The Snow Child

''There once was an old man and woman who loved each other very much and were content with their lot in life except for one great sadness- they had no children of their own.''

I've often read that it is difficult to write a review about books that left you indifferent, distant. I agree, but for me, writing a review about a novel that left me speechless with its beauty is equally hard. Where do words stop? Where should we stop analyzing and dissecting a work of literature and let the power of the story speak for itself?

Jack and Mabel is a couple that love each other unconditionally and yet, their life together is tarnished by the absence of a child. Their decision to move to Alaska, in a remote area of the Last Frontier, is their final attempt to start anew, on virgin ground, away from their relatives' gossips and silent pity. A tough place to begin again, one may say, but I believe that we are often in need of a shock, in need of a drastic change of environment, to look upon our lives under a new light, to attempt to correct our wrongs or chase our fears away. It is not easy. Far from it. And it is not easy for our protagonists either.

''November was here, and it frightened her because she knew what it brought- cold upon the valley like a coming death, glacial wind through the cracks between the cabin logs. But most of all, darkness. Darkness so complete even the pale-lit hours would be chocked.''

While Jack retains his contact with the ‘‘outside'' world, Mabel stays home waiting, reading, baking pies, slowly letting herself become a vulnerable prey to her sadness. Then, one cold, beautiful, snowy evening, she and Jack decide to let themselves become children again, and a miracle happens. A beautiful child starts visiting them.

No more about the plot, we are treading on thin ice here. Let us turn our focus to the characters. The way Ivey has created the relationship between Jack and Mabel is astonishing. It is a love that is realistic. earthy, devoted and full of equal trust. Jack is like a rock that supports Mabel in her every step, Mabel is tenderness, determination and the sole reason he keeps on going. Actually, they are each other's reason to persevere and tame the wild, formidable nature and make it their home. Mabel adds to the ambiguity of the narration. There is an intense feeling of uncertainty, especially in the first half of the story. Is she a reliable narrator? What is this young girl that seems to appear out of nowhere? Is she a forest child spirit? A creature of winter? Or is she a human child of flesh and blood with an unquenched, primeval instict of survival? The characters that move in the periphery of the action are quite interesting in their own merit. Aside from Faina, Esther and Garrett occupy much of the plot. Esther is a solid character, a strong woman, as strong as the harsh landscape. I'm sure that most of us would like to have her as our close friend. Garrett takes on quite a distinctive role during the second half of the novel.

Ivey writes her tale in a language of impeccable beauty, creating immediate images in the mind of a reader, with a vividness that takes you away, carrying you into the heart of the story. The characters jump out of the page, you are able to smell and feel the wintry air on your face, the aroma of the cold and the fur trees. You can feel the softness of the snow, the crispiness of a newly - formed snowball, the heat from the woodstove and its cozy light around the wooden cabin. There is a nightly ice - skating sequence that is, possibly, one of the finest, most beautiful, heartwarming passages I've ever read.

''We never know what is going to happen, do we? Life is always throwing us this way and that. That's where the adventure is.''

Based on a Russian fairy-tale, this story resembles every bit of the beauty of the Russian folk tales. It is sad, hopeful and sensitive, its characters are people like us. It is an example of how exciting can the mixture of realism and magic realism become when done right. It is a creation of love, nature, darkness and light. A creation of persistance and strength, of all those elements we encounter in our daily lives, those we adopt and the dark ones that we try to scare away. The way I see it, these are the ingredients of a beautiful, classic story. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey is certain to become one. So forget all pretentious ‘‘philosophies'' about the ‘‘deeper meaning the author wanted to convey'', and allow yourselves to become children, playing with the snow on a starry night. Escape to a snowy plain in Alaska and let magic in. You will not be disappointed...