Book Synopsis:
Scotland, 1949: Caroline Gillan and her new husband Alasdair have moved back to Kelly Castle, his dilapidated family estate in the middle of nowhere. Stuck caring for their tiny baby, and trying to find her way with an opinionated mother-in-law, Caroline feels adrift, alone and unwelcome.
But when she is tasked with sorting out the family archives, Caroline discovers a century-old mystery that sparks her back to life. There is one Gillan bride who is completely unknown – no photos exist, no records have been kept – the only thing that is certain is that she had a legitimate child. Alasdair’s grandmother.
As Caroline uncovers a strange story that stretches as far as the Arctic circle, her desire to find the truth turns obsessive. And when a body is found in the grounds of the castle, her hunt becomes more than just a case of curiosity. What happened all those years ago? Who was the bride? And who is the body…?
The Woman Made Of Snow is available in ebook and hardback now. You can purchase your copy using the links below.
My Review:
I’m such a huge fan of this author and always look forward to new books from her. A Woman Made Of Snow is a beautifully written, dual timeline book which is part love story, part mystery and a completely amazing read.
The story follows two timelines one set in 1950 & the other 1870’s. Unusually for me I enjoyed following both timelines equally, soon warming to the two main characters Caro and Oliver who despite being a century apart were having to deal with similar issues to each other. The wonderful descriptions of Oliver’s job as a surgeon on board an artic whaling ship was fascinating and I really enjoyed learning more about it. The author has a great way of describing the cold, stark beauty of the Arctic which made me feel like I was actually there experiencing everything alongside the characters. Some of the descriptions of the killing of the whales and seals did make my stomach churn but it was very interesting to learn more about the innuit and their traditions. Caro’s story was also very interesting as I would have loved to have a research job like she did, trying to solve an old family mystery. It was great to follow the two timelines together and see the secrets gradually be revealed.
This story has some amazing historical detail and the author has clearly done her research as she manages to bring both periods to life. There are some quite serious issues discussed in the book like prejudice and social class which I found very interesting to learn more about. Oliver’s mother perfectly demonstrated societies views in the late 1800s and I found myself very glad that things have moved on.
Overall I loved this book and will be recommending it to everyone. There is something wonderfully immersive to this book which made if very hard to put down as I was so absorbed in the story. The gradual revealing of the secrets was brilliantly done and I thought the end was hugely satisfying.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Corvus for my copy of this book. If you’re a fan of dual timeline historical fiction then I highly recommend this book!
About The Author:
Elisabeth Gifford grew up in a vicarage in the industrial Midlands. She studied French literature and world religions at Leeds University. She has a Diploma in Creative Writing from Oxford OUDCE and an MA in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway College. She is married with three children, and lives in Kingston upon Thames.
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