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The Elegant Gathering of White Snows
Just after midnight in a small town in Wisconsin, eight women begin walking together down a rural highway. Career women, housewives, mothers, divorcées, and one ex–prom queen, they are close friends who have been meeting every Thursday night for years, sharing food, wine, and their deepest secrets. But on this particular Thursday, Susan, Alice, Chris, Sandy, Gail, Mary, Joanne, and Janice decide to disappear from their own lives.
Their spontaneous pilgrimage attracts national attention and inspires other women from all across the country. As the miles fall away and the women forge ahead on their backroads odyssey—leaving small miracles in their wake—each of their histories unfolds, tales of shattered dreams and unexpected renewal, of thwarted love affairs and precious second chances.In luminous, heartwarming prose, Kris Radish deftly interweaves the women’s intimate confessions into the story of their brave, history-making walk.
A breathtaking achievement, The Elegant Gathering of White Snows tells an incomparable tale of friendship and love, loss and liberation.
Their spontaneous pilgrimage attracts national attention and inspires other women from all across the country. As the miles fall away and the women forge ahead on their backroads odyssey—leaving small miracles in their wake—each of their histories unfolds, tales of shattered dreams and unexpected renewal, of thwarted love affairs and precious second chances.In luminous, heartwarming prose, Kris Radish deftly interweaves the women’s intimate confessions into the story of their brave, history-making walk.
A breathtaking achievement, The Elegant Gathering of White Snows tells an incomparable tale of friendship and love, loss and liberation.
321 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
125 people are currently reading
1136 people want to read
About the author
Kris Radish
25 books285 followersKris started writing the moment she could hold a pencil. She grew up in Wisconsin, graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a journalism degree and hit the ground running. Her father called her "the tornado". She worked as a newspaper reporter, bureau chief, nationally syndicated columnist, magazine writer, university lecturer, bartender, waitress, worm harvester, window washer....to name a few. Her first two books were non-fiction and then Radish became a full-time novelist. The Elegant Gathering of White Snows, Dancing Naked at the Edge of Dawn, The Sunday List of Dreams, Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral and Searching for Paradise in Parker, P.A., The Shortest Distance Between Two Women, Hearts on a String, Tuesday Night Miracles, A Grand Day to Get Lost and The Year of Necessary Lies have won her acclaim and a great following. Her eleventh novel, A Dangerous Woman From Nowhere is being released in 2017. She is also the author of three works of non-fiction, Gravel on the side of the Road-Stories From A Broad Who Has Been There, Run, Bambi Run-The Beautiful Ex-Cop and Convicted Murderer Who Escaped to Freedom and Won America's Heart and The Birth Order Effect: How to Better Understand Yourself and Others. She is working on a book poetry, two new novels, a book of non-fiction and a few bottles of wine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 421 reviews
March 10, 2008
This book is ridiculous. I enjoyed the premise, but was disappointed with the author. It reminded me of the kids in junior high/ high school that always made me roll my eyes as I walked past...the ones who tried to cram as many swear words and sexual references into their conversations as possible.
I tried to get through it because I enjoyed the characters and wanted to see what would happen to them and how their lives would change, but I ended up not finishing. The clincher for me was a sentence that described the Wasatch Mountains (which I happen to have a beautiful view of from my living-room window) as "penis-like". Are you kidding me?!
Also, I found the constant woman-power sentiments annoying and over-the-top.
I tried to get through it because I enjoyed the characters and wanted to see what would happen to them and how their lives would change, but I ended up not finishing. The clincher for me was a sentence that described the Wasatch Mountains (which I happen to have a beautiful view of from my living-room window) as "penis-like". Are you kidding me?!
Also, I found the constant woman-power sentiments annoying and over-the-top.
December 23, 2010
Ever have to read a book because a Good Friend knows the author and she's “really wonderful”? This was a first, and a true, unrequited act of friendship.
I needed gold lame slippers, a fake fur, some Kleenex, and a big box of bon bons in order to do this book justice. Some of the precious moments included:
Experiences we can all relate to:
(teenage daughter says, in front of her teenage friends): “Mom, you were my first friend – don't you know that that you taught me how to be a friend?...how to keep a friend in my heart?”
Witty metaphors and non sequiturs:
after they “pounced in the pond like dolphins”...She asked “doesn't this make you want to pee?”...“All the time, but who cares? The only time I really feel beautiful and thin is when I'm in water.”
Liberally sprinkled with such insightful ah ha! moments as:
“Maybe things were simpler back then....by having conversations that were meaningful...Sometimes it takes a long, long time to figure out how to be happy. Seems to me it might never be too late, though.”
and
“Claudia was wondering about their lost loves, missing dreams, what they had all left behind.”
and
"Every day of my life is a gift that might be taken away.”
Epiphany:
“...my mother knows that she is here inside my beating heart, maybe she will fly free herself....she will know that she was wonderful and made me wonderful, too, and whole and happy.”
So the next time I saw said friend (the Recommender) I asked if she had read the book. Of course not.
I needed gold lame slippers, a fake fur, some Kleenex, and a big box of bon bons in order to do this book justice. Some of the precious moments included:
Experiences we can all relate to:
(teenage daughter says, in front of her teenage friends): “Mom, you were my first friend – don't you know that that you taught me how to be a friend?...how to keep a friend in my heart?”
Witty metaphors and non sequiturs:
after they “pounced in the pond like dolphins”...She asked “doesn't this make you want to pee?”...“All the time, but who cares? The only time I really feel beautiful and thin is when I'm in water.”
Liberally sprinkled with such insightful ah ha! moments as:
“Maybe things were simpler back then....by having conversations that were meaningful...Sometimes it takes a long, long time to figure out how to be happy. Seems to me it might never be too late, though.”
and
“Claudia was wondering about their lost loves, missing dreams, what they had all left behind.”
and
"Every day of my life is a gift that might be taken away.”
Epiphany:
“...my mother knows that she is here inside my beating heart, maybe she will fly free herself....she will know that she was wonderful and made me wonderful, too, and whole and happy.”
So the next time I saw said friend (the Recommender) I asked if she had read the book. Of course not.
January 31, 2010
I was disappointed in this book. Reading it, I felt as though I should be playing some sort of chick lit drinking game (one shot for every overused chick lit cliché).
I like chick lit! Or at least, I thought I did. But this book nearly managed to turn me off the whole genre.
The characters were all introduced too quickly, and not adequately distinguished from each other. By the time I finished the book I still couldn't tell most of them apart, and I didn't really care about any of them. I found them flat, more like writing-class exercises than actual living breathing people.
The women's supposedly amazing, deep friendship left me unmoved. Maybe it was too much telling-not-showing, too much authorial "Look how much they love each other! Look, look!" for my taste.
The quasi-supernatural effect that the women's walking had on the world seemed seemed unjustified and, well, kind of silly, especially because it was described so earnestly.
I also found the book technically flawed; for instance at one point there was a classic POV confusion where a chapter started out in 3rd-person limited from one character's POV, and then switched without warning to another character's POV between paragraphs, giving me the confusing impression that a woman was leering at her own breasts.
I like chick lit! Or at least, I thought I did. But this book nearly managed to turn me off the whole genre.
The characters were all introduced too quickly, and not adequately distinguished from each other. By the time I finished the book I still couldn't tell most of them apart, and I didn't really care about any of them. I found them flat, more like writing-class exercises than actual living breathing people.
The women's supposedly amazing, deep friendship left me unmoved. Maybe it was too much telling-not-showing, too much authorial "Look how much they love each other! Look, look!" for my taste.
The quasi-supernatural effect that the women's walking had on the world seemed seemed unjustified and, well, kind of silly, especially because it was described so earnestly.
I also found the book technically flawed; for instance at one point there was a classic POV confusion where a chapter started out in 3rd-person limited from one character's POV, and then switched without warning to another character's POV between paragraphs, giving me the confusing impression that a woman was leering at her own breasts.
May 27, 2011
Worst book I've ever read! The characters were not developed well. Radish went into great detail to describe each ones life, but they were inter mixed with other non-relevant characters (whom I actually liked better than the main ones) that you get confused. At the end of the book I couldn't remember each characters background.
Plus WAY too much sexual stuff. It was just littered with it on every page. According to the author every women has some sort of homosexual tendency.
The premise of the book seems stupid! Women just drop everything for a 7 day walk. The author kept referring to why they were doing it, without saying WHY they were doing it. And it just was for lack of better word, dumb. I was with Mary (one of the characters) she was smart to get out at the beginning, I wish I would have.
Plus WAY too much sexual stuff. It was just littered with it on every page. According to the author every women has some sort of homosexual tendency.
The premise of the book seems stupid! Women just drop everything for a 7 day walk. The author kept referring to why they were doing it, without saying WHY they were doing it. And it just was for lack of better word, dumb. I was with Mary (one of the characters) she was smart to get out at the beginning, I wish I would have.
December 22, 2007
Read this for my book club - the plot and setting appealed to us (7 women friends in a small Wisconsin town set out on a multi-day walk).
The book was a disappointment right from the beginning. Radish never sufficiently explains why a group of women who've gathered to drink and talk would suddenly take it into their heads at 11 pm to head out the door and start walking. The comment in my book group was, "And just wearing whatever shoes they happened to have on!" Perhaps because all of us have actually DONE multi-day bike tours or hikes, and know that it actually takes a bit of advance training and the right equipment.
The format of the book was unoriginal (a chapter is set aside to tell the "back story" of each of the characters) and I started to feel like I was reading the trauma of the month club. One character suffered date rape in high school, one lost a child at a young age, one went through a bout of severe depression, one lost her lesbian partner in a car accident, and so on, and so on.
I'm actually all for sisterhood among women, but this book was just too saccharine.
The book was a disappointment right from the beginning. Radish never sufficiently explains why a group of women who've gathered to drink and talk would suddenly take it into their heads at 11 pm to head out the door and start walking. The comment in my book group was, "And just wearing whatever shoes they happened to have on!" Perhaps because all of us have actually DONE multi-day bike tours or hikes, and know that it actually takes a bit of advance training and the right equipment.
The format of the book was unoriginal (a chapter is set aside to tell the "back story" of each of the characters) and I started to feel like I was reading the trauma of the month club. One character suffered date rape in high school, one lost a child at a young age, one went through a bout of severe depression, one lost her lesbian partner in a car accident, and so on, and so on.
I'm actually all for sisterhood among women, but this book was just too saccharine.
August 10, 2008
I just started reading this. I'm already bawling my eyes out. Argh...Ok, just finished it. What an amazing book. How you can relate to each character and feel so much of yourself in them. How Radish succeeds at allowing you to feel your own pain, your own hurts...and know it's ok, and you have come far, and you can continue to move in a forward direction. How being yourself is more important than anything else, and the only truth any of us will ever know. Thanks, Wendy, for recommending this author to me, and reminding me that our journey is never-ending....
March 11, 2016
I loved, loved, loved this book. Women need to know that their friends are their friends, through thick and thin, no matter what, and this book delivers that spirit. I am recommending it to everyone I know who understands how important friends are, who need more friends and don't know it, and anyone going through a discouraging time. Find a friend, take a walk, drink some tea!
July 19, 2011
I'm struggling to get through this book. Basically it is about a bunch of middle aged women who decide that every trouble in their life is caused by the men in their lives and they decide to go walking on the highway - Forrest Gump style - not talk to anyone and just bitch and moan about the problems in their lives. While I think there is a place for this type of book, I know that for the 100 pages I read this book, I was a total cranky wench to all the men in my life (my husband and three sons). While it is good and fine to complain about how messed up your life is because of a man, I decided that it was best for me to put this book down so I can live in harmony with the men in my life for the time being.
Also, like with all female empowerment novels, this book touts the tale that you are no one unless you have a best friend or a club of best woman friends. Another case of I love this idea, but in my own life, totally useless. I'm not a good woman friend. I don't have BFFs. I wish I could, but I seem to sabotage every close female relationship or club relationship. Another way i cannot relate to this book.
Also, like with all female empowerment novels, this book touts the tale that you are no one unless you have a best friend or a club of best woman friends. Another case of I love this idea, but in my own life, totally useless. I'm not a good woman friend. I don't have BFFs. I wish I could, but I seem to sabotage every close female relationship or club relationship. Another way i cannot relate to this book.
May 27, 2008
This was sort of my first "chick lit" type of book. I think it borders on estrogen overkill a bit, but i did enjoy it for the most part. The powerful message of this story seems to be that regardless of what's happened in your past, it's never too late to change your path, fullfill your dreams, discover who you really are, to change. Throughout the book the author presents the reader with portraits of each of the women walkers. Their stories are as compelling as they are unique and diverse, but each of the women share a common goal: to accept their pasts for what they are, but to not let them determine their future.
December 22, 2007
Oh my god, this book totally gave me estrogen poisoning. I'm down with the Ya Ya books and their imitators, but there is only so much "embrace your womanhood" that I can take, and this book totally crossed the line.
It's about a diverse group of women in a "study" club (they ostensibly meet to discuss books, politics, etc, but mostly they drink wine and gossip), who get a lot of media attention for taking a 7 day walk. So, I actually thought that sounded pretty good, and it was fine for the first part of the book, but then it started to test my tolerance for Oprah-type things. I can pinpoint the exact moment it crossed the line, too; the dancing nun. If you've read it, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Up until that point, which I think was only 40 pages or so before the end of the book, I was willing to go along with it, and then once I was that far, I figured I might as well finish.
If you don't read all the articles O magazine, keep a gratitude journal or belong to a menses discussion group, I would recommend Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons as a far superior alternative.
It's about a diverse group of women in a "study" club (they ostensibly meet to discuss books, politics, etc, but mostly they drink wine and gossip), who get a lot of media attention for taking a 7 day walk. So, I actually thought that sounded pretty good, and it was fine for the first part of the book, but then it started to test my tolerance for Oprah-type things. I can pinpoint the exact moment it crossed the line, too; the dancing nun. If you've read it, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Up until that point, which I think was only 40 pages or so before the end of the book, I was willing to go along with it, and then once I was that far, I figured I might as well finish.
If you don't read all the articles O magazine, keep a gratitude journal or belong to a menses discussion group, I would recommend Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons as a far superior alternative.
October 1, 2010
While some of the individual stories were okay, this book's premise was wholly unrealistic. Yes, I imagine there are lots of women who would love to just escape, but no way would eight women actually do it en masse. Nor would something so insignificant in the middle of nowhere become international news. I want the last few days of my life back.
And for the record, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel did not exist in 1968. And the Fox River is not in the southern part of the state. And if you take I94 out of Milwaukee, you go west not north. If you're going to make a geographic area a significant part of the story, it needs to be accurate. If not, the truthfulness of everything else in the book becomes doubtful.
And for the record, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel did not exist in 1968. And the Fox River is not in the southern part of the state. And if you take I94 out of Milwaukee, you go west not north. If you're going to make a geographic area a significant part of the story, it needs to be accurate. If not, the truthfulness of everything else in the book becomes doubtful.
March 9, 2019
The title alone said 'pick me'!! It was slow going at first but that's because Curling season is in full swing and not because Kris's writing isn't engaging. There are so many incredible insights about the power of true Sisterhood in this book and so many ways in which that power gets side tracked. If women could get over being so damn competitive with each other, we could accomplish so many, many more amazing things. Isn't being or falsely led to be so suspicious of each other a monumental waste of time and energy?
If only Chapter 10 wasn't so.............well, you decide.
If only Chapter 10 wasn't so.............well, you decide.
July 14, 2014
I really WANTED to like this book. I am either too young or not girl-power-y enough for it. "OMG! My life is tragic! Let me walk with some middle-aged women for a week and talk about my tragic life and turn into a lesbian! Woot!" ... eh. Not for me.
October 21, 2012
I love books about women's friendships with other women,but This is NOT one of them. In fact after reading about a third of it I decided to read some goodreads reviews before going further. Thank you for your reviews which allow me to not finish it. I have a group of 8 friends that I have had since fourth grade. I have another group of nine that have been friends for 25 years and yet another group of about 8 that have been close for 6 years. All of these groups of friends and I have been through many successes and tragedies over the years. However none of the friendships in this book ring true to me and I think it must be that the author is pushing her own agenda. Although I have been married for fifty years many of my friends in these groups are in second marriages. In every group there are lots of good men who have enabled us to be all that we can be. The author needs to get out there and meet some of them.
March 3, 2011
I read both Kris Radish books back to back while on vacation. Again, not a favourite. Again, great concept but it fell flat. I just kept reading in anticipation of it getting better. I held optimism through the first half and then just finished it out of curiosity more than anything. Unfortunately, I love the ideas presented but just feel there could have been so much more meat to this. I was disappointed.
November 8, 2014
i have never read a book quite like this--i was ready to start walking myself. however, toward the end was a chapter on one of the "outlier" women, a nun who wanted to dance, was aided by a psychologist to visit a dance studio so she could realize her dream. while the rest of the book seemed very pure and real, this chapter made me uneasy--the woman who helped the nun realize her dream seemed like a predator--and spoiled the experience of reading this book.
September 12, 2012
Excellent, excellent book. Any time a book makes touches your heart and makes you think, well, that's a winner for me. This book explores women's relationships and just how important they are while also validating that we, as women, are so powerful...yet we have not fully tapped into just how powerful we are. Loved this.
March 9, 2013
Sorry I am abandoning this book. After reading the horrible early life experiences, that ruined the lives, of two of the women, I couldn't take anymore. Life if tough for everyone. Difference is how you grow from the experience.
May 5, 2018
Yeah...one of those I'd never read it I wasn't compelled to by my book group. This is the story of multiple middle aged women who walk away from the doldrums and crises of everyday life--literally, and hike down the highway--inspiring countless other women in all walks of life.
I know I'm speaking from a part of the country where so many struggle with health and mobility problems, but first off, I'm not fully convinced an entire pack of friends would even have the physical ability to drop everything and walk for miles each day without someone ending up in the hospital.
And if course, some of the women were all about teh bayybees and there were gross descriptions of the pregnancy and birth process. Including a severely mentally ill woman who goes off her meds in order to get preggo --gah! To the author's credit, at least she included some childfree voices in the text.
The author was also surprisingly progressive on certain issues, and it will be interesting to see how my book club reacts.
But anyway, SNOWS and the many books like it just aren't for me. I've never been one to have those kind of female friendships that involve long hugs and weeping and swapping clothing, and frankly, I don't think I want them either. I like having friends, but I also think keeping folks at an arm's length is the best policy.
And that ending man, that was ridiculous. I know no one wants to hear it, but women can be just as unfeeling and cutthroat toward each other as men are.
I know I'm speaking from a part of the country where so many struggle with health and mobility problems, but first off, I'm not fully convinced an entire pack of friends would even have the physical ability to drop everything and walk for miles each day without someone ending up in the hospital.
And if course, some of the women were all about teh bayybees and there were gross descriptions of the pregnancy and birth process. Including a severely mentally ill woman who goes off her meds in order to get preggo --gah! To the author's credit, at least she included some childfree voices in the text.
The author was also surprisingly progressive on certain issues, and it will be interesting to see how my book club reacts.
But anyway, SNOWS and the many books like it just aren't for me. I've never been one to have those kind of female friendships that involve long hugs and weeping and swapping clothing, and frankly, I don't think I want them either. I like having friends, but I also think keeping folks at an arm's length is the best policy.
And that ending man, that was ridiculous. I know no one wants to hear it, but women can be just as unfeeling and cutthroat toward each other as men are.
February 5, 2010
It took me a long time to read the first 3 chapters, and the only thing that kept me going was that I knew my daughter would ask me how I liked it (she loaned it to me). I started it because it was supposed to be all about friendship, but most of those first chapters leaned very much toward the 'I-am-woman, men-are-pigs' outlook: men are lazy, men get drunk and slap women around, men sleep around, men are lucky to have us, etc. All of those things are true about some men, and all of those things are true about some women.
The basic story here is that 8 women who are in a Friendship Club (they call it their weekly Study Group) suddenly decide to go for a walk in the middle of the night - and they just keep on walking and talking, leaving their families to fend for themselves. Mary decides she is happy with her life the way it is - she loves her husband & kids, she enjoys being a homemaker - and she tells the others she's going back home. Although the other women end up affirming her choice, I was left with the idea (from the author) that Mary was a cop-out, accepting less than she could be. Even later on, Mary is not portrayed as happy with her life, but as someone who is "content with the confines society has set". It was almost like the author was saying, 'she's happy, but she doesn't know any better' - that attitude bothered me.
So why have I rated this a 4*?! Well, it's a weak 4*, but 3* just wasn't enough to show how much I enjoyed most of the rest of the book - the profiles of the walkers and of other women who heard about the walkers (Margaret's story was just totally heartbreaking, and it had nothing to do with bad choices and weak or abusive men). Unfortunately, the 'men-are-pigs' idea sneaks back in every now and then: when two of the women are talking about their husbands, one makes the remark that their men are basically hanging on to a good thing - this is after we've read their profiles and know what difficult times both women have put their husbands through, and the men were always there for them!
Oh, well! If you can get past this apparent mindset of the author, this is a book worth reading - and the friendship theme is really there, including stranger-to-stranger friendliness and kindness.
The basic story here is that 8 women who are in a Friendship Club (they call it their weekly Study Group) suddenly decide to go for a walk in the middle of the night - and they just keep on walking and talking, leaving their families to fend for themselves. Mary decides she is happy with her life the way it is - she loves her husband & kids, she enjoys being a homemaker - and she tells the others she's going back home. Although the other women end up affirming her choice, I was left with the idea (from the author) that Mary was a cop-out, accepting less than she could be. Even later on, Mary is not portrayed as happy with her life, but as someone who is "content with the confines society has set". It was almost like the author was saying, 'she's happy, but she doesn't know any better' - that attitude bothered me.
So why have I rated this a 4*?! Well, it's a weak 4*, but 3* just wasn't enough to show how much I enjoyed most of the rest of the book - the profiles of the walkers and of other women who heard about the walkers (Margaret's story was just totally heartbreaking, and it had nothing to do with bad choices and weak or abusive men). Unfortunately, the 'men-are-pigs' idea sneaks back in every now and then: when two of the women are talking about their husbands, one makes the remark that their men are basically hanging on to a good thing - this is after we've read their profiles and know what difficult times both women have put their husbands through, and the men were always there for them!
Oh, well! If you can get past this apparent mindset of the author, this is a book worth reading - and the friendship theme is really there, including stranger-to-stranger friendliness and kindness.
May 3, 2011
This was the book club read for the month of April, and I just came from our great discussion. The book is about eight women who meet once a week in friendship. At the beginning of the book they are at Susan's when she reveals a distressing secret to them and proceeds to accidentally drop a delicate wine glass which shatters to pieces. They all decide at that point to go for a walk, and their walk becomes a pilgrimmage of healing for all of them. And not only them, but for women who learn about it in the news. At first I was afraid this would just be a lot of husband and man-bashing, but it turned out to be a beautiful story of friends and how they reach out to each other for comfort. The story unfolds as each character's adversity or cross they bear is revealed. Interspersed with these eight stories are the progress they are making as they walk around the countryside near their small Wisconsin town as well as news releases covering their journey and finally what the writer called The Women Walker Effect. These "Effect" parts showcase the healing effect this walk had on many who heard about it and the miracles that resulted. One impressive passage near the end talks about the whispers of the women as they sit around a campfire and how the whispers grow outward like ripples on a pond as women all over the world become inspired by this story. I recommend this book.
August 26, 2010
Eight women from all different walks of life with all different problems get together every Thursday. When one of them finds she is pregnant with another man's baby, she breaks down. The women band together and decide right then and there to take a break and escape their real and daily life. They go on a walk with no particular destination, talking and confiding with each other. The news media catches wind of their walk and soon they are gathering crowds of cheering people, giving them food, clean clothes and sometimes shelter. This is a book of joy for friends. For closeness and comfort from those you trust, sometimes even more than your own family. This is a story of the love you can have for others and gain for yourself. I must admit this book made me cry. Even though I do have three friends I feel this way about, deep in my heart I know we have never been this brutally and totally honest with each other. I would like to believe that someday we could be. But, for now, my love for my friends is as firm as that in the book.
August 13, 2013
Premise is unbelievable ... 8 women spontaneously agree to vacate their lives for an undetermined amount of time to take a walk to an undetermined place ... really? I just don't buy it ... first of all, getting 8 women to agree on anything, even after much discussion, is nearly impossible ... secondly, get over it! Experiences, good & bad, help define you, but how you deal with those experiences also define you & maybe even more so!
I also found the book to be, maybe not poorly written, but not well-written ... choppy. Seemed to be a platform to tell the stories of 8 women with unresolved issues. Found the characters to be too many in number, flat, shallow, underdeveloped. The author kept throwing in these other random characters ... space that could have been used to develop, round-out the main characters.
Was initially intrigued with the "concept of sisterhood," but found it to fall flat ... a disappointing read. Would not recommend this to anyone, but it would make a good trivet if you like pink!
I also found the book to be, maybe not poorly written, but not well-written ... choppy. Seemed to be a platform to tell the stories of 8 women with unresolved issues. Found the characters to be too many in number, flat, shallow, underdeveloped. The author kept throwing in these other random characters ... space that could have been used to develop, round-out the main characters.
Was initially intrigued with the "concept of sisterhood," but found it to fall flat ... a disappointing read. Would not recommend this to anyone, but it would make a good trivet if you like pink!
April 18, 2009
This is my second Kris Radish book, but apparently this was her first published novel. I read her book The Sunday List of Dreams when it came out. I am not sorry that I have read these books, but I am not sure what Radish is aiming to do with her novels. I do believe she has more in mind than just entertainment.
I usually read for one of two reasons. I read to learn - learn new ideas, new subjects, new worlds. The other reason I read is to become immersed. So immersed in the book that I forget that anything else is going on. Often these two things are linked, but not always.
For me, The Elegant Gathering of White Snows did neither. I was hoping to forget about my life for the duration of the book and maybe learn something about women and friendship. Radish did not provide those for me. I don't consider this her fault. This was just not the right book at the right time for me.
I usually read for one of two reasons. I read to learn - learn new ideas, new subjects, new worlds. The other reason I read is to become immersed. So immersed in the book that I forget that anything else is going on. Often these two things are linked, but not always.
For me, The Elegant Gathering of White Snows did neither. I was hoping to forget about my life for the duration of the book and maybe learn something about women and friendship. Radish did not provide those for me. I don't consider this her fault. This was just not the right book at the right time for me.
December 7, 2016
This is a random book that I picked up and began to read. Initially, I wasn't sure if I was going to continue to read the book, but it just kept hooking me a little bit and a little bit more until I just committed to reading it through. I really love the concept of this gathering of women, of the opening and truth that can come from this experience, BUT why does there have to be this underlying theme of red wine. Why does alcohol have to be involved in the grace of women gathering. It really irked me and continues to irk me. Overlooking that, I love the authors view of the impact these women had on others across the globe. It is a sweetness unfolding when you can experience the change and awareness that happens when we allow ourselves to open. The magic and force that is created in the act of walking for these women and how it affects themselves and others. That is what I love about this book.
October 27, 2008
This is a wonderful book! It explores the themes of doing what you want to do (as opposed to what others want you to do or what you think you should do) and female friendship.
The premise of the story is that a group of women friends who get together regularly for a "study group" decide to just take off walking. Of course, that is almost every women's fantasy.
I was excited about reading this book, but it took me awhile to get into. It wasn't what I expected, and for a little bit, I was worried that the book was just going to be a series of vignettes with not enough cohesiveness to keep me interested.
I put it away for awhile, but when I came back and perserved through the first two chapters, I could hardly put the book down. I would say in some ways this book has changed the way that I think about some things. I highly recommend it!
The premise of the story is that a group of women friends who get together regularly for a "study group" decide to just take off walking. Of course, that is almost every women's fantasy.
I was excited about reading this book, but it took me awhile to get into. It wasn't what I expected, and for a little bit, I was worried that the book was just going to be a series of vignettes with not enough cohesiveness to keep me interested.
I put it away for awhile, but when I came back and perserved through the first two chapters, I could hardly put the book down. I would say in some ways this book has changed the way that I think about some things. I highly recommend it!
March 28, 2011
Can't I give this half a star? No matter how many times I have tried to start this book... I cant' seem to finish this. I will read one or two pages before I get frustrated with the characters and want to move on to something else.
Maybe I am trying to read this at the wrong time in my life. Maybe I am not old and whiny yet. I feel like a failure for not finishing this book but I am feeling like life is too short to read sub par books.
If this hadn't been assigned for a bookclub book, I would have no problem walking away from it. But no. I am a bookclub failure. In my defense, I've read 3 or 4 REALLY GOOD books in the time allotted and I think that justifies not seeing this one to the end. For that reason I am marking this book as "read" so that I can stop feeling guilty seeing it in my "currently reading" pile...
Maybe I am trying to read this at the wrong time in my life. Maybe I am not old and whiny yet. I feel like a failure for not finishing this book but I am feeling like life is too short to read sub par books.
If this hadn't been assigned for a bookclub book, I would have no problem walking away from it. But no. I am a bookclub failure. In my defense, I've read 3 or 4 REALLY GOOD books in the time allotted and I think that justifies not seeing this one to the end. For that reason I am marking this book as "read" so that I can stop feeling guilty seeing it in my "currently reading" pile...
May 12, 2012
All I can say is don't read the epilogue! This last part of the book ruined it for me, it made no sense what so ever to present such monumental success for every character, just silly and unnecessary. I could connect with sentiments on one level, I totally get the thing about friendships between women and much of it resonated strongly with me. I did find the whole premise of getting nationwide fame for talking a walk for what, one week, just a tad loose. It's not credible framework with which to hang an entire story off. There's no strong character shining through out of the 8 main characters in the story and they all got a bit blurred for me. All in all, I did enjoy the main body of the book, and am glad to have read it, just wish I hadn't bothered with that darn epilogue.
May 21, 2013
Our book club read this, and we were split on this, maybe leaning toward positive more than negative. I liked almost nothing about it, from the title to the writing. The concept of women deciding to take a break from their lives and go on an indefinite walk actually sounded good. Maybe if there had been only four of them it might have worked better for me. But starting out with eight? Too many characters to keep track of.
We all pretty much agreed, though, that how these women's simple act affected others, inspiring unhappy wives and fence-sitters to take the next step was the best part of the book.
We all pretty much agreed, though, that how these women's simple act affected others, inspiring unhappy wives and fence-sitters to take the next step was the best part of the book.
July 2, 2008
Book 1 for book club
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