Book Review - To The Bright Edge of the World

Now, I'm not sure how to review this. This is going to be a toughie.

Ok backpedal a little. Back in April, I got a proof of To The Bright Edge of the World after begging/annoying the heck out of the people at Headline/Tinder Press on Twitter. You see, I loved Eowyn Ivey's debut, The Snow Child, and I have been eagerly anticipated her next novel ever since. So, when Bright Edge came through my letterbox in April, I tweeted very excitedly for about half an hour, then cursed my planning as I had Murder May so I couldn't start till June. And for nearly two months, I have been reading this VERY SLOWLY (will explain further down).

Told in a series of diary entries, letters and reports, To The Bright Edge of the World primarily follows  Lieutenant Colonel Allen Forrester and his young wife, Sophie in 1885. Allen Forrester has been given the commission to follow the impassable Wolverine River of Alaska, where previous missions have failed in tragedy.

But in do this, Allen Forrester has to leave Sophie behind. Newly discovered that she is pregnant, Sophie doesn't relish the idea of behind left behind and having to stay on a military barracks. But little do either realise that each of them need every fibre of courage throughout the upcoming year.

As you guys are aware, I was a HUGE fan of the Snow Child and I flew through that. So, reading this was a mix of excitement and terror.

So, reactions. Reactions are mixed and muddled and varied. But I have reasons.

Let's start with the writing and the story. Both are these are the strongest part of the story. The two stories of Sophie and Allen were interesting and strong. If Eowyn decided to split them up into two separate novels/novellas, they worked really well separately but, together, they blend and help stand the other up. Plus, we have letters and notes from other times - one of my fave was from modern day between Walt and Josh (Walt Forrester has Sophie and Allen's diaries due to be related and letters and he has sent them to Josh Sloan who is a curator of a museum in Alaska). I found their letters a joy to read and I love their interaction and their relationship.

Sophie and Allen I really enjoyed. I found that, out of the two, I enjoyed reading Sophie's story a little more than Allen's but I found both of them enjoyable to read.

Because this is written in a style am not use to reading (diary entries and letters) and the story is a little slower pace than what I am use to, this book took its time to be read. I believe this book has to be read slowly and it has be enjoyed this way. You can't rush this book. You have to slip into it like a hot bath.

But, because of this slower style, some readers might not the speed this book takes. For the first 3 quarters of the book, the story is much slower but the last quarter picks up the pace. But the pacing is slower than The Snow Child. You have to invest time into this book. And I say this as, while I did enjoy reading this, there were times I wished the book would pick up the pace a little.

This is an very interesting second book from Eowyn Ivey and it shows her as a storyteller to watch. This book might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I am intrigued over what Eowyn writes next...

GoodRead - Last Days in Hunting Camp

As you guys are probably aware that I love The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. Love it! So last Thursday, when I discovered by fluke, that there was a small eNovella linked to the character within the Snow Child, I instantly bought it (even though I am meant to be saving money).

Every year in their long marriage, Walt and Millie spend a month apart. Walt goes hunting for bear and moose while Millie takes to the concert stage with her violin. Throughout this month, they write letters to each other every week. But Walt begins to realise that this might be his last camping trip, and with a black bear prowling round the camp site, Walt begins to wonder if the letter he's written in his pocket will ever react Millie...

Ok, I am going to admit this here and now. I had my expectations of this short story REALLY HIGH because I loved The Snow Child. Because of this, Last Days in Hunting Camp didn't live up to my expectation. I'm not sure if it is because I had high expectations, if the story felt different compared to my memory of The Snow Child or if it's because there was the use of swear words (only twice, if I remember right) whereas I'm certain The Snow Child didn't.

But I did like it. It was interesting to have more insight into these characters's world before the events of The Snow Child and I did enjoy Eowyn's writing.

While this might not live up to the memory of the quietly beautiful Snow Child, it does get me excited for Eowyn's next novel, which should be out sometime next year (hopefully)...

The Snow Child - New Cover and Extract!

As you should know, I am a huge fan of The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. I fell in love with this quietly beautiful book (I believe I actually used in my review in 2012 when this book was first published. If you want to read my review, check here!).

Anyway, I was on bookbridgr and I saw that they were doing a new cover and I had to get involved in showing it to you. So, here's the new cover!

Now, I love the original cover, but this is just as pretty! I love the eeriness of the footprints and the dash of red, but it still catches the magic of the story.

Also, bookbridgr has allowed me to show you guys an extract! I hope this wets your appetite (and I reread it and wailed "BOOK 2, EOWYN! I WANT YOUR NEXT BOOK NOW!!!)!

‘I am the little daughter of the Snow,’ she replied to everything, and she ran out into the yard into the snow.

      How she danced and ran about in the moonlight on the white frozen snow!

      The old people watched her and watched her. At last they went to bed; but more than once the old man got up in the night to make sure she was still there. And there she was, running about in the yard, chasing her shadow in the moonlight and throwing snowballs at the stars.

      In the morning she came in, laughing, to have breakfast with the old people. She showed them how to make porridge for her, and that was very simple. They had only to take a piece of ice and crush it up in a little wooden bowl. Then after breakfast she ran out in the road, to join the other children. And the old people watched her. Oh, proud they were,

         I can tell you, to see a little girl of their own out there playing in the road! They fairly longed for a sledge to come driving by, so that they could run out into the road and call to the little snow girl to be careful.

        And the little snow girl played in the snow with the other children. How she played! She could run faster than any of them.

       Her little red boots flashed as she ran about. Not one of the other children was a match for her at snowballing. And when the children began making a snow woman, a Baba Yaga, you would have thought the little daughter of the Snow would have died of laughing. She laughed and laughed, like ringing peals on little glass bells. But she helped in the making of the snow woman, only laughing all the time.

      When it was done, all the children threw snowballs at it, till it fell to pieces. And the little snow girl laughed and laughed, and was so quick she threw more snowballs than any of them.

      The old man and the old woman watched her, and were very proud.

      ‘She is all our own,’ said the old woman.

      ‘Our little white pigeon,’ said the old man.

Eowyn Ivey News!

I have news from one of my fave authors of last year, Eowyn Ivey. Headline's new imprint, Tinder Press, have announced a few days ago that they are going to be publishing Eowyn's second novel. 

Before I go any further, I must use this gif: 

I am so happy over this news. I don't need to know anything about Eowyn's new book. I don't care. I simply adore Eowyn's writing and I will read it no matter what. 

But, I have read what the book is about (thank you Twitter and TheBookseller.com) and I am pumped. So, her second novel is going to be called Shadows on the Wolverine and, according to the Bookseller, tells "...the story of an adventurer who travels deep into the unexplored Alaskan terrority to discover that native legends are real and have come to life. The story unfolds through diaries, newspaper clippings, letters and apocrypha..." and this book was "...inspired by an actual 1885 military expedition."

There is no publication date for this book in the UK/US but I can wait. I just want to say I am so happy that we are getting more Eowyn and her quietly beautiful writing!

GoodRead - The Snow Child

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!! And, because of this, I decide to put my review of The Snow Child today (as, as after several date changes, that today is the PERFECT day for this book review)

Am going to admit this: this is outside my comfort-zone. This is an adult novel. Not crime/thriller-type adult novel that I normally read, but an adult novel. A proper adult novel where you take your time to read it and get swept along with the story.

Jack and Mabel have moved to the raw Alaskan wilderness in 1920. The distant between them is slowly growing wider and wider due to a terrible event. Then, one night, it begins to snow. And the mood changes. Mabel surprises herself by throwing a snowball at Jack and, in a moment of tenderness, they build a snow child together. The next day, the snow child vanish and both Jack and Mabel see glimpses of a small child hiding in the forest close to their homestead...

Now, I'm not sure how to write this review on this book as it's a strange book for me to review. I was told from several of my blogger pals (true bloggers, not like me who's faking it!) that I would just "inhale it" and "just fall for her prose". And for people to say that about a debut novel is a big deal for me! HUGE! And I can totally see it! This book takes it's time to reveal the story (like how I imagine a story set in Alaska to be) but there's something more to this book. It's as if the book breathes sometimes. That's the only way I can describe it. The Snow Child breathes...

Like I said before, this book doesn't rush itself so you guys who want fast-pace reads, you might want to avoid this.

And yet, this is a interesting tale for me. I think, on Twitter, I told the author and the UK publisher (thanks Sam from Headline for sending me a copy! She's the lady that told me about this book so I owe her...!) that the Snow Child is quietly beautiful. And I stick with that! The Snow Child isn't a debut that screams, shouts and demands attention: it's more subtle. It creeps into your mind and into your bones and lingers in the mind long after you've finished it. It's quietly beautiful and I am on baited breath for Eowyn Ivey's next book...




PS - I have to show this picture that Caroline from Portrait of a Woman put on her tumblr. When I first saw this, I immediately thought of this book (hence why I'm showing you!)


EDIT 1: after I wrote this review, I discovered that The Snow Child is Waterstones' Book of the Month for February as part of Waterstones 11. This makes me excited! And, after tweeting an image of my local Waterstones, the author herself used my image on her blog! Wanna see it? Here you go!

EDIT 2: I saw this pic (again on Caroline's tumblr!) And I thought it was perfect, again, for The Snow Child! I hope you agree!