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There are currently 21 member reviews
for Snowdrops
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Joanne H. (Waconia, MN)
Enter the emptiness of the hollow man (men)
If you want to visit Russia during its early experimentation with capitalism, Snow Drops could be a tourist guide to a bleak social realm, although much of the emptiness comes from an expatriate British lawyer who is the protagonist.
The setting and ambiance were unusually effective,the plot satisfactory, and character development disturbing. I frequently found myself remembering lines from The Hollow Men as I read, and thinking this was a novel about them.
Despite all the gloom, I would quite strongly recommend this book for the discomfiting experience it provides.
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Christine P. (Pleasanton, CA)
Snowdrops
At the beginning I found this book compelling. I found the descriptions of Moscow and its inhabitants in the early days of capitalism fascinating but dismal at the same time. As I read further, I was put off by the greed and decadence and lack of caring by and for its main character, Nick Platt. I found Nick to be as cold as a Moscow winter. The writing is well done but to classify it as a psychological drama will lead more readers to be disappointed then not. I was hoping for some dramatic ending and felt it fell flat and like Nick Platt longing for something that I just wasn’t going to get.
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Carm D. (Omaha, NE)
Snowdrops
This was a well written book, I liked the descriptions of places and how the temperature affects peoples moods. I wasn't comfortable with the description of the Russian people, or the people who choose to work there. It seem all are corrupt with no redeeming qualities. It was quite depressing. I wanted someone to be the good guy, but there were no good guys in this story.
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Stephanie W. (Hudson, OH)
Intriguing but anticlimactic
"Snowdrops" started out as an exciting read, with lots of mystery and interesting characters. I couldn't put it down, but then I did. About two thirds of the way through I got tired of the hints about how the main character hadn't done anything particularly bad...yet and just wanted to know what he was going to do. But not badly enough to finish. So by the time I finally did finish the book, I found the ending to be very unsatisfying. It was actually a fine ending, but I just didn't feel it lived up to my expectations.
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Darlene C. (Simpsonville, SC)
Snow Drops by A.D. Miller
The back of the book calls it "an intense psychological drama that echoes the sophisticated entertainments of The Talented Mr. Ripley and Gorky Part". Not! I did not find it either "intense" nor did it have "drama". It did describe the blackmarket for anything that exists in Moscow, a cliche, but from my experience true.
If you're looking for an "I can't wait to get back to my book" read, I'm sorry to say that wasn't my experience.
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Lorraine R. (Southampton, New York)
SNOWDROPS
A depressing picture of Moscow society after the fall of the Soviet Union. With the exception of two characters, Tatiana and Oleg, everyone was out for their own gain. It was painful to read about people whose goal was to use other for their personal gain. It was so discouraging to read about a society so demoralized and in many ways unchanged in terms of class distinctions since the Tzars. It was impossible to believe that the main character was so naive to not see how false those around him were, in his disastrous business deal and his relationship with the two girls. He was clearly blinded by his loneliness. I was so upset about this novel's depiction of life in Moscow, that I felt I wanted to read other accounts of life in the former Soviet Union today to compare. I can't really recommend this novel to others because it was so depressing.
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Linda A. (Palo Alto, CA)
Naivete or Innocence?
As much as I wanted to like this book, I found the premise so implausible I had a hard time feeling any sympathy for the protagonist. For me, writing the story for the purpose of telling his finance things he could not tell her in person was artifice. What torture to read the "confession", at length, of someone you love. The title is well-chosen and appropriate.
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