From the bestselling author of The Woman on the Orient Express comes a haunting novel of two women—one determined to uncover the past and the other determined to escape it.At the close of World War II, London is in ruins and Rose Daniel isn’t at peace. Eight years ago, her brother disappeared while fighting alongside Gypsy partisans in Spain. From his letters, Rose has just two clues to his … just two clues to his whereabouts—his descriptions of the spectacular south slopes of the Sierra Nevada and his love for a woman who was carrying his child.
In Spain, it has been eight years since Lola Aragon’s family was massacred. Eight years since she rescued a newborn girl from the arms of her dying mother and ran for her life. She has always believed that nothing could make her return…until a plea for help comes from a desperate stranger.
Now, Rose, Lola, and the child set out on a journey from the wild marshes of the Camargue to the dazzling peaks of Spain’s ancient mountain communities. As they come face-to-face with war’s darkest truths, their lives will be changed forever by memories, secrets, and friendships.
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Ashford drew me in from the start with her exquisite prose, then took me on a heartfelt and exotic journey through southern Spain and Provence. Moving insights into the Spanish Civil War are woven throughout the novel, and the story is told with beauty and compassion. Highly recommended.
The Snow Gypsy is a jewel of a book with layers of light and depth. Through eloquent language, intriguing characters, and lavish historical detail, Lindsay Jayne Ashford brings to life two extraordinary women in post–World War II Europe and shows that although grief never completely fades, love and hope can still take us onward.
I’m so glad I make a point of reading book acknowledgments first. In the case of THE SNOW GYPSY by Lindsay Jayne Ashford, I learned about the real-life people and events that portions of this excellent fiction novel are based on. That knowledge served to increase my reading enjoyment. I highly recommend this book.
The Snow Gypsy is a moving story of two women who have both been scarred by loss yet refuse to be defined by their pasts. Ashford immerses readers in the sights, smells, and tastes of Spain, from the sensuousness of flamenco dancing to the traditions of Gypsy culture and the lingering, tragic aftereffects of the Spanish Civil War. It’s easy to root for strong, inspiring heroines like Rose and Lola.
I had the privilege of making The Snow Gypsy by Lindsay Jayne Ashford my first read for 2019, and way to start with a bang! Excellent book!!
This story follows English veterinarian Rose Daniel on her journey through France and Spain on a quest to finally solve the mystery of her brother’s disappearance. The last letter she received from him in 1938 spoke of the need to escape from the little mountain village in southern Spain, and then not another word.
The beautiful scenery, endearing characters, and non-stop twists and turns had me immediately hooked – and lasted from first chapter to last.
5 stars. Definitely recommend!
This is a well written story. I was engaged in the characters well being. I wanted to read the story. I wanted to see what came next and know how the book would end. This author wrote a story not just a bunch of connected chapters with characters running through them. She made connections that made sense. The characters grew as the timeline moved forward in a logical manner. Yet, the book wasn’t boring and predictable. I felt involved with the place, the people, and the time!
Well done! I haven’t read anything this well written in a very long time. It was refreshing and it was wonderful! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wish many of today’s authors would quietly and humbly sit at your feet to take notes on how to develop characters within a storyline while moving a plot forward to a delightful and unpredictably unforgettable end!
Thank you!!!!!!
Really enjoyed this book. This story takes place in Spain. We had just recently toured many of the locations in the book – this made it easy for me to imagine and enjoy the settings. The story itself was fascinating to me. The story was so very realistic and the characters were well-developed. The telling was a bit long with many descriptive entries and ‘look-backs’, but I honestly felt like that enhanced the story-telling for me. I did come away with the sense that the author harbors a resentment and distrust of men, but that may just have been because of the storyline as I have not read any other books by this author. I would recommend this book as I do believe that there is historical significance in the tale.
This book is excellent historical fiction that pulls on your heart strings while making the past tangible in the hands of the reader as it came alive.
Gypsy culture in the time just after the Spanish Civil war. So many specifics given on both, making this a great work of historical fiction. But the book does not stop there. Lindsay Jane Ashford has us readers ponder our religious beliefs and question our limits of love and forgiveness. Great, believable and deep characters and lovely descriptions of the various settings. And then, of course, was the plot line which carries the reader on the journey. You will be transported as well, and loving every minute of it! If I had 10 stars,I would give this a 10!!!
Rose Daniels wants to discover what happened to her brother Nathan, who went to fight in the Spanish Civil War in 1936 but never returned. In 1946 Rose begins to follow an almost nonexistent trail based on a clue from the last letter her brother had sent: that he had drunk water from a mythical fountain in a small Spanish town in the Sierra Nevada mountains . Supposedly drinking from this fountain led you to meet the person you were to marry within twenty-four hours. The book contains so many complexities, including Rose’s unique friendships with the gypsies, her work as a homeopathic veterinarian, and her almost magical meeting with Lola and Nieve. This wonderful book gave an accurate historical perspective on the horrors of war as well as potential long-term consequences. The book also deals with how a human heart deals with pain, loss, tragedy, disillusionment, and recovery. It was a difficult book to put down.
Loved this book and the characters it brought to life
Original Story That Did NOT Quite Live Up to Its Potential
Four stars seems a bit generous. Think 3.5 instead.
There are so many possibilities in this story. It’s original, unlike any other book I’ve read. It’s historical and I usually love that. And it offers characters varied enough that there’s something here for everyone.
The setting is Spain, post World War II. Rose, a British veterinarian with an expertise in herbal remedies, has taken a leave of absence to find out what happened to her lost brother, Nathan, who left home eight years earlier to fight in the Spanish Civil War. And hopefully to find his lover and their child.
Rose meets Lola, a talented Roma dancer who dreams of going to Madrid to be in the movies.
Nieve is Lola’s young daughter, rescued by Lola after her parents were killed in the massacre of a small town during Spain’s Civil War.
Lola happens to have a good-looking brother and of course, Rose becomes very attracted to him.
There’s Zoltan, a helpful Hungarian living in a remote area, but keeping secrets of his own.
And an old woman named Maria, who some believe is a witch, who remembers everyone’s secret history and has lots of knowledge about herbal remedies.
As the drama unfolds, and there’s a lot that happens, we learn a bit about the brutality of the Spanish Civil War and its lasting effects on rural communities. A bit of Roma culture creeps in, along with the associated prejudices that were common at the time. And there are references to the recent Holocaust where so many of Rose’s relatives perished.
But somehow, I did not find myself very emotionally involved with anyone, even when dangerous and life-threatening events occurred. I certainly wanted to see how the plot would resolve, and what would happen to all the characters. But I didn’t feel much for any of them. And I’m not sure why.
If you read this book and you figure out why that might be, please let me know.
An intriguing and enlightening journey viewed through the eyes of two independent and passionate women haunted by the pasts they must reconcile.
What an incredible book! Historical fiction, set in post-Spanish Civil War Spain, it will grab you and not relinquish its hold until the last page! Put the laundry and cleaning on hold–you won’t have time!
Well written book. Involves one immediately with the lives of the characters. Interesting history lesson while still very entertaining.
A Story of Deep Friendship in the Face of Prejudice and Adversity
For Mature Readers
Sex and sexual situations – handled without graphic detail, but there’s no question as to what has happened.
Violence – not overly detailed, but young readers might find it disturbing.
In the years just after WWII, Rose who is of Jewish heritage befriends Lola who is a Roma gypsy and her adopted daughter. Both young women had lost family members due to Nazi persecution. Rose is aghast to find that in many parts of Europe the gypsies (and for those who are worried about political correctness, that’s how they referred to themselves) are still subject to open persecution.
Through times of hope and heartbreak they remain loyal to one another, meanwhile finding answers to questions about what actually happened to their loved ones.
Based on historical fact.
Recommended.
I loved the historical quality of this book. A view into the horrors of war on a small rural community and the ripples through the survivors. A little disappointed in the very end.
I really enjoyed this story of a small area of Spain.