The Snow Song by Sally Gardner

The Snow Song by Sally Gardner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 384

Publisher - HQ Stories

Source - Gave to by a fellow blogger

Blurb from Goodreads

Women imprisoned by superstition, chained by guilt.

Perched on a mountain in a land of ancient forests is a village, rife with secrets. Cut off from the outside world it is run by the elders, men to whom tradition is all.

Edith lives alone with her alcoholic father who is forcing her to marry the village butcher. But she is in love with a shepherd who promised to return to her.

As the village becomes isolated in a sea of snow, Edith loses her power of speech. And it is this enchantment that will have far-reaching consequences, not only for Edith but for the whole village.


My Review

A cult like village, men are the be all and end all, money, fear and power rule the town. When Edith meets the love of her life, an outsider Shepherd she is willing to risk it all. An agreement is made, if he returns she can marry him, if he doesn't she WILL marry the power wielding cruel older butcher as promised by her alcoholic dad. As the small village is cut off and snowed in, Edith is forced to follow tradition, that which is expected of her. She loses her voice as her enforced wedding day looms and it seems everyone is hell bent on tradition and what it demands rather than Edith or what is right.

Guys, I haven't read a book quite like this, it has stories from "gypsy" traveller folk tales, told by the Shepherd or Edith as she heard them from her elder female relative. Some of the stories within the book itself have very fairytale style vibes. We have horrific abusive male characters that will enrage you by the way they treat and think of women. I did like how none of them had names but rather labelled by their professions. The female characters also provoke angry responses too and I would have liked to have slapped and shook some but we also see some personal growth, some!

The book is thought provoking, enchanting at times, dare I say almost magical at some points, not like Harry Potter type but more the stuff in fairytales, evil, good, shady questionable humans and their behaviours. How a strong female can make such a change/impact but also the old saying it takes a village to raise a child well this village shows just how bad things can be/accepted hence the almost cult like reference. Women subservient to males, except the Shepherd, he is such a nice and good soul, women being treated badly, used even by their so called loved ones, actions and consequences, it is a mixed bag. I think some people could take it to a really deep level, I was absorbed by it and a bit of rollercoaster of emotions, 4/5.

View all my reviews

The Reapers Are The Angels by Alden Bell

The Reapers are the Angels by Alden Bell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 4 days on and off

Pages - 294

Publisher - TOR

Blurb from Goodreads

Zombies have infested a fallen America. A young girl named Temple is on the run. Haunted by her past and pursued by a killer, Temple is surrounded by death and danger, hoping to be set free.

For twenty-five years, civilization has survived in meager enclaves, guarded against a plague of the dead. Temple wanders this blighted landscape, keeping to herself and keeping her demons inside her heart. She can't remember a time before the zombies, but she does remember an old man who took her in and the younger brother she cared for until the tragedy that set her on a personal journey toward redemption. Moving back and forth between the insulated remnants of society and the brutal frontier beyond, Temple must decide where ultimately to make a home and find the salvation she seeks.





My Review

We all know I love a zombie read, for those who are a bit fencer sitter on them this one may appear a bit more to you. Temple is taking it one day from the next in a new world where zombies far outnumber the surviving humans. Twenty five years after the apocalypse kicked off Temple has lost everyone close to her and is moving from place to place to stay safe. After a horrific encounter she finds herself hunted and not just by the zombies. Coming across someone who is vulnerable to say the least she tries to keep them both safe whilst eluding the person who wants to dole out some justice.

I think if you like a story that is post apocalyptic which more focus on the human survival and rationale behind human actions and consequences rather than horror and flesh eating, this is one for you. Temple is older than her fifteen years and in some aspects really smart, in others you are slapping your head in disbelief at some of the choices she makes considering that which she has just survived.

She looks after a vulnerable male adult she comes across after her conscience won't let her abandon him yet calls him some terms that many readers will find offensive. The person who hunts her whilst you can understand their initial reasons just had me thinking, really?!?! she is a kid and anyone would justify her actions oh and she is a fifteen year old child! A few other issues for me was how well kept the world appears to be, twenty five years in and some places still have working electronics, electricity, home comforts meh I have read and seen so many of this genre that that did stick in my craw.

However, the book itself rather than heavy focus , as most zombie reads do, on death eating monsters & destruction this was more on humanity, the ups and downs of it. In a ravaged world we will have good guys, bad guys and a sense of righteousness, friendship, honor and family ties. I did like this book, I just didn't love it and whilst some will appreciate how it all came to play folk like me get a bit prickly with how things are chosen to come full circle. I would certainly recommend it to folk who enjoy the more human interactions of apocalyptic style read as it has been loved and enjoyed by many. If you are looking for a gore fest or the survival from limited resources then maybe not so much this one. 3/5 for me this time, this was my first time reading this author and I would read them again, certainly different from the other zombie reads so far.

View all my reviews