Snowflake

A Novel

By: Louise Nealon

Narrated by: Louisa Harland

Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

"Mad and wonderful. I thought I was reading one thing, then discovered - several times - that I was reading a different, even better thing.” (Roddy Doyle)

“Snowflake is a wonderfully inventive, deeply felt novel full of the best kinds of surprises.” (Margot Livesey)

An exquisitely talented young Irish writer makes her literary debut with this powerful and haunting novel - a tale of love and family, depression and joy, and coming of age in the 21st century.

Eighteen-year-old Debbie was raised on her family’s rural dairy farm, 40 minutes and a world away from Dublin. She lives with her mother, Maeve, a skittish woman who takes to her bed for days on end, claims not to know who Debbie’s father is, and believes her dreams are prophecies. Rounding out their small family is Maeve’s brother, Billy, who lives in a caravan behind their house, drinks too much, and likes to impersonate famous dead writers online. Though they may have their quirks, the Whites’ fierce love for one another is never in doubt.

But Debbie’s life is changing. Earning a place at Trinity College Dublin, she commutes to her classes a few days a week. Outside the sheltered bubble of her childhood for the first time, Debbie finds herself both overwhelmed and disappointed by her fellow students and the pace and anonymity of city life. While the familiarity of the farm offers comfort, Debbie still finds herself pulling away from it. Yet just as she begins to ponder the possibilities the future holds, a resurgence of strange dreams raises her fears that she may share Maeve’s fate. Then a tragic accident upends the family’s equilibrium, and Debbie discovers her next steps may no longer be hers to choose.

Gorgeous and beautifully wrought, Snowflake is an affecting coming-of-age story about a young woman learning to navigate a world that constantly challenges her sense of self.

©2021 Louise Nealon (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

Amazing

Each word is a lyrical journey so subtle yet powerful , you are transfixed and deeply moved. Maybe the BEST book I have read in some time.

Fantastic debut!

First, thank you GR friend Peter Boyle for reviewing “Snowflake” by Louise Nealon and gushing over her honest representation of the country/farm folk in County Galway in Ireland. According to Peter, who hails from that area, there is little literature reflecting the lives of the people in that area. One main reason I read is to learn about something I did not previously been acquainted. I wanted to give this novel a shot because I was very curious.

The story revolves around Debbie, the narrator, who is embarking on her university years. She’s leaving the dairy farm for the sophisticated Trinity College in Dublin. This is a coming-of-age story in that Debbie has been protected at the farm, with little city involvement. She’s intimidated by not only moving to university, but also navigating the big city. This is the story of her finding her place in the world, learning what other lifestyles there are other than dairy farming.

At University, Debbie befriends Xanthe, who comes from a wealthy Dublin family. From her friendship with Xanthe, she learns how different her life is versus one who grew up in the city. Debbie is funny, in a deadpan way. Xanthe, like so many modern young adults is a vegan. She is aghast that Debbie drinks milk and eats meat. She asks Debbie if she uses Oat Milk, to which Debbie deadpans “I grew up on a dairy farm”. Xanthe suggests that Debbie meditate. Debbie replies, I do, it’s called milking cows. I’m not giving Debbie credit for all her witty one-liners. I chuckled quite a bit while I listened to the audio.

Debbie isn’t the only funny one. She comes home drunk, and her Uncle Billy gives her one glance and tells her he needs to teach her how to drink. Billy takes her to the local pub, and the lessons are hilarious. This is a quirky story laced with serious themes.


In an interview with the Irish Times, author Louise Nealon provided the roots of the novel as being personal. When she was 18, she awoke in the middle of the night convinced she was dreaming someone else’s dream. This was immediately dismissed as delusions. In Ireland, psychiatry is not thought of as being necessary, although it’s improving. Nealon wanted to write a story about the silence of mental illness in Ireland because for her, psychiatry didn’t help her, but reading literature did.

When Nealon had those dreams, she began to write them down, and in her writing, she discovered the characters of Debbie and Uncle Billy. In this novel, Nealon incorporates mental illness, especially ones involving dreams. Both Debbie and her mother, Maeve, are plagued with these sorts of dreams. Maeve makes it worse for Debbie, and it is this reason that Uncle Billy wants Debbie to go to university to get away from her mother. Debbie finds the move, from the comfort of her home to the mysterious city, difficult in defining herself, and navigating her way through life. We feel Debbie’s uncomfortable feelings, and we root for her success.

Nealon tells the Irish Times, “The title, ‘Snowflake’, addresses my generation who are often referred to as snowflakes in a disparaging way. A snowflake is a rare and wonderful thing. The six arms of a snow crystal reflect the internal order of water molecules. Like human cells, it reflects nature at its best. Snowflakes are also flawed. They are irregular in structure—evidence that nature is capable of failure, not just humans, which is a relief.” Debbie, of course, loves snowflakes, as does Uncle Billy.

I listened to the audio, narrated by Louisa Harland. I wanted to get an authentic Irish voice to match the narrator of the novel, Debbie. In my opinion, Harland was perfect in narrating Debbie, in her deadpan ways. I highly recommend the audio, although I think the novel itself would be an amazing read. I believe this will be on lists for the “Best of 2021” in fiction.

Not for me

Tedious. I got about a third of the way through and just couldn't read anymore. Boring.