Mum's Monday: The Snow Rose by Lulu Taylor

This book starts off with snippets, of why Kate is escaping with her daughter, Heather, but because this book is rather a thick book, me as the reader, I am thinking ‘I will find the whole story as I read on and there is a lot to read’.

This is a good way, to keep you intrigued and to keeping reading to find out. In such a long book, you don’t want to give everything away in the beginning, that there would be no point in reading further.

When Kate first pulled up at the house, I thought, it had been divided into apartments and that Kate, was going to be renting one of them, for it then to become apparent, that she has been hired as the guardian of the whole house.

Whilst reading this book, it is written so well, that I could imagine, myself exploring the many rooms along with Kate, and experiencing, what Kate and Heather come across, in the various rooms, and what they discover in the basement.

This book shows, that you should read and look through any information, you are given, carefully, as in this book, it might help with the heating and the hot water.

Chapters 4 and 5 this book seems to change direction, and the feel of the book, as we meet the neighbours, 2 sisters Matty and Sissy. Nothing, if anything, is given away, but this book, becomes more and more intriguing.

The story line, throws up a surprise, where Matty and Sissy are concerned, which leaves me even more intrigued, than before.

The book is realistically written, as yes, Kate would be paranoid once she had heard the radio broadcast but, if she has covered her track, as well as she believes, she should be fine, although, Caz, her friend, must stay strong, demonstrating Kate’s escape may not be as perfect as she believes it is.

As I read, this book becomes stranger and stranger, when Kate suddenly realises what the flashes of lights could be in the basement; another mystery, surrounding Heather’s doll arises and also, who Heather refers to as, ‘Madam’ appears. It seems, as one mystery is answered, more mysteries become apparent and are unanswered. However, we do find out, near the end, that ‘Madam is a clever, childish play on words.

This book, seems to be, on the verge of being a light-hearted thriller, which is a sign of very clever writing of the storyline. I just know that I wanted to keep reading it. Which is good, as it shows it is interesting.

It is nice, although annoying to see, this book acknowledges the realism that technology and the internet are not always reliable or helpful.

The first chapter of part 2, is a flashback, but at first it is unclear what direction the story has gone in. just when I thought this story, couldn’t get any stranger and intriguing, it does, continuing to make this a fascinating book to read.

As I continue to read the chapters, I come across ‘The Snow Rose’, it takes a while to connect the title with the story, but it is there at last.

Continuing to read part 2, it all of a sudden throws up a massive shock – it is such a revelation, it is almost unbelievable and I think it is just another, twisted and inappropriate cover story, but sadly it isn’t. whilst reading on, you get the impression, not all is as it seems, but nothing prepares the reader for the truth.

Near the end of part 2, sets the story off in another direction, it is now, very much a commune, led by the one they call the ‘Beloved’, although it is described really well, I do wonder, where Kate, fits into all of it, or if it is, all as it seems. Who knows, so far, this book has so many twists, turns and shocks along the way, you have to keep reading, just to find out what is real and what is not, if of course it is the latter, it makes me question ‘What is going on?’ if it is real, ok, but I doubt it, at the time, as this book, never seems, to cease to amaze.

Chapter 17, it becomes a bit clearer, as to what happened. I feel for Caz and Rory, Kates husband, but Caz feels loyalty to Kate. However, can Caz, really know, what is best for Kate, although, I am sure that Kate, would want to know some new information about her son Ady, it does however, depend on her state of mind though.

This book is realistically written, as we only find out information in bits and pieces, just as any other out-siders, to the main characters find out.

As I read, it seems, the whole house has been taken over by the ‘Commune’. The story gives a very in-depth look at what possibly happens in one, as well as all the outside, members of the public’s objections, gossiping and listening to rumours, spread by family members, who feel, they were, done wrong by.

Kate, seems to have disappeared. With all the intense description, of the operations in the commune, however, she soon reappears, with us, soon to find out the tragedy, that happened to her family, but from the deceit, we find out about Rory, to the night of the loss, there are holes in how we get from one instance to the point we find Kate at now.

As I read on, it continues with the lives of the characters, living in the commune. This is well written, including Arthur, who realistically, shows, people are not always on the same page. He is against the idea of the commune, sees through the ‘Beloved’ and hates being there, shunning what the commune has done to the other members. He goes along with a part of it, just to please his parents, who are the reason he is there, as they are members also, but his view is of an adverse nature. He is young and a bit on the wild side, so his reactions are in-keeping with the character, that has been portrayed, as in the writing of him and his character development/back ground story. Although, the more we find out about the commune, he may have a point, in this case alone.

In a flashback, replay, that Kate remembers, of an occasion in her and Rory’s life, it is written so well that, I can see that it would play out exactly as it is on the page, with Kate meaning the opposite of what she says, Rory taking, what she says at, face value and retreating inside himself.

This book has captured these people’s lives perfectly, showing, it has been researched well into the nature, of a female and of a man, who is found to have done wrong by his family. However, not all are like this, but enough to make the reader think ‘I can see, what’s going on and relate to it on some level’.

The title of the book ‘The Snow Rose’ gets lost during this book, but it has to have been, called it for a reason, so I want to read on the find out why. It is a good idea for a story to be written to keep you reading, even though at some points in the book, I do forget the title of it.

It seems, whilst Kate has, as everyone sees it, been ill, there have been obvious changes to the house, in that more people have moved in and some alterations are taking place. I do feel for Kate, it seems she has lost her, as she called it when she initially moved in, he sanctuary, as in the living room, she originally made her own. it is also good to see her interacting with the new arrivals, but she is in a, what could be deemed as a, fragile state of mind, so could be easily influenced, to becoming out of character.

We do, at last find out the connection, between Rory’s dilemma and the tragic night, that led to Kate disappearing, although it is not explained in full, it is easy to read between the lines.

This book proves, there can be 2 sides to anything. It also proves you can escape a place, but you cannot escape yourself or your situation.

Chapter 29, it suddenly hits me why it is called ‘The Snow Rose’, it will never get any bigger, just like one of the characters in the book. This is very cleverly worked out and sadly, lovely in nature, but I do think I would have given the book a different title. As the title makes me think of a whole different story, all together, again proving, you should never judge a book by its cover.

It is strange, how in one chapter, it seems all religious and bowing down to the ‘Beloved’s will’, only to then in another chapter, it changes to Archer, explaining to Kate all about the house being all self-sufficient, when the time comes, when the world can no longer provide. It is, sometimes like reading 2 different books, it is like half, the Kate parts make sense and the other half could still be seen as controversial.

Chapter 33, takes an unexpected turn of events, this book is not only strange but becomes weirder and weirder, however, it still managers to stay, in-keeping, with the way of life in a commune.

At the end in the epilogue, it seems to jump a fair few years and history is repeating itself. All I know is, it is one strange story, surrounding a large house, making this the most unusual book I have ever read, despite this, it is a good read and one that makes you think.