enjoyed the setting. When it was warm and fuzzy, it was warm and fuzzy, but more often than not, it wanted me to make a grab for the thickest blanket I had because it isn’t every day I read something set during the winter. The theme surrounding family was nice, too, especially when the book touches on how family isn’t always blood, as well as the theme around friendship. Also? I’m always down for cute snow/ice/winter creatures, and The Snow Witch offers that for sure.
Now…on to the things I either didn’t really like or that made me really annoyed. First, the dialogue. It seemed to me that, whenever a few characters got a conversation going, they would abruptly stop right when it got good. This happened a few times. It’s not that big a deal, but for me, it sort of through me out of the story a little bit.
Second, the ending? While I love a happy ending just like a lot of other people, I thought it was a bit rushed. Again, it’s more of a me thing, maybe that’s just how middle grade books “are,” but it just seemed…eh? I suppose? It wasn’t necessarily bad by any means, but I was a bit thrown how it ended neatly within a few pages.
Third, and this is the huge reason for my rating: the use of the G-slur and the stereotypes perpetuated throughout the novel. If you don’t know what I’m talking about: it’s g*psy. Here's a great article that explains why the G-slur is considered a slur against Romani people, and why it shouldn’t be used by non-Romani people. And, uh, wow, this book goes full-force into stereotype territory: we not only have the exotic G-slur girl, but we also have the mysterious and evil G-slur witch. Y’all. It is 2018. There is no reason for people to use this slur and these stereotypes. There are so many other tropes to use instead. For example, there could have been just a regular witch or a mage or something other than what was used. I’m just so frustrated, especially since it’s a middle grade book. It would have been so much fun if it weren’t for the fact that negative racial stereotypes were continuously used.
So…yeah. While I didn’t really have any sort of expectations going in because I knew little about the book, I would have liked it a ton more if it weren’t for the continual use of a racial slur and stereotype.
October 2, 2018
Christmas, lots of snow, a grandfather clock in an old mansion, a powerful curse, and a witch in two time periods. What’s not to like? This book is intended for middle grade children, but it is so well-written and so darned compelling, at least from this adult’s point of view, I can recommend it to everyone.
The story: It’s December 2018. Twelve- year-old Kes Bunting and his younger sister Star, both orphans, are living in a cold, dilapidated foster home overseen by the devious Mrs. Auk. She receives an official letter from Hoop, Hoop, Hoop, Hoop and Sons, announcing the children’s legal guardian has been found, and shortly they are off by train to meet their grandmother, Lady Bunting. She resides in a large country mansion called St. Flurries, which is supposed to be haunted. They are followed there by an elderly man in a dark gray suit. What a great beginning!
St. Flurries is a wondrous old house, populated by a seven foot tall major domo named Goldie, who has a black eye patch; their white-haired grandmother whom they call Granny Bird; the rotund cook named Mrs. Chiffchaff; a tiny, bird-like old woman named Genevieve, who talks in riddles and acts most strangely; and Chat the cat. One of the first things the children notice is a grandfather clock which keeps time running backward.
It is snowing heavily, the countdown to Christmas has begun, and Star falls ill. Kes is told of the haunting of St. Flurries by a Snow Witch, and outside, exploring, he thinks he sees her.
December 1918: Twelve-year-old Kitty Wigeon can't wait for Christmas at St Flurries, a grand old manor house in the countryside. When she goes to the local Christmas Fair, through no fault of her own she earns a curse from the old matriarch of a powerful gypsy clan. Then, on the chilly night after the funeral for her oldest brother, who died in the war, she vanishes without a trace. The only thing found is her locket, which now resides around Star’s neck.
What happened to Kitty? Is she really the Snow Witch? What was the curse? Is there an evil force behind Star’s illness? What can Kes do to solve the mystery, in a house brimming with secrets? Who is the man who followed them to St. Flurries?
Hopefully, I’ve revealed enough, without giving a lot away, to make you want to read this book. The inventiveness and creativity of the author have made this one of my favorite children’s book, with whimsical and wonderful characters and setting. She has woven an intricate mystery against a colorful and compelling background that spans time and place. Her descriptions of Christmas at St. Flurries are spun like dreams, with food and outlandish decorations, and her characters are so lovingly imagined, you want to meet them in person. Have you ever met a snow white hedgehog called Bob the Snodge? She has also rendered the children in an amazingly down to earth fashion, so even in the face of unimaginable, they are real.
Five stars for this book!
The story: It’s December 2018. Twelve- year-old Kes Bunting and his younger sister Star, both orphans, are living in a cold, dilapidated foster home overseen by the devious Mrs. Auk. She receives an official letter from Hoop, Hoop, Hoop, Hoop and Sons, announcing the children’s legal guardian has been found, and shortly they are off by train to meet their grandmother, Lady Bunting. She resides in a large country mansion called St. Flurries, which is supposed to be haunted. They are followed there by an elderly man in a dark gray suit. What a great beginning!
St. Flurries is a wondrous old house, populated by a seven foot tall major domo named Goldie, who has a black eye patch; their white-haired grandmother whom they call Granny Bird; the rotund cook named Mrs. Chiffchaff; a tiny, bird-like old woman named Genevieve, who talks in riddles and acts most strangely; and Chat the cat. One of the first things the children notice is a grandfather clock which keeps time running backward.
It is snowing heavily, the countdown to Christmas has begun, and Star falls ill. Kes is told of the haunting of St. Flurries by a Snow Witch, and outside, exploring, he thinks he sees her.
December 1918: Twelve-year-old Kitty Wigeon can't wait for Christmas at St Flurries, a grand old manor house in the countryside. When she goes to the local Christmas Fair, through no fault of her own she earns a curse from the old matriarch of a powerful gypsy clan. Then, on the chilly night after the funeral for her oldest brother, who died in the war, she vanishes without a trace. The only thing found is her locket, which now resides around Star’s neck.
What happened to Kitty? Is she really the Snow Witch? What was the curse? Is there an evil force behind Star’s illness? What can Kes do to solve the mystery, in a house brimming with secrets? Who is the man who followed them to St. Flurries?
Hopefully, I’ve revealed enough, without giving a lot away, to make you want to read this book. The inventiveness and creativity of the author have made this one of my favorite children’s book, with whimsical and wonderful characters and setting. She has woven an intricate mystery against a colorful and compelling background that spans time and place. Her descriptions of Christmas at St. Flurries are spun like dreams, with food and outlandish decorations, and her characters are so lovingly imagined, you want to meet them in person. Have you ever met a snow white hedgehog called Bob the Snodge? She has also rendered the children in an amazingly down to earth fashion, so even in the face of unimaginable, they are real.
Five stars for this book!
December 27, 2018
*I received a free copy of this book, with thanks to the author. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Loved this middle-grade fantasy adventure!
Here you will find some familiar tropes of adventurous orphans, Romany curses and strange men skulking about suspiciously. Rosie Boyes has, however, breathed her own life into the story with the exquisite pathos of the Snow Witch’s tale, and the travails and courage of Kittie, Kes and Star.
The story covers two time periods. First we have the story of Kes and Star as they are sent to St Flurries to meet their new guardian and start a new adventure…literally! For not all is as it seems at the old house, with items going missing and a clock that runs backwards. Then we also have the story of the disappearance of Kitty 100 years earlier and gradually the author intertwines the two, weaving in the hints and clues with some surprising twists along the way.
There are plenty of memorable adult characters alongside the child-heroes, including the piratical Goldie, motherly Mrs ChiffChaff, charmingly eccentric Guinevere and, of course, the children’s mysterious new guardian. The atmosphere is perfectly pitched for a children’s fantasy adventure and reminded me of my own childhood favourites, such as The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge and Joan Aiken’s Wolves Chronicles.
There are some genuinely heartbreaking moments here amongst the cute snow animals and fast-paced action: the injustice of the curse and the resulting effects are (pardon the pun) chilling, and the children’s’ experiences under the ‘care’ of Mrs Auk are authentically bleak. But the overall tone is one of love, positivity and hope that warmed my heart in this chilly season.
There is plenty of scope here for more adventures in the delightful ambience of St Flurries and its inhabitants and I would love to see more from this author (in this setting or not!). I would highly recommend this to anyone (8+) who enjoys a good, easy fantasy adventure read.
When their mother died, he and Star had moved from their rambling country cottage, smelling sweetly of roses and lavender, to live in the cramped three-storey house in the city. He had been a spindly eleven-years-old at the time. Not old enough to understand the change in his life, and more importantly, why his mother had not returned home that night. Or any other night. And since then, not only had he grown in maturity, but he had also grown half-an-inch in height.
– Rosie Boyes, The Snow Witch
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
Loved this middle-grade fantasy adventure!
Here you will find some familiar tropes of adventurous orphans, Romany curses and strange men skulking about suspiciously. Rosie Boyes has, however, breathed her own life into the story with the exquisite pathos of the Snow Witch’s tale, and the travails and courage of Kittie, Kes and Star.
The story covers two time periods. First we have the story of Kes and Star as they are sent to St Flurries to meet their new guardian and start a new adventure…literally! For not all is as it seems at the old house, with items going missing and a clock that runs backwards. Then we also have the story of the disappearance of Kitty 100 years earlier and gradually the author intertwines the two, weaving in the hints and clues with some surprising twists along the way.
There are plenty of memorable adult characters alongside the child-heroes, including the piratical Goldie, motherly Mrs ChiffChaff, charmingly eccentric Guinevere and, of course, the children’s mysterious new guardian. The atmosphere is perfectly pitched for a children’s fantasy adventure and reminded me of my own childhood favourites, such as The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge and Joan Aiken’s Wolves Chronicles.
There are some genuinely heartbreaking moments here amongst the cute snow animals and fast-paced action: the injustice of the curse and the resulting effects are (pardon the pun) chilling, and the children’s’ experiences under the ‘care’ of Mrs Auk are authentically bleak. But the overall tone is one of love, positivity and hope that warmed my heart in this chilly season.
There is plenty of scope here for more adventures in the delightful ambience of St Flurries and its inhabitants and I would love to see more from this author (in this setting or not!). I would highly recommend this to anyone (8+) who enjoys a good, easy fantasy adventure read.
When their mother died, he and Star had moved from their rambling country cottage, smelling sweetly of roses and lavender, to live in the cramped three-storey house in the city. He had been a spindly eleven-years-old at the time. Not old enough to understand the change in his life, and more importantly, why his mother had not returned home that night. Or any other night. And since then, not only had he grown in maturity, but he had also grown half-an-inch in height.
– Rosie Boyes, The Snow Witch
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
June 27, 2019
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: The Snow Witch
Author: Rosie Boyes
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 23
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 8/10
Of the 23 readers:
23 would read another book by this author.
18 thought the cover was good or excellent.
23 felt it was easy to follow.
23 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
14 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
9 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
23 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
23 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘The house is like a character in the story. It’s full of secrets the children have to uncover. I liked this a lot.’ Boy, aged 11
‘Exciting story with lots going on from the first page. It was sad when Kitty vanished, but the children discover what happened. And so will the reader!’ Girl, aged 12
‘Exciting story for 9-12 year olds. The children in my class enjoyed the fantasy elements and the mystery of what happened to the girl many years before. Personally, I thought the pacing was a little off in parts, and the ending was rushed. A little too much stereotyping of characters also. Finally, the cover lacks punch.’ Primary teacher, aged 46
‘The author is really good at showing the reader how it was now and a hundred years ago. Even the way the characters speak. I will read other books by this author if I can find them. Brilliant book!’ Girl, aged 12
‘The descriptions of the house are amazing. It’s so creepy!!!’ Boy, aged 10
‘Cool title, cool book. Love it.’ Boy, aged 12
To Sum It Up:
‘A gripping, often chilling, fantasy adventure for 9 – 12 year olds. A BRONZE MEDAL WINNER and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: The Snow Witch
Author: Rosie Boyes
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 23
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 8/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 8/10
Of the 23 readers:
23 would read another book by this author.
18 thought the cover was good or excellent.
23 felt it was easy to follow.
23 would recommend this story to another reader to try.
14 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
9 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
23 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
23 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
‘The house is like a character in the story. It’s full of secrets the children have to uncover. I liked this a lot.’ Boy, aged 11
‘Exciting story with lots going on from the first page. It was sad when Kitty vanished, but the children discover what happened. And so will the reader!’ Girl, aged 12
‘Exciting story for 9-12 year olds. The children in my class enjoyed the fantasy elements and the mystery of what happened to the girl many years before. Personally, I thought the pacing was a little off in parts, and the ending was rushed. A little too much stereotyping of characters also. Finally, the cover lacks punch.’ Primary teacher, aged 46
‘The author is really good at showing the reader how it was now and a hundred years ago. Even the way the characters speak. I will read other books by this author if I can find them. Brilliant book!’ Girl, aged 12
‘The descriptions of the house are amazing. It’s so creepy!!!’ Boy, aged 10
‘Cool title, cool book. Love it.’ Boy, aged 12
To Sum It Up:
‘A gripping, often chilling, fantasy adventure for 9 – 12 year olds. A BRONZE MEDAL WINNER and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
October 9, 2018
Kes and Star Bunting have just lost their mother. They are looking at living in foster care since no one can find their drunken, gambling father. But they are rescued by their grandmother that has spent her fortune trying to find them. They go to live at Granny Bird’s house St. Flurries. But after spending all of her money she cannot afford to care for St. Flurries any more so has decided to sell it. But the house seems to be haunted.
One hundred years earlier, Kitty is a little girl at St. Flurries that disappears. Everyone thinks she has died but she has really had a curse put on her by a witch. The story then bounces back and forth as we follow Kitty, Kes and Star as they try to find a way to break the curse that Kitty is under.
This is a wonderful story that will appeal to kids and adults alike. You have a great story about a brother and sister that find they are not alone in the world and that St. Flurries has more going on than what is first seen. I loved how the story moved back and forth through Kes and Star and followed along with Kitty so well.
This book is filled with magic, a great mysteries, and a creepy/wonderful house. I think anyone would enjoy this story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
One hundred years earlier, Kitty is a little girl at St. Flurries that disappears. Everyone thinks she has died but she has really had a curse put on her by a witch. The story then bounces back and forth as we follow Kitty, Kes and Star as they try to find a way to break the curse that Kitty is under.
This is a wonderful story that will appeal to kids and adults alike. You have a great story about a brother and sister that find they are not alone in the world and that St. Flurries has more going on than what is first seen. I loved how the story moved back and forth through Kes and Star and followed along with Kitty so well.
This book is filled with magic, a great mysteries, and a creepy/wonderful house. I think anyone would enjoy this story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
November 6, 2018
Very good plot regardless what age you might be. A beautiful child full of happiness and curiosity. Kitty loves to be in the woods and this Christmas Eve she waits for the arrival of family and friends. She notices something vague in the distance and enters the woods she knows so well. She never came out. Now decades later a new family moves into her old house complete with an elderly woman "dotty" as most believe. Kes, the boy in the new family house, doesn't know if he likes it or not. One night as he stares from his bedroom window, he sees footprints in the snow. Objects in the house vanish and the old lady is blamed for her eccentric ways. Kes knows something strange in happening and starts to follow his instincts exploring deep into the wood. Magic curse from a gypsy, a stolen magical book, visitors that stay and snoop around the house. A key in a small bottle hidden in a grandfather clock, will be the key that Kes must discover to release a young girl from her tragic life of magical invisibility to bring her home once again. Stories within stories make this a delightful read. Keeping up with all the subplots and characters make a snow filled season so wonderful. This was a free book to read and review. A must read story perfect for the holidays.
November 2, 2018
“The Snow Witch” is actually told in two different timelines – the past and the present. It started with Kes and Star and their arrival to St. Flurries where they’re going to live with their grandmother after their parents died. A myriad of weird little things started to happen and it might have something to do with the incident which happened at St. Flurries a century ago – the unsolved mystery of Kitty Wigeon’s disappearance.
This book initially reminded me of “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” from the Chronicles of Narnia series because of its cold and snowy setting, the ancient house, and the sibling relationship. In general, it just gives off this magical atmosphere vibe that makes you want to shiver (in a good way) and get cozy in your blanket with a cup of hot cocoa on a cold afternoon. At least, that’s how it felt for me.
As for the story and the characters, I think that the author did a great job in using differing perspectives from the past and the present. The narration flowed smoothly even though it’s told in alternating timelines and I really loved how it all tied up so neatly at the end.
3.75 / 5 stars :)
This book initially reminded me of “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” from the Chronicles of Narnia series because of its cold and snowy setting, the ancient house, and the sibling relationship. In general, it just gives off this magical atmosphere vibe that makes you want to shiver (in a good way) and get cozy in your blanket with a cup of hot cocoa on a cold afternoon. At least, that’s how it felt for me.
As for the story and the characters, I think that the author did a great job in using differing perspectives from the past and the present. The narration flowed smoothly even though it’s told in alternating timelines and I really loved how it all tied up so neatly at the end.
3.75 / 5 stars :)
November 1, 2018
Very enjoyable read. If you didn't know this was a new story, you'd swear it was a classic fairy tale from the turn of the last century. The style put me firmly in mind of Frances Hodgson Burnett, with a bit more magic in it.
If I have any complaints they would be that the two primary children, Kes and Star, were a bit flimsy personality-wise for me (though many of the other characters were very strong) and the story was a little rushed in places. Other than that, beautiful and creative, well done!
If I have any complaints they would be that the two primary children, Kes and Star, were a bit flimsy personality-wise for me (though many of the other characters were very strong) and the story was a little rushed in places. Other than that, beautiful and creative, well done!
November 29, 2018
Another 100 year time loop, with Kes in the modern time working to free the curse before it is passed along to his little sister. I didn't buy the pacing; the long gap to see Kitty's life had me almost forget about Kes by the time we returned, and the author spelled out too much of the emotional journey. But the images were lovely and Kes's growth did happen; we are shown before we are told
June 28, 2021
Snow stopper
Exciting but sad angry but annoying highly entertaining and enjoyable I recommend this to all ages but do explain a brief explanation of war to the child
Exciting but sad angry but annoying highly entertaining and enjoyable I recommend this to all ages but do explain a brief explanation of war to the child
December 11, 2018
A nice whimsical middle-grade fantasy / mystery. Got a bit dull in parts but otherwise a good book!
November 20, 2018
I don't normally read a lot of middle grade fiction but when I heard about The Snow Witch I knew it was something that I had to get my teeth into. This read certainly didn't disappoint me - I ADORED it. It blends fantasy, mystery and magical realism all into one astonishing winter story and as it is so fast paced you just want to carry on reading.
The setting and the time the story took place had me pining for winter! As a big lover of all things wintery (and especially christmassy) I thoroughly enjoyed the festive wintertime vibes that came across when I was reading. Also, can we talk about St Flurries for a second!? If only it were real. I love reading books featuring mansions or manors and St Flurries has certainly made it onto my top five list. At times it was almost as if I was there exploring alongside Kes.
The story itself takes place in two time periods - 1918 and 2018. Split time periods in fiction is something that I have come to enjoy and this was no different. It was really interesting to find out all about Kitty and the events that led to her disappearance. Historical accuracy was also on point in The Snow Witch - especially with regards to the war (it's called The Winter War in the story). So, I really admire what research Rosie needed to have done when writing those segments. Choosing what time period I liked more is impossible as both were equally as fascinating and entertaining.
Each character in The Snow Witch had their own personality and the character development - although short was done very well. Granny Bird, Genevive and Kitty were my favourites but of course I loved Kes and Star too. The relationship between both Kes and Star was so heartwarming and it was refreshing to read about such a strong brotherly sisterly bond. You could really tell how much they cared for one another and it did make me shed a tear or two.
The Snow Witch was a fast paced, magical fairytale that took you on a fantastic journey. It's enchanting, captivating demeanour means that it's a perfect read for both children and adults alike.
The setting and the time the story took place had me pining for winter! As a big lover of all things wintery (and especially christmassy) I thoroughly enjoyed the festive wintertime vibes that came across when I was reading. Also, can we talk about St Flurries for a second!? If only it were real. I love reading books featuring mansions or manors and St Flurries has certainly made it onto my top five list. At times it was almost as if I was there exploring alongside Kes.
The story itself takes place in two time periods - 1918 and 2018. Split time periods in fiction is something that I have come to enjoy and this was no different. It was really interesting to find out all about Kitty and the events that led to her disappearance. Historical accuracy was also on point in The Snow Witch - especially with regards to the war (it's called The Winter War in the story). So, I really admire what research Rosie needed to have done when writing those segments. Choosing what time period I liked more is impossible as both were equally as fascinating and entertaining.
Each character in The Snow Witch had their own personality and the character development - although short was done very well. Granny Bird, Genevive and Kitty were my favourites but of course I loved Kes and Star too. The relationship between both Kes and Star was so heartwarming and it was refreshing to read about such a strong brotherly sisterly bond. You could really tell how much they cared for one another and it did make me shed a tear or two.
The Snow Witch was a fast paced, magical fairytale that took you on a fantastic journey. It's enchanting, captivating demeanour means that it's a perfect read for both children and adults alike.
November 13, 2020
So many wonderful books for children begin with orphaned or otherwise displaced children going to a mysterious house in the country where they will meet eccentric characters and have magical - or as-good-as-magical - adventures. And it might be a bold statement, but this is one of them! It may not be The Little White Horse or The Children of Green Knowe or The Growing Summer but it's certainly a contender. Apart from the absorbing quest to end a curse, there are many charming moments, especially with the snowy magic. Several chapters of the story take us back a hundred years to Christmastime 1918 and a shaken world suddenly at peace, and in these the main character, 12-year-old Kes, is replaced by Kitty at the same age. Both interesting, complex characters. The back story of Kes and his sister is a shade too harrowing for my taste, but that's my only quibble. A lovely book, and a great Christmas buy.
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