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A Wreath Of Snow: A Victorian Christmas Novella (2012)

by Liz Curtis Higgs(Favorite Author)

3.85 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

1400072174 (ISBN13: 9781400072170)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

WaterBrook Press

review 1: What does Christmas represent? Love for one another. Cheer. Birth of new things. Reconciliation with the old things. Brilliance. Joy and festivities. Our Savior.A Wreath of Snow embodies all these thoughts as one, wraps the whole in a swatch of elegant paper wrapping, and ties it up with a bow of twine.Allow yourself the privilege to read the first paragraph and see if you are drawn into the story as much as I immediately delighted in the author's way with words."In all her twenty-six years, Meg Campbell had never been this cold. Shivering inside her green woolen coat, she passed the crowded shops of Murray Place as the snow fell thick and fast. She could only guess when the next train would depart for Edinburgh. Why had she not consulted her father's railway schedule post... moreed by the kitchen door? Because she left Albert Place in tears. Because she left without even saying good-bye."Doesn't it draw you in?Displaying a capture of a moment in time, A Wreath of Snow includes only a couple of fateful days in 1894 for Meg Campbell and her family. My!--what an interesting story that can take place in such a small span of time. In Stirling, Scotland, the Campbells at Albert Place intended to enjoy a wonderful Christmas together; events go awry when Meg's brother, Alan, expresses his discontentment from years of suppressed bitterness. When a frosty outpouring from the skies leaves the train tracks blocked, Meg can't escape her brother's sharp words and family's disgruntlement. While running from the strong feelings, she runs right into a stranger who carries secrets and remorse under his winter coat, instead of holiday surprises. Only a provincial meeting could start the healing that all are needing to feel the Christmas spirit.I felt riveted through the duration of the entire book. Liz Curtis Higgs has a way with words -- she brings them to life, right on the page before your eyes. In fact, during a certain passage in the book, she summarizes the character of a newspaper reporter in the same way I'd like to describe her, if you will. When Higgs writes, she possesses "the hands of an artist whose medium [is] words." (In the book, this phrase stood out to me so well, that I just had to return it as a compliment back to the one who penned the words.) The dialogue is very realistic, and the Scottish inflections are so natural. I also enjoy how the author tastefully weaves scriptures and tidbits of Christian faith directly into the story, so that it strengthens the main plot."For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth." The stationmaster splayed his hands. "It would seem the Almighty wanted snow on Christmas Eve." No one could take umbrage with that statement. Not even Alan.As you read, you'll find it is thoroughly Victorian on every page, in each breath the characters disclose. By this statement, I mean that the gentlemen are true gentlemen, the ladies and true ladies, everything is absolutely prim, proper, and "just so". Traditions and morals are of the utmost importance, and woe upon any who dares to disregard the elegant way of doing something. Yes, the story is perfectly, marvelously Victorian.Definitely one of my favorite books I've read all year long.A sequel should be in order, one would hope."It was winter; the night was very dark; the air extraordinary clear and cold, and sweet with the purity of forests.... For the making of a story here were fine conditions." (Robert Louis Stevenson)
review 2: Liz Curtis Higgs in her new book, “A Wreath Of Snow” published by WaterBrook Press brings us into the life of Sara Jane Morgan.From the back cover: Christmas Eve 1894All Margaret Campbell wants for Christmas is a safe journey home. When her plans for a festive holiday with her family in Stirling crumble beneath the weight of her brother’s bitterness, the young schoolteacher wants nothing more than to return to the students she loves and the town house she calls home.Then an unexpected detour places her in the path of Gordon Shaw, a handsome newspaperman from Glasgow, who struggles under a burden of remorse and shame.When the secret of their shared history is revealed, will it leave them tangled in a knot of regret? Or might their past hold the threads that will bind their future together?As warm as a woolen scarf on a cold winter’s eve, A Wreath of Snow is a tender story of love and forgiveness, wrapped in a celebration of all things Scottish, all things Victorian, and, especially, all things Christmas.I don’t think there are enough stories written about Scotland. Good thing we have Liz Curtis Higgs to help make up for that situation. A wreath is a Christmas decoration we hang on our doors however it is a Scottish word that means a bank or drift of snow. Now we are talking. Meg Campbell is trying to take the train from Stirling, Scotland to Edinburgh on Christmas Eve 1894. She doesn’t get far the train as there is a blizzard and the train runs into a snow drift, that’s the wreath. She was trying to run away but it didn’t work. Gordon ran away and is trying to get back. Both of them need forgiveness if they are ever going to get on with their lives and it is Christmas Eve. This is a marvelous story that I was sad to see end. I really liked the characters and wanted to hang out with them more. Ms. Higgs has given us a great deal of story that all works itself out with a great deal of help from God. There are moments of great fun and moments of high emotion but through it all there is lots of love. This book will keep you thinking.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Press for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” less

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