The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey – review

Eowyn Ivey's first novel is a fairy tale for people who have grown out of fairy tales. By setting a traditional Russian folk story against the grim backdrop of 1920s Alaska, her tale charmingly combines the real and the fantastical. Jack and Mabel are a childless couple feeling the strain of winters on the frontier. In a rare moment of frivolity, they build a child out of snow. Overnight, the snow child disappears and in its place a blond-haired girl appears. It is unclear whether the infant is real or magical. Ivey's elegant writing contrasts with the rough places she describes; it is unsurprising that she lives in Alaska, because she depicts the cold, sparse and brutal landscape with real fondness. The Snow Child has a warmth in keeping with its folk tale origins, yet the narrative is far removed from the world of "happily ever after".