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Girl in Snow
Who Are You When No One Is Watching?
When a beloved high schooler named Lucinda Hayes is found murdered, no one in her sleepy Colorado suburb is untouched—not the boy who loved her too much; not the girl who wanted her perfect life; not the officer assigned to investigate her murder. In the aftermath of the tragedy, these three indelible characters—Cameron, Jade, and Russ—must each confront their darkest secrets in an effort to find solace, the truth, or both.
In crystalline prose, Danya Kukafka offers a brilliant exploration of identity and of the razor-sharp line between love and obsession, between watching and seeing, between truth and memory. Compulsively readable and powerfully moving, Girl in Snow offers an unforgettable reading experience and introduces a singular new talent in Danya Kukafka.
When a beloved high schooler named Lucinda Hayes is found murdered, no one in her sleepy Colorado suburb is untouched—not the boy who loved her too much; not the girl who wanted her perfect life; not the officer assigned to investigate her murder. In the aftermath of the tragedy, these three indelible characters—Cameron, Jade, and Russ—must each confront their darkest secrets in an effort to find solace, the truth, or both.
In crystalline prose, Danya Kukafka offers a brilliant exploration of identity and of the razor-sharp line between love and obsession, between watching and seeing, between truth and memory. Compulsively readable and powerfully moving, Girl in Snow offers an unforgettable reading experience and introduces a singular new talent in Danya Kukafka.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2017
About the author
Danya Kukafka
2 books1,561 followersDanya Kukafka is the authors of the novels NOTES ON AN EXECUTION and GIRL IN SNOW. She is a graduate of New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study. She works as a literary agent.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,527 reviews
September 29, 2017
What started out as a traveling sister read quickly turned into a solo act...leaving me to finish this one on my own. This was no easy task! On more than one occasion I wanted to step away from it as well!
Lucinda, a local teenager is found murdered in a playground, buried under a light dusting of snow. Told from three POV. Jade - who blames Lucinda for stealing everything good in her life. Cameron - a classmate, and lonely neighbor, he harbored a long-standing and serious crush on Lucinda, bordering on stalking! And Russ - a policeman, who may have more than just a passing interest with the suspects, to be impartial.
This book had more of a YA feel to it than an actual thriller. I found it to be extremely slow moving, and seemed to nearly stall out completely about half way through. I just wanting it to come to a quick end, as I had little interest in the characters or the storyline. The only thing that kept me from a DNF was wanting to know who killed Lucinda. Unfortunately even that fell flat.
This book was just not a good fit for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and Danya Kukafka for an ARC to review in exchange for an honest review.
Lucinda, a local teenager is found murdered in a playground, buried under a light dusting of snow. Told from three POV. Jade - who blames Lucinda for stealing everything good in her life. Cameron - a classmate, and lonely neighbor, he harbored a long-standing and serious crush on Lucinda, bordering on stalking! And Russ - a policeman, who may have more than just a passing interest with the suspects, to be impartial.
This book had more of a YA feel to it than an actual thriller. I found it to be extremely slow moving, and seemed to nearly stall out completely about half way through. I just wanting it to come to a quick end, as I had little interest in the characters or the storyline. The only thing that kept me from a DNF was wanting to know who killed Lucinda. Unfortunately even that fell flat.
This book was just not a good fit for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and Danya Kukafka for an ARC to review in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2017
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
3.5 Stars
I was quite intrigued after reading the description for, GIRL IN SNOW. The mysterious death of a small town girl and the secret lives of three individuals connected to her. A socially awkward boy who was in love with Lucinda, a teenage girl who despised Lucinda, and the detective investigating her death.
The story is told from the perspectives of Cameron Whitley, Jade Dixon-Burns and Detective Russ Fletcher.
The principal of Jefferson High School has called an assembly to tell the students about Lucinda's death. Cameron has quite a physical reaction to this news. After the announcement speculation starts immediately. Some said she was sexually assaulted, others said she killed herself, the rumors run rampant. A lot of students are genuinely sad, while others like the drama....
Cameron tries to recall where we was when Lucinda died, but he can't remember.
Cameron likes to play "Statue Nights" . He started playing this at age twelve. He believes that if he stands perfectly still he can't be seen.
"The game of Statue Nights began with the Hansens, next door. Cameron would stand on the curb outside their house for hours, watching them eat microwaved food, and argue"
It's wasn't long before he started playing Statue Nights while watching Lucinda. Cameron has a lot of anxiety and often gets "Tangled". Tangled is a word he uses to describe when he gets worked up about something.
Jade Dixon-Burns.......straight up hated Lucinda and doesn't even try to hide it. Lucinda stole her babysitting job but most importantly she stole Jade's best friend. Jade is really irritated by the fact that Lucinda didn't seem to notice who she hurts. Jade often says whatever pops into her head. She feels like she can't even fake sadness over Lucinda's death.
"faking shock is easier than faking sadness"
Interspersed thought-out the book is a screenplay written by Jade. " What You Want to Say But Can't Without Being a Dick" , was about what she said to people vs. what she'd wished she said.
Detective Russ Fletcher is an officer with a sketchy past who is investigating the death of Lucinda Hayes. He's been hearing rumors about Cameron Whitley and how he liked to follow and watch Lucinda. He has another connection to Cameron Whitley. The detective made a promise to someone years ago, a promise he intends on keeping.
" We've got a body ", are words that Russ hasn't heard in all his years on the job, most of his career has been spent on things like speeding tickets....small time stuff. He'll soon find out that he's connected to this crime in ways he'd never have expected.
When he asks Cameron Whitley where he was the night of Lucinda's murder...
Cameron can't remember.
We learn more about the inner lives of these three characters. There are quite a few people who may have had reason to kill Lucinda. Was it Cameron, who liked to watch her and can't remember where he was when she was killed? Or Jade who so deeply despised Lucinda? Or could it be someone else? Cameron appeared harmless and I felt sorry for him. But harmless can also be dangerous. There's a fine line between love and obsession.
While the mystery surrounding Lucinda's death was intriguing, I didn't feel connected to Lucinda herself, only as the victim of this horrible crime. It felt like more of a character study than a mystery or thriller. Quite slow at times, I found myself having trouble staying connected to the story. However, there was some really beautiful writing, including quotes that I want to remember forever. But it felt like there was quite a bit of extra writing, as well as a few extra characters, whose purpose I didn't really understand.
All that being said, "Girl in Snow" was thought-provoking and interesting. I appreciated learning about the characters (some more than others). I especially enjoyed Jade's chapters, learning about her life, her mother, and the experiences that helped define her. It was interesting seeing how her character developed over the course of the novel. I loved the addition of her screenplay. I had no idea who killed Lucinda, although I had my suspicions. So how everything played out was quite surprising.
All in all, I thought this was pretty good for a debut novel, though I wished there had been more focus on the plot and less on each individual character. The writing was still very good and I would absolutely read more from this author.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an advanced readers copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.
3.5 Stars
I was quite intrigued after reading the description for, GIRL IN SNOW. The mysterious death of a small town girl and the secret lives of three individuals connected to her. A socially awkward boy who was in love with Lucinda, a teenage girl who despised Lucinda, and the detective investigating her death.
The story is told from the perspectives of Cameron Whitley, Jade Dixon-Burns and Detective Russ Fletcher.
The principal of Jefferson High School has called an assembly to tell the students about Lucinda's death. Cameron has quite a physical reaction to this news. After the announcement speculation starts immediately. Some said she was sexually assaulted, others said she killed herself, the rumors run rampant. A lot of students are genuinely sad, while others like the drama....
Cameron tries to recall where we was when Lucinda died, but he can't remember.
Cameron likes to play "Statue Nights" . He started playing this at age twelve. He believes that if he stands perfectly still he can't be seen.
"The game of Statue Nights began with the Hansens, next door. Cameron would stand on the curb outside their house for hours, watching them eat microwaved food, and argue"
It's wasn't long before he started playing Statue Nights while watching Lucinda. Cameron has a lot of anxiety and often gets "Tangled". Tangled is a word he uses to describe when he gets worked up about something.
Jade Dixon-Burns.......straight up hated Lucinda and doesn't even try to hide it. Lucinda stole her babysitting job but most importantly she stole Jade's best friend. Jade is really irritated by the fact that Lucinda didn't seem to notice who she hurts. Jade often says whatever pops into her head. She feels like she can't even fake sadness over Lucinda's death.
"faking shock is easier than faking sadness"
Interspersed thought-out the book is a screenplay written by Jade. " What You Want to Say But Can't Without Being a Dick" , was about what she said to people vs. what she'd wished she said.
Detective Russ Fletcher is an officer with a sketchy past who is investigating the death of Lucinda Hayes. He's been hearing rumors about Cameron Whitley and how he liked to follow and watch Lucinda. He has another connection to Cameron Whitley. The detective made a promise to someone years ago, a promise he intends on keeping.
" We've got a body ", are words that Russ hasn't heard in all his years on the job, most of his career has been spent on things like speeding tickets....small time stuff. He'll soon find out that he's connected to this crime in ways he'd never have expected.
When he asks Cameron Whitley where he was the night of Lucinda's murder...
Cameron can't remember.
We learn more about the inner lives of these three characters. There are quite a few people who may have had reason to kill Lucinda. Was it Cameron, who liked to watch her and can't remember where he was when she was killed? Or Jade who so deeply despised Lucinda? Or could it be someone else? Cameron appeared harmless and I felt sorry for him. But harmless can also be dangerous. There's a fine line between love and obsession.
While the mystery surrounding Lucinda's death was intriguing, I didn't feel connected to Lucinda herself, only as the victim of this horrible crime. It felt like more of a character study than a mystery or thriller. Quite slow at times, I found myself having trouble staying connected to the story. However, there was some really beautiful writing, including quotes that I want to remember forever. But it felt like there was quite a bit of extra writing, as well as a few extra characters, whose purpose I didn't really understand.
All that being said, "Girl in Snow" was thought-provoking and interesting. I appreciated learning about the characters (some more than others). I especially enjoyed Jade's chapters, learning about her life, her mother, and the experiences that helped define her. It was interesting seeing how her character developed over the course of the novel. I loved the addition of her screenplay. I had no idea who killed Lucinda, although I had my suspicions. So how everything played out was quite surprising.
All in all, I thought this was pretty good for a debut novel, though I wished there had been more focus on the plot and less on each individual character. The writing was still very good and I would absolutely read more from this author.
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an advanced readers copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.
August 26, 2017
3.5 out of 5 stars to Girl in Snow, a new mystery and suspense novel written by Danya Kukafka and set to be released on August 1st, 2017. Many thanks to Simon & Schuster, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to review an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel. I enjoyed it and would be interested in reading more by this author.
Why This Book
This is slightly embarrassing, but I'm not one hundred percent certain how I came to read this book. I was awarded the novel on NetGalley in May, but I believe someone recommended it to me, or maybe the publisher reached out to me to take a look at it. I can't find any emails, which I normally save, or any comments that might refresh my memory... so bottom-line, it was part of a NetGalley list of books I wanted to read.
Plot, Characters & Setting
Lucinda is a teenager in a small Colorado town who is found dead in the snow on a school playground by a custodian. She was hit in the head with a blunt object and left to die. The story follows several people in the town who either knew the girl or knew of her, each having different opinions about whether Lucinda was a good person or a bad girl.
Cameron is the boy who loved her from afar, except someone knows he was stalking the girl and watching through her windows. He's had mini-breakdowns after his father left town years ago under very bad circumstances. He doesn't remember doing anything, but people close to him know he was missing, saw him talking to her and believe he's guilty.
Jade is a fellow schoolmate who did not like Lucinda. Lucinda stole the boy Jade loved, but the boy never really loved Jade. Jade is not upset that Lucinda is dead, but her younger sister is angry. Jade's mother treats her daughter poorly and seems to be hiding some sort of a secret.
Russ is the cop assigned to investigate Lucinda's death. He's harboring a secret about his friendship with Cameron's father, as well as the reasons Cameron's father disappeared. He's also certain the school custodian, who happens to be Russ's wife's brother, is guilty. He tries to navigate the situation, but finds himself stuck on the past.
A few other characters intersect, e.g. a couple with a young child that both Lucinda and Jade babysat for. A young school teacher accused of flirting inappropriately with his female students. And the friends and family members of all 3 main characters.
One of these people is guilty. But the question is who... and you'll need to read the book to find out.
Approach & Style
I read the novel on my iPad through Kindle Reader. It was about 4500 lines, which is about a 300 page hardcover -- not that long. Chapters are relatively short and alternate perspective from the 3 main characters: Cameron, Jade and Russ. The language and writing are absolutely beautiful. So much background and description are revealed in the narration and prose. There are limited amounts of dialogue.
Jade tells 2 sides of every conversation -- what she wishes she said (through a play she is writing) and what she actually said. For a young and new writer, the author has a firm grip on flourishing language. On occasion, it fell a little too simple, but it balanced out from the lengthy details of everything else going on in the background.
Strengths
The best part of the story is the absolutely beautiful descriptions of the characters and the scenery. Everything feels authentic. The plot is complex in that there are different levels of relationships happening behind the scenes, which readers only see when certain characters happen to stumble on the supporting cast. It's a good approach to hold interest in the story. The plot has many interesting sub-components, which help reveal who people really are on the inside versus who they appear to be on the outside.
Concerns
I didn't know enough about nor care much for Lucinda. A lot of details were revealed about her, but she's dead when the story starts. As a result, I felt like she could have been anyone as opposed to having a real strong desire inside me to want to know who killed her. I felt less of an attachment to her, but if it were written a little differently, I think it would have been an easy 4 rating for me. Also, once the killer is revealed, there is no scene explaining how/why it happened. You have a hint at the reason for the murder, but you never actually watch or hear the scene played out from either the narrator or a confession from the killer. It felt like a bit of a letdown.
Author & Other Similar Books
This is a very typical story about 3 seemingly disconnected characters where you have to figure out how everyone knew each other. There are a lot of similar type stories on the market right now, as it's a popular genre and sub-genre. In a way, it was similar to "Beartown" in the structure, focus on teenagers and the mystery portion. But it was also like "I Found You" where the 3 stories will intersect somehow, but you just don't know until the end, but also that this this was about teenagers and "I Found You" was not only about teenagers.
This is the author's first book. She definitely has writing talent and storytelling abilities. I think with more experience, she'll flush out some of the areas that felt a bit weak to me and become a fantastic and creative author in this genre. I'm glad I read it and will chance her next book.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
Why This Book
This is slightly embarrassing, but I'm not one hundred percent certain how I came to read this book. I was awarded the novel on NetGalley in May, but I believe someone recommended it to me, or maybe the publisher reached out to me to take a look at it. I can't find any emails, which I normally save, or any comments that might refresh my memory... so bottom-line, it was part of a NetGalley list of books I wanted to read.
Plot, Characters & Setting
Lucinda is a teenager in a small Colorado town who is found dead in the snow on a school playground by a custodian. She was hit in the head with a blunt object and left to die. The story follows several people in the town who either knew the girl or knew of her, each having different opinions about whether Lucinda was a good person or a bad girl.
Cameron is the boy who loved her from afar, except someone knows he was stalking the girl and watching through her windows. He's had mini-breakdowns after his father left town years ago under very bad circumstances. He doesn't remember doing anything, but people close to him know he was missing, saw him talking to her and believe he's guilty.
Jade is a fellow schoolmate who did not like Lucinda. Lucinda stole the boy Jade loved, but the boy never really loved Jade. Jade is not upset that Lucinda is dead, but her younger sister is angry. Jade's mother treats her daughter poorly and seems to be hiding some sort of a secret.
Russ is the cop assigned to investigate Lucinda's death. He's harboring a secret about his friendship with Cameron's father, as well as the reasons Cameron's father disappeared. He's also certain the school custodian, who happens to be Russ's wife's brother, is guilty. He tries to navigate the situation, but finds himself stuck on the past.
A few other characters intersect, e.g. a couple with a young child that both Lucinda and Jade babysat for. A young school teacher accused of flirting inappropriately with his female students. And the friends and family members of all 3 main characters.
One of these people is guilty. But the question is who... and you'll need to read the book to find out.
Approach & Style
I read the novel on my iPad through Kindle Reader. It was about 4500 lines, which is about a 300 page hardcover -- not that long. Chapters are relatively short and alternate perspective from the 3 main characters: Cameron, Jade and Russ. The language and writing are absolutely beautiful. So much background and description are revealed in the narration and prose. There are limited amounts of dialogue.
Jade tells 2 sides of every conversation -- what she wishes she said (through a play she is writing) and what she actually said. For a young and new writer, the author has a firm grip on flourishing language. On occasion, it fell a little too simple, but it balanced out from the lengthy details of everything else going on in the background.
Strengths
The best part of the story is the absolutely beautiful descriptions of the characters and the scenery. Everything feels authentic. The plot is complex in that there are different levels of relationships happening behind the scenes, which readers only see when certain characters happen to stumble on the supporting cast. It's a good approach to hold interest in the story. The plot has many interesting sub-components, which help reveal who people really are on the inside versus who they appear to be on the outside.
Concerns
I didn't know enough about nor care much for Lucinda. A lot of details were revealed about her, but she's dead when the story starts. As a result, I felt like she could have been anyone as opposed to having a real strong desire inside me to want to know who killed her. I felt less of an attachment to her, but if it were written a little differently, I think it would have been an easy 4 rating for me. Also, once the killer is revealed, there is no scene explaining how/why it happened. You have a hint at the reason for the murder, but you never actually watch or hear the scene played out from either the narrator or a confession from the killer. It felt like a bit of a letdown.
Author & Other Similar Books
This is a very typical story about 3 seemingly disconnected characters where you have to figure out how everyone knew each other. There are a lot of similar type stories on the market right now, as it's a popular genre and sub-genre. In a way, it was similar to "Beartown" in the structure, focus on teenagers and the mystery portion. But it was also like "I Found You" where the 3 stories will intersect somehow, but you just don't know until the end, but also that this this was about teenagers and "I Found You" was not only about teenagers.
This is the author's first book. She definitely has writing talent and storytelling abilities. I think with more experience, she'll flush out some of the areas that felt a bit weak to me and become a fantastic and creative author in this genre. I'm glad I read it and will chance her next book.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.
July 19, 2017
This is supposedly a mystery about a teenage girl who is murdered. But it's really a character study of three individuals- a young man that stalked her, a girl who hated her and a policeman. It's not a fast paced novel at all, instead there's lots of internal dialog. In fact, it's the opposite of fast. It moves at a glacial pace.
It is well written with lots of well turned phrases. The two teenagers are both odd, damaged souls. Friendless, they live in their own little worlds. Cameron literally spends most of his time spying on his neighbors. Russ, the cop, seems stuck in a dead end job and his marriage is stupefying.
But in the end, I just needed more action to make this one interesting for me. 2.5 stars rounded up given the quality of the writing.
My thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.
November 30, 2017
This a dense character driven mystery set in Broomsville, a small town on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado. A 15 year old popular student at Jefferson High School, Lucinda Hayes is discovered murdered, coated in snow. This is less crime fiction, more an insightful look at the repercussions of the death on the people of a small town. We never really get to know Lucinda herself, only how she is perceived through the eyes of others, and opinions of her differ substantially. There a a number of suspects with a motive to kill her from school janitor, Ivan and Cameron. There are short chapters that switch from the perspectives of outsiders Cameron, Jade and Detective Russ Fletcher, all interested in finding out what happened to Lucinda.
Cameron Whitely is a confused, lonely, anxious, odd and troubled student, he is fixated on Lucinda, believing himself to be in love with her with countless sketches of her. Others see him as obsessive and observe what they believe is stalking behaviour. His father, Lee, ran out years ago, and used to be a former police partner of Russ. Cameron's memory is hazy about where he was when Lucinda died, he worries that he could have carried out the killing. Russ ruminates about the nature of his long ago relationship with Lee. Russ's marriage is disintegrating, and he thinks Ivan, his brother-in-law, an ex-con, is responsible for the murder. Friendless, fat, but courageous Jade Dixon-Burns loathed Lucinda, she had everything Jade wanted, including the boy she is interested in. Her homelife leaves a lot to be desired, and Jade wonders if the spell she had cast to rid herself of Lucinda is the reason for the murder. In the story, Jade expresses how she feels things should work out in the form of a script.
The revelation of Lucinda's killer takes second place to the lives affected by her death. This is not a book for those looking for a fast paced crime thriller, it is far too slow paced. This is for those who like a look at the layers of darkness that underly small town living and the unsettled and disturbed characters facing disillusion, disappointment and broken lives. Kukafta has a gift in exposing the rich interior lives of the characters, offering an in depth look at the misfits at the centre of the novel, who find Broomsville reluctant to accommodate them. This is a well written story with beautiful descriptions, that is not really interested in being plot driven. If you are interested in complexity in your reading, with a focus on relationships, then you are likely to enjoy this. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
Cameron Whitely is a confused, lonely, anxious, odd and troubled student, he is fixated on Lucinda, believing himself to be in love with her with countless sketches of her. Others see him as obsessive and observe what they believe is stalking behaviour. His father, Lee, ran out years ago, and used to be a former police partner of Russ. Cameron's memory is hazy about where he was when Lucinda died, he worries that he could have carried out the killing. Russ ruminates about the nature of his long ago relationship with Lee. Russ's marriage is disintegrating, and he thinks Ivan, his brother-in-law, an ex-con, is responsible for the murder. Friendless, fat, but courageous Jade Dixon-Burns loathed Lucinda, she had everything Jade wanted, including the boy she is interested in. Her homelife leaves a lot to be desired, and Jade wonders if the spell she had cast to rid herself of Lucinda is the reason for the murder. In the story, Jade expresses how she feels things should work out in the form of a script.
The revelation of Lucinda's killer takes second place to the lives affected by her death. This is not a book for those looking for a fast paced crime thriller, it is far too slow paced. This is for those who like a look at the layers of darkness that underly small town living and the unsettled and disturbed characters facing disillusion, disappointment and broken lives. Kukafta has a gift in exposing the rich interior lives of the characters, offering an in depth look at the misfits at the centre of the novel, who find Broomsville reluctant to accommodate them. This is a well written story with beautiful descriptions, that is not really interested in being plot driven. If you are interested in complexity in your reading, with a focus on relationships, then you are likely to enjoy this. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
June 29, 2017
The creaking of a playground carousel in the night wind is the only sound that settles in the darkness. It cradles the lifeless body of fifteen year old Lucinda Hayes. Tiny snowflakes drift and cling to the strands of her long blonde hair. Making no sound.....much like Lucinda herself.
Murder never sits well. Especially in small towns. Small towns like Broomsville in northern Colorado. The shock has far less space to travel in.
Danya Kukafka propels Girl in Snow forward with characters beset with deep, dark, raging turmoil. Young Cameron Whitley, strange and elusive, is so taken with Lucinda that he sneaks out at night just to watch her every move through her bedroom window. His reputation at school is the class freak who will never fit in. Jade has always held such animosity for the popular Lucinda since they were children. Jade barely exists in the abusive home of her alcoholic mother and sister. Russ, a police officer, goes through the motions of his deadend job. His marriage to Ines suffers from anger issues never fully dealt with on both sides of this equation.
Girl in Snow is lined with more of a YA flavor. Kukafka reveals the heavy angst and disappointments that seem to swallow up the younger characters in this storyline. There is the far too noticeable depiction of the weight of daily teen life in a one-horse town. We hear over and over again that life totally sucks. Each character seems to suffer from over-exposure due to the sunami of bruised and raw emotions that follow from page to page. These added elements to the storyline seem to overshadow the essential thread of the murder itself. "Because you're a freak, too."
Perhaps this was Kukafka's intention all along.....to present a multi-pronged storyline dealing with weakened friendships, questionable relationships, and unrequieted love. The murder itself serves as a backdrop for these broken characters who use it as a springboard to express their heavy-ladened backstories. Although a good read, it was just too many spins across the dance floor for me.
I received a copy of Girl in Snow through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Simon & Schuster and to Danya Kukafka for the opportunity.
Murder never sits well. Especially in small towns. Small towns like Broomsville in northern Colorado. The shock has far less space to travel in.
Danya Kukafka propels Girl in Snow forward with characters beset with deep, dark, raging turmoil. Young Cameron Whitley, strange and elusive, is so taken with Lucinda that he sneaks out at night just to watch her every move through her bedroom window. His reputation at school is the class freak who will never fit in. Jade has always held such animosity for the popular Lucinda since they were children. Jade barely exists in the abusive home of her alcoholic mother and sister. Russ, a police officer, goes through the motions of his deadend job. His marriage to Ines suffers from anger issues never fully dealt with on both sides of this equation.
Girl in Snow is lined with more of a YA flavor. Kukafka reveals the heavy angst and disappointments that seem to swallow up the younger characters in this storyline. There is the far too noticeable depiction of the weight of daily teen life in a one-horse town. We hear over and over again that life totally sucks. Each character seems to suffer from over-exposure due to the sunami of bruised and raw emotions that follow from page to page. These added elements to the storyline seem to overshadow the essential thread of the murder itself. "Because you're a freak, too."
Perhaps this was Kukafka's intention all along.....to present a multi-pronged storyline dealing with weakened friendships, questionable relationships, and unrequieted love. The murder itself serves as a backdrop for these broken characters who use it as a springboard to express their heavy-ladened backstories. Although a good read, it was just too many spins across the dance floor for me.
I received a copy of Girl in Snow through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Simon & Schuster and to Danya Kukafka for the opportunity.
July 31, 2017
3.75 Stars* (rounded up).
"Girl In Snow" is a character study of three individuals whose lives are torn apart by the death of a young girl (Lucinda Hayes) they all knew. A boy named Cameron, because he loved her from afar; a girl named Jade, because Lucinda coveted the boy she loved; and a man named Russ, because he is a police officer investigating Lucinda’s death and because his brother-in-law, Ivan, is suspected of committing the crime.
At the onset of the novel, Lucinda's body is found on the school playground. There are only a few suspects. Cameron - because he is a social outcast - a freak if you will - and because he was in love with her; her art teacher Mr. O - who also happens to date Cameron's mom; her ex-boyfriend Zap - who used to be Jade's closest friend, as well as the boy she loved; and Ivan – (Russ' brother-in-law), who is the school janitor and who has had some trouble with the law in the past.
Jade, being a misfit herself, befriends Cameron. She has always been invisible. To her parents, to her classmates, and to Zap. No one sees the real Jade. It is because of this that she has pretend conversations with everyone. Things she wishes she said, v. the things she actually says. It’s this play that she is writing - for someone her age, it’s kind of brilliant. And Cameron? He tries to untangle his thoughts of Lucinda from everything else that has happened in his life. And that is not an easy thing. For his life has not been an easy one. His father took off years ago. His dad was accused of this crime, and well everyone knew he was guilty, but he was acquitted. And then he took off. And now everyone just assumes, that Cameron is guilty of killing Lucinda. Because of his dad, and because Cameron is strange.. and because he used to watch Lucinda. Constantly. As for Russ - he works to find out who is responsible for Lucinda's death and ends up opening up wounds of his own. Wounds he thought he had buried a long time ago.
Dayna Kukafka a does an exceptional job of allowing the characters’ to dig deep, and in doing so, gets to the heart of the story, and the heart of the crime.
"Girl in Snow" is an easy to read novel, with strong, well-written characters. Cameron and Jade, made this book. There were however, several extraneous characters that were not needed, and could have been extracted completely. Overall, the novel had more of a YA feel, though it was still quite enjoyable. I will say however, that the ending didn’t quite “do it” – everything leading up to that was really quite good and then the ending was just kind of, well, less than stellar. That said, for a debut novel, I think Ms. Kukafka, did an incredible job and I look forward to seeing what she has in store next.
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and Danya Kukafka for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 7.31.17.
*Will be published on Amazon on 8.1.17.
"Girl In Snow" is a character study of three individuals whose lives are torn apart by the death of a young girl (Lucinda Hayes) they all knew. A boy named Cameron, because he loved her from afar; a girl named Jade, because Lucinda coveted the boy she loved; and a man named Russ, because he is a police officer investigating Lucinda’s death and because his brother-in-law, Ivan, is suspected of committing the crime.
At the onset of the novel, Lucinda's body is found on the school playground. There are only a few suspects. Cameron - because he is a social outcast - a freak if you will - and because he was in love with her; her art teacher Mr. O - who also happens to date Cameron's mom; her ex-boyfriend Zap - who used to be Jade's closest friend, as well as the boy she loved; and Ivan – (Russ' brother-in-law), who is the school janitor and who has had some trouble with the law in the past.
Jade, being a misfit herself, befriends Cameron. She has always been invisible. To her parents, to her classmates, and to Zap. No one sees the real Jade. It is because of this that she has pretend conversations with everyone. Things she wishes she said, v. the things she actually says. It’s this play that she is writing - for someone her age, it’s kind of brilliant. And Cameron? He tries to untangle his thoughts of Lucinda from everything else that has happened in his life. And that is not an easy thing. For his life has not been an easy one. His father took off years ago. His dad was accused of this crime, and well everyone knew he was guilty, but he was acquitted. And then he took off. And now everyone just assumes, that Cameron is guilty of killing Lucinda. Because of his dad, and because Cameron is strange.. and because he used to watch Lucinda. Constantly. As for Russ - he works to find out who is responsible for Lucinda's death and ends up opening up wounds of his own. Wounds he thought he had buried a long time ago.
Dayna Kukafka a does an exceptional job of allowing the characters’ to dig deep, and in doing so, gets to the heart of the story, and the heart of the crime.
"Girl in Snow" is an easy to read novel, with strong, well-written characters. Cameron and Jade, made this book. There were however, several extraneous characters that were not needed, and could have been extracted completely. Overall, the novel had more of a YA feel, though it was still quite enjoyable. I will say however, that the ending didn’t quite “do it” – everything leading up to that was really quite good and then the ending was just kind of, well, less than stellar. That said, for a debut novel, I think Ms. Kukafka, did an incredible job and I look forward to seeing what she has in store next.
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and Danya Kukafka for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 7.31.17.
*Will be published on Amazon on 8.1.17.
August 3, 2017
2.5 There is no question that this author can write, her prose was outstanding. My problem was that this book was so incredibly slow moving, and too much time was spent on character development. The characters were not very likable, imho, and it wasn't until the end was near that I felt anything for them. The plot and the dead girl seemed to get lost in the effort to describe what seemed like every nuance of the three characters, who are our narrators. More time spent on plot would have helped the pacing and my interest.
ARC from publisher.
ARC from publisher.
July 19, 2017
One snowy morning in a suburb in Colorado the body of a young high school student is found shaking up the small community. After the news is given to the other students Cameron finds himself sick to his stomach and mourning the loss of Lucinda Hayes, the girl he'd been watching and dreaming of forever. Jade finds herself wondering if the wish she made for the perfect Lucida to disappear had been granted.
Russ finds himself working the case looking for whoever is responsible for the girl's death. It becomes known that Cameron was watching Lucinda and he's called in for questioning with the police wondering if he had taken things too far. However Cameron's memories of that night are a bit fuzzy and even he would like to know what happened to the girl of his dreams.
As much as I wanted to like Girl in Snow I came away with the thought that I just really didn't get this one at all. Being that it's supposed to be a mystery/thriller read it really didn't hold any of the aspects that attract me to that type of story. Basically a dead girl is found and at the end you find out the who/why but between those events the police are a joke and there really isn't much investigating but more digging into the characters lives.
Now as far as the characters in this story Cameron and Jade are both teens so it gives the book a bit of young adult feel with a big portion being told from their POV. But I can't see this one marketed towards that age with the sexual content involved either so that was also where I was left scratching my head. But on top of that I didn't really care for any of the characters or their actions. I supposed they are meant to be flawed in their own ways but to me their issues were just plain unlikable.
I'm leaving this read with the thought that I suppose there is an audience out there for any book or writing style but in regards to this one I just wasn't the audience it's meant for. But I'm not really sure what audience to recommend picking this one up as I felt the thriller side felt flat and the drama and character development fell flat to me also.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Russ finds himself working the case looking for whoever is responsible for the girl's death. It becomes known that Cameron was watching Lucinda and he's called in for questioning with the police wondering if he had taken things too far. However Cameron's memories of that night are a bit fuzzy and even he would like to know what happened to the girl of his dreams.
As much as I wanted to like Girl in Snow I came away with the thought that I just really didn't get this one at all. Being that it's supposed to be a mystery/thriller read it really didn't hold any of the aspects that attract me to that type of story. Basically a dead girl is found and at the end you find out the who/why but between those events the police are a joke and there really isn't much investigating but more digging into the characters lives.
Now as far as the characters in this story Cameron and Jade are both teens so it gives the book a bit of young adult feel with a big portion being told from their POV. But I can't see this one marketed towards that age with the sexual content involved either so that was also where I was left scratching my head. But on top of that I didn't really care for any of the characters or their actions. I supposed they are meant to be flawed in their own ways but to me their issues were just plain unlikable.
I'm leaving this read with the thought that I suppose there is an audience out there for any book or writing style but in regards to this one I just wasn't the audience it's meant for. But I'm not really sure what audience to recommend picking this one up as I felt the thriller side felt flat and the drama and character development fell flat to me also.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
July 1, 2018
My first disappointing read of 2018. We're off to a great start!
This was another case of "I really should've looked at other reviews first" and here I am facing the consequences. At least I got it on sale so I didn't have to spend that much money. The silver lining in all of this. Kind of.
Anyways, Girl in Snow offered us 3 things.
* Small town murder
* Misfit characters
* Mystery
Instead, we got:
* No atmosphere of a small town murder
* Characters that need Jesus in their lives
* Lack of mystery
If you have read any other book about small-town mysteries, Girl in Snow is basically the same thing. Except where other small-town mysteries has characters that are engaging and a plot that can grab your attention, Girl in Snow lacks all that and is instead a novel about 3 people who have no idea what to do with their lives.
Girl in Snow has the tropes of a small-town mystery. A young high school girl, Lucinda, is found dead and the town is shocked that something bad happened to a young girl.
We then follow the lives of Cameron, a guy who basically stalked Lucinda. Jade, an edgy mid-2000s girl who didn't like Lucinda. And Russ, a police officer who doesn't give two flying fucks about what's going on.
In the 3 days I was reading Girl in Snow, I knew I wasn't going to enjoy it after I got a good look at the characters. I kept on going believing maybe the plot would be great because you can have a book with boring characters but have the plot be amazing. Sadly, that wasn't the case. By the time I finished it, I was glad to be done with it.
The biggest, major flaw with the story is the characters. Cameron, Jade, and Russ are cardboard. Plain, boring, cardboard.
If you're going to include characters that play a significant role in the story revolving around a dead girl, at least make them a bit interesting. I wasn't joking around when I described the characters earlier because that is their only character trait. Cameron is a stalker, Jade is angry, and Russ doesn't give a crap.
When Cameron was described as a boy who loved Lucinda, I figured it was something akin to a crush and he would be devastated by her death and would want to find answers. Except he loved her too much to the point where he would stalk her. Cameron is a stalker and that's all we get from him.
Jade is some pissed off girl who is pissed off all the time and didn't like Lucida. You do know why she is like that and while I do sympathize with her, she didn't help with plot progression up until the end.
Russ, as I said, is just aloof and doesn't even seem to care about what goes on in the town and even in his personal life.
These characters could've helped with plot progression and made the mystery great if they showed any hint of personality. In books like When We Were Worthy, the characters do play an important role in what is happening around them and can reveal secrets that could help with the plot. Cameron, Jade, and Russ didn't do anything whatsoever up until the end.
They didn't help plot-wise and didn't help present the story in a cohesive way.
The other main issue is the plot.
The plot of Lucida's death took a backseat to the characters and didn't have a huge significance to the story. The story primarily focuses on Cameron, Jade, and Russ while Lucida's death is only mentioned here and there when the plot develops. There can be a thing where the story and character development can be split 50/50 and you not only get a good plot but great characters. But it was like 80/20 with the characters taking up the spotlight while Lucida's death doesn't even see the day of light for most of the time.
Not to mention how it talks about one thing and suddenly goes on to a completely different subject. Like there would be talk about Lucinda's death and the next it's talking about Russ and his problems.
*characters talking about Lucinda*
Yes! Some progression!
*next page, Russ talking about his past*
Wait, what????
*back to Lucinda's murder*
Finally.
*next page, Jade being pissed*
Really?
The last flaw is the lack of atmosphere. For a book that is pegged as a mystery in a small town, it was lacking. Yes, I can visualize the setting but it didn't leave a lasting impression like most small towns.
The one good thing I will give to Girl in Snow would be the writing. There's no denying the writing style is written fantastically. And that's about it for the positives.
Verdict
I wanted to give the books with mixed reviews a shot because I figured there would be something great about it I would like even if I felt mixed about it too. But with a lackluster plot and boring characters, Girl in Snow ended up being a disappointing read.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar
This was another case of "I really should've looked at other reviews first" and here I am facing the consequences. At least I got it on sale so I didn't have to spend that much money. The silver lining in all of this. Kind of.
Anyways, Girl in Snow offered us 3 things.
* Small town murder
* Misfit characters
* Mystery
Instead, we got:
* No atmosphere of a small town murder
* Characters that need Jesus in their lives
* Lack of mystery
If you have read any other book about small-town mysteries, Girl in Snow is basically the same thing. Except where other small-town mysteries has characters that are engaging and a plot that can grab your attention, Girl in Snow lacks all that and is instead a novel about 3 people who have no idea what to do with their lives.
Girl in Snow has the tropes of a small-town mystery. A young high school girl, Lucinda, is found dead and the town is shocked that something bad happened to a young girl.
We then follow the lives of Cameron, a guy who basically stalked Lucinda. Jade, an edgy mid-2000s girl who didn't like Lucinda. And Russ, a police officer who doesn't give two flying fucks about what's going on.
In the 3 days I was reading Girl in Snow, I knew I wasn't going to enjoy it after I got a good look at the characters. I kept on going believing maybe the plot would be great because you can have a book with boring characters but have the plot be amazing. Sadly, that wasn't the case. By the time I finished it, I was glad to be done with it.
The biggest, major flaw with the story is the characters. Cameron, Jade, and Russ are cardboard. Plain, boring, cardboard.
If you're going to include characters that play a significant role in the story revolving around a dead girl, at least make them a bit interesting. I wasn't joking around when I described the characters earlier because that is their only character trait. Cameron is a stalker, Jade is angry, and Russ doesn't give a crap.
When Cameron was described as a boy who loved Lucinda, I figured it was something akin to a crush and he would be devastated by her death and would want to find answers. Except he loved her too much to the point where he would stalk her. Cameron is a stalker and that's all we get from him.
Jade is some pissed off girl who is pissed off all the time and didn't like Lucida. You do know why she is like that and while I do sympathize with her, she didn't help with plot progression up until the end.
Russ, as I said, is just aloof and doesn't even seem to care about what goes on in the town and even in his personal life.
These characters could've helped with plot progression and made the mystery great if they showed any hint of personality. In books like When We Were Worthy, the characters do play an important role in what is happening around them and can reveal secrets that could help with the plot. Cameron, Jade, and Russ didn't do anything whatsoever up until the end.
They didn't help plot-wise and didn't help present the story in a cohesive way.
The other main issue is the plot.
The plot of Lucida's death took a backseat to the characters and didn't have a huge significance to the story. The story primarily focuses on Cameron, Jade, and Russ while Lucida's death is only mentioned here and there when the plot develops. There can be a thing where the story and character development can be split 50/50 and you not only get a good plot but great characters. But it was like 80/20 with the characters taking up the spotlight while Lucida's death doesn't even see the day of light for most of the time.
Not to mention how it talks about one thing and suddenly goes on to a completely different subject. Like there would be talk about Lucinda's death and the next it's talking about Russ and his problems.
*characters talking about Lucinda*
Yes! Some progression!
*next page, Russ talking about his past*
Wait, what????
*back to Lucinda's murder*
Finally.
*next page, Jade being pissed*
Really?
The last flaw is the lack of atmosphere. For a book that is pegged as a mystery in a small town, it was lacking. Yes, I can visualize the setting but it didn't leave a lasting impression like most small towns.
The one good thing I will give to Girl in Snow would be the writing. There's no denying the writing style is written fantastically. And that's about it for the positives.
Verdict
I wanted to give the books with mixed reviews a shot because I figured there would be something great about it I would like even if I felt mixed about it too. But with a lackluster plot and boring characters, Girl in Snow ended up being a disappointing read.
Thanks for reading my review!
-Cesar
August 19, 2017
About: Girl in Snow is a thriller written by Danya Kukafka. It will be published on 8/22/17 by Simon & Schuster, 368 pages. The genres are mystery, thriller, and fiction. This is the author’s debut novel.
My Experience: I started reading Girl in Snow on 7/16/17 and finished it on 8/19/17 at 2AM. This book is a depressing read. It is very well written in fact, but none of the characters�� lives are interesting. Each of them have some kind of loneliness and isolation. Cameron with his lonely life spending on watching Lucinda, Jade with her alcoholic abusive mom, and Russ with his marriage failure and secrets. One thing I like out of this book is Jade’s screenplays. Her plays are titled, “What You Want To Say But Can’t Without Being a Dick.” I read this book slowly, word by word, trying to understand what’s going on and I like that I could not guess what will happen next.
This book started out with the death of Lucinda Hayes, a sophomore, popular girl with beauty and brains, who seems to have it all. Readers will follow Cameron – a freshman with anxiety who is obsess with Lucinda, Jade – a junior who has “violent outburst due to insecurity” and watch Lucinda with “fascination, hatred, and jealousy”, and Russ – a police officer who makes promises and couldn’t live with his secrets. This book is told in the third person point of view where each chapter is focused on Jade Dixon-Burns, Cameron Whitley, and Russ Fletcher’s backstory and what’s going on in their life. Cameron is an oddball. He’s bullied by Beth as the kind of guy who would bring a gun to school. He’s obsess with Lucinda, drawing her portraits in his art class and watching her through her window at night. Jade’s rejection by Zap made her reckless. Jade’s mom is an alcoholic and would become emotionally and physically abusive to Jade and her sister. Russ’ marriage is crumpling. His brother in-law is an ex-con, a janitor that found Lucinda’s body, and a suspect to Lucinda’s death. Cameron couldn’t remember the night Lucinda was killed. Jade worries if her witchcraft practice had killed Lucinda. Russ promised to protect Cameron. The ending you won’t be able to guess!
This book is hard to enjoy when everyone is so broken. The writing is excellent. Each character is well developed. This book is best read slowly because it’s easy to lose interest trying to read fast. I couldn’t guess the bad guy, but it makes sense and it’s common knowledge. The story pin the blame on others so much that I stopped to realize the basic. At the end, I still question why Lee did what he did to Hilary Jameson because she’s no stranger. Why Russ got off the hook for what he did? What is the point with the homeless guy? In the end, I would still recommend everyone to read this book because parents should be active with their kids and everyone should remember to keep the curtains to your windows closed at all times!
Pro: mystery, multiple point of views, third person pov,
Con: sad characters
I rate it 4 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for a detailed review
My Experience: I started reading Girl in Snow on 7/16/17 and finished it on 8/19/17 at 2AM. This book is a depressing read. It is very well written in fact, but none of the characters�� lives are interesting. Each of them have some kind of loneliness and isolation. Cameron with his lonely life spending on watching Lucinda, Jade with her alcoholic abusive mom, and Russ with his marriage failure and secrets. One thing I like out of this book is Jade’s screenplays. Her plays are titled, “What You Want To Say But Can’t Without Being a Dick.” I read this book slowly, word by word, trying to understand what’s going on and I like that I could not guess what will happen next.
This book started out with the death of Lucinda Hayes, a sophomore, popular girl with beauty and brains, who seems to have it all. Readers will follow Cameron – a freshman with anxiety who is obsess with Lucinda, Jade – a junior who has “violent outburst due to insecurity” and watch Lucinda with “fascination, hatred, and jealousy”, and Russ – a police officer who makes promises and couldn’t live with his secrets. This book is told in the third person point of view where each chapter is focused on Jade Dixon-Burns, Cameron Whitley, and Russ Fletcher’s backstory and what’s going on in their life. Cameron is an oddball. He’s bullied by Beth as the kind of guy who would bring a gun to school. He’s obsess with Lucinda, drawing her portraits in his art class and watching her through her window at night. Jade’s rejection by Zap made her reckless. Jade’s mom is an alcoholic and would become emotionally and physically abusive to Jade and her sister. Russ’ marriage is crumpling. His brother in-law is an ex-con, a janitor that found Lucinda’s body, and a suspect to Lucinda’s death. Cameron couldn’t remember the night Lucinda was killed. Jade worries if her witchcraft practice had killed Lucinda. Russ promised to protect Cameron. The ending you won’t be able to guess!
This book is hard to enjoy when everyone is so broken. The writing is excellent. Each character is well developed. This book is best read slowly because it’s easy to lose interest trying to read fast. I couldn’t guess the bad guy, but it makes sense and it’s common knowledge. The story pin the blame on others so much that I stopped to realize the basic. At the end, I still question why Lee did what he did to Hilary Jameson because she’s no stranger. Why Russ got off the hook for what he did? What is the point with the homeless guy? In the end, I would still recommend everyone to read this book because parents should be active with their kids and everyone should remember to keep the curtains to your windows closed at all times!
Pro: mystery, multiple point of views, third person pov,
Con: sad characters
I rate it 4 stars!
***Disclaimer: Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for a detailed review
August 20, 2017
GIRL IN THE SNOW is the debut novel by Danya Kukafka, while listed as a mystery /thriller I feel is more of a character-driven mystery with YA overtunes.
While this is the story of the murder of a small-town Colorado teenage girl, Lucinda Hayes, the novel focuses on three characters; Cameron who was obsessed with Lucinda, and stalked her, Jade who was jealous of Lucinda’s good looks and Russ, the officer assigned to investigate her murder.
“In the aftermath of the tragedy, these three indelible characters—Cameron, Jade, and Russ—must each confront their darkest secrets in an effort to find solace, the truth, or both.”
All four characters have deep dark secrets.
I must say that I found this novel slow moving…I was disappointed as I felt that the focus was not on the murder/police investigation, but rather in the heads of three strange characters. I was looking for more action and suspense to hold my attention. The prose is articulate, the pacing is slow, and the ending is predictable.
My thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
While this is the story of the murder of a small-town Colorado teenage girl, Lucinda Hayes, the novel focuses on three characters; Cameron who was obsessed with Lucinda, and stalked her, Jade who was jealous of Lucinda’s good looks and Russ, the officer assigned to investigate her murder.
“In the aftermath of the tragedy, these three indelible characters—Cameron, Jade, and Russ—must each confront their darkest secrets in an effort to find solace, the truth, or both.”
All four characters have deep dark secrets.
I must say that I found this novel slow moving…I was disappointed as I felt that the focus was not on the murder/police investigation, but rather in the heads of three strange characters. I was looking for more action and suspense to hold my attention. The prose is articulate, the pacing is slow, and the ending is predictable.
My thanks to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
April 27, 2017
I received a copy off of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not persuade my true opinion of the novel.
2.25
So, this was quite ... strange. Very, very, strange - if I might say. At first, the story showed signs of promise, even if it seemed like all of the characters were border-line perverts (this is an exaggeration, but yes, there were just too many scenes focusing on sex - at least to me - plus, these characters are kids, so come on).
Gradually as the novel progressed, it slowly began getting worse and worse - up to the point where I didn't want to pick it up at all. That brief moment of a "oh, interesting, it's a fresh perspective" from the beginning, slowly drifted away as I tired of the shallow characters and plot.
Overall, I won't say more because I don't want to ruin anything for those who will read this. Regardless, I'm upset to give this such a low rating - however, because I did not enjoy myself and often found myself cringing as I was reading, I would say the rating is accurate.
*Thank you to NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to review this.*
2.25
So, this was quite ... strange. Very, very, strange - if I might say. At first, the story showed signs of promise, even if it seemed like all of the characters were border-line perverts (this is an exaggeration, but yes, there were just too many scenes focusing on sex - at least to me - plus, these characters are kids, so come on).
Gradually as the novel progressed, it slowly began getting worse and worse - up to the point where I didn't want to pick it up at all. That brief moment of a "oh, interesting, it's a fresh perspective" from the beginning, slowly drifted away as I tired of the shallow characters and plot.
Overall, I won't say more because I don't want to ruin anything for those who will read this. Regardless, I'm upset to give this such a low rating - however, because I did not enjoy myself and often found myself cringing as I was reading, I would say the rating is accurate.
*Thank you to NetGalley, for giving me the opportunity to review this.*
September 1, 2017
Love this cover and this book!
A murder mystery where a Who Did It is almost secondary to the three main characters and the delving into their lives and stories.
Lucinda Hayes, a popular high school student, is murdered and her body found on the carousel of a local park.
Told through the point of view of three complex characters it is compelling to see how their lives intersect following this tragedy.
A very well-written debut novel!
I look forward to what's next from author Danya Kukafka.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an arc of this novel.
A murder mystery where a Who Did It is almost secondary to the three main characters and the delving into their lives and stories.
Lucinda Hayes, a popular high school student, is murdered and her body found on the carousel of a local park.
Told through the point of view of three complex characters it is compelling to see how their lives intersect following this tragedy.
A very well-written debut novel!
I look forward to what's next from author Danya Kukafka.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an arc of this novel.
August 2, 2017
Girl in Snow is a very nicely told tale of the inhabitants a small town in the wake of death of one of their own, a contemporary drama with a hint of the murder mystery and dark undercurrents of human behavior and thought. It's a not a thriller, despite the use of "girl" in the title, but I enjoyed it the more for not requiring any of the elements of a traditional or psychological thriller. The writing is quiet but powerfully observed, forming a character and community portrait with the murder mystery element a hook to draw in your attention. I'd give this 3.5 stars, and round up to 4 stars for overall execution.
The three focal points of the novel are Cameron Whitley (the boy, Lucinda’s stalker more or less, who is complicated and a bit odd in terms of how he perceives things and expresses himself), Jade Dixon-Burns (a few years older than Lucinda, outcast and different to Lucinda's easy beauty and popularity, and erstwhile rival for the affection and attention of a high school boy), and Russ Fletcher (the police officer whose former partner was Cameron's father, harboring his own secrets and guilt as the investigation proceeds into Lucinda's death). Kukafka switches perspective throughout (third person for Cameron and Russ, first person for Jade) and while this can be difficult, she really pulls it off seamlessly. Cameron is sweet, simple, heartfelt and innocent, but also a bit odd which can veer into creepy, his tendency to be "Tangled" and his shifting, untrustworthy memories early on lead us to suspect he knows or did more than he believes or knows consciously, especially as it’s emphasized his long gone father did something criminal and brutal. Cameron’s explicit watching of Lucinda mirrors how the other inhabitants of the town watch each other, into and involved in each other’s lives. Jade is sharp, sarcastic, standoffish, but also creative and more than a bit brave. She’s the perspective that gives us the most on Lucinda’s past before her murder, and also what it means to be a teen girl in suburbia, desperate to break out. She tries to reclaim her life by turning it into scripts, dialogue to achieve either a narrative outcome or emotional thrust she’s looking for in her own life, with no friends anymore, a younger sister she dislikes yet protects, and an abusive, unfeeling mother. Jade was probably my favorite of the perspectives because I truly did feel immersed in her thoughts. Russ is the least important to the suburban mystery and town building, yet he is a compelling character on his own, dissatisfied with the state of his life and in denial about deeply hidden parts of himself, and his connection to Cameron and Cameron’s absent father (his former partner on the police force) are compelling and mysterious at first, and ultimately poignant as we better understand the nature of their relationship.
It’s not just the solving of Lucinda’s murder, it is how a small town reels, grieves, casts blame. And of course how life goes on for the living, as bad or as good or as messed up as whatever came before her death. And it can be unsettling for the reader at times, as I certainly could recognize elements of my own past ideas or behavior or judgments in regards to a moment of collective consciousness. Overall I was surprised about how much I liked this read. Kukafka does provide the whodunit answer for the murder mystery framing the tale and wraps the story nicely, but the book (and my emotional involvement) was transcendent of the thriller trappings to be a very solid, well written, character driven novel. I would definitely recommend this.
The three focal points of the novel are Cameron Whitley (the boy, Lucinda’s stalker more or less, who is complicated and a bit odd in terms of how he perceives things and expresses himself), Jade Dixon-Burns (a few years older than Lucinda, outcast and different to Lucinda's easy beauty and popularity, and erstwhile rival for the affection and attention of a high school boy), and Russ Fletcher (the police officer whose former partner was Cameron's father, harboring his own secrets and guilt as the investigation proceeds into Lucinda's death). Kukafka switches perspective throughout (third person for Cameron and Russ, first person for Jade) and while this can be difficult, she really pulls it off seamlessly. Cameron is sweet, simple, heartfelt and innocent, but also a bit odd which can veer into creepy, his tendency to be "Tangled" and his shifting, untrustworthy memories early on lead us to suspect he knows or did more than he believes or knows consciously, especially as it’s emphasized his long gone father did something criminal and brutal. Cameron’s explicit watching of Lucinda mirrors how the other inhabitants of the town watch each other, into and involved in each other’s lives. Jade is sharp, sarcastic, standoffish, but also creative and more than a bit brave. She’s the perspective that gives us the most on Lucinda’s past before her murder, and also what it means to be a teen girl in suburbia, desperate to break out. She tries to reclaim her life by turning it into scripts, dialogue to achieve either a narrative outcome or emotional thrust she’s looking for in her own life, with no friends anymore, a younger sister she dislikes yet protects, and an abusive, unfeeling mother. Jade was probably my favorite of the perspectives because I truly did feel immersed in her thoughts. Russ is the least important to the suburban mystery and town building, yet he is a compelling character on his own, dissatisfied with the state of his life and in denial about deeply hidden parts of himself, and his connection to Cameron and Cameron’s absent father (his former partner on the police force) are compelling and mysterious at first, and ultimately poignant as we better understand the nature of their relationship.
It’s not just the solving of Lucinda’s murder, it is how a small town reels, grieves, casts blame. And of course how life goes on for the living, as bad or as good or as messed up as whatever came before her death. And it can be unsettling for the reader at times, as I certainly could recognize elements of my own past ideas or behavior or judgments in regards to a moment of collective consciousness. Overall I was surprised about how much I liked this read. Kukafka does provide the whodunit answer for the murder mystery framing the tale and wraps the story nicely, but the book (and my emotional involvement) was transcendent of the thriller trappings to be a very solid, well written, character driven novel. I would definitely recommend this.
July 3, 2017
*3.5 stars.
This is the debut work of Danya Kukafka and I hope we will see much more from this young author. While it is a murder mystery, the solving of the crime is almost secondary to the delving into the psyche of the three unique characters from whose point of view the story is told.
The murder victim is Lucinda Hayes, a popular middle school student, whose body is found on the carousal of the local park. One of the first people to be suspected is Cameron, her neighbor and fellow student, a misfit and loner. Some say he stalked Lucy...he was occasionally spotted staring into her bedroom window, standing still as a statue. And later in his own room, he would draw sketch after sketch of her. Was it love or obsession?
Then there is Russ, the police officer investigating the crime, who used to work with Cameron's father, who left town after being accused of beating a woman during a routine stop--the woman with whom he was having an affair. Russ is struggling with his own unresolved feelings.
And the final character is Jade, another creative misfit student who resented Lucy for her perfect life--for stealing her boyfriend and her babysitting job. Jade's story is told in the first person which contrasts her dysfunctional family life with Lucinda's. Jade often mentally rewrites her interactions with other people as a scene from a play in which things turn out as she wishes they would. Jade is my favorite character and is somewhat the hero of the story when the killer is finally revealed.
I found this story to be quite satisfying on many levels and wish to thank the publisher and author for the offer to read an arc of the book through NetGalley.
This is the debut work of Danya Kukafka and I hope we will see much more from this young author. While it is a murder mystery, the solving of the crime is almost secondary to the delving into the psyche of the three unique characters from whose point of view the story is told.
The murder victim is Lucinda Hayes, a popular middle school student, whose body is found on the carousal of the local park. One of the first people to be suspected is Cameron, her neighbor and fellow student, a misfit and loner. Some say he stalked Lucy...he was occasionally spotted staring into her bedroom window, standing still as a statue. And later in his own room, he would draw sketch after sketch of her. Was it love or obsession?
Then there is Russ, the police officer investigating the crime, who used to work with Cameron's father, who left town after being accused of beating a woman during a routine stop--the woman with whom he was having an affair. Russ is struggling with his own unresolved feelings.
And the final character is Jade, another creative misfit student who resented Lucy for her perfect life--for stealing her boyfriend and her babysitting job. Jade's story is told in the first person which contrasts her dysfunctional family life with Lucinda's. Jade often mentally rewrites her interactions with other people as a scene from a play in which things turn out as she wishes they would. Jade is my favorite character and is somewhat the hero of the story when the killer is finally revealed.
I found this story to be quite satisfying on many levels and wish to thank the publisher and author for the offer to read an arc of the book through NetGalley.
July 19, 2017
I was intrigued by the blue eye on the cover, an eye that won't stop staring at me, and one that (despite myself) I can't stop staring at... an eye cloaked in sadness.
Lucinda Hayes shows up in the wee hours of the morning with a cracked skull on the playground carousel. She's undoubtedly dead with a beautiful soft layer of snow covering her body. The small town of Broomsville, CO comes together to try to find out who murdered this young woman. I was enraptured from the beginning and never even guessed the ending until it smacked me in the face.
Told in three perspectives: Det Russ Fletcher- the police officer hiding a past and has a suspicious brother in law. Cameron Whitley- the boy who continued to stalk Lucinda late at night because he was madly in love with her and suffers convenient blackouts. Last narrator is Jade Dixon-Burns, she might just be my favorite- emo, and does not give a flying flip about what anyone thinks or says. She goes to school with Cameron and Lucinda and helps tie this book together.
Who killed Lucinda? The character development was excellent- I really felt like I knew this town and the people that inhabited it. Love affairs, rumors, and secrets riddle the sidewalks and made this one that I could not put down. The author does such a fabulous job creating broken characters and slowly putting them back together again- I can hardly believe that his is a debut! Looking forward to move from Danya Kukafka.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Lucinda Hayes shows up in the wee hours of the morning with a cracked skull on the playground carousel. She's undoubtedly dead with a beautiful soft layer of snow covering her body. The small town of Broomsville, CO comes together to try to find out who murdered this young woman. I was enraptured from the beginning and never even guessed the ending until it smacked me in the face.
Told in three perspectives: Det Russ Fletcher- the police officer hiding a past and has a suspicious brother in law. Cameron Whitley- the boy who continued to stalk Lucinda late at night because he was madly in love with her and suffers convenient blackouts. Last narrator is Jade Dixon-Burns, she might just be my favorite- emo, and does not give a flying flip about what anyone thinks or says. She goes to school with Cameron and Lucinda and helps tie this book together.
Who killed Lucinda? The character development was excellent- I really felt like I knew this town and the people that inhabited it. Love affairs, rumors, and secrets riddle the sidewalks and made this one that I could not put down. The author does such a fabulous job creating broken characters and slowly putting them back together again- I can hardly believe that his is a debut! Looking forward to move from Danya Kukafka.
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2017
Have you ever experienced a winter that was so interminably long that you feared spring would never come? That’s Girl in Snow. It’s torturous in its sheer one-note banality. Now I get that its aim is to be a character-driven mystery, but it’s possible to achieve that goal while remaining compelling. Tana French, for example, is masterful at creating stories where the whoddunit is often secondary to the protagonists’ psychological machinations. Girl in Snow, however, utterly and completely fails at that task.
The essential problem with Girl in Snow lies with the characters. To put it simply, they’re just….BORING. And if you’re constructing a character-driven plot that’s the kiss of death. With dull as dishwater protagonists there’s absolutely nothing to drive the plot. It simply stagnates--into the literary equivalent of an eternal January.
Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
The essential problem with Girl in Snow lies with the characters. To put it simply, they’re just….BORING. And if you’re constructing a character-driven plot that’s the kiss of death. With dull as dishwater protagonists there’s absolutely nothing to drive the plot. It simply stagnates--into the literary equivalent of an eternal January.
Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 31, 2017
A good debut by first time author Danya Kukafka told from different perspectives. Kukafka has a clear understanding of her distinct characters, people with personal struggles who in some way relate to a murdered teenage girl. I only wish that this slow burner had more action related to the murder and less character study. Thanks to Simon & Schuster for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2017
2.5 stars. Extremely slow moving. In fact, there is not an awful lot happening in this at all. Most of the time is spent inside the heads of three characters (Cameron, Jade and Russ) who for different reasons struggle to fit in and are isolated within their small Colorado community. Young Cameron was obsessed with Lucinda and used to sneak out at night to watch her. Jade didn't like Lucinda because Lucinda was popular and pretty, and Jade isn't. Russ, a local middle-aged police officer, is helping with the investigation into who killed Lucinda on the local playground while simultaneously struggling with his own feelings and links with those involved.
The actual mystery of who was responsible for Lucinda's death was not difficult to figure out, and was actually secondary. The story seemed more about the difficulties of meeting expectations, fitting in and simply growing up. In that sense it certainly had a young adult feel to it, which I usually enjoy. But here I never felt invested in any of the characters. It's not that I found them unlikable, but I simply didn't care very much about them. They were all lost and damaged, but there was nothing unique or interesting about them. This is a book for readers who enjoy literary writing. The prose is undoubtedly eloquent, but it also turned into dreary reading at times. Didn't quite deliver what it promised.
I received an ARC via NetGalley.
The actual mystery of who was responsible for Lucinda's death was not difficult to figure out, and was actually secondary. The story seemed more about the difficulties of meeting expectations, fitting in and simply growing up. In that sense it certainly had a young adult feel to it, which I usually enjoy. But here I never felt invested in any of the characters. It's not that I found them unlikable, but I simply didn't care very much about them. They were all lost and damaged, but there was nothing unique or interesting about them. This is a book for readers who enjoy literary writing. The prose is undoubtedly eloquent, but it also turned into dreary reading at times. Didn't quite deliver what it promised.
I received an ARC via NetGalley.
July 11, 2017
This book is, first, foremost and almost entirely, an in-depth study of three characters in the aftermath of the murder of small-town Colorado high-school student Lucinda Hayes. Friends Cameron and Jade loved her and wanted to be her, respectively. Russ, a police officer involved in the investigation, is connected to many of the people around her - one of whom most likely is her killer.
All four, including Lucinda, are quirky at the very least; and they all have deep, dark secrets that are revealed in chapters that switch from perspective to perspective. As an aside, this is a technique that when done well - as it is here - is very effective; but it's also one of which I've grown weary over the last couple of years as author after author has adopted the style (much like sticking the word "girl" in the title). In addition to their secrets, every single one of these boys and girls (plus a few adults) speak a language that's way beyond the world in which I live. Take teenage Jade, for instance; at one point she utters at her shower door, "I step in with my pajama shirt still on and try to rinse the dream away from my vulnerable unconscious."
Okaaaaaay. The writing can be described, I'm sure, as eloquent prose; for me, esoteric is a better fit; to say that reading it was tedious is an understatement. That's not to say it isn't a well-crafted story, mind you, but it took me longer than usual to read because it's impossible to skim (three or four chapters were about all I could handle at one sitting before my brain started to hurt). I also must say that because there's virtually no investigation to follow despite the fact that the police, and the aforementioned Russ, were called in - nor is there much real action at all since almost everything takes place inside the characters' heads - it's very interesting, but not really a thriller, a police procedural or anything much beyond looks inside the heads of some seriously screwed-up people. Fairly early on, the girl's murder - and who did it and why - became almost inconsequential (yes, I was surprised, but when that person was revealed near the end, my reaction was much closer to, "All rightee, then" than "Wow!" )
Overall, I consider this to be a stellar effort, especially for a debut novel. It's a little too "deep" for my liking - especially for a book in this genre - but impressive nonetheless. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
All four, including Lucinda, are quirky at the very least; and they all have deep, dark secrets that are revealed in chapters that switch from perspective to perspective. As an aside, this is a technique that when done well - as it is here - is very effective; but it's also one of which I've grown weary over the last couple of years as author after author has adopted the style (much like sticking the word "girl" in the title). In addition to their secrets, every single one of these boys and girls (plus a few adults) speak a language that's way beyond the world in which I live. Take teenage Jade, for instance; at one point she utters at her shower door, "I step in with my pajama shirt still on and try to rinse the dream away from my vulnerable unconscious."
Okaaaaaay. The writing can be described, I'm sure, as eloquent prose; for me, esoteric is a better fit; to say that reading it was tedious is an understatement. That's not to say it isn't a well-crafted story, mind you, but it took me longer than usual to read because it's impossible to skim (three or four chapters were about all I could handle at one sitting before my brain started to hurt). I also must say that because there's virtually no investigation to follow despite the fact that the police, and the aforementioned Russ, were called in - nor is there much real action at all since almost everything takes place inside the characters' heads - it's very interesting, but not really a thriller, a police procedural or anything much beyond looks inside the heads of some seriously screwed-up people. Fairly early on, the girl's murder - and who did it and why - became almost inconsequential (yes, I was surprised, but when that person was revealed near the end, my reaction was much closer to, "All rightee, then" than "Wow!" )
Overall, I consider this to be a stellar effort, especially for a debut novel. It's a little too "deep" for my liking - especially for a book in this genre - but impressive nonetheless. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2017
Girl in the Snow was an interesting read for me - it sounds in premise like a lot of psychological thrillers I read but in reality was nothing like those. It is a character study of 3 people attached peripherally or otherwise to a young girl found dead in a small town. A slow burner of a story, this is more about those 3 people and their inner realities than it is about who may have killed the girl or why. Indeed the low key mystery element is exactly that - low key.
Never the less it was fascinating in a literary, underneath way, following the inner and outer turmoil of these 3 characters, seeing how their lives have interacted with the victim, all in very different ways and with very different consequences. There are clearly defined edges to all of them and the 3 of them are linked by their hometown and by various other strands - you come to know them over the course of the story and ultimately how they move on.
I wouldn't want to call it a murder mystery. The police investigation is not really focused on that much, the resolution to that low key mystery when it comes is almost an afterthought and you never really get to know the dead girl at all - simply how our main protagonists saw her.
I really liked it - something a bit different, lovely writing and a sharp emotional edge.
Never the less it was fascinating in a literary, underneath way, following the inner and outer turmoil of these 3 characters, seeing how their lives have interacted with the victim, all in very different ways and with very different consequences. There are clearly defined edges to all of them and the 3 of them are linked by their hometown and by various other strands - you come to know them over the course of the story and ultimately how they move on.
I wouldn't want to call it a murder mystery. The police investigation is not really focused on that much, the resolution to that low key mystery when it comes is almost an afterthought and you never really get to know the dead girl at all - simply how our main protagonists saw her.
I really liked it - something a bit different, lovely writing and a sharp emotional edge.
August 5, 2017
I received an ARC copy of Girl in Snow in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thanks goes to NetGalley as well as Simon & Schuster for this advanced copy which has recently been published on August 1, 2017.
“Nostalgia is my favorite emotion. It’s like, you think you know how to deal with the passage of time, but nostalgia will prove you wrong. You’ll press your fact into an old sweat shirt, or you’ll look at a familiar shade of paint on a front door, and you’ll be reminded of all the time that got away from you.”
Girl in Snow is Danya Kukafka’s first novel which was recently released just four days ago, on August 1st. Despite it being now in book stores, I somehow fell behind on my review schedule and have foregone posting the review, despite my having received the ARC over a month ago. Although I had a hard time putting this novel down and finished it in less than two days, I’m not exactly one hundred percent how I feel about it; whether it was a page turner because it was so unpredictable or simply because I was irritated that narration would abruptly change to a different character and tell a seemingly different story altogether. The premise itself, a thriller about a girl who is mysteriously found dead one morning one morning has potential in term of narration, but the way in which the novel was written stylistically leaves me a bit disheartened and, to be blunt, disappointed.
Girl in Snow is an eclectic mystery that is told from the perspective of three figures, Cameron, Jade and Russ who all are drawn into the task of solving this murder mystery because only then, will they also solve the mysteries that lie in the deepest, darkest roots of their conscious.
The entire novel takes place in a small, quiet and dreary suburb on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado. It begins when a lovely teenager by the name of Lucinda Hayles is discovered dead one morning by an overnight janitor named Ivan. Lucinda’s neck has been cracked and her bloods stains the pale snow, and no footprints or signs of her murderer are anywhere close to her dead body by the time she is found close to a carousel.
Cameron seems to be one of the prime suspects because he is the weird, gangly boy whose obsession with watching people without their consent was his pastime. He loved Lucinda and knew her every flaw and bone line from his view through her bedroom windows. On the night Lucinda is murdered Cameron cannot recall his whereabouts when questioned by his mothers. As a result, he fears, along with many others, that he may have taken after his murderous father an in fact killed Lucinda and now has no memory of the fatal ordeal.
Jade is two years Cameron’s senior at Jefferson High School. She is cold, idle and refers to Lucinda as the “dead girl.” It is beyond her interest that Lucinda is dead because in the first place, Jade had wanted her gone. Lucinda was everything – pretty, sweet, carefree – that fat, disturbed, mean Jade would never be. To make matters worse, Lucinda played around with the boy that Jade loved, a French jock named Zap.
Russ is a lonely policeman who is assigned Lucinda’s case. Despite all the evidence pointing to Cameron he pulls all the strings, like a puppet, to convict anyone but Cameron. This includes his wife’s brother Ivan. Many years prior, on the eve that Cameron’s father, Lee, disappears Russ promises that he will, in all circumstances protect Cameron and his mother from any harm that may come his way. Despite Russ’s efforts to do good and bring justice to the Hayles’ family he cannot seem to bring himself peace. He is haunted by memories with Lee as well as his banal marriage with the possible suspect’s sister.
The plot twists in incongruent ways, rendering it compulsively confusing, but also uniquily hard to put down because I was always curious how one story or description would tie in with the rest. However, despite the interesting apporach the author took to this murder mystery revolving around the question “who killed Lucinda Hayles?”, it was difficult at times to distinguish the main plot, the murder, from the numerous secondary events such as Russ’s marriage, Jade’s abusive relationship with her mother, and Cameron’s sketchy memories of his father. There was simply too much going on – enough to tell a number of stories. Maybe if the book was expanded and written as a series, ending with the murderer, it would have been more successfully illustrated. This book is only about three hundred pages. By including accompanying situatons and introducing multiple outside characters including Cameron’s art teacher, Jade’s casual chitchats with the town’s homeless man, and the neighbors Lucinda used to babysit for, I became distracted from the novels purpose: “who’s the killer?”.
There are several moments of epiphany here. In the end, all the stories and brief background descriptions that are offered all finally come together which I admired. But the end is the end. How about the beginning, rising action, conflict, and resolution? Not to mention all the character descriptions, sideways stories, and questionable dialogues in all the other parts of the book? I continue to emphasize that too much is harmful for a strong story. This novel could have been a masterpiece, but with all the added stylistic elements and the self-reflective techniques that Kukafka experiments with, it is left piecemeal and utterly mind blowing, in the most negative sense of the phrase.
Something that I found entrancing about this novel, which caused me to rate it three stars rather than two was Kukafka’s use of language. If I am to speak of the novel as a set of phrases and sentences, without addressing their connections then I was overwhelmingly enchanted. She provides such evocative and eloquent descriptions of this suburban town. She enters into three distinctly troubled figures and explores their hidden demons. These complex characters each struggle to find their place in this dark reality and must confront the truth of Lucinda’s murder if they are ever to find bliss with the world. By creating characters of different genders, class, sexuality and generation the writer answers to questions of memory, privacy and compassionate love versus dangerous obsession. The alternating perspectives, again, regardless of the storyline, demonstrates Kukafka’s limitless understanding of the human condition in it’s most raw and extreme formation.
With a potentially masterful plot, but a dissatisfying presentation, yet a beautiful writing style, this book requires an introspective and patient reader. If one is looking for a straight-up “who did it” sort of work, I would suggest returning to our beloved Agatha Christie. However, if one is searching for an inventive, psychologically surreal approach to the issues motivating murder in a perhaps more shaded manner, then Girl in Snow would definitely be that exceptional read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC and my extended apologies for this late, but still, as always, fully honest and unbiased review.
“Nostalgia is my favorite emotion. It’s like, you think you know how to deal with the passage of time, but nostalgia will prove you wrong. You’ll press your fact into an old sweat shirt, or you’ll look at a familiar shade of paint on a front door, and you’ll be reminded of all the time that got away from you.”
Girl in Snow is Danya Kukafka’s first novel which was recently released just four days ago, on August 1st. Despite it being now in book stores, I somehow fell behind on my review schedule and have foregone posting the review, despite my having received the ARC over a month ago. Although I had a hard time putting this novel down and finished it in less than two days, I’m not exactly one hundred percent how I feel about it; whether it was a page turner because it was so unpredictable or simply because I was irritated that narration would abruptly change to a different character and tell a seemingly different story altogether. The premise itself, a thriller about a girl who is mysteriously found dead one morning one morning has potential in term of narration, but the way in which the novel was written stylistically leaves me a bit disheartened and, to be blunt, disappointed.
Girl in Snow is an eclectic mystery that is told from the perspective of three figures, Cameron, Jade and Russ who all are drawn into the task of solving this murder mystery because only then, will they also solve the mysteries that lie in the deepest, darkest roots of their conscious.
The entire novel takes place in a small, quiet and dreary suburb on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado. It begins when a lovely teenager by the name of Lucinda Hayles is discovered dead one morning by an overnight janitor named Ivan. Lucinda’s neck has been cracked and her bloods stains the pale snow, and no footprints or signs of her murderer are anywhere close to her dead body by the time she is found close to a carousel.
Cameron seems to be one of the prime suspects because he is the weird, gangly boy whose obsession with watching people without their consent was his pastime. He loved Lucinda and knew her every flaw and bone line from his view through her bedroom windows. On the night Lucinda is murdered Cameron cannot recall his whereabouts when questioned by his mothers. As a result, he fears, along with many others, that he may have taken after his murderous father an in fact killed Lucinda and now has no memory of the fatal ordeal.
Jade is two years Cameron’s senior at Jefferson High School. She is cold, idle and refers to Lucinda as the “dead girl.” It is beyond her interest that Lucinda is dead because in the first place, Jade had wanted her gone. Lucinda was everything – pretty, sweet, carefree – that fat, disturbed, mean Jade would never be. To make matters worse, Lucinda played around with the boy that Jade loved, a French jock named Zap.
Russ is a lonely policeman who is assigned Lucinda’s case. Despite all the evidence pointing to Cameron he pulls all the strings, like a puppet, to convict anyone but Cameron. This includes his wife’s brother Ivan. Many years prior, on the eve that Cameron’s father, Lee, disappears Russ promises that he will, in all circumstances protect Cameron and his mother from any harm that may come his way. Despite Russ’s efforts to do good and bring justice to the Hayles’ family he cannot seem to bring himself peace. He is haunted by memories with Lee as well as his banal marriage with the possible suspect’s sister.
The plot twists in incongruent ways, rendering it compulsively confusing, but also uniquily hard to put down because I was always curious how one story or description would tie in with the rest. However, despite the interesting apporach the author took to this murder mystery revolving around the question “who killed Lucinda Hayles?”, it was difficult at times to distinguish the main plot, the murder, from the numerous secondary events such as Russ’s marriage, Jade’s abusive relationship with her mother, and Cameron’s sketchy memories of his father. There was simply too much going on – enough to tell a number of stories. Maybe if the book was expanded and written as a series, ending with the murderer, it would have been more successfully illustrated. This book is only about three hundred pages. By including accompanying situatons and introducing multiple outside characters including Cameron’s art teacher, Jade’s casual chitchats with the town’s homeless man, and the neighbors Lucinda used to babysit for, I became distracted from the novels purpose: “who’s the killer?”.
There are several moments of epiphany here. In the end, all the stories and brief background descriptions that are offered all finally come together which I admired. But the end is the end. How about the beginning, rising action, conflict, and resolution? Not to mention all the character descriptions, sideways stories, and questionable dialogues in all the other parts of the book? I continue to emphasize that too much is harmful for a strong story. This novel could have been a masterpiece, but with all the added stylistic elements and the self-reflective techniques that Kukafka experiments with, it is left piecemeal and utterly mind blowing, in the most negative sense of the phrase.
Something that I found entrancing about this novel, which caused me to rate it three stars rather than two was Kukafka’s use of language. If I am to speak of the novel as a set of phrases and sentences, without addressing their connections then I was overwhelmingly enchanted. She provides such evocative and eloquent descriptions of this suburban town. She enters into three distinctly troubled figures and explores their hidden demons. These complex characters each struggle to find their place in this dark reality and must confront the truth of Lucinda’s murder if they are ever to find bliss with the world. By creating characters of different genders, class, sexuality and generation the writer answers to questions of memory, privacy and compassionate love versus dangerous obsession. The alternating perspectives, again, regardless of the storyline, demonstrates Kukafka’s limitless understanding of the human condition in it’s most raw and extreme formation.
With a potentially masterful plot, but a dissatisfying presentation, yet a beautiful writing style, this book requires an introspective and patient reader. If one is looking for a straight-up “who did it” sort of work, I would suggest returning to our beloved Agatha Christie. However, if one is searching for an inventive, psychologically surreal approach to the issues motivating murder in a perhaps more shaded manner, then Girl in Snow would definitely be that exceptional read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC and my extended apologies for this late, but still, as always, fully honest and unbiased review.
August 2, 2017
2.5⭐, rounded up. I was given an advanced copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley.
The girl in the title is dead, and I am a bit creeped out now by that eye (her eye?) looking at me from the cover.
A high school girl, Lucinda, has been found murdered, a layer of snow covering her body. The background story and the reveal are told slowly through three perspectives: Cameron, an odd boy who essentially was Lucinda's stalker; Jade, a girl who seemingly hated Lucinda but envied her life; and Russ, a policeman with a dead end job and marriage. Like I said, the story moved very slowly; and I did not care about or identify with any of the characters. We don't get to know the dead girl well enough to feel much sympathy for her.
I think this was a good first effort that got lost in the quagmire of how to keep the reader interested in a story that lacked substance. There were some nice word choices, and I saw the potential for better books in this author's future.
The girl in the title is dead, and I am a bit creeped out now by that eye (her eye?) looking at me from the cover.
A high school girl, Lucinda, has been found murdered, a layer of snow covering her body. The background story and the reveal are told slowly through three perspectives: Cameron, an odd boy who essentially was Lucinda's stalker; Jade, a girl who seemingly hated Lucinda but envied her life; and Russ, a policeman with a dead end job and marriage. Like I said, the story moved very slowly; and I did not care about or identify with any of the characters. We don't get to know the dead girl well enough to feel much sympathy for her.
I think this was a good first effort that got lost in the quagmire of how to keep the reader interested in a story that lacked substance. There were some nice word choices, and I saw the potential for better books in this author's future.
February 28, 2019
I loved everything about this book. The story drew me in from the very beginning. A girl named Lucinda Hayes is found murdered and it sends the town in an uproar, because nothing like this ever happens in the sleepy suburb of Colorado. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the three indelible characters—Cameron, Jade, and Russ—must each confront their darkest secrets in an effort to find solace, the truth, or both. Cameron is the kid who is obsessed (to say the least) with Lucinda. Jade is the girl who wanted to be Lucinda. Russ is the police officer who is charged with investigating Lucinda's murder. Essentially, the novel follows the three main characters and you get to see how they make their journey to find (and reveal) their/the truth. It was a great book. I received a copy of Girl in Snow through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Simon & Schuster and to Danya Kukafka for the opportunity.
August 30, 2017
I received a Complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
On February 15th 2005, a young girl named Lucinda Hayes was murdered. Two classmates named Cameron and Jade along with a police officer named Russ Fletcher are all involved with the investigation of who murdered her somehow. Will they be able to find out who really killed this girl covered in snow? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good read and my first ever one by Danya Kukafka. When I was asked by Simon and Schuster to read this and to consider it as a future Reading for Pleasure book club fiction group read nomination, I said yes. It took me a while to read but it was worth it finding out the truth in the end. It was a very intense thriller too. If you enjoy thrillers, definitely give Girl in Snow a read. It is available at your local library and wherever books are sold.
On February 15th 2005, a young girl named Lucinda Hayes was murdered. Two classmates named Cameron and Jade along with a police officer named Russ Fletcher are all involved with the investigation of who murdered her somehow. Will they be able to find out who really killed this girl covered in snow? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good read and my first ever one by Danya Kukafka. When I was asked by Simon and Schuster to read this and to consider it as a future Reading for Pleasure book club fiction group read nomination, I said yes. It took me a while to read but it was worth it finding out the truth in the end. It was a very intense thriller too. If you enjoy thrillers, definitely give Girl in Snow a read. It is available at your local library and wherever books are sold.
August 3, 2017
*Disclaimer: An ARC of Girl In Snow by Danya Kukafka was provided to me by Simon & Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my review in any way.
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Actual rating: 3.5 stars rated up.
What I Liked
Dark & Creepy. For those of you who know me well, you know that anything dark and creepy instantly attracts me to it. I know, it sounds a little messed up, but it’s true. I just loves stories that are a little dark and strange in nature and that is exactly what Girl In Snow was. Psychological thrillers can start to feel really similar to one another and it takes a lot for one to stand out. The synopsis of Girl In Snow sounds pretty generic, a girl named Lucinda is found dead and no one knows who did it. Doesn’t really stand out right? Add in a kid who used to stalk the girl while she was still alive, her ex-best friend who used to be in love with the now dead girl’s ex-boyfriend and a cop that has a whole slew of his own demons. But wait, it gets even better!
The Connections. The story is told in three different characters perspectives, the three characters mentioned above. What was really interesting about this novel was the way that all three of these characters started to intertwine and connect with one another. Even the minor side-characters in each perspective started to connect which was really interesting. Sure, they’re all connected to Lucinda, but they are connected in more ways that just that which I found to be really intriguing.
The Writing Style? I add a question mark at the end of this statement because I’m unsure if I liked or didn’t like the writing style. I think it may be a little bit of both. The writing was artistically very well done. It was almost like reading a poem. I looked into this a little more and found out that Girl In Snow is written in crystalline prose which is something that I had never heard of before. Basically, it means that the story was told using descriptive words without being wordy. The sentences seem simple, yet a rich and complex which really helped to paint the picture of this story. The writing also changed back and forth between first person narrative and third person narrative. There was also a brief moment where the story was told using second person narrative. While this did bother me a little, it almost kind of worked with this particular story.
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What I Didn’t Like
The Writing Style? While I did like the writing style for the above mentioned reasons, it was also a little off-putting. It was hard to get used to jumping back and forth and I’m not really sure what purpose it served. Why did one character tell their story in first person while the other was third person? There were also moments where the dialogue used no punctuation, whereas there were other moments in the story that did. There was just a lot of little things like that that I noticed and that I’m not really sure how I feel about.
The Alternative Focus. Instead of this story mainly focusing on figuring out who killed Lucinda, it was almost like more of a character study on our three main characters and their different perspectives. We learn more about their lives and how they all connect and come together than we do about why Lucinda was murdered. We end up learning more about Cameron, Jade and Russ. I don’t think I necessarily didn’t like this aspect, it was just a little strange.
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Overall, I enjoyed reading Girl In Snow as it was a unique take on a very common psychological thriller plot. It was extremely fast paced and a very intriguing read. It was definitely very dark and a little strange, but I think that’s part of what makes it stand-out from the rest.
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Initial post reading thoughts:
There was definitely a lot going on in this one. We have three different character perspectives. On top of this, the writing changed from first person narrative to third person narrative and then (very briefly) to second person narrative. It was a strange way to write a novel which made it a strange way to read a novel. However, I think it almost kind of worked within this psychological thriller. This book is dark and weird and I think I need to think about it a little more before writing my full review!
August 3, 2018
Danya Kukafka is a graduate of New York University's Gallatin School of Individualised Study and previously worked as an assistant editor at Riverhead Books. Kukafka started writing "Girl In Snow" when she was only 19 and finishing up her sophomore year at University, it took her a total of 5 years to complete and was influenced by a number of books she had recently read, including Jeffrey Eugenides's "The Virgin Suicides" and Stephen Chbosky's "The Perks of Being A Wallflower". The idea for the storyline came together after Kukafka watched a particularly harrowing episode of Law and Order in which a suspect could not remember committing the murders for which he’s eventually arrested. The main question she wanted the book to explore was - How far can a writer stretch her reader’s empathy before it fractures? After interest from Simon & Schuster's editor-in-chief, author Paula Hawkins wrote a synopsis to go with the book when it was eventually published. It was released to critical acclaim in August 2017 and was included in the Best Summer Reads of 2017 Selection by W Magazine, Marie Claire. Elle, Yahoo!, InStyle.com and Today.com to name but a few and received praise from many established authors such as Owen King (Son of Stephen King), Lee Child and Brit Bennett. Kukafka is currently writing her second book which as of yet has no expected publication date.
"Girl In Snow" is an impressive debut, especially when you consider just how young Kukafka was whilst writing it. Set in a small suburb of Broomsville, Colorado it begins with the discovery of the dead body of Lucinda Hayes, a popular high school freshman. Suspicion immediately falls on Cameron, a boy known to be fascinated (maybe even infatuated) with her. Cameron often behaves erratically but we know he cannot have been the culprit as that would be too predictable...So who did it?
The book has a very interesting and unique structure - there are three different perspectives which are from the three characters that the story revolves around - there are two first person narratives and one in first person with random interjections of a characters thoughts which they are too anxious to voice. The three perspectives the story is told from are - Cameron Whitley, Jade Dixon-Burns (a classmate of both Cameron and Lucinda) and Russ Fletcher, a police officer who happens to be in love with Cameron's father.
Pefectly paced, well written and tautly plotted, "Girl In Snow" explores the distinction and overlap of love vs. obsession and our inability to be able to distinguish between the two when we are experiencing one or the other (or both). This is such a mature and accomplished novel for a 19 year old to have written, it really is quite outstanding! The main message the author wishes us to take away from the reading experience is that sometimes our perceptions cannot be trusted - what we see is not necessarily how it actually is, this applies even more now with the meteoric rise of social media. There are varying levels of good and evil, and nothing is as simple as black and white. The book is set in 2004-2005 so social media didn't play as big a part in this particuar story but you can see how social media has changed the concept of perception. Danya Kukafka offers a brilliant exploration of identity and of the razor-sharp line between love and obsession, between watching and seeing, between truth and memory.
A complex and intriguing read that is deceptively dark and creepy in places. I finished this in a day as I was propelled by the psychological aspects of the book to find out what actually occurred and the conclusion was a great close to the story. This is an ideal story for the young adult audience as well as those who enjoy dark literary murder mysteries. The prose is luscious and textured and of a higher quality than most YA or mystery/thriller novels so I feel adults will also find something here to appreciate, I certainly did.
A beautifully nostalgic and immersive reading experience, I am already looking forward to Kukafka's next book. The characters come alive on the page and even though they have the customary flaws they also have redeeming qualities which make them relatable - there's no doubt this author is a huge talent!
Many thanks to Picador for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
"Girl In Snow" is an impressive debut, especially when you consider just how young Kukafka was whilst writing it. Set in a small suburb of Broomsville, Colorado it begins with the discovery of the dead body of Lucinda Hayes, a popular high school freshman. Suspicion immediately falls on Cameron, a boy known to be fascinated (maybe even infatuated) with her. Cameron often behaves erratically but we know he cannot have been the culprit as that would be too predictable...So who did it?
The book has a very interesting and unique structure - there are three different perspectives which are from the three characters that the story revolves around - there are two first person narratives and one in first person with random interjections of a characters thoughts which they are too anxious to voice. The three perspectives the story is told from are - Cameron Whitley, Jade Dixon-Burns (a classmate of both Cameron and Lucinda) and Russ Fletcher, a police officer who happens to be in love with Cameron's father.
Pefectly paced, well written and tautly plotted, "Girl In Snow" explores the distinction and overlap of love vs. obsession and our inability to be able to distinguish between the two when we are experiencing one or the other (or both). This is such a mature and accomplished novel for a 19 year old to have written, it really is quite outstanding! The main message the author wishes us to take away from the reading experience is that sometimes our perceptions cannot be trusted - what we see is not necessarily how it actually is, this applies even more now with the meteoric rise of social media. There are varying levels of good and evil, and nothing is as simple as black and white. The book is set in 2004-2005 so social media didn't play as big a part in this particuar story but you can see how social media has changed the concept of perception. Danya Kukafka offers a brilliant exploration of identity and of the razor-sharp line between love and obsession, between watching and seeing, between truth and memory.
A complex and intriguing read that is deceptively dark and creepy in places. I finished this in a day as I was propelled by the psychological aspects of the book to find out what actually occurred and the conclusion was a great close to the story. This is an ideal story for the young adult audience as well as those who enjoy dark literary murder mysteries. The prose is luscious and textured and of a higher quality than most YA or mystery/thriller novels so I feel adults will also find something here to appreciate, I certainly did.
A beautifully nostalgic and immersive reading experience, I am already looking forward to Kukafka's next book. The characters come alive on the page and even though they have the customary flaws they also have redeeming qualities which make them relatable - there's no doubt this author is a huge talent!
Many thanks to Picador for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
May 1, 2017
I've reviewed this book on my wordpress: https://bitesizerevs.wordpress.com/20...
Read it thanks to NetGalley!
Wow! I’m not sure how to start this review. Maybe by the fact that I read this book in one day. It surprised me immensely – not so much for the plot itself but for the sensitive and complex way the author unravels this multi-layered narrative.
At the end of it, I found myself wondering that honestly, the title doesn’t quite match the strongest elements of the story. This is a book about a girl who died and was found in the snow, but it is so much more of a book about life, being a living person, being a misfit, loving and losing someone, losing yourself in a myriad of moments and so on. It’s a book about details, above all – in my opinion. They were the sweetest parts of Girl in Snow, the smart litte details we might miss while living our everyday life.
The way Kukafka writes… for a debut novel? It’s honestly way superior to a lot of writers I’ve ever read. She’s one of those people who gets it: her words trespass your social barriers and resound in your soul. The narrative is built through well-described spurts of thoughts and memories of three characters that will forever remain on my thoughts, for the purity and nakedness of their souls and existence. I believe in them because they’re telling you real feelings we all experienced at least once. Sometimes, though, the lyricism gets in the way of a proper action and it slows the pace down a lot. It wasn’t a problem for me, since I enjoyed the quizzical way in which the narrative flows.
So this is a story about three people who knew the dead girl in snow in question, who had dreams, thoughts and fears in common, and also a lot of different issues between them. It’s a rather interesting and thoughtful story, and I wouldn’t say this is just a mystery book, as it feels too diminutive of its extensive discussion of life – in all its glory.
Read it thanks to NetGalley!
Wow! I’m not sure how to start this review. Maybe by the fact that I read this book in one day. It surprised me immensely – not so much for the plot itself but for the sensitive and complex way the author unravels this multi-layered narrative.
At the end of it, I found myself wondering that honestly, the title doesn’t quite match the strongest elements of the story. This is a book about a girl who died and was found in the snow, but it is so much more of a book about life, being a living person, being a misfit, loving and losing someone, losing yourself in a myriad of moments and so on. It’s a book about details, above all – in my opinion. They were the sweetest parts of Girl in Snow, the smart litte details we might miss while living our everyday life.
The way Kukafka writes… for a debut novel? It’s honestly way superior to a lot of writers I’ve ever read. She’s one of those people who gets it: her words trespass your social barriers and resound in your soul. The narrative is built through well-described spurts of thoughts and memories of three characters that will forever remain on my thoughts, for the purity and nakedness of their souls and existence. I believe in them because they’re telling you real feelings we all experienced at least once. Sometimes, though, the lyricism gets in the way of a proper action and it slows the pace down a lot. It wasn’t a problem for me, since I enjoyed the quizzical way in which the narrative flows.
So this is a story about three people who knew the dead girl in snow in question, who had dreams, thoughts and fears in common, and also a lot of different issues between them. It’s a rather interesting and thoughtful story, and I wouldn’t say this is just a mystery book, as it feels too diminutive of its extensive discussion of life – in all its glory.
July 28, 2017
***Note: I received a copy curtesy of Netgalley and Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review.
Theoretically a mystery-crime novel, it seemed to me more of a psichological study of strange individuals. The book is wrriten in 3 PoVs, one 1st person, the other two in 3rd. The pacing is rather slow, the characters were interesting in their oddness, and the ending was satisfying, even if predictable.
I had some big discontents during reading, one concerning the typical YA bullshitting/metaphorical writing:
Overall, a good book, 3+
Theoretically a mystery-crime novel, it seemed to me more of a psichological study of strange individuals. The book is wrriten in 3 PoVs, one 1st person, the other two in 3rd. The pacing is rather slow, the characters were interesting in their oddness, and the ending was satisfying, even if predictable.
I had some big discontents during reading, one concerning the typical YA bullshitting/metaphorical writing:
The simple rumble of its engine is a relief, company. And me? I am glass. A bristle. A stutter.the other about some inconsistencies in the story
Overall, a good book, 3+
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