The Snow Child is an intimate and intricately tale of grief, of belonging, and of the varying notions of family. Inspired by its namesake in the Russian fairytale, the novel seamlessly blends fantastical ideas with extremely human circumstance, all while providing the reader in-and-out with a close-up look at the Alaskan landscape and lifestyle. While it felt a little unevenly paced, especially at the back half of the book, the story certainly is gripping and inviting to any reader who gives Jack and Mabel a place in their heart.