Set in the first six months after the end of World War II, The Snow Gypsy by Lyndsay Jayne Ashford is the story of two women, one searching for answers from the past, while the other tries to forget the past and move into the future. Rose Daniel is searching for answers as to what happened to her brother who came to Spain in 1938 to fight alongside the Partisans. The last letter Rose got described a fountain in a small town in the mountains and the fact that he had fallen in love with a Gypsy woman. There were many atrocities during the Spanish Revolution and flamenco dancer Lola Aragon is trying to forget the horrible deaths of her mother and twin brother who were murdered with a number of other Gypsies. Lola managed to save a new born baby who she is now raising as her daughter. Rose and Lola meet and Lola is able to steer Rose in the direction that she needs to go.

I wanted to like this novel more that I actually did especially when I read that the main character was based on a real person and many of the incidents actually happened. I was intrigued by the setting but unfortunately I never connected with the characters and they didn’t seem to be developed in any significant way. It’s unfortunate that the execution and details of this story were weak as I think there could have been a really good novel here. ( )

Set mostly in Spain in 1946, Rose sets out to find what happened to her brother, who left his home in England to fight the Fascists during the Spanish Civil War. She has not heard from him in eight years. Lola is a flamenco dancer with an eight-year-old daughter she rescued from a massacre of civilians by the Guardia Civil. The two meet up at a Romany Festival, and travel to Spain to search for Rose’s brother.

This book was a mixed bag for me. I liked the friendship between the two women, the descriptions of traveling with the Romany people, and the information about their customs in different parts of the world. I enjoyed the focus on natural healing remedies for animals, descriptions of the Spanish countryside, and the historical details about the factions in the Civil War.

The primary downside, however, lies in not quite capturing the spirit of the era. One of the main characters is portrayed as having modern sensibilities, particularly in her romantic encounters. Until the last few chapters, however, I was enjoying it (while trying to ignore the melodramatic romance angle), but I found the ending rather underwhelming. The author employs the popular trend of adding “twists and turns.” There are no indications to the reader that the plot is about to go in a completely different direction, and it ends up feeling contrived.
( )

901 ( )

I found this novel kind of slow until about halfway through when it finally picked up and I finished it in one sitting. It's very descriptive in every way. The flowers, the smells, the sounds, and the people. It's alive with texture and color - so if you like that sort of thing, you will love it. Too much narrative about the flowers and the sky doesn't hold my attention for long, but when the plot finally took over, it was very good with a twist at the end I did not see coming. I did enjoy learning about the gypsy way of life and how they were persecuted in that time period. The information regarding the Civil War, which occurred in Spain during WWII, was also very interesting and sad. Its impact on the two women in the story is horrendous and heartfelt. The fact that they survived and became stronger is a testimony that what doesn't kill you does make you stronger. I thought this was a good read and would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction. ( )

"The Snow Gypsy" started well and I was enjoying the intertwining stories of Rose and Lola, and the strong bond of friendship that developed between them. I adored all the beautiful references to rural Spain and the detailed descriptions of gypsy life as WWII came to a close. They brought the setting alive. I also appreciated the history the novel included regarding the Spanish Civil War. The flamenco dance sequences were also a big plus.

However, I was never emotionally connected with the characters and was disappointed with the last few chapters. The ending was flat and left me unsatisfied. ( )