Treasures of the Snow (and other winter reads)

'Treasures of the Snow' by Patricia St. John

What a wonderful old Christian classic set in Switzerland.

Its sentimental title and heavy-handed themes may strike some readers as a bit dated, but I was riveted by the solid substance of the plot and passionate rawness of the two main characters, who are both about 12 or 13 years old. 

Lucien Morel attempts to tease little Dani, the kid brother of his neighbour and nemesis Annette Burnier, but things turn horribly pear-shaped. (Conflict on the edge of a precipice rarely ends well!) Dani's shattered leg may leave him permanently lame, and Annette vows to get even with Lucien in any way she possibly can. Meanwhile, poor Lucien deals with the pain of becoming the village pariah for a consequence that was completely accidental. 

When Lucien discovers a special talent that may help atone for his bad reputation, Annette's hatred has even more scope than before to wreak havoc on his life. What will it take for her to shake off her bitterness and forgive him? And for that matter, will he be able to forgive her? The soul searching of these two makes an excellent read, although I admit to loving bad boy Lucien a little more than good girl Annette. The dramatic climax draws largely on the terrific Alpine setting.

Young Dani is a very cool character too. Even though he was the scapegoat of their friction, his native cheerfulness is a gift that neither Annette nor Lucien possess. I think it makes him the most emotionally resilient of all. Dani is pretty spoiled, but it's a side benefit of his automatic way of winning hearts. This boy is never preoccupied enough to miss the satisfaction derived from simple things. That's the handiest gift of all, and he's a natural at it.

Apparently there's a more politically correct and dumbed-down version of this classic floating around, ghost written by a lady named Mary Mills. I only found this out after reading a few other reviews of the book. It's said to be hard to identify, since Patricia St. John's name is still the only one on the front cover. That's always been one of my bugbears, but fortunately my secondhand copy is the original. (If the intact descriptions of the scenery weren't a big enough tip-off, the fact the Madame Morel often insults her son, calling him 'stupid' would leave me in no doubt. No modern knock-off would ever leave that in.) 

I wish this story had been on my radar while I was homeschooling my kids. I recommend it especially to families who still are. Apart from loving the characters, it evokes the mountain lifestyle, including their soup, rustic bread and 'cheese with holes in it.' (I guess it stands to reason that living in Switzerland, they wouldn't necessarily think of it as Swiss cheese, but simply as 'cheese.') 

Just watch out for that modern re-write which every reader I've come across seems to be unanimous in considering more sanitised and soulless than the original. 

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟  

'Something About Alaska' by J. A. Cooper

I looked forward to this one. J. A. Cooper is the director of the Writing and Communication Masters course I'm doing at Tabor College, and therefore one of my teachers. This YA novel is his debut novel. I started it during my summer holidays when it was scorching hot in Adelaide and decided to save it until the winter break. I'm becoming more of a seasonal reader. It seems to enhance the atmosphere when we do our best to match seasons, although admittedly South Australia is nowhere near as cold as Alaska. (Not even close!)

Zac Greene goes to spend Christmas with his estranged dad in Alaska. The intervening years have become an issue though. There's a wedge of awkwardness now he's 14 that wasn't there when he was 10. And Dad seems grouchy and misogynistic from the get-go. Was he always such a know-it-all with a huge chip on his shoulder? It's shaping up to be one of Zac's worst Christmases. 

I'll tread carefully from here, so as not to give away too much. Suffice to say Zac's reactive decision to get away involves an encounter with a charismatic local named Stanley, who reveals some of the genuine survival skills necessary for Alaska, which is said to be a magnet for 'wackos' who dare to hope they may tame the elements. 

I was behind Zac all the way, having come across guys like his father, Jim, who create chaos despite their best intentions. Yet I wondered whether another type of reader may consider Zac's behaviour too reckless and hasty? In other words, could there be scope for dissension in reading groups? Would we all equally enjoy where the story takes us? With that question in mind, I believe the ending seems inevitable and may elicit nods from the majority of readers that it had to be that way. I would love to see what other readers have to say though. 

The descriptions of the fierce, icy setting of Alaska are beautifully crafted and evocative. I paused several times to re-read sentences and take it all in. We are invited to reflect whether Alaska is a cauldron that refines seekers rather than the haven they expect.

Overall, it's a great winter read with a beautiful cover. 

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

'Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates' by Mary Mapes Dodge

Next we shift to Holland.

This lady was the powerhouse who gave many other turn-of-the-century authors their lucky breaks. Mary Mapes Dodge was regarded as a leader in juvenile fiction throughout the 19th century. As senior editor of the popular Saint Nicholas magazine, which featured stories by up and coming young authors, she published early works by Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Rudyard Kipling and E. B. White, to name a few. 

On the strength of Dodge's reputation, I expected to love this famous title of hers. Sadly, I found it hasn't aged well. Some 19th century authors seem to have a gift for remaining engaging and timeless well over a century further on. It strikes me that Dodge wasn't one of them, although many of her proteges were.

Hans Brinker is a noble teenager who struggles to make ends meet. He lives with his younger sister, Gretel, their hardworking mother and disabled father. The dad, Raff Brinker, suffered severe head injuries in a workplace injury that wiped out his memory, and now he needs constant supervision. A grand skating race with a generous prize is announced, but will the Brinker kids ever be able to scrape together enough funds to purchase adequate skates? Not to mention, mean boy Carl Van Schummel wants to sabotage their chances of even entering. 

We learn some great details about Holland, the country below sea level, but the plot itself crawls along at snail's pace until way down the track. And 15-year-old Hans himself has that, 'What a guy!' quality from the very start, which wipes out the need for character development. Self-sacrificing, noble, industrious and resourceful, he has no hero's journey, as such. In fact, we get the idea that if he wasn't such a exemplary specimen of young manhood, far out of anyone else's league, all the instances of good luck throughout the story wouldn't have fallen together as beautifully as they do. 

If this was a travel brochure rather than a novel I would have liked it better. Here is a sample of its good description about the setting itself.

'Often the keels of floating ships are higher than the roofs of the dwellings. The stork clattering to her young on the house peak may feel that her nest is lifted far out of danger, but the croaking frog in neighbouring bulrushes is nearer the stars than she. Water bugs dart backward and forward above the heads of chimney swallows, and willow trees seem drooping with shame because they cannot reach as high as the reeds nearby.' 

🌟🌟½