A writer called Eowyn Ivey

[Faramir Jones]

People might be interested to know that there’s a writer around with the first name of Eowyn! Her full name is Eowyn LeMay Ivey, from Alaska in the USA; and her website can be found at:

http://www.eowynivey.com/

I recently heard a fragment of Ms. Ivey being interviewed on the radio; and she said, something her website comfirms, that she was named by her mother after a character who needs no introduction to us. She has a book out called The Snow Child, hence the publicity about her at the moment.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Faramir Jones

People might be interested to know that there’s a writer around with the first name of Eowyn! Her full name is Eowyn LeMay Ivey, from Alaska in the USA; and her website can be found at:

http://www.eowynivey.com/

I recently heard a fragment of Ms. Ivey being interviewed on the radio; and she said, something her website comfirms, that she was named by her mother after a character who needs no introduction to us. She has a book out called The Snow Child, hence the publicity about her at the moment.

I hope my daughter Thuringwethil becomes famous one day.

[Galadriel55]

I know the Russian story she based her novel on...

Eowyn (pronounced A-o-win)

So many pronunciations for Tolkien names! I always thought it's Eh-o-win...

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

So many pronunciations for Tolkien names! I always thought it's Eh-o-win...

That's the Canadian pronunciation.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

That's the Canadian pronunciation.

Eh? Can't possibly know whatcha talkin' about!

[Mithalwen]

My kindle has just posted an article about this book. It has fantastic reviews so I might give it a whirl over the week end.

Edit.. I got this yesterday afternoon and finished it this morning having done nothing between save sleep a few hours and make coffee. It is an absolutely beautiful book that skates on the borders of fairytale and reality. Brilliant and maybe shades of "our" Eowyn in the central character (ddesperate attempt to keep this Tolkien related).

[Faramir Jones]

Thanks for your opinion of the book, Mithalwen! It must have been good to keep you up most of the night!

I loathe people who reach opinions on things they haven't read or watched, so refrained from comment on Ms. Ivey's book, not having read it myself. You've certainly encouraged me to get hold of it.

[Mithalwen]

I should thank you for drawing it to my attention. I think it is remarkable and for a first novel astounding - so many first novels are "over written". I don't think as many are as technically accomplished - as well as being "literary" and satisfying, enjoyable reads...

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Mithalwen, your recommendation is another nail in the coffin of my "I don't need a Kindle" resolution - the e-book is considerably cheaper than the hardback, and the paperback won't be out for months...

[Mithalwen]

I have to say, I love this book so much I am considering getting the hardback. I haven't bought a kindle because I am anti realbook more because I will be moving to a smaller house and even here I don't have enough shelves for the real books I own and so tend to pass on the "read once" paperbacks. I also like to travel and have several books on the go at a time. This book I think will be a classic and for me at least I am sure will be a longterm friend. I have to say I have read more since I have had my kindle. It is small enough to keep by me and because you can pick up exactly where you left off it is worth reading a few pages at odd moments. Then there is the access to free classics and long out of print stuff. And for anyone who wants to read in a language not spoken in the country where they live or who travels...it is a boon There is no longer a proper bookshop in my town and so the other joy is that if I hear or read a review of something I like I can take a look before I forget the author's name or title.

I am not an early adopter of new technology . I still use a film camera, I don't have an MP3 players and just a basic mobile but if anyone wants to take my Kindle from me it will be out of my cold dead hands...

And if you want to keep up appearances you can do as my cousin did and get one of these (sadly I had already got a case when we discovered them) http://www.manorbindery.co.uk/New_Ki...everCase_1.htm

[Galadriel55]

Mith, do you mind telling me about one thing that I want to know most about the book (just out of personal interest), which is namely how much did Eowyn Ivey take from the Russian folk story.

The folkstory goes like this:

Once apon a time there lived an old man and an old woman, and they had everything they needed and were generally happy, only they were lonely, because they had no children.

One winter, after a large snowfall, they watched how the children from other houses ran out to play. Why don't we also go? - they thought. So they went outside and build a snow-statue of a girl. Just as they finished, the statue's hair became darker and the lips redder, though the skin remained pale: it turned into a real girl! The old couple rejoiced, and they brought her into their house and loved her like a daughter. They calles the girl Snegurochka (which is crudely translated as Snowling Girl).

All was well until spring came. Then Snegurochka's laughter stopped, and she started avoiding sunlight, hiding instead in the shadows and cool places. She became even more so in the summer. Once, during a hailstorm, she ran outside and played, and when it ended she cried bitterly. Her parents worried about her.

In the summer a group of friends asked Snegurochka to come with them to the woods to have some fun. She didn't want to go, but her parents insisted that it would be well for her to play with friends to lighten her mood. She went reluctantly, and always stayed aside from the games. Her friends lit a bonfire and started jumping over it, and they urged Snagurochka to join them. She jumped, and as she passed over the flames all that was left of her was a cloud of steam.



I read in the book description that a girl made of snow also comes alive, but otherwise the two stories don't seem to have any resemblance... What do you say?

(And I'm so interested because this folkstory is one of those that I grew up on, and I really liked it for it's sadness)

[Mithalwen]

Galadriel, That story is woven in to Eowyn Ivey's - the device being that the wife of EI's old couple, Mabel is the daughter of a literature professor and has known it since childhood. They do build a snow girl but how literally she comes alive is the ambiguity of the story and too much of a spoiler to discuss here. But if you note my current signature which is a quotation from the book you may get a clue as to why I found it ultimately uplifting and positive book - though I think I might have found it bleaker had I read it when in the first flush of youth. But getting increasingly middle aged and emerging from a sad time in my life and facing a new start I found it rather encouraging, Make of that what you will!

[Mithalwen]

BBC radio 4 has the Snow Child as the current book at bedtime (narrated by Miranda Richardson) if anyone is interested. The first episode was last night but is available http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...ild_Episode_1/

[Galadriel55]

Oooo, I found the second!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...ild_Episode_2/

I'm going to keep an eye on this. I wanna hear it, if I can't read it.

ETA: the third: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...ild_Episode_3/

[Galadriel55]

Aww, I realised I've missed all the other episodes! I guess I'm going to have to actually find this book somewhere...

[Galadriel55]

I have just (literally about 5 minutes ago) finished this book, and I must say that it outdoes even its best recommendations. The story is so strong you can feel it, smell it, taste it, etc. No, I'm not doing it justice either. You just have to read it.

I am not going to spoil it for anyone going into the things I particularly liked, but I must say that the folk story was indeed weaved in very intricately, keeping the story true but at the same time fresh enough to be a completely different tale. I also thought Eowyn Ivey did a fantastic job in the way she did certain dialogues (the grammar part of it reflects so much of the story it's just a stroke of genious).

The story is simply so deep and so rich... I couldn't put the book down. Mithalwen, I owe so much to you!

[Mithalwen]

I am just glad you enjoyed it and I think it is a testament to the book that it has inspired such a positive response in someone a generation younger than the writer as well as the likes of me who might be a more obvious demographic.