Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch
Received From: Edelweiss
Release Date: October 14, 2014
Age Group: Young Adult
Genres: High Fantasy, Adventure, Romance
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Check it out on Goodreads here.
Snow Like Ashes is a heck of a debut from author Sara Raasch. As I’ve mentioned in my most recent reviews, I’m fairly new to the high fantasy genre and I have to say, this one rocked. It was full of adventure, revelations, and a wickedly cool world. The descriptions were great and every time magic made an appearance, I went a bit wild. Though not perfect, this was definitely a great introduction to high fantasy in the young adult age group.
Meira, the protagonist, has one of those unforgettable names because the other characters cry her name out so many times that it inspired me to create a drinking game. Honestly, it’s like everyone was calling her at some point. But I get it, it was a bit of foreshadowing for why they are always looking for her. Right?
I liked Meira because she was a badass. She didn’t take any trouble from anyone AND when someone did give her trouble, she always found a way around it. In a way, I liked her mostly because she reminded me of how I would react in a situation like hers. I’m sick of seeing female protagonists being pushovers, or people with unbelievable levels of patience. The truth is: real people make mistakes and sometimes act rashly, so it was nice to see a character whose actions were so organic, rather than planned out.
The world building was gorgeous! I don’t know how no one thought about creating a continent that is separated by seasons. Though it’s complex and intricate, Raasch’s fantastical universe is easy to get a hang of. Though my e-copy showed a very small map, I will definitely be glancing over it when it comes into my store!
While I loved Meira, I wasn’t too keen about all of the other characters. I liked Mather because he was this guy that we’re immediately introduced to as a potential love interest, so we instantly start rooting for the star-crossed lovers. But then, something happens and you’re introduced to SPOILER ALERT: A potential third point in a love triangle. Le sigh. I’m not a fan of love triangles and though this one is short lived, the idea of it being in this awesome book feels like a bit of a cop-out so some drama can come into the novel–when it is clearly not needed. But not all bad things come out of this third member in the triangle, because he ruins the potentially cliched situation that Mather and Meira almost get into it.
Now, onto the father-figure character in Meira’s life. The fact that she calls him Sir shows how disconnected she is from him, but also how she respects him (and yearns for his approval). This character, while serving his role as a motivator and a key to something that happens later on in the novel, shows Meira’s vulnerability and how alone she feels when she is actually surrounded by people. Sir’s presence shows us how plagued Meira is by her stance in the fight to get Winter, her home, back from the enemy, and how much she yearns for someone to love her. I would say that he is the spark to her internal fuse, in a way, because he is always there as a reminder of the secrets that neither Meira nor the reader knows.
Snow Like Ashes is surprisingly very dark. Though on the surface it seems like just another adventure to save a kingdom, there’s a lot of allusions to abuse–both in power and rape. This gave the novel a surprising depth, since it increased the secondhand terror that a reader might feel. Though this is fiction, it’s very disturbingly realistic.
I have multiple reasons for why I’m not giving Raasch’s novel a five star rating. Most are minor issues, like the fact that some of the characters (Like Therin) weren’t that well drawn out, so it was harder to connect and empathize with them; the slightly predictable storyline; and whole SPOILER love triangle thing.
My main reasons for not giving this one a five star rating are: the novel begins kind of slow and is a little hard to get into; and that this is part of a series, but with a couple of word changes, this could easily be a standalone novel. I don’t even know if I’ll read the sequel because I was so content with this one installment.
Would I recommend this novel? Heck yes! The conclusion gives you this huge sense of contentment after suffering through hell with Meira. You become so attached to her character that every time something huge happens or her life changes, you end up cheering.
If you like high fantasy, adventure, and kick-ass female protagonists, then you might like this one. I’m a rookie to this genre, but I’m definitely becoming more intrigued, thanks to Raasch!
Happy reading!
