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An Echo Through the Snow

3.56 of 5 stars 3.56 · rating details · 133 ratings · 47 reviews

Andrea Thalasinos's debut novel is an inspiring story of how a single act of kindness can transform your life.

Rosalie MacKenzie is headed nowhere until she sees Smokey, a Siberian husky suffering from neglect. Rosalie finds the courage to rescue the dog, and—united by the bond of love that forms between them—they save each other. Soon Rosalie and Smokey are immersed in the...more

Hardcover, 370 pages

Published August 21st 2012 by Forge Books

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Sep 23, 2012 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fiction, historical-fiction, animals

I was originally interested in reading this book because it's about dogs, specifically husky dogs, which to me is one of the most gorgeous and fascinating breeds of dogs. I'm a huge animal lover and I think that other animal lovers may enjoy this book too.

The story is pretty good but there were definitely some places that had a couple holes for me. There are two parallel stories in the book. The first one takes place in Siberia during toward the beginning of the 20th century and surrounds the st...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Shelley Fearn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-women, travel-the-world, historical-fiction

I thought about giving this 3 stars and then read the reviews. Consequently I decided to give it 4 stars.

I wasn't bothered by the less than cohesive writing style. For a first novel, I thought it very good. Not being a writer, I can't speak with any authority, but I imagine like anything else, writing takes practice.

If you read this novel for the dogs you will be disappointed. It isn't Lassie but then I don't think of sled dogs as house pets. (But if Rosalie wants to keep the dogs in her house t...more

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Feb 26, 2013 gina rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: dogs, fiction

Wow.. I had such high hopes. I mean, there are huskies, dog sled racing, and Native Americans... really? What is there not to love. I got all those covered in my "must read" list. But... the author drags. I literally had to make myself keep reading. The story is disjointed and awkward. The voice of the main character is not clear, in fact so unclear that I often had to re-read passages when she was interacting with some of the other characters to figure out who was saying what or thinking what....more

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Jan 24, 2013 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I had high hopes for this book as I have owned and loved Siberan Huskies. However, it took me forever to get through this book. There didn't seem to be single story line - just jumping here and there. How did Rosalie become such an accomplished and talented woman and potential vet when at the beginning of the story she couldn't hold down any jobs and certainly seemed to be delayed in areas. I didn't fully accept the transformation. Yes, dogs are very therapeautic and I can see gradual changes in...more

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Nov 04, 2012 William Bentrim rated it 5 of 5 stars

An Echo Through the Snow by Andrea Thalasinos

Give this book a chance to grab you and you will not regret it. I read a lot of scifi, fantasy and action thrillers. I like getting hooked on the first page. This book had to tantalize me for about 50 pages before I got hooked. I like dogs but I’m not real fond of snow. This has both. More importantly it is a story of self discovery which is what captivated me. In a former life, my time spent as a school counselor, makes me prone to lauding self disco...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Victoria rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-with-dogs, lit-fic, fictional-history

Ehh…. I had such high hopes for this book – after all it’s definitely a “dog” book, and it also involves sled racing! The intertwining of a historical section in with a more contemporary setting sounded fascinating too. What fun to read on a hot summer day… or at least, that’s what I had expected…

Unfortunately, despite the strength of Thalasinos’ writing and her obvious passion for her subject, the book fell flat. The historical section completely felt separated from the contemporary, and the t...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Annette M Guerriero Nishimoto rated it 3 of 5 stars

Today's review is on An Echo Through the Snow by Andrea Thalasinos

With all of the hype surrounding the release of this book, I was expecting to be carried away on a fantastic journey. Sadly this was not the case. Though there are parts of the book that I did enjoy, An Echo Through the Snow has some serious flaws.

First off, for a book of this size, I should have a firm understanding of the major players. However, as it's written, I don't get a real "feel" for the Chukchi people, let alone Jeaanta...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Dee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2013

Sometimes when I have a few minutes at the library, I love just browsing through the shelves and seeing the random books that look intriguing. The other day, I was doing just that on the new releases shelf when I came across An Echo Through the Snow. The first thing about it that caught my eye was the starkness of the cover, with just the picture of the dog and a woman. Then after reading the description, I decided to take a chance on it because I was sufficiently intrigued.

While this is primari...more Sometimes when I have a few minutes at the library, I love just browsing through the shelves and seeing the random books that look intriguing. The other day, I was doing just that on the new releases shelf when I came across An Echo Through the Snow. The first thing about it that caught my eye was the starkness of the cover, with just the picture of the dog and a woman. Then after reading the description, I decided to take a chance on it because I was sufficiently intrigued.

While this is primarily a story about rescuing of dogs, dog sled racing and the history of how the Siberian husky came to be in the US, it is also a story about finding your place in the world. How for so many people we bounce around from job to job, the day in drudgery making people unmotivated to succeed and just floundering…but when that place in the world is found, the all of the pieces click into place…and that was how Rosalie’s story played out. I loved seeing her blossom as a young woman and finding her place in the world. Originally, I thought that she was a bit older than she turned out to be (18, vice in her mid-20′s) – but I think that added to her innocence during parts of the book.

The use of the flashbacks to the early 20th century and a period of Russian history, I had heard of vaguely but didn’t know a lot about. It is interesting to see how different books are starting to encompass that period of history now that they are free to write about it. But at the same time, they were a bit disjointed – I didn’t realize for a while how exactly they were going to be linked – it wasn’t like they were person flashbacks in history/familial connections, but rather dream-time kind of stories, which I could see being linked into Rosalie’s Native American heritage.

I think that my biggest complaint was how quickly everything seemed to progress – ultimately, the entire story took place in just under a years time – but it felt like it was moving really quickly and that everything fell into place a bit too quickly…I would have loved to have seen it drawn out a little bit more, maybe even only a couple more months to a year. But for the most part, my complaints about the book are few and far between. I enjoyed reading it and learned a lot about the sport of dog sledding (and it kind of makes me want to read some more about it and maybe travel somewhere to see a race – yes, I am that insane…). Overall, I would give this a 3.5, but rounding up to 4 stars. I think that it is a book that would probably be enjoyed by women, but I think also older teenagers, might enjoy it.(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Bre rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-books

I won Echo Through the Snow in a Goodreads giveaway, and tried very, very hard to like this book. The book tries to weave two dog stories together. One is set modern day, the other tells of a Native tribe.
I love books with animal themes, so I thought this would be a sure win on top of a win! I've thought a lot about what threw this book out wack for me, and I know it has to do with the writing style. 3 things I want to say about the writing are:
1.Maybe I just don't appreciate/quite sync myself...more I won Echo Through the Snow in a Goodreads giveaway, and tried very, very hard to like this book. The book tries to weave two dog stories together. One is set modern day, the other tells of a Native tribe.
I love books with animal themes, so I thought this would be a sure win on top of a win! I've thought a lot about what threw this book out wack for me, and I know it has to do with the writing style. 3 things I want to say about the writing are:
1.Maybe I just don't appreciate/quite sync myself with--(sorry, I've just watched a Steve Jobs expose, and I'm thinking of ipods intermitently!)the writing style. You know, it happens sometimes. But my honest opinion of the book is 2 stars is generous. I struggled, and had to reread a lot of sentences....
2.Sentence fragements. And they get on my nerves. Like you know people chewing gum loudly do. But that's just me. They might not bother you. This book, it was existing to annoy me in that way. OKAAAY, so you probably thought that sentence was annoying. That's how I felt reading the book.
3.Corny puns.
Here's what I mean, illustrated by a paragraph early on: "She couldn't help thinking about Smokey. His sad, quiet face and the way his two canine teeth poked out from beneath his lip. She couldn't help it. Always remembering the names of dogs and not their owners..."
Though not quintesentially "your annoying, Ibprofun inducing paragraph, there are SO many sentences like this. It goes far beyond "mixing up the style," and gets into the series headache zone.
I would have rewritten it, She couldn't help thinking about Smokey's sad, quiet face. She always remembered the names of dogs and not their owners... but I'm not the author...
I also didn't, (to pun off some more Steve Jobs, and Apple,)SYNC myself with the characters. I couldn't really feel for Rosaline, even though I was supposed to. I think she really could have grabbed my sympathy with her screwed up life, and job failures, but I'm either heartless or I didn't care.
Third, and last complaint: For much of the book, the two sections just don't forge together.
I'm aware that this review is getting into the Ibrufon popping, too long category, so I'm going to shut my mouth and find some duct tape now. Either it was me, or the book,but we didn't get along terribly well. Maybe others will the book and it's syle better, but we're breaking up because we had our differences. (less)

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Aug 22, 2012 Teena in Toronto rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I started reading this book, I wasn't sure if I would keep with it, to be honest. If a book doesn't grab me right away, I don't stay with it.

But I'm glad I did with this one because I ended up enjoying it.

I wasn't crazy about the writing style in the first couple of chapters. This is the author's debut novel and it was like she was trying too hard. There seemed to be a lot of comparisons which I found a bit annoying. Here are some examples:

- Her bangs quivering like butterflies
- The dream...more When I started reading this book, I wasn't sure if I would keep with it, to be honest. If a book doesn't grab me right away, I don't stay with it.

But I'm glad I did with this one because I ended up enjoying it.

I wasn't crazy about the writing style in the first couple of chapters. This is the author's debut novel and it was like she was trying too hard. There seemed to be a lot of comparisons which I found a bit annoying. Here are some examples:

- Her bangs quivering like butterflies
- The dream chased her like a ratty little dog
- He vanished like mist on Superior after the sun burns through

I don't mind one occasionally but it seemed like it was overkill at first. But I noticed this tendency disappeared after a while and I found I enjoy the writing style and got caught up in the story.

Plus I found Rosalie annoying in the beginning. She was young, married to an abuser, not able to focus and drifting from job to job (though she did have a knack for beading). Even when she was offered a job working as a handler of sled dogs, she waffled about it. Once she accepted the job and started to find herself, I found her likeable.

The chapters alternate from different time periods in Siberia and Wisconsin (they are clearly indicated at the beginning). The Siberians are a very spiritual people. Conflicting with their way of life is the emergence of Stalin's Red Army. Jeaantaa chooses to not go along with it and takes off in order to save her beloved dogs. Her husband, Tariem, is haunted for the next sixty years, thinking she ran off with Robert Ramsey.

After Rosalie saves Smokey, an abused husky guard dog of a junkyard, and moves back in with her dad, her life settles down and discovers her calling. Working for Jan and Dave, she gets involved with sled dogs and eventually builds her own team. Gord and I have gone dogsledding a few times so I was able to relate to what she was doing. It's exhilarating!

So though it took me a couple chapters to get into this book, I'm glad I kept with it and I'd recommend it, especially if you are into dogs. There is some mature language.

Blog review: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2012/08...(less)

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Jan 06, 2013 Jen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was skeptical about this book as I'd have never picked it up had it not been a gift from my husband, but ended up really enjoying it. It's the story of a young woman who reclaims her life after rescuing a Siberian husky and discovering the world of dog sledding, told along with the parallel story of the displacement of the Chukchi people by Stalin's army in 1929 Siberia. It alternates between past and present eventually bringing the two stories together. I have no interest in the technical asp...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Ellen Goffin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

This is a wonderful book which goes back and forth between two stories, one about a 1929 Native family/tribe in Siberia and the other in early 1990s Wisconsin about a Native woman (Rosalie) and her family and community. Thalasinos does a superb job of showing (not telling) how government treated the Native population. I really enjoyed reading about a world I was not that familiar with. Rosalie is a character a reader can really root for.

I learned some new things such as this regarding reindeer,...more

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May 13, 2013 Sheila rated it 3 of 5 stars

Rosalie seems to be wandering in life. She is in an unhappy marriage and struggles with any job she has. Her husband mocks her when after discovering a neglected Siberian Husky, she suggests they try to save it. She steals the dog and after a fight with her husband, she gathers the courage to change the direction of her life. Smokey, her new dog, gives her a new outlook in life. She starts working as a dog handler for Jan and Dave, two people who love dog sled racing. Interwoven throughout the n...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Eileen Granfors rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: animals, coming-of-age, families, environment, historical-fiction, local-color, outdoor-adventure, women

I love most dog books, from "Must Love Dogs" to "The Art of Racking in the Rain." I worried that I wouldn't handle this book well, knowing it begins with the rescue of an abused guard dog.

Early on, the main character, Rosalie MacKenzie works through the situation with Smokey quickly, taking him from a chained up guard dog, barely fed and treated with disrespect, to her own, much-loved dog.

Rosalie has a habit of getting fired for her bad attitude. She gets involved with the wrong men. She is sul...more I love most dog books, from "Must Love Dogs" to "The Art of Racking in the Rain." I worried that I wouldn't handle this book well, knowing it begins with the rescue of an abused guard dog.

Early on, the main character, Rosalie MacKenzie works through the situation with Smokey quickly, taking him from a chained up guard dog, barely fed and treated with disrespect, to her own, much-loved dog.

Rosalie has a habit of getting fired for her bad attitude. She gets involved with the wrong men. She is sullen and nervous. Having lost her mother at a young age, she raised herself when her father, Arlan, went into alcohol-fueled grief. Once she has Smokey to care for, Rosalie's life expands.

She enjoys solitude, beading dresses in the native tradition, an art she learned as a child. She would rather bead than go out drinking with the few choices for friends in her town.

She is taken on as a helper to Jan and Dave, who train dog teams. They are as dedicated to their dogs as most people are to their children. Because Rosalie has a way with dogs, reading their body language comes naturally to her. Jan And Dave will not give up in their quest to get Rosalie to work for them. Although she feels pressured to keep stepping up her skills and responsibilities at their kennel, the couple does not waiver in their respect for her. She is given a team to train.

Rosalie's adventures in the snow with old dogs, young dogs, bad weather, and spills may shake her courage, but she keeps on going.

Through them she meets the town vet. He too sees something special in Rosalie when she's with animals. He too pushes her to consider a life beyond her little village of dead ends on Lake Superior, to think beyond settling for whatever man might show interest in her.

The plot line involving a love story is a little thin, but it's nothing to make you stop reading.

Woven into the story of Rosalie is the story of the native peoples of Chukchi. Their knowledge of the woods and their respect for life go together in a religious symmetry. They are not, however, especially kind to one another, to their wives, to their children. When the Stalinist Russians overtake their villages, the people are ruthlessly killed, taken to work camps, and split up as families. The story of Jeaantaa, her Guardian dogs, and the brothers Tariem and Uptek, brings in the history of the native people and the use of dogs with dog sleds.

The setting is a character here. From the wild lands around Lake Superior through the pine forests and frozen lake across the Bering Sea to a peninsula of Siberia, Thalasinos uses the setting show the hardships of life in the far reaches of North America/Asia and the resilience of people who are there permanently. It is not quite the vacationland the summer tourists, oooh and ah over. They come to shoot an animal or take in more fish than they can eat and promptly leave.

Thalasinos examines environmental damage. She is unafraid to voice despair about the impact of foreign regimes on native cultures. Above all, she introduces the life of dog teams with astute attention to detail all the while telling a story of a young girl saved from a life of low expectations. This is a book full of lessons and stunning moments of beauty in a forbidding climate.

The time lapse between when I began this book and when I finished it is only a reflection of how I packed for a trip, not of my lack of interest in the book.(less)

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Jul 21, 2012 Sandie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books, historical-fiction, 20th-century-women

An Echo Through the Snow attempts to weave past and present into a single tapestry utilizing the lives of two women trapped by fate and circumstance, with one determined to set herself free and the other literally dragged into pursuing a better life. Told in alternating chapters, we are presented with the lives of Jeaanta and Rosalie, two women living more than half a century apart whose lives are mystically connected via the Siberian Huskies (Guardians) they both love.

Rosalie MacKenzie is a Nat...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Pat rated it 4 of 5 stars

I belong to an Advance Book Group at our local library. We assist the library staff in reading advance copies and then making suggestions about the purchase of the ones we've read. I chose this book to read and report on because of the title and subject matter. I have to say that at the very beginning, I was beginning to wonder if I would stay with the book, but that feeling didn't last long. As soon as Rosalie decided she would save Smokey, I knew I would continue reading. I have finished the b...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Katrina rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Dog Fans

Shelves: adult, fiction

I liked the interwoven, multi-generational aspect of this story, though I got a little confused by the jumpy timeline, and I wish we had gotten to hear more about Jeaantaa. I was surprised how the story ended--always refreshing. The main character was a nice mixture of a strong yet vulnerable woman. (What the heck did she see in Dan! Thalasinos could've have explained that a little better.) I ended up caring for all the characters (even the dogs).

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Sep 07, 2012 Amber Polo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dogs

I loved "An Echo Through the Snow." A story fresh as new snow, Thalasinos made me feel the ice, snow and cold, as well as the smell of sleeping with warm dogs.
Filled with the right touch of the paranormal, history, coincidence, a blossoming character, and dog-sledding detail this is a rich, beautiful book. Perfect for a summer or winter read. Dog lovers will put this on their list of best books of the year.

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Aug 05, 2012 Ann rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads.

I love books about dogs and really looked forward to this one. The beginning with Rosalie rescuing the abused Husky really hooked me. The parallel story in Siberia really added to the information about the Chukchi people and their relationships with their dogs(Guardians). I was a bit disillusioned about the abundance of dogs she took in and "maintained" in such a small environment, the cost of food, and supplies would be huge. I d...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Linda rated it 1 of 5 stars

I didn't finish. I read over 100 pages..which a friend told me to not to stop a book before reading at least 100 pages....I really don't like dog sledding but this story sounded good. I got bored very early on and had to force myself to read what I did. I didn't like the talk of killing the dogs or sacrificing them so I stopped reading. I want to enjoy a book and reading about even thinking of killing an animal ruins it for me.

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Dec 18, 2012 Katie Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really enjoyed this book. I liked how the two separate stories of the Chukchi people and the present day merged together. If you like stories with animals you'll enjoy this book. It highlights how powerful the human-animal bond can be and how one kind gesture to an animal in need can end up changing your life.

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Jan 30, 2013 Kari rated it 2 of 5 stars

being a dog lover I really tried to love this book. unfortunately I think the author developed the dogs characters better than many of the humans. two story lines spanning time went through this book but almost seemed unrelated except for dogs. I think both lines were supposed to hold together but they just fell flat

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Oct 31, 2012 Regina rated it 4 of 5 stars

The story moves back and forth from the past to present. I did enjoy it once I got my characters straight from each time period. Shows you how life comes around full circle. Stay with the book. I was going to stop but once I kept reading, I was caught up in both worlds.

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Dec 13, 2012 Mareth Perry rated it 5 of 5 stars

I had a really hard time putting this book down! I finished it in less than 24 hours. I love how the 2 stories (Rosalie's and the Chukchi people's) were interwoven. I also appreciated the fact that Ms. Thalasinos gave the untutored reader a brief, basic education in the fascinating sport of dog-sledding, but didn't overwhelm the beauty of her story by becoming overly technical in her descriptions.

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Dec 09, 2012 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

This was gorgeously written and I really liked the parallel stories. I think the tie between the two stories was a little weak and I would have just enjoyed it having been a parallel story instead of having them come together. Overall, a really good book that taught me a lot about racing sled dogs and the time and training that goes into doing that.

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Dec 31, 2012 Paula Obermeier McCarty rated it 2 of 5 stars

Interesting story. Loved the parts involving Rosalie and the dogs (very well done). Also liked the storyline taking place in Siberia. Would have rated the book higher but couldn't get into the parts where Rosalie interacts with other people.

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Oct 25, 2012 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a beautifully written book that transports the reader to another time. The use of metaphor comes across as poetry. The descriptions of the dogs and the weather were so vivid I felt as though I was there. The characters are strong and flawed in just the right amount. And I enjoyed the 2 stories told in 2 different generations that ended up coming together.

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Jan 30, 2013 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars

It was hard to follow the two story lines in this book, although I enjoyed the dogs and that it was set in Bayfield, Wisconsin, which I am familiar with. She did a good job of capturing the present day characters.

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Jan 05, 2013 Lin Toms rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book and couldn't put it down! It is beautifully written and cuts to the essence of what binds us all together including being in sync with our animal friends and getting second chances.

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Oct 16, 2012 Joy rated it 3 of 5 stars

The combined stories pulled me as steadily through the book after the the fast start like the dogs pulled the sleds. Well woven strands formed a single unit at the end.

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