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The Snow Gypsy
From the bestselling author of The Woman on the Orient Express comes a haunting novel of two women—one determined to uncover the past and the other determined to escape it.
At the close of World War II, London is in ruins and Rose Daniel isn’t at peace. Eight years ago, her brother disappeared while fighting alongside Gypsy partisans in Spain. From his letters, Rose has just two clues to his whereabouts—his descriptions of the spectacular south slopes of the Sierra Nevada and his love for a woman who was carrying his child.
In Spain, it has been eight years since Lola Aragon’s family was massacred. Eight years since she rescued a newborn girl from the arms of her dying mother and ran for her life. She has always believed that nothing could make her return…until a plea for help comes from a desperate stranger.
Now, Rose, Lola, and the child set out on a journey from the wild marshes of the Camargue to the dazzling peaks of Spain’s ancient mountain communities. As they come face-to-face with war’s darkest truths, their lives will be changed forever by memories, secrets, and friendships.
At the close of World War II, London is in ruins and Rose Daniel isn’t at peace. Eight years ago, her brother disappeared while fighting alongside Gypsy partisans in Spain. From his letters, Rose has just two clues to his whereabouts—his descriptions of the spectacular south slopes of the Sierra Nevada and his love for a woman who was carrying his child.
In Spain, it has been eight years since Lola Aragon’s family was massacred. Eight years since she rescued a newborn girl from the arms of her dying mother and ran for her life. She has always believed that nothing could make her return…until a plea for help comes from a desperate stranger.
Now, Rose, Lola, and the child set out on a journey from the wild marshes of the Camargue to the dazzling peaks of Spain’s ancient mountain communities. As they come face-to-face with war’s darkest truths, their lives will be changed forever by memories, secrets, and friendships.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,233 reviews
January 25, 2019
I chose this book as my second free pick for January's Amazon First Reads because I was interested in reading a historical fiction novel that takes place in Spain after World War 2. The Spanish Civil War is also a subject addressed in the book and not knowing much about it was another reason I thought this would be a good fit for me. I love it when a book gives me the opportunity to learn something new but unfortunately the characters in this one really dragged the story down and I ended up feeling bored most of the time.
I just didn't connect with the main characters which is a shame because it's not like the author didn't at least try to make them people with interesting backstories. Rose Daniel hasn't heard from her brother in years and goes to Spain in search of him. Lola Aragon's family was killed during the Spanish Civil War and for the last eight years she has been caring for an orphan child. Their paths cross and well, things will never be the same.
I think I was about a quarter of the way into the book when I realized the characters just weren't doing anything for me. They just fell flat and as a result I just didn't really feel all that invested in their lives. A few times in the book the story went in a direction I did not see coming and I would think maybe I could get back on board and enjoy the rest of the book. Unfortunately after awhile my interest would start to wane again.
Sometimes a book just isn't the right fit for you which is fine. Most people enjoyed this book so take my opinions with a grain of salt.
I just didn't connect with the main characters which is a shame because it's not like the author didn't at least try to make them people with interesting backstories. Rose Daniel hasn't heard from her brother in years and goes to Spain in search of him. Lola Aragon's family was killed during the Spanish Civil War and for the last eight years she has been caring for an orphan child. Their paths cross and well, things will never be the same.
I think I was about a quarter of the way into the book when I realized the characters just weren't doing anything for me. They just fell flat and as a result I just didn't really feel all that invested in their lives. A few times in the book the story went in a direction I did not see coming and I would think maybe I could get back on board and enjoy the rest of the book. Unfortunately after awhile my interest would start to wane again.
Sometimes a book just isn't the right fit for you which is fine. Most people enjoyed this book so take my opinions with a grain of salt.
January 8, 2023
The journey
A heart wrenching book. Largely historical fiction. The book showcases both the darkest and brights parts of human nature. As well as a strong will to survive.
The is a 75 to 25 split of the two characters Rose and Lola respectively. Lola's journey is one of survival at 14 year old she has had to survive the worst of humanity, showing more courage and determination than anyone her age should need. Rose's starts out as a search for closure of what happened to her brother. On a chance/fateful meeting both of them find something in common and help each other achieve their dreams.
TmDespite the brutality of the first chapter, the book is a little slow at the beginning. This is necessary to establish the characters and their development. The location and their history is very well done. Great knowledge of the culture.
The second half of the book is when things really start moving. Every answer leads to more questions. The ending is bitter sweet at best. The phrase be carefully what you ask for as you might not like the answers. However the journey to find them might be amazing and even more important.
A heart wrenching book. Largely historical fiction. The book showcases both the darkest and brights parts of human nature. As well as a strong will to survive.
The is a 75 to 25 split of the two characters Rose and Lola respectively. Lola's journey is one of survival at 14 year old she has had to survive the worst of humanity, showing more courage and determination than anyone her age should need. Rose's starts out as a search for closure of what happened to her brother. On a chance/fateful meeting both of them find something in common and help each other achieve their dreams.
TmDespite the brutality of the first chapter, the book is a little slow at the beginning. This is necessary to establish the characters and their development. The location and their history is very well done. Great knowledge of the culture.
The second half of the book is when things really start moving. Every answer leads to more questions. The ending is bitter sweet at best. The phrase be carefully what you ask for as you might not like the answers. However the journey to find them might be amazing and even more important.
May 2, 2019
The Snow Gypsy is a historical novel based on the life of an English herbalist and author, Juliette de Bairacli Levy, who came to be known as the grand dame of holistic herbal medicine for animals and humans.
Our protagonist veterinarian, Rose Daniel, journeys to Spain in 1946, to try and find her brother who was last heard from in 1938, when he went to Spain to fight with the partisans in the Spanish Civil War. Along the way she meets up and travels with Gypsies from the Alpujarras mountain region of Spain, his last known location.
It is a fascinating story complete with love gained and lost, true friendships, tragedy, history, Gypsy folklore and beautiful descriptions of the flamenco dance and music. As the book ended I thought I will probably read this again due to the credible characters and the author’s alluring depictions of Spain. Highly recommended.
I received this novel as part of Amazon First Reads Program and was my choice in the selection.
Our protagonist veterinarian, Rose Daniel, journeys to Spain in 1946, to try and find her brother who was last heard from in 1938, when he went to Spain to fight with the partisans in the Spanish Civil War. Along the way she meets up and travels with Gypsies from the Alpujarras mountain region of Spain, his last known location.
It is a fascinating story complete with love gained and lost, true friendships, tragedy, history, Gypsy folklore and beautiful descriptions of the flamenco dance and music. As the book ended I thought I will probably read this again due to the credible characters and the author’s alluring depictions of Spain. Highly recommended.
I received this novel as part of Amazon First Reads Program and was my choice in the selection.
February 24, 2019
3.5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Set in 1946 England , France, and Spain, The Snow Gypsy is told from the point of view of veterinarian Rose and Gypsy dancer, Lola. I "liked" most of the story but felt it didn't really grab my attention until I had reached the second half of the story. This is when it was more detailed about what happened during the Spanish Civil War and we find out more about Rose's brother. Lola and Rose were resilient women and I liked that much of their own personal journeys was about finding their place in the world.
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Set in 1946 England , France, and Spain, The Snow Gypsy is told from the point of view of veterinarian Rose and Gypsy dancer, Lola. I "liked" most of the story but felt it didn't really grab my attention until I had reached the second half of the story. This is when it was more detailed about what happened during the Spanish Civil War and we find out more about Rose's brother. Lola and Rose were resilient women and I liked that much of their own personal journeys was about finding their place in the world.
June 27, 2021
Well, I have to say that the first emotion I felt once finishing this book is one of relief. Relief that I didn't pay a penny for this book. If I had, I do believe this may have made the situation somewhat different.
The Snow Gypsy has an attractive cover, which initially encouraged me to read it, but there was also the joy of it being free to read. The cover, quite honestly, is as good as it's going to get here.
It began rather promisingly, raising a few questions and possibly even wonder in my mind, and then suddenly, our main character Rose, sleeps with the first married man she claps her eyes on over on the river bank. Obviously, this male, Christobel, is completely and utterly irresistible to any female that walks the earth ( regardless of the small matter of him having a Wife and two young children.) But Christobel is a man you see, and a man gets to lay with who he chooses to in this book.
So yes, that was a pretty poor show, Ashford, and it didn't impress.
Rose then spends the rest of the novel travelling here and there, rolling with the gypsies, collecting herbs, making ointments etc, until, she meets the next irresistible male, Zoltan. Now, she waited longer to lay with Zoltan, so I should give her that, I suppose. I was expecting Rose to become a headstrong, and interesting woman, but she was just kind of..there.
The issue is simple. There is no development of any of the characters. There are too many paragraphs about things that are irrelevant, and add nothing to the story, so unfortunately, this book has totally flopped.
The Snow Gypsy has an attractive cover, which initially encouraged me to read it, but there was also the joy of it being free to read. The cover, quite honestly, is as good as it's going to get here.
It began rather promisingly, raising a few questions and possibly even wonder in my mind, and then suddenly, our main character Rose, sleeps with the first married man she claps her eyes on over on the river bank. Obviously, this male, Christobel, is completely and utterly irresistible to any female that walks the earth ( regardless of the small matter of him having a Wife and two young children.) But Christobel is a man you see, and a man gets to lay with who he chooses to in this book.
So yes, that was a pretty poor show, Ashford, and it didn't impress.
Rose then spends the rest of the novel travelling here and there, rolling with the gypsies, collecting herbs, making ointments etc, until, she meets the next irresistible male, Zoltan. Now, she waited longer to lay with Zoltan, so I should give her that, I suppose. I was expecting Rose to become a headstrong, and interesting woman, but she was just kind of..there.
The issue is simple. There is no development of any of the characters. There are too many paragraphs about things that are irrelevant, and add nothing to the story, so unfortunately, this book has totally flopped.
October 18, 2019
Set mostly in Spain in 1946, Rose sets out to find what happened to her brother, who left his home in England to fight the Fascists during the Spanish Civil War. She has not heard from him in eight years. Lola is a flamenco dancer with an eight-year-old daughter she rescued from a massacre of civilians by the Guardia Civil. The two meet up at a Romany Festival, and travel to Spain to search for Rose’s brother.
This book was a mixed bag for me. I liked the friendship between the two women, the descriptions of traveling with the Romany people, and the information about their customs in different parts of the world. I enjoyed the focus on natural healing remedies for animals, descriptions of the Spanish countryside, and the historical details about the factions in the Civil War.
The primary downside, however, lies in not quite capturing the spirit of the era. One of the main characters is portrayed as having modern sensibilities, particularly in her romantic encounters. Until the last few chapters, however, I was enjoying it (while trying to ignore the melodramatic romance angle), but I found the ending rather underwhelming. The author employs the popular trend of adding “twists and turns.” There are no indications to the reader that the plot is about to go in a completely different direction, and it ends up feeling contrived.
This book was a mixed bag for me. I liked the friendship between the two women, the descriptions of traveling with the Romany people, and the information about their customs in different parts of the world. I enjoyed the focus on natural healing remedies for animals, descriptions of the Spanish countryside, and the historical details about the factions in the Civil War.
The primary downside, however, lies in not quite capturing the spirit of the era. One of the main characters is portrayed as having modern sensibilities, particularly in her romantic encounters. Until the last few chapters, however, I was enjoying it (while trying to ignore the melodramatic romance angle), but I found the ending rather underwhelming. The author employs the popular trend of adding “twists and turns.” There are no indications to the reader that the plot is about to go in a completely different direction, and it ends up feeling contrived.
April 4, 2019
I had the privilege of making The Snow Gypsy by Lindsay Jayne Ashford my first read for 2019, and way to start with a bang! Excellent book!!
This story follows English veterinarian Rose Daniel on her journey through France and Spain on a quest to finally solve the mystery of her brother's disappearance. The last letter she received from him in 1938 spoke of the need to escape from the little mountain village in southern Spain, and then not another word.
The beautiful scenery, endearing characters, and non-stop twists and turns had me immediately hooked - and lasted from first chapter to last.
5 stars. Definitely recommend!
This story follows English veterinarian Rose Daniel on her journey through France and Spain on a quest to finally solve the mystery of her brother's disappearance. The last letter she received from him in 1938 spoke of the need to escape from the little mountain village in southern Spain, and then not another word.
The beautiful scenery, endearing characters, and non-stop twists and turns had me immediately hooked - and lasted from first chapter to last.
5 stars. Definitely recommend!
January 11, 2019
I gave it a go. Really, I read the first 100 pages. A third of the book. It's just not great. I got it as a Kindle first read. I thought the synopsis sounded intriguing. I'm so glad I didn't pay for this book. The author spends the bulk of her writing giving ornate detail to everything- the region, churches, animals, clothing. However, she never builds on her characters. Rose falls flat for me. I kept waiting for her to become this modern, independent woman. Instead, as soon as she arrives to a place where she may find some answers, she gets distracted by a handsome man and that's where I stopped. Not because she meets a man, but because it seems that the author thought spending more time detailing region, appearances and language was more important than building a story and complex characters.
Lola, the other main character barely gets any airtime. I'm not even sure why she was in the novel.
If you want to read something that describes random, insignificant details, this novel is for you! If you are looking for a novel with complex characters and a riveting storyline, don't waste your time.
Lola, the other main character barely gets any airtime. I'm not even sure why she was in the novel.
If you want to read something that describes random, insignificant details, this novel is for you! If you are looking for a novel with complex characters and a riveting storyline, don't waste your time.
February 11, 2019
GNAB This is an exciting story, told very well. We see Spain and her people through the eyes of Rose Daniel, a Jewish English woman borne of a Turkish father and French mother. Rose and her Afghan hound Gunesh spend time in 1936 in and around a gypsy encampment near her home in England, picking up a bit of the language and beginning to understand the lifestyle of the gypsy clans who traveled through her homeland. Separated by prep schooling and her higher education, a degree in Veterinary Medicine, Rose loses touch with her Sussex gypsies but doesn't forget the lessons learned at their camps. She has focused her career on herbal and holistic care of animals whenever possible.
1938 was a hard year for the Daniel family. First Rose's older brother Nathan, a volunteer freedom fighter, disappears somewhere in Spain. His last letter to sister Rose was from south of Granada in the mountains - a letter which tells Rose the exciting news that Nathan is in love, expecting a child, and will marry as soon as they can find another priest. The one in their village was murdered. Most of their village was murdered. Rose and Nathan's father, too, is lost when he goes to try to find out what happened to Nathan. There is no way to tell if her father was caught up in the German machine in France at the advent of WWII, or if he actually made it into Spain before he disappeared, making searching for him almost impossible.
We then travel back and forth between England and Spain from May 2, 1946 through February of 2001. The brunt of this story takes place in Spain just following the end of World War II in 1946, and focuses on the isolation and turmoil that existed throughout Spain for many years, as there was no closure or return to neutral for the people of Spain following their revolution, and the advent of World War II. Too many people died, and too many rights were withdrawn even before the world went to war.
As soon as the war is over, Rose makes plans to attend the first world reunion of gypsy clans after the war, held in Spain early in 1946, to further expand her knowledge of herbs and non-invasive animal care. And equally as important, to see what she can find out about her brother, his fiancee, and possible child. Travel alone would be frightening if it weren't for her loyal partner Gunesh (Turkish for Sun, because of his golden coat).
Lola has trained her whole life to excel in the flamenco, the dance of life in her gypsy clan. Her brother Cristobal plays guitar for her, and they will be competing for world title among the clans at the world reunion. If they can win the competition her share of the reward will be enough to settle in Madrid and try to make her way into films. Lola is the mother of an adopted child Nieve (snow) who is the correct age to tempt Rose into thinking she has found her niece. Can it be? Surely in Lola she has found a sister.
I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Lindsay Jayne Ashford, and Lake Union Publishers in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
1938 was a hard year for the Daniel family. First Rose's older brother Nathan, a volunteer freedom fighter, disappears somewhere in Spain. His last letter to sister Rose was from south of Granada in the mountains - a letter which tells Rose the exciting news that Nathan is in love, expecting a child, and will marry as soon as they can find another priest. The one in their village was murdered. Most of their village was murdered. Rose and Nathan's father, too, is lost when he goes to try to find out what happened to Nathan. There is no way to tell if her father was caught up in the German machine in France at the advent of WWII, or if he actually made it into Spain before he disappeared, making searching for him almost impossible.
We then travel back and forth between England and Spain from May 2, 1946 through February of 2001. The brunt of this story takes place in Spain just following the end of World War II in 1946, and focuses on the isolation and turmoil that existed throughout Spain for many years, as there was no closure or return to neutral for the people of Spain following their revolution, and the advent of World War II. Too many people died, and too many rights were withdrawn even before the world went to war.
As soon as the war is over, Rose makes plans to attend the first world reunion of gypsy clans after the war, held in Spain early in 1946, to further expand her knowledge of herbs and non-invasive animal care. And equally as important, to see what she can find out about her brother, his fiancee, and possible child. Travel alone would be frightening if it weren't for her loyal partner Gunesh (Turkish for Sun, because of his golden coat).
Lola has trained her whole life to excel in the flamenco, the dance of life in her gypsy clan. Her brother Cristobal plays guitar for her, and they will be competing for world title among the clans at the world reunion. If they can win the competition her share of the reward will be enough to settle in Madrid and try to make her way into films. Lola is the mother of an adopted child Nieve (snow) who is the correct age to tempt Rose into thinking she has found her niece. Can it be? Surely in Lola she has found a sister.
I received a free electronic copy of this historical novel from Netgalley, Lindsay Jayne Ashford, and Lake Union Publishers in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me.
January 15, 2019
I thought this book has a great story at its core but execution and details could have been better. I really liked reading about this time period and I found myself very interested in the descriptions of gypsy life. However, I didn't like that there were some side stories of the plot that didn't necessarily lead anywhere, which was pretty frustrating; by the end, it felt like parts were missing to tie up some of the loose ends that had been created. The characters were pretty well developed and I felt myself invested in all of them, so maybe that was the issue with feeling like things were left unfinished & stories untold for some of them (hello Cristobal & Juanita??). Ashford's writing is extremely descriptive which was beautiful for the most part, but there were certainly times where it felt excessive or misplaced and had me skimming past it to get to what was going on.
dnf
November 27, 2020Nope, can not continue. Toooo slooooow. The first chapter was good, but then down hill. Not for me. I love WWII books, but I can't finish is this one.
February 8, 2019
First time reading this author. I believe I have just read her most recent book, this historical fiction that covers several themes. There is the Spanish landscape to enjoy, detailed artistically, the after effects of World War II for family members searching for answers for their dead, women coping with pregnancy outside of marriage, herbal remedies learned from Gypsy communities, Flamenco dancing and a whole lot of nasty men who behave badly along with a God who is hard to trust.
Honestly, this theme of women going it alone is winning the race at publishing houses in my opinion.
Be that as it may, we have two main female characters as well as a female child who forge a bond that gets them through some very sticky situations. Ruth is a British vet who gets time off from her work to find the place her brother was last known to be where he joined war efforts in Spain against the fascists in 1938. Her background story includes her heritage as a Jew.
The story begins, however, with the slaughter of many "sympathizers" in a mountain town in Spain. A young girl (Lola) who had been tending goats in the mountains descends to find the bodies of women lined up, all dead but for one. The woman gasps out to please take her baby and dies. The goat girl has to use her teeth to cut the umbilical cord and hastens back up the mountain, walking away from danger and using goat milk for the baby's sustenance. Lola grows to be our Flamenco dancer.
That is enough of a teaser, I think, without spoiling the adventures and trials the women must face.
Honestly, this theme of women going it alone is winning the race at publishing houses in my opinion.
Be that as it may, we have two main female characters as well as a female child who forge a bond that gets them through some very sticky situations. Ruth is a British vet who gets time off from her work to find the place her brother was last known to be where he joined war efforts in Spain against the fascists in 1938. Her background story includes her heritage as a Jew.
The story begins, however, with the slaughter of many "sympathizers" in a mountain town in Spain. A young girl (Lola) who had been tending goats in the mountains descends to find the bodies of women lined up, all dead but for one. The woman gasps out to please take her baby and dies. The goat girl has to use her teeth to cut the umbilical cord and hastens back up the mountain, walking away from danger and using goat milk for the baby's sustenance. Lola grows to be our Flamenco dancer.
That is enough of a teaser, I think, without spoiling the adventures and trials the women must face.
January 10, 2019
I’ve read several historical fiction novels that take place during this time period, but this was my first time reading one about the Spanish Civil War. Although a work of fiction, The Snow Gypsy was inspired by a real person (an herbalist) and some of her life experiences. We read through the eyes of Lola and Rose - two different yet connected women.
I thought this novel was beautifully written...almost poetic at times. Heartbreaking and hopeful I found it hard to put down despite its slow pace. I enjoyed the strong, independent, yet vulnerable female characters - but there were times I got annoyed with Rose and her not thinking with that educated brain of hers. I did feel really bad for her though!! I also felt that there were a few loose ends in the story...things I would have loved to learn more about or characters I would have liked to have gotten a deeper look into...I think a part of me just wanted more...which is why I didn’t give The Snow Gypsy a higher rating.
I thought this novel was beautifully written...almost poetic at times. Heartbreaking and hopeful I found it hard to put down despite its slow pace. I enjoyed the strong, independent, yet vulnerable female characters - but there were times I got annoyed with Rose and her not thinking with that educated brain of hers. I did feel really bad for her though!! I also felt that there were a few loose ends in the story...things I would have loved to learn more about or characters I would have liked to have gotten a deeper look into...I think a part of me just wanted more...which is why I didn’t give The Snow Gypsy a higher rating.
October 12, 2019
I enjoyed this one, and it has stayed with me since I read it. Not because the writing was spectacular, or because the plot was so intricate. I think it was something about being swept up in the music, the gypsy culture, and watching the two women's lives intersect. One who lost her family to the holocaust, and one who was suffering the remaining prejudice of the Spanish War at the same time. At the center of it is a little girl. I found it really interesting, and I enjoyed that the plot didn't quite go as expected. It was in fact an eye into another world. I am really glad others are reading it right now, because in fact, I'm looking forward to talking about it. It was a very interesting look at Spain at a quite interesting time. I do love historical fiction, especially with a Jewish twist. I do love Dance and voice, and I loved learning about the Gypsy culture. And it was very easy to root for these three. True resilient women survivors quite before their time.
April 30, 2019
I loved this plot and the story, right up until I was half way through the book. Then it all went downhill from there. I was so excited! I was loving it and then she has to fall in love and sleep with a married man. How is that okay!? The man even told her that in gypsy culture that it was fine. So, I had to put this book down. It was a real bummer for me too. I don't recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2019
4-4.5 stars
I received this book from Amazon First Reads and it sat on my shelf for many months before I decided I would read it during Historical Fiction month. This book mostly covers the time after the Spanish Civil War, but it carries us to the present (2001). I knew nothing about the time period, and much of the locations in this book were completely unknown to me. I thought the author did a great job of painting a picture of both the beauty of the area and the ugliness of the suspicion, evil, and prejudices that occurred during the Civil War and the aftermath.
It took me some time to get into this book, but I became invested in the main characters about halfway through and I thought it had a strong finish. I didn't realize until the end that this book was in part based on the life of a real-life herbalist and holistic vet, Juliette de Bairacli Levy, which makes this book more meaningful for me. The main reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because it took me time to get into it and to start getting to know the characters. Once the author hit her stride (that's what it felt like to me), I became fully invested in the story.
I received this book from Amazon First Reads and it sat on my shelf for many months before I decided I would read it during Historical Fiction month. This book mostly covers the time after the Spanish Civil War, but it carries us to the present (2001). I knew nothing about the time period, and much of the locations in this book were completely unknown to me. I thought the author did a great job of painting a picture of both the beauty of the area and the ugliness of the suspicion, evil, and prejudices that occurred during the Civil War and the aftermath.
It took me some time to get into this book, but I became invested in the main characters about halfway through and I thought it had a strong finish. I didn't realize until the end that this book was in part based on the life of a real-life herbalist and holistic vet, Juliette de Bairacli Levy, which makes this book more meaningful for me. The main reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because it took me time to get into it and to start getting to know the characters. Once the author hit her stride (that's what it felt like to me), I became fully invested in the story.
February 5, 2019
Blah- This book didn't really do anything for me. At first, it felt like a YA title as there was kind of a lack of depth in the main character's development. She just didn't feel authentic to the historical setting. As the book progressed, she grew whiney. The plot twists were a bit unrealistic and the ending too tidy. This was a free download, and it kept me reading until the end only because I hate having unfinished plotlines, but this is one I would have rather skipped.
February 28, 2019
Poignant and Bittersweet
This is a fascinating insight on what life would (or perhaps could) have been like from the perspective of a gypsy in the post war era. There are many poignant moments which seek to remind us that life is a gift, but that it is also fragile and can also be bittersweet.
I enjoyed this book overall. It wavers somewhat in the middle, but definitely picks up towards the end.
This is a fascinating insight on what life would (or perhaps could) have been like from the perspective of a gypsy in the post war era. There are many poignant moments which seek to remind us that life is a gift, but that it is also fragile and can also be bittersweet.
I enjoyed this book overall. It wavers somewhat in the middle, but definitely picks up towards the end.
February 26, 2019
A very good story, well written, interesting characters. The big turn off for me was the never ending references to animals being used as resources - as a normalized practice. The protagonist was supposed to be an animal lover, but she seemed to have had no reservations whatsoever when it came to exploiting nonhumans for food, clothing, entertainment or labor.
December 15, 2019
3.5 stars
Set in post-Civil War Spain, this is an interesting story that I almost gave up on within the first five minutes since the first chapter was in third-person present tense. Thankfully, everything else after that was third-person past tense. I also had some issues with the narrator's inflictions (I don't know how she managed to emphasize every single syllable in Cristóbal, but she did) and her natural pacing. I eventually found the sweet spot at 1.30x and it went much more smoothly after that.
I don't know how I managed to read three stories so close together all set in Spain (All This I Will Give to You, And It Came to Pass and now this one) but I've enjoyed getting out of the US and the UK as far as book settings go. And having them all focus on different aspects of Spanish culture and history has been interesting, indeed.
In this story, we've got Rose, a Jewish Brit, who comes to Spain looking for her brother who went missing during the Spanish Civil War, which took place at the same time as the early days of WWII, so there were few places for people to go for safety from one war or the other. Rose only knows of a vague description of a place in the Spanish mountains from her brother's last communication years before and his plans to try to get over the border into France - which would've been around the same time that the Nazis invaded the country.
Rose goes looking for her brother and finds family of a different sort. This is very much a story of self-discovery and found family, and women helping women. She goes amongst the gypsies/Romani people to try to track down any information on her brother, and we get a glimpse into that culture, their ways and the prejudices and struggles they face. The author writes this world with vivid detail, without bogging it down with extraneous exposition.
This had some interesting twists that I wasn't expecting, which are mostly good, though one at the end I was less than happy with, at least initially. I was even more intrigued after hearing the author's note at the end, that this story was loosely based on the real-life herbalist Juliette de Baïracli Levy, who is apparently responsible for reviving herbal medicine in the US.
This was worth the listen and I'm glad I stuck to it.
Set in post-Civil War Spain, this is an interesting story that I almost gave up on within the first five minutes since the first chapter was in third-person present tense. Thankfully, everything else after that was third-person past tense. I also had some issues with the narrator's inflictions (I don't know how she managed to emphasize every single syllable in Cristóbal, but she did) and her natural pacing. I eventually found the sweet spot at 1.30x and it went much more smoothly after that.
I don't know how I managed to read three stories so close together all set in Spain (All This I Will Give to You, And It Came to Pass and now this one) but I've enjoyed getting out of the US and the UK as far as book settings go. And having them all focus on different aspects of Spanish culture and history has been interesting, indeed.
In this story, we've got Rose, a Jewish Brit, who comes to Spain looking for her brother who went missing during the Spanish Civil War, which took place at the same time as the early days of WWII, so there were few places for people to go for safety from one war or the other. Rose only knows of a vague description of a place in the Spanish mountains from her brother's last communication years before and his plans to try to get over the border into France - which would've been around the same time that the Nazis invaded the country.
Rose goes looking for her brother and finds family of a different sort. This is very much a story of self-discovery and found family, and women helping women. She goes amongst the gypsies/Romani people to try to track down any information on her brother, and we get a glimpse into that culture, their ways and the prejudices and struggles they face. The author writes this world with vivid detail, without bogging it down with extraneous exposition.
This had some interesting twists that I wasn't expecting, which are mostly good, though one at the end I was less than happy with, at least initially. I was even more intrigued after hearing the author's note at the end, that this story was loosely based on the real-life herbalist Juliette de Baïracli Levy, who is apparently responsible for reviving herbal medicine in the US.
This was worth the listen and I'm glad I stuck to it.
February 24, 2019
This was one of my two kindlefirst picks for January. I thought I was going to love it. Rose, a young English woman, goes looking for answers about her brother, a partisan fighter during the Spanish Civil War. She encounters a Gypsy woman named Lola who may just be part of those answers. *If you don’t want spoilers, stop reading now.*
I was disappointed in this one. I love WWII era novels and was looking forward to one that focused more on fascism in Spain, and on the Gypsy people. However, this book just had a lot of parts that did not sit right with me.
One aspect that just bothered me was Rose’s seeming dependence on Catholicism and Christian parables and saint stories, when she was Jewish. For most of the book she relies on the calm and welcoming she feels in the church and when lighting candles for intentions. She seems to have a developed knowledge of Catholicism. What bothered me was that her Jewish heritage was of fleeting mention and seemed only added to make a relationship with a Nazi that more abhorrent. It just seemed that the author didn’t intend for the character of Rose to be Jewish and added it in for some reason.
I also did not like how each time Rose found herself sexually attracted to a man, it was then shameful. If she acted on her desire, she then had lengthy shameful thoughts about her actions. I understand that this may have been intended to show morality but it came off as slut-shaming and debasing.
I did like Lola. She was a strong character who strived for betterment even through discrimination. As a Gypsy she was already seen as “beneath”, but then add in that she has a daughter (seemingly out of wedlock but you find out it is that she saved the child after her mother does) she appears to have two strikes already against her in society’s mind. She works hard to better her life for herself and Nieve, always thinking of safety and stability for her daughter.
The author reveals in the notes that she based this novel on a real person. I think that is where the disconnect comes in Rose’s character development.
I’m not mad that I read it; I just wish it was better.
I was disappointed in this one. I love WWII era novels and was looking forward to one that focused more on fascism in Spain, and on the Gypsy people. However, this book just had a lot of parts that did not sit right with me.
One aspect that just bothered me was Rose’s seeming dependence on Catholicism and Christian parables and saint stories, when she was Jewish. For most of the book she relies on the calm and welcoming she feels in the church and when lighting candles for intentions. She seems to have a developed knowledge of Catholicism. What bothered me was that her Jewish heritage was of fleeting mention and seemed only added to make a relationship with a Nazi that more abhorrent. It just seemed that the author didn’t intend for the character of Rose to be Jewish and added it in for some reason.
I also did not like how each time Rose found herself sexually attracted to a man, it was then shameful. If she acted on her desire, she then had lengthy shameful thoughts about her actions. I understand that this may have been intended to show morality but it came off as slut-shaming and debasing.
I did like Lola. She was a strong character who strived for betterment even through discrimination. As a Gypsy she was already seen as “beneath”, but then add in that she has a daughter (seemingly out of wedlock but you find out it is that she saved the child after her mother does) she appears to have two strikes already against her in society’s mind. She works hard to better her life for herself and Nieve, always thinking of safety and stability for her daughter.
The author reveals in the notes that she based this novel on a real person. I think that is where the disconnect comes in Rose’s character development.
I’m not mad that I read it; I just wish it was better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2019
I've been contemplating how to write this review for the past eighteen hours or so. I hate to say anything negative, but I really appreciate my Goodreads friends and their honest reviews. Overall, I liked it, but didn't love it. I believe others may give it more than my paltry three stars.
What I liked: It's a good story. I can't say I fell in love with any of the characters, but I was rooting for them and would have never abandoned them by not finishing the book. I liked learning more about the Spanish Civil War, herbal medicine, and Romani Gypsies. The author did an excellent job of researching these and bringing them to life. I loved the spiritual experience of the primary protagonist as she, or possibly a spirit, started the conversation with, "Do you believe in Heaven, Rose?" I especially liked it when Rose asked herself if she only believed in God when things were going well. The language and the love scenes were tame.
What I didn't particularly like: Later in the book, the author brought in some philosophy and thoughtfulness, but much of the style was journalistic and in many places redundant. I think I would have liked it better if it had been edited to shorten it. Some of the characters were one-dimensional, which is okay for minor characters, but not for major ones. The scenery descriptions were excellent in some places, but there was such an abundance, I sometimes found myself wondering why we were wandering so far from the story. Through most of this novel, the surroundings and the presence of Rose's remarkable dog were well done, but on occasion, I heard myself asking, "Wait, what? What about . . .?" Or, "Where was the dog in this scene?"
What I liked: It's a good story. I can't say I fell in love with any of the characters, but I was rooting for them and would have never abandoned them by not finishing the book. I liked learning more about the Spanish Civil War, herbal medicine, and Romani Gypsies. The author did an excellent job of researching these and bringing them to life. I loved the spiritual experience of the primary protagonist as she, or possibly a spirit, started the conversation with, "Do you believe in Heaven, Rose?" I especially liked it when Rose asked herself if she only believed in God when things were going well. The language and the love scenes were tame.
What I didn't particularly like: Later in the book, the author brought in some philosophy and thoughtfulness, but much of the style was journalistic and in many places redundant. I think I would have liked it better if it had been edited to shorten it. Some of the characters were one-dimensional, which is okay for minor characters, but not for major ones. The scenery descriptions were excellent in some places, but there was such an abundance, I sometimes found myself wondering why we were wandering so far from the story. Through most of this novel, the surroundings and the presence of Rose's remarkable dog were well done, but on occasion, I heard myself asking, "Wait, what? What about . . .?" Or, "Where was the dog in this scene?"
September 20, 2020
This book intrigued me from start to finish. It takes place mostly in post-WWII Spain, with some travel into and out of France. Most of the events begin in 1946, with several looks backward to 1938 during the Spanish Civil War and to the Nazi concentration camps of WWII.
Knowing very little about the history of Spain, especially during this post-war era made the novel an eye-opener for me. Similarly, I knew very little about gypsies and what their society was really like.
The book's genre is historical fiction. I always find that the danger of historical fiction for me is that I have a hard time understanding where the dividing line is between the two. In this case, I thought the novel was more fiction than history - but then reading the author's note at the end I learned that the main character was based on a real and remarkable woman.
Knowing very little about the history of Spain, especially during this post-war era made the novel an eye-opener for me. Similarly, I knew very little about gypsies and what their society was really like.
The book's genre is historical fiction. I always find that the danger of historical fiction for me is that I have a hard time understanding where the dividing line is between the two. In this case, I thought the novel was more fiction than history - but then reading the author's note at the end I learned that the main character was based on a real and remarkable woman.
January 13, 2019
There aren't enough words to describe just how much I love this book. It captivated me from the very beginning! The cover is gorgeously captivating. The author brought the book to life with her words and vivid descriptions. This is definitely a book I'll recommend and re-read.
Good luck 2019 releases surpassing this as one of my favorite reads of the year.
Good luck 2019 releases surpassing this as one of my favorite reads of the year.
August 26, 2021
A good theme, interesting enough plot.
However, the characters never seemed "alive" to me, I can't tell if due to the way they behaved or because of the writing itself, which wasn't as appealing as I would expect, considering the heaviness of some scenes and the issues being dealt with. It's not a bad story but I found it too bland.
However, the characters never seemed "alive" to me, I can't tell if due to the way they behaved or because of the writing itself, which wasn't as appealing as I would expect, considering the heaviness of some scenes and the issues being dealt with. It's not a bad story but I found it too bland.
February 9, 2019
It was a slog. There were good parts but they were few and far between and the end was abrupt and didn't fit with the rest of the narrative. It rambled and lacked a unifying theme. I felt like it was rambling around and unsure of what it really wanted to be.
Want to read
March 15, 2019I love the cover.
May 13, 2019
DNF!
This was such a good read up until I got about half way through and then she sleeps with a married man and everyone is okay with it! It made me just altogether hate the book.
This was such a good read up until I got about half way through and then she sleeps with a married man and everyone is okay with it! It made me just altogether hate the book.
January 15, 2019
The Snow Gypsy follows the intertwining stories of two women, Rose Daniel and Lola Aragon. Rose is living in London as a veterinarian during the aftermath of World War 2. In the years of the war, her brother Nathan joined the fight. But the last letter Rose received from him was eight years ago. Now she is determined to find her brother and get the answers to the question that’s been nagging her for years: what happened?
Lola is a young flamenco dancer who also lost her family in the war. As a gypsy living in Spain, she meets Rose in a stroke of fate. Between the two of them, they form a bond stronger than any could fathom and help each other to heal the wounds the war has left behind.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I found the plot to be unique and held my interest almost to the end. The characters were well developed, however, I didn’t find myself getting attached to either of them. While I appreciated the history side of things, and loved that this book put me outside of my comfort zone (I don’t usually gravitate towards books set in Spain), I was disappointed with the last few chapters. I felt that the author was unsure how to end the story and therefore the ending fell flat. Also, there is a touch of romance in this book that I felt was unnecessary. It didn’t really add anything to the characters or the plot and felt more like filler.
If you’re looking for a good historical fiction, pick up The Snow Gypsy and let me know what you think. I’d love to get someone else’s take on this story.
**I received this book through Amazon’s First Reads program.**
Lola is a young flamenco dancer who also lost her family in the war. As a gypsy living in Spain, she meets Rose in a stroke of fate. Between the two of them, they form a bond stronger than any could fathom and help each other to heal the wounds the war has left behind.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I found the plot to be unique and held my interest almost to the end. The characters were well developed, however, I didn’t find myself getting attached to either of them. While I appreciated the history side of things, and loved that this book put me outside of my comfort zone (I don’t usually gravitate towards books set in Spain), I was disappointed with the last few chapters. I felt that the author was unsure how to end the story and therefore the ending fell flat. Also, there is a touch of romance in this book that I felt was unnecessary. It didn’t really add anything to the characters or the plot and felt more like filler.
If you’re looking for a good historical fiction, pick up The Snow Gypsy and let me know what you think. I’d love to get someone else’s take on this story.
**I received this book through Amazon’s First Reads program.**
February 17, 2020
The Snow Gypsy wasn’t quite what I expected. It’s a really beautiful tale of fate bringing two women and a child together who all learn the truth about their loved ones, but it has this underlying darkness and sadness. I wanted more of the backstory of some of the other main-player characters beyond Rose and Lola, like Lola’s brother. I think the additional character development would have added the depth of the story I was looking for beyond just mentioning oops I hid this from you! And moving quickly on. I guess what it comes down to is I’m missing the “why” of some of the character’s actions which is the part that really gives depth and relate-ability for me.
Overall, I’ll give this three stars. It really is a touching story but it’s missing a little something extra for me.
Overall, I’ll give this three stars. It really is a touching story but it’s missing a little something extra for me.
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