R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on + 1437 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 9
Enchanting. Magical. A fairy tale. These and similar words and phrases describe this book and rightfully so.
An older man, Jack, and an older woman, Mabel, move to Alaska in the 1920s to establish a homestead. Their reasons for moving away from family were many - adventure, no children of their own, a chance to establish and build their own lives. Both have longed for a child since they lost their son but it was never to be. The longing lingers in Mabel's heart every day of her life.
Jack believes his role is to protect and provide for this wonderful fragile and creative woman. She wants to help with clearing the land and planting the crops and until he injures his back he refuses her help. With the injury, he must rely on friends, neighbors, and his wife who is not nearly as fragile as he thought. Their life changes dramatically as they work together to establish their home and raise their crops.
Also part of their lives is the gentle and lovely Faina whose father dies and leaves her alone. Faina is independent and capable of taking care of herself in this rugged land even though Jack and Mabel long to "adopt" her as their own. She comes and stays with them only during the winter. When the snow melts she moves north, leaving them to wonder how she manages.
No one believes that she is real until neighbor friends arrive unexpectedly while she is visiting. As might be expected, the neighbor boy falls in love with Faina and the story moves on like the fairy tale on which it is based.
I loved reading this light, delightful book but felt that the author worked too hard to stay true to the Russian folk tale on which this book is based. Thus the ending did not seem appropriate but I enjoyed the read nevertheless.
An older man, Jack, and an older woman, Mabel, move to Alaska in the 1920s to establish a homestead. Their reasons for moving away from family were many - adventure, no children of their own, a chance to establish and build their own lives. Both have longed for a child since they lost their son but it was never to be. The longing lingers in Mabel's heart every day of her life.
Jack believes his role is to protect and provide for this wonderful fragile and creative woman. She wants to help with clearing the land and planting the crops and until he injures his back he refuses her help. With the injury, he must rely on friends, neighbors, and his wife who is not nearly as fragile as he thought. Their life changes dramatically as they work together to establish their home and raise their crops.
Also part of their lives is the gentle and lovely Faina whose father dies and leaves her alone. Faina is independent and capable of taking care of herself in this rugged land even though Jack and Mabel long to "adopt" her as their own. She comes and stays with them only during the winter. When the snow melts she moves north, leaving them to wonder how she manages.
No one believes that she is real until neighbor friends arrive unexpectedly while she is visiting. As might be expected, the neighbor boy falls in love with Faina and the story moves on like the fairy tale on which it is based.
I loved reading this light, delightful book but felt that the author worked too hard to stay true to the Russian folk tale on which this book is based. Thus the ending did not seem appropriate but I enjoyed the read nevertheless.
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