Magic in the Snow

Dawson divorces Peter and leaves Roanoke, Virginia, for Cedar Falls in Maine, with her son, Adam. Her father lives in a house in Cedar Falls that is gradually falling apart. Joshua, Dawson’s brother, had talked her into visiting their father, but he had not given her the full picture of what to expect. Her father, Lloyd, is a widower who, due to old age among other things, does not take good care of the house. Unfortunately, Dawson is subjected to his bitter lashings whenever they are together in the house. She is determined to return the house to its former glory and then leave to find a place of her own, as soon as she is done with the repairs. While looking for the materials she needs for the work, she meets Samuel, a library owner, who gives her more than just books.

The reader is easily immersed in Dawson’s life right from the beginning. The flow of the events is realistic, and the characters are likable. Readers will appreciate the themes in this novel, especially those of parenting a child who borders on the autism spectrum, and dealing with parents who show symptoms of dementia in their old age. The tone ranged from educative, for the things that the protagonist needed to learn, to backslapping, while the Christmas spirit kept the storyline entertaining. However, the ending seemed quite rushed, as if a huge chunk of the plot suddenly went missing. The reader will have quite an entertaining and didactic time while reading “Magic in the Snow”.

JM Lareen