Well, that was unexpected. Imagine a world where Boudicca's Celts gained magic and defeated the Romans for good and where the Norman invasion never happened. Wrap it all up with a matriarchal society trying to keep the peace with all the magical folk, particularly the elves (think Fae from Irish lore) and where those types of interactions are like what I imagine Icelandic life to be like (building roads around fairy circles and gnome rocks etc). With all of that, you have an approximation of the fantastical world Burgis has created for this novel.
Add to that yet another fantastic female MC who is compelling and entertaining while also being believably flawed, and you get a wonderful story full of twists, and a fabulous resolution. I was rooting for Cassandra from the get go, and I absolutely love the final message about the importance of family and working together to achieve our dreams (both personal and communal). We can't achieve great things entirely on our own, and I love how Burgis transmits that message through this novel.
I loved the blend of high fantasy with historical, Regency vibes as well as an interesting look at "the patriarchy" of our world through the lens of the "matriarchy" of this world. I personally feel this author does for the feminist movement and a deeper understanding of women's rights what Babel dismally failed to do for the question of colonialism and the peoples oppressed by that system. Snowspelled additionally brought me a dose of nostalgia with a memory of Phillip Pullman's Oxford, because this novel so beautifully blends the known of our own world with the fantastical elements and utterly unknown qualities of the invented society. It's well done and makes for an exceptionally entertaining read.
I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys high fantasy with tricksy elves, strong female MCs who have flaws and fabulous character arcs, or those who enjoy historical fantasy with unexpected flavour to the worldbuilding.
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