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Salt the Snow
From Carrie Callaghan, author of the critically acclaimed A Light of Her Own , comes a story of the trailblazing and liberated Milly Bennett, based on the life of one of the first female war correspondents whose work has been all but lost to history. American journalist Milly Bennett has covered murders in San Francisco, fires in Hawaii, and a civil war in China, but 1930s Moscow presents her greatest challenge yet. When her young Russian husband is suddenly arrested by the secret police, Milly tries to get him released. But his arrest reveals both painful secrets about her marriage and hard truths about the Soviet state she has been working to serve. Disillusioned, and pulled toward the front lines of a captivating new conflict, Milly must find a way to do the right thing for her husband, her conscience, and her heart.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 7, 2020
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2648 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
February 2, 2020
I love stories of strong women, and Salt the Snow features a war correspondent, Milly Bennett, an American journalist who has covered newsworthy tragedies in San Francisco, Hawaii, China, and now, with Salt the Snow, she arrives in 1930s Moscow.
Milly’s husband is Russian, but that doesn’t keep him safe from the secret police. She tries to get him released, but instead, secret after secret flies out about her marriage and also the Soviet Union.
When Milly is called to a new “assignment,” she has to decide what is right regarding her husband.
Milly is a fabulously formidable main character. You can’t help but love her and be inspired by her heart. The author brings the setting and time period to life. I even felt the bitter cold.
Milly was a real woman, and I’m so grateful Carrie Callaghan shined a light on her story, one I’ve never been taught or read about before, one that would have likely been lost to history like those of so many other strong, trailblazing women.
I received a complimentary copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Milly’s husband is Russian, but that doesn’t keep him safe from the secret police. She tries to get him released, but instead, secret after secret flies out about her marriage and also the Soviet Union.
When Milly is called to a new “assignment,” she has to decide what is right regarding her husband.
Milly is a fabulously formidable main character. You can’t help but love her and be inspired by her heart. The author brings the setting and time period to life. I even felt the bitter cold.
Milly was a real woman, and I’m so grateful Carrie Callaghan shined a light on her story, one I’ve never been taught or read about before, one that would have likely been lost to history like those of so many other strong, trailblazing women.
I received a complimentary copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
January 10, 2020
From the frigid winters of 1930’s Moscow to the blistering heat of the Spanish Civil War, the vivid prose of Salt the Snow sets the reader in the middle of socio-economic upheavals and political unrest with the best possible tour guide, wisecracking American journalist Milly Bennett. Callaghan excels at bringing little-known real-life women out of the darkness of historical obscurity and into the light of recognition. As in her debut novel, A Light of Her Own, Callaghan illuminates not only a place and time that shaped history but also a trailblazing woman who made a difference in a world that tried to keep her down.
From the first scene, the reader is plunged into a world of suspense and intrigue, led by an unforgettable protagonist. Milly’s sharp-tongued, irreverent wit works hand-in-glove with her passion for the truth and concern for the downtrodden. Milly is not so much a character as a fully-realized, complex human being: her brilliance and self-sufficiency are admirable, and her loneliness and feelings of unworthiness are heartbreaking.
Callaghan’s beautiful central metaphor of sprinkling salt to keep the snow at bay works on many levels: from the “passions and perils of building socialism,” to the small but significant inroads Milly makes as a journalist in exposing the truth of political corruption, to Milly’s “salty” personality, especially her courage in the face of rejection. A fascinating novel!
From the first scene, the reader is plunged into a world of suspense and intrigue, led by an unforgettable protagonist. Milly’s sharp-tongued, irreverent wit works hand-in-glove with her passion for the truth and concern for the downtrodden. Milly is not so much a character as a fully-realized, complex human being: her brilliance and self-sufficiency are admirable, and her loneliness and feelings of unworthiness are heartbreaking.
Callaghan’s beautiful central metaphor of sprinkling salt to keep the snow at bay works on many levels: from the “passions and perils of building socialism,” to the small but significant inroads Milly makes as a journalist in exposing the truth of political corruption, to Milly’s “salty” personality, especially her courage in the face of rejection. A fascinating novel!
January 17, 2020
Thank you HFVBT and the author for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Salt The Snow
By: Carrie Callaghan
*REVIEW* 🌟🌟🌟.5
Salt The Snow seems to be a polarizing type of book, but I'm in the middle. Milly Bennett was a pioneering female reporter during the 1930s depression era. She found her way to Russia in pursuit of Socialism, but her Russian husband was arrested for lewd behavior. Milly supported Socialism for a while despite seeing first hand the truth of the system. Eventually, she woke up and acknowledged the wrongs of Socialism. Milly was not a likeable person. She liked men and drink too much. She supported Communism. I did not empathize with Milly, rather I just disliked her throughout the entire book. In the latter part of the story, Milly ended up in Spain during the Spanish Civil War and finally, she reported as she always wanted to. I respect Milly's courage, persistence and fortitude, but, as a person, she seemed unpleasant. There were some positive attributes about the story, too. The author does an excellent job of describing the time and place. The reader is dropped into Russia at a turbulent time, and the history of this time is very interesting. The story is expertly crafted and well researched, as evidenced in depicting Milly Bennett as she was, even if she was not a likeable person. It is a slow moving story and can be confusing at times. I'm still in the middle because there are good and not good things to consider. Overall, the story is intriguing and informative, but it's difficult to connect with the characters. It's a toss up I suppose.
Salt The Snow
By: Carrie Callaghan
*REVIEW* 🌟🌟🌟.5
Salt The Snow seems to be a polarizing type of book, but I'm in the middle. Milly Bennett was a pioneering female reporter during the 1930s depression era. She found her way to Russia in pursuit of Socialism, but her Russian husband was arrested for lewd behavior. Milly supported Socialism for a while despite seeing first hand the truth of the system. Eventually, she woke up and acknowledged the wrongs of Socialism. Milly was not a likeable person. She liked men and drink too much. She supported Communism. I did not empathize with Milly, rather I just disliked her throughout the entire book. In the latter part of the story, Milly ended up in Spain during the Spanish Civil War and finally, she reported as she always wanted to. I respect Milly's courage, persistence and fortitude, but, as a person, she seemed unpleasant. There were some positive attributes about the story, too. The author does an excellent job of describing the time and place. The reader is dropped into Russia at a turbulent time, and the history of this time is very interesting. The story is expertly crafted and well researched, as evidenced in depicting Milly Bennett as she was, even if she was not a likeable person. It is a slow moving story and can be confusing at times. I'm still in the middle because there are good and not good things to consider. Overall, the story is intriguing and informative, but it's difficult to connect with the characters. It's a toss up I suppose.
November 10, 2019
Sometimes history is best told through the stories of ordinary people who represent the extraordinary things each of us has the capacity to pursue. In "Salt the Snow," this woman is real-life American journalist Milly Bennett, who covered stories in China, Hawaii, and San Francisco, but whose later, 1930s-era experience in Moscow and beyond is Callaghan's focus. And, boy, can Bennett carry a story! Callaghan's research shines, and Bennett and Bolshevik Moscow come to life in vivid detail, as Bennett's idealism, sexuality, and determination are tested in the face of discrimination and oppression. Callaghan's Author's Note is a treasure unto itself (I think it can be read before you read the book, if you don't mind a few historical spoilers).
January 14, 2020
I was really looking forward to reading this book. A pioneering reporter in a dangerous locale, going up against a terrifying regime to fight for justice and save the people she loves--sign me up. But unfortunately I had some issues with this story that prevented me from loving it as I'd hoped I would.
For starters, it's got a pretty slow-moving plot. There were long stretches where I felt like not much happened, and I found myself skimming to get to the more interesting parts. I'm also not sure the dual timeline structure served the story well. There's not much distance between the timelines as they alternate between the time Milly met her husband and the aftermath of his arrest, and so by the time they converged, it all sort of seemed anti-climactic.
But the biggest issue, for me, was Milly herself. I don't usually read up on unknown-to-me historical figures before I read novels about them because I like to be surprised by what's coming and go in without any preconceptions, but in this case, maybe I should have. Because it took me a really long time to warm up to Milly Bennett. She's selfish. She's a bit of a lush. She sleeps with married men. She does some other things that some readers may find morally questionable. But hardest for me was that she's a die-hard supporter of communism (though it is called socialism at the time). I understand the novelty of it during the Great Depression and the allure the ideal held for Americans who went to the Soviet Union in search of a better life. But very few of them actually found a better life there. Even in the face of desperate poverty, the lack of food, heat, and basic necessities, forced communal living, forced labor, and a tyrannical government jailing people who say things they don't like, Milly still defends the system. I found her very hard to empathize with until more than halfway through the book. Eventually Milly does lift the veil of idealism, and more of her underlying vulnerability comes through, allowing the reader to better understand why she behaves the way she does and to feel sorry for her in the situation she finds herself in. I finally started to feel her highs and lows, her triumphs and tragedies as my own and became invested in the outcome of her story.
A lot of that may have to do with the fact that I found Part Three the most interesting and compelling of the novel. When Milly leaves Russia and heads to Spain to cover their civil war, she becomes the type of reporter she's always wanted to be, and she's reporting on something important. Or she's trying to anyway. Amazing how censored even the good guys' news was. This is where she really comes into her own and I was engrossed in the story. Unfortunately, this is also the shortest part of the book. I think I could have loved this book (and Milly) if her time during the Spanish Civil War had been the focus rather than her time in Moscow.
The author does a great job of depicting the era. The reader is transported to 1930s Moscow and war-torn Spain. Though at first Milly doesn't seem to be too concerned with the quite obvious direction the Soviet Union is going, the reader is. It's heartbreaking to watch people throw over one bad system of government for an even worse one, and yet it has been repeated over and over again throughout history. Though I wish we'd gotten as in-depth a portrayal of the causes of the Spanish Civil War and what drove Americans and other Europeans to join the fight, the author shines a spotlight on the little-known population of Americans and Europeans who chose to take part in the Bolshevik restructuring of Russia, examining the circumstances that drove them there and the idealism they strove for. This examination alone makes the novel a worthwhile read, though doubtless many readers will also be pleased to discover the dramatic life of a pioneering woman whose contributions to journalism have been all but forgotten.
For starters, it's got a pretty slow-moving plot. There were long stretches where I felt like not much happened, and I found myself skimming to get to the more interesting parts. I'm also not sure the dual timeline structure served the story well. There's not much distance between the timelines as they alternate between the time Milly met her husband and the aftermath of his arrest, and so by the time they converged, it all sort of seemed anti-climactic.
But the biggest issue, for me, was Milly herself. I don't usually read up on unknown-to-me historical figures before I read novels about them because I like to be surprised by what's coming and go in without any preconceptions, but in this case, maybe I should have. Because it took me a really long time to warm up to Milly Bennett. She's selfish. She's a bit of a lush. She sleeps with married men. She does some other things that some readers may find morally questionable. But hardest for me was that she's a die-hard supporter of communism (though it is called socialism at the time). I understand the novelty of it during the Great Depression and the allure the ideal held for Americans who went to the Soviet Union in search of a better life. But very few of them actually found a better life there. Even in the face of desperate poverty, the lack of food, heat, and basic necessities, forced communal living, forced labor, and a tyrannical government jailing people who say things they don't like, Milly still defends the system. I found her very hard to empathize with until more than halfway through the book. Eventually Milly does lift the veil of idealism, and more of her underlying vulnerability comes through, allowing the reader to better understand why she behaves the way she does and to feel sorry for her in the situation she finds herself in. I finally started to feel her highs and lows, her triumphs and tragedies as my own and became invested in the outcome of her story.
A lot of that may have to do with the fact that I found Part Three the most interesting and compelling of the novel. When Milly leaves Russia and heads to Spain to cover their civil war, she becomes the type of reporter she's always wanted to be, and she's reporting on something important. Or she's trying to anyway. Amazing how censored even the good guys' news was. This is where she really comes into her own and I was engrossed in the story. Unfortunately, this is also the shortest part of the book. I think I could have loved this book (and Milly) if her time during the Spanish Civil War had been the focus rather than her time in Moscow.
The author does a great job of depicting the era. The reader is transported to 1930s Moscow and war-torn Spain. Though at first Milly doesn't seem to be too concerned with the quite obvious direction the Soviet Union is going, the reader is. It's heartbreaking to watch people throw over one bad system of government for an even worse one, and yet it has been repeated over and over again throughout history. Though I wish we'd gotten as in-depth a portrayal of the causes of the Spanish Civil War and what drove Americans and other Europeans to join the fight, the author shines a spotlight on the little-known population of Americans and Europeans who chose to take part in the Bolshevik restructuring of Russia, examining the circumstances that drove them there and the idealism they strove for. This examination alone makes the novel a worthwhile read, though doubtless many readers will also be pleased to discover the dramatic life of a pioneering woman whose contributions to journalism have been all but forgotten.
January 14, 2020
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
Written with precision and depth Carrie Callaghan newest novel, Salt The Snow is a well developed portrait that takes off from the suspenseful first pages as the American journalist Milly Bennett is working and living in Moscow Russia.
Her heroic war journalism career has taken Her all over the world, as she has covered murders in San Francisco, fires in Hawaii, and a civil war in China, but in 1930s Moscow offers the most unprecedented challenge so far.
Through the authors narration, you are easily immersed within this engaging storyline. Milly will question her marriage when certain truth are brought to life, when her young Russian husband is suddenly arrested by the secret police. This incredible book, Callaghan captures historical suspense of Bennetts personal life, that defines her journalistic work. Milly will become disillusioned with the political upheaval of the Soviet state along with her marriage.
The authors captivating prose brings the exceptional bohemian lifestyle, of the riveting Mrs. Milly Bennett deftly within the pages, of Salt The Snow. Bennett’s idealism of Socioeconomics puts her front and center of political unrest, as the birth of Socialism explodes in Russia, and through out the world.
Callaghan superb writing brings the vivacious, headstrong and charismatic personality of Milly Bennett to life. I loved everything about this well fleshed out three-dimensional character. This brilliantly executed novel weaves perfectly back and forth, in easy to follow multiple time periods.
When an age when female journalists was extremely rare, Bennett’s feminist adventures unfolds, along with her hard-drinking, in your face journalism. This unforgettable woman and her controversial journalism was critical to social war movement happening through out the world.
She doesn’t take a backseat to men reporters, wanting to be front and center as war and political struggles begin to rise. She flings off the bands placed on woman during the 20’s and 30’s to conquer journalisms head on. Struggling to make a name for herself within an occupation in an era that was mostly dominated by men. Milly’s strength and fortitude is depicted in this intriguing nonstop read.
Callaghan, historical fiction is ultimately a story of that of courage and human kindness and sorrow. I was completely immersed within these meticulously researched pages, as the authors descriptive ability to bring a compelling and intriguing complex character to life.
While her journalism is not so much as her focal point as her emotional struggle in Russia, you are able to fully comprehend her depth as a character. When most women would have given up, Milly is persistent to right the wrong to have her husband released. Things come crashing to an end In a twist of gut wrenching series of events.
Milly's independent nature and her journalist calling is notable when she finds herself taking more Correspondent work, with the AP and the Foreign Press Bureau. Risking everything for her writing, she places herself at the center of the escalating tension ripping Spain apart in their civil war.
Once again Carrie Callaghan, delivers a compelling, intriguing, and well-written read here with absolutely fantastic characters that totally captivated and fascinated me. An unforgettable heroin, this stunning book stayed with me, long after I closed it.
A riveting historical fiction, based on the life of one of the first female war correspondents, Milly Bennett
Written with precision and depth Carrie Callaghan newest novel, Salt The Snow is a well developed portrait that takes off from the suspenseful first pages as the American journalist Milly Bennett is working and living in Moscow Russia.
Her heroic war journalism career has taken Her all over the world, as she has covered murders in San Francisco, fires in Hawaii, and a civil war in China, but in 1930s Moscow offers the most unprecedented challenge so far.
Through the authors narration, you are easily immersed within this engaging storyline. Milly will question her marriage when certain truth are brought to life, when her young Russian husband is suddenly arrested by the secret police. This incredible book, Callaghan captures historical suspense of Bennetts personal life, that defines her journalistic work. Milly will become disillusioned with the political upheaval of the Soviet state along with her marriage.
The authors captivating prose brings the exceptional bohemian lifestyle, of the riveting Mrs. Milly Bennett deftly within the pages, of Salt The Snow. Bennett’s idealism of Socioeconomics puts her front and center of political unrest, as the birth of Socialism explodes in Russia, and through out the world.
Callaghan superb writing brings the vivacious, headstrong and charismatic personality of Milly Bennett to life. I loved everything about this well fleshed out three-dimensional character. This brilliantly executed novel weaves perfectly back and forth, in easy to follow multiple time periods.
When an age when female journalists was extremely rare, Bennett’s feminist adventures unfolds, along with her hard-drinking, in your face journalism. This unforgettable woman and her controversial journalism was critical to social war movement happening through out the world.
She doesn’t take a backseat to men reporters, wanting to be front and center as war and political struggles begin to rise. She flings off the bands placed on woman during the 20’s and 30’s to conquer journalisms head on. Struggling to make a name for herself within an occupation in an era that was mostly dominated by men. Milly’s strength and fortitude is depicted in this intriguing nonstop read.
Callaghan, historical fiction is ultimately a story of that of courage and human kindness and sorrow. I was completely immersed within these meticulously researched pages, as the authors descriptive ability to bring a compelling and intriguing complex character to life.
While her journalism is not so much as her focal point as her emotional struggle in Russia, you are able to fully comprehend her depth as a character. When most women would have given up, Milly is persistent to right the wrong to have her husband released. Things come crashing to an end In a twist of gut wrenching series of events.
Milly's independent nature and her journalist calling is notable when she finds herself taking more Correspondent work, with the AP and the Foreign Press Bureau. Risking everything for her writing, she places herself at the center of the escalating tension ripping Spain apart in their civil war.
Once again Carrie Callaghan, delivers a compelling, intriguing, and well-written read here with absolutely fantastic characters that totally captivated and fascinated me. An unforgettable heroin, this stunning book stayed with me, long after I closed it.
A riveting historical fiction, based on the life of one of the first female war correspondents, Milly Bennett
May 2, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and Edelweiss for my copy of: Salt The Snow.
Milly Bennett was an American journalist in the 1930's, she covered stories about murders in San Francisco, fires in Hawaii and the civil war in China. During the American depression she moved to Russia to work for the Moscow Daily News, here she spends most of her trying to keep warm, drinking lots of vodka, trying not to get herself in trouble with the NKVD and marries her second husband Evgeni Ivanovich or he's know as Zhenya.
Most of Salt The Snow takes part in Russia, life is hard, it's freezing cold, living conditions are packed, shared bathrooms and horrible food. When Milly's husband Zhenya is arrested and convicted of engaging in immoral behavior and homosexuality. Milly continues to work at the paper, the rest of her time is spent waiting in endless lines, trying to find out where her husband is being kept, hoping he gets the food she delivers and keeping his mum Olga informed of how her son is faring in such a terrible circumstances. He's finally sentenced to three years of hard labour in a camp called Novosibirsk, at first Milly is hopeful, three years isn't that long, then his mail gets less and less? When her most recent letter arrives back it's marked return to sender and no such person? Milly is very upset, she knows for sure she will never see Zhenya again, she's fired from her job and she's decides to leave Russia.
Milly nervously caught a train, she leaves Moscow, makes her way to Leningrad, once she gets past the Finnish border she's safe and she arrives in France. After spending three weeks in France she decides to go to Spain and continue working as a war correspondent. In Madrid she witnesses heavy fighting, soldiers dying, their terrible wounds and suffering of the local people. While at the hospital she meets Dr Hermann Muller again, he's a doctor of genetics but during a war it's all hands on deck. Milly used two things to make herself feel better, one was booze and the other was sex! Of course she has an intimate relationship with Dr Muller, it ends badly and he thinks it's just another fling?
Milly was a woman before her time in more ways than one, she drank way too much, she slept with a lot of men, some were married and I lost track of how many times she was legally married.
Salt The Snow is a very different book to what I normally read, I found Milly rather annoying, reading about her living in Russia dragged and I was glad when she left. I found the second half of the book about the Spanish Civil War for more interesting, I wish the story focused more on this and less of what she did in Russia!
That's only my opinion about Russia and Salt The Snow, sorry I didn't like the book and I gave it two stars. I have shared my review on Goodreads, Twitter, NetGalley, Edelweiss, Kobo and my blog.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
Milly Bennett was an American journalist in the 1930's, she covered stories about murders in San Francisco, fires in Hawaii and the civil war in China. During the American depression she moved to Russia to work for the Moscow Daily News, here she spends most of her trying to keep warm, drinking lots of vodka, trying not to get herself in trouble with the NKVD and marries her second husband Evgeni Ivanovich or he's know as Zhenya.
Most of Salt The Snow takes part in Russia, life is hard, it's freezing cold, living conditions are packed, shared bathrooms and horrible food. When Milly's husband Zhenya is arrested and convicted of engaging in immoral behavior and homosexuality. Milly continues to work at the paper, the rest of her time is spent waiting in endless lines, trying to find out where her husband is being kept, hoping he gets the food she delivers and keeping his mum Olga informed of how her son is faring in such a terrible circumstances. He's finally sentenced to three years of hard labour in a camp called Novosibirsk, at first Milly is hopeful, three years isn't that long, then his mail gets less and less? When her most recent letter arrives back it's marked return to sender and no such person? Milly is very upset, she knows for sure she will never see Zhenya again, she's fired from her job and she's decides to leave Russia.
Milly nervously caught a train, she leaves Moscow, makes her way to Leningrad, once she gets past the Finnish border she's safe and she arrives in France. After spending three weeks in France she decides to go to Spain and continue working as a war correspondent. In Madrid she witnesses heavy fighting, soldiers dying, their terrible wounds and suffering of the local people. While at the hospital she meets Dr Hermann Muller again, he's a doctor of genetics but during a war it's all hands on deck. Milly used two things to make herself feel better, one was booze and the other was sex! Of course she has an intimate relationship with Dr Muller, it ends badly and he thinks it's just another fling?
Milly was a woman before her time in more ways than one, she drank way too much, she slept with a lot of men, some were married and I lost track of how many times she was legally married.
Salt The Snow is a very different book to what I normally read, I found Milly rather annoying, reading about her living in Russia dragged and I was glad when she left. I found the second half of the book about the Spanish Civil War for more interesting, I wish the story focused more on this and less of what she did in Russia!
That's only my opinion about Russia and Salt The Snow, sorry I didn't like the book and I gave it two stars. I have shared my review on Goodreads, Twitter, NetGalley, Edelweiss, Kobo and my blog.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
January 30, 2020
Milly Bennett was the first female war correspondent and like most women that rile up the world, her story has been relegated to the back burner. But no further! Author Carrie Callaghan masterfully brings her life to the front page and I am so happy that I got to learn more about her!
I have to admit that Milly was a little hard to warm up, but not every heroine needs to be likable (IMO). People are complicated creatures and Milly is no different. She liked men and booze and wasn't afraid to speak her mind. That last part is my favorite thing about her. I adore women that don't take any crap - the ones that live life on their own terms.
The cold, harsh reality of Russia is vividly portrayed perfectly, and when she travels to Spain towards the end of the book the pages really fly. I greatly enjoyed reading Milly's story and can't wait for the next book from Carrie Callaghan!
I have to admit that Milly was a little hard to warm up, but not every heroine needs to be likable (IMO). People are complicated creatures and Milly is no different. She liked men and booze and wasn't afraid to speak her mind. That last part is my favorite thing about her. I adore women that don't take any crap - the ones that live life on their own terms.
The cold, harsh reality of Russia is vividly portrayed perfectly, and when she travels to Spain towards the end of the book the pages really fly. I greatly enjoyed reading Milly's story and can't wait for the next book from Carrie Callaghan!
January 10, 2020
I loved everything about Salt the Snow. Author Carrie Callaghan does a fantastic job bringing one of the first American war correspondents, Milly Bennett, to life and also bringing Russia and Spain in the 30's and 40's, into vivid relief. Having just recently read A Gentleman in Moscow, the Hotel Metropol and Secret Police were fresh in my memory. Although Milly herself suffered from so many personal heartbreaks, and frequently came close to giving up on herself and the world, her hope to help make people's lives better, kept her spirit alive and ultimately kept her going.
Thank you @carrie.callaghan and #netgalley for #saltthesnow. 5 stars! I highly recommend it!
Thank you @carrie.callaghan and #netgalley for #saltthesnow. 5 stars! I highly recommend it!
January 14, 2020
Welcome to Mystery Monday, my fellow Book Dragons. I hope you have had a good start to your week. Tonight’s Gem is blood red, deep and clear, akin to a Garnet. Look how it radiates in the light as I pull back the fold of the grey, itchy, woolen cloth it is wrapped in. It was secreted out of Russia in the late 1930’s by a woman reporter who loved writing, men and drink and not necessarily in that order.
This is “Salt the Snow” by Gem Maker Carrie Callaghan. It is the tale of Milly Bennett, born Mildred Bremler. Milly is a Journalist. She loves adventure, loves writing about the underdog and was alive in the 1930’s, that tumultuous time of economic upheaval and uncertainty with the Great Depression raging in the United States and parts of Europe and the Soviets pushing hard to make Socialism work. Milly had gone to Moscow to write articles on how they were making a new and better society. She managed to land a job at the Moscow Daily News, a room with her friend Anna Louise and to make a few friends.
She watched around her, albeit through rose colored glasses for the most part, as the bourgeoisie lost everything they had and were treated as second class citizens because they had once had money, property or been friends with the Czar. She made herself try to understand when her stories were censored and she was not allowed to just go find a place to live but had to wait on a list to find a room. Milly struggled to learn to speak and write Russian, to understand it’s people and it’s government, because she wanted to see a better way of life than what was happening back home in America. But try as she might, Milly ends up having to do as we all must as some point – she has to face reality. Reality, that ugly, hulking thing that towers over us all.
Milly falls in love with a rising Moscow Opera member Zhenya. They marry, but cannot live together because of the housing rules. When he is arrested by the Secret Police, without a charge being given Milly’s rose colored glasses begin to crack. She begins to see things for what they are. She must stand in long lines to find any little piece of information. She is not allowed to ask about his case, she can find out no particulars.
She begins to try to “salt the snow” ..what happens when you salt snow? It melts away, it reveals what lies beneath. Will she succeed? Will Zhenya be freed or just pushed back farther into a system Milly doesn’t understand? Will Milly herself be arrested and sent to a Siberian Gulag?
I loved this book! It is true to the Moscow of the time. The Russia of the time. Why anyone would have wanted to have lived under such a tyrannical system is beyond me. Go to prison or the gulag for simple things, using the wrong money, wearing jewelry since it has been outlawed, eating at a restaurant named the Number 1 or Number 9. Never having a moment’s peace because at any moment the OPGU or, as it later came to be known the NKVD could take you away because ‘so and so said’.
Milly is spunky and I love her, too. If you have ever watched any of the old Torchy Blane movies, Torchy is Milly. Milly Bennett really existed. I have been studying what I could find on her since reading Ms. Callaghan’s fabulous book. She really was all the things Callaghan says and more. I highly suggest you get this one. It’s a 2 Potter! Snuggle in, get set and read! It is currently available on Amazon for pre-order and comes out February 4th, 2020. Get yours put aside today! You’ll be glad you did!
Until tomorrow I remain, your humble Book Dragon, Drakon T. Longwitten
I received a copy of this book from Historical Fiction Book Tours.
This is “Salt the Snow” by Gem Maker Carrie Callaghan. It is the tale of Milly Bennett, born Mildred Bremler. Milly is a Journalist. She loves adventure, loves writing about the underdog and was alive in the 1930’s, that tumultuous time of economic upheaval and uncertainty with the Great Depression raging in the United States and parts of Europe and the Soviets pushing hard to make Socialism work. Milly had gone to Moscow to write articles on how they were making a new and better society. She managed to land a job at the Moscow Daily News, a room with her friend Anna Louise and to make a few friends.
She watched around her, albeit through rose colored glasses for the most part, as the bourgeoisie lost everything they had and were treated as second class citizens because they had once had money, property or been friends with the Czar. She made herself try to understand when her stories were censored and she was not allowed to just go find a place to live but had to wait on a list to find a room. Milly struggled to learn to speak and write Russian, to understand it’s people and it’s government, because she wanted to see a better way of life than what was happening back home in America. But try as she might, Milly ends up having to do as we all must as some point – she has to face reality. Reality, that ugly, hulking thing that towers over us all.
Milly falls in love with a rising Moscow Opera member Zhenya. They marry, but cannot live together because of the housing rules. When he is arrested by the Secret Police, without a charge being given Milly’s rose colored glasses begin to crack. She begins to see things for what they are. She must stand in long lines to find any little piece of information. She is not allowed to ask about his case, she can find out no particulars.
She begins to try to “salt the snow” ..what happens when you salt snow? It melts away, it reveals what lies beneath. Will she succeed? Will Zhenya be freed or just pushed back farther into a system Milly doesn’t understand? Will Milly herself be arrested and sent to a Siberian Gulag?
I loved this book! It is true to the Moscow of the time. The Russia of the time. Why anyone would have wanted to have lived under such a tyrannical system is beyond me. Go to prison or the gulag for simple things, using the wrong money, wearing jewelry since it has been outlawed, eating at a restaurant named the Number 1 or Number 9. Never having a moment’s peace because at any moment the OPGU or, as it later came to be known the NKVD could take you away because ‘so and so said’.
Milly is spunky and I love her, too. If you have ever watched any of the old Torchy Blane movies, Torchy is Milly. Milly Bennett really existed. I have been studying what I could find on her since reading Ms. Callaghan’s fabulous book. She really was all the things Callaghan says and more. I highly suggest you get this one. It’s a 2 Potter! Snuggle in, get set and read! It is currently available on Amazon for pre-order and comes out February 4th, 2020. Get yours put aside today! You’ll be glad you did!
Until tomorrow I remain, your humble Book Dragon, Drakon T. Longwitten
I received a copy of this book from Historical Fiction Book Tours.
January 18, 2020
Milly Bennett is an American Journalist who has covered various topics from San Francisco, to Hawaii, to the China Civil War, and now she is in Moscow during the late 1930’s. As it is common knowledge, most people are not impressed with Milly’s bourgeois personality and no fear of speaking what’s on her mind. This is still a time when women are supposed to be seen and not heard, as well as not working in a man’s job.
Based on a true person, Milly Bennett traveled all over the world, fighting to reach the top of the journalism ladder in a man’s world. Everyday Milly is being defeated by a man telling her no, and she continues to pursue her love of writing even if it is not what will get published. She quickly learns that telling the truth is not what the papers want, and often has gotten her in a few situations during the outbreak of war.
Milly has always struggled with finding a man to settle down with. Often she becomes just another fling or affair for married men, and finally finds a man that agrees to marry. This man however is not who Milly thinks he is, not matter how hard she tries to convince herself he is. Because of this, he gets arrested by the secret police and she is now on a mission to get him released.
After heartbreak and finally coming to terms with the truth of who her husband really was, and what his true love was, Milly finally decides to leave Russia and head to Madrid in search of a new start, and new stories to write. Milly finds herself within the midst of the front line of war, and has finally found men who are wanting her to write their story, and the truth of what’s happening, what war is, and the tragedy of the truth of it all.
Thank you to the author, Carrie Callaghan and Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel. Milly was quite the adventurer and I read this book in a day. It was very interesting to read about how no matter how many times she was told no, she still pursued getting the truth of what was happening in the world out there.
PS – I LOOOOOVE this cover, Russian architecture is beautiful!
Based on a true person, Milly Bennett traveled all over the world, fighting to reach the top of the journalism ladder in a man’s world. Everyday Milly is being defeated by a man telling her no, and she continues to pursue her love of writing even if it is not what will get published. She quickly learns that telling the truth is not what the papers want, and often has gotten her in a few situations during the outbreak of war.
Milly has always struggled with finding a man to settle down with. Often she becomes just another fling or affair for married men, and finally finds a man that agrees to marry. This man however is not who Milly thinks he is, not matter how hard she tries to convince herself he is. Because of this, he gets arrested by the secret police and she is now on a mission to get him released.
After heartbreak and finally coming to terms with the truth of who her husband really was, and what his true love was, Milly finally decides to leave Russia and head to Madrid in search of a new start, and new stories to write. Milly finds herself within the midst of the front line of war, and has finally found men who are wanting her to write their story, and the truth of what’s happening, what war is, and the tragedy of the truth of it all.
Thank you to the author, Carrie Callaghan and Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel. Milly was quite the adventurer and I read this book in a day. It was very interesting to read about how no matter how many times she was told no, she still pursued getting the truth of what was happening in the world out there.
PS – I LOOOOOVE this cover, Russian architecture is beautiful!
February 7, 2020
4.5/5 stars!
You’d be forgiven if you’ve never heard of Milly Bennett, but now is the time to correct that oversight. She was one of the first female war correspondents, and author Carrie Callaghan, Author has highlighted her very interesting life with her new novel “Salt the Snow”. You can find out more from my #bookreview of this recently released novel, on my blog now. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2020/02/0...
You’d be forgiven if you’ve never heard of Milly Bennett, but now is the time to correct that oversight. She was one of the first female war correspondents, and author Carrie Callaghan, Author has highlighted her very interesting life with her new novel “Salt the Snow”. You can find out more from my #bookreview of this recently released novel, on my blog now. https://tcl-bookreviews.com/2020/02/0...
January 13, 2020
Millie Bennett is a jet setting, free-spirited journalist in the 1930's. Millie has covered events in San Francisco, Hawaii and war in China. Now, she is in Moscow working for the Moscow Daily News. Millie mostly covers fluff stories and works on translations. However, Millie longs to write stories of the effects of socialism , stories that matter. Millie is able to experience firsthand the issues that arise with the system of government when her Russian husband, Zhenya is arrested. Millie assumes that his arrest is due to a story she wrote and desperately tries to get him out. However, when it is revealed that Zhenya was arrested for lewd behavior, Millie reveals more secrets about her marriage as well as the government.
Salt the Snow introduced me to the fascinating life of the first female war corespondent, Millie Bennett. I never would have imagined that there were female war corespondents in the 1930's, much less one like Millie! I was pulled into her vivacious character in the very first scene with her arrival home from a party. Carrie Callaghan's writing brings 1930's Moscow to life, as despondent as it may be. Millie's spirit never seemed to fit in with the setting. She always seemed to be a bright and animated character in a dreary and repressed place. In the first half of the story, the writing bounces back and forth between before Zhenya was arrested and after before settling into a linear timeline. I found the first half of the story interesting, but not exciting. I was curious about Millie's interactions with the government, especially the police as well as the conditions for the rest of the population in Moscow. I was also questioning whether or not Millie truly realized her husbands secret or was simply hiding it from herself. The pace picked up a bit for me as Millie actions attracted the attention of the police and she decided that what had happened to Zhenya as well as herself needed to be documented, even if it could not be published for a while. From Moscow, Millie escaped to Spain, I wish her story would have been continued there!
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Salt the Snow introduced me to the fascinating life of the first female war corespondent, Millie Bennett. I never would have imagined that there were female war corespondents in the 1930's, much less one like Millie! I was pulled into her vivacious character in the very first scene with her arrival home from a party. Carrie Callaghan's writing brings 1930's Moscow to life, as despondent as it may be. Millie's spirit never seemed to fit in with the setting. She always seemed to be a bright and animated character in a dreary and repressed place. In the first half of the story, the writing bounces back and forth between before Zhenya was arrested and after before settling into a linear timeline. I found the first half of the story interesting, but not exciting. I was curious about Millie's interactions with the government, especially the police as well as the conditions for the rest of the population in Moscow. I was also questioning whether or not Millie truly realized her husbands secret or was simply hiding it from herself. The pace picked up a bit for me as Millie actions attracted the attention of the police and she decided that what had happened to Zhenya as well as herself needed to be documented, even if it could not be published for a while. From Moscow, Millie escaped to Spain, I wish her story would have been continued there!
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
January 18, 2020
I was intrigued by the premise of Salt the Snow from the moment I read the blurb about the book and since opening the book, I have not been disappointed.
Salt the Snow peels back the many layers of individuality vs government and where each person fits into a country. Milly comes to Moscow from the US because she sees opportunity in building socialism. She fully believes in being a part of something higher than herself. And yet, as she is married and her husband is arrested, she starts seeing that maybe the opportunity isn’t what she thought. Maybe it hurts the people she cares about most as well as herself because the laws demand living life within its expectations. And as the secrets start to unravel, there is a lot of pain. But maybe, just maybe, it will be worth the journey in the end.
I really admired Milly. In the face of adversity, Milly took a moment to acknowledge and feel her pain and sadness. But then she moved on. She always fought for what she felt was right in her heart and her ethics, and always found opportunity in the walls she smacked in to. And she always believed in the good of those around her, even when the government tried to punish them.
I also was really intrigued by the relationship and interaction of Victor, Zhenya and Milly. The book was written so delicately and I loved that the way their relationship was presented was similar to the way their relationship was in Moscow. It’s there and yet, it’s allusive.
For me, this book is a solid four stars. It had a ton of character depth, internal struggle and societal pressures. Milly is an absolute inspiration in the face of the challenges life throws at her.
Thank you to the author and HFVBT for the opportunity to read this book. The opinions expressed are my own.
Salt the Snow peels back the many layers of individuality vs government and where each person fits into a country. Milly comes to Moscow from the US because she sees opportunity in building socialism. She fully believes in being a part of something higher than herself. And yet, as she is married and her husband is arrested, she starts seeing that maybe the opportunity isn’t what she thought. Maybe it hurts the people she cares about most as well as herself because the laws demand living life within its expectations. And as the secrets start to unravel, there is a lot of pain. But maybe, just maybe, it will be worth the journey in the end.
I really admired Milly. In the face of adversity, Milly took a moment to acknowledge and feel her pain and sadness. But then she moved on. She always fought for what she felt was right in her heart and her ethics, and always found opportunity in the walls she smacked in to. And she always believed in the good of those around her, even when the government tried to punish them.
I also was really intrigued by the relationship and interaction of Victor, Zhenya and Milly. The book was written so delicately and I loved that the way their relationship was presented was similar to the way their relationship was in Moscow. It’s there and yet, it’s allusive.
For me, this book is a solid four stars. It had a ton of character depth, internal struggle and societal pressures. Milly is an absolute inspiration in the face of the challenges life throws at her.
Thank you to the author and HFVBT for the opportunity to read this book. The opinions expressed are my own.
March 23, 2020
I won this book in a good read giveaway. Strong female character whom I really liked!
February 4, 2020
Thanks to Amberjack Publishing, Carrie Callaghan,and Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for this free copy for review.
Have you heard of Milly Bennett? Neither had I until reading Carrie Callaghan's upcoming book featuring this fascinating woman who worked as an international reporter. The majority of the story is set in 1930s Russia, opening with the arrest of Milly's Russian husband, and following her as she works and hunts for stories, spending nearly every spare minute waiting in interminable lines often just to get a place in the next line in her pursuit to find out what has happened to her husband and hopefully, eventually, free him.
Milly Bennett seems to have led an exceptionally independent life, but not necessarily an entirely happy one. Callaghan captured both her personal and professional struggles. I found her life and choice to live in fairly newly communist Russia to be so intriguing, and I'm so glad the author brought her life to readers' attention. This is my favorite sort of subset of historical fiction, and Callaghan wrote a truly enthralling story.
Have you heard of Milly Bennett? Neither had I until reading Carrie Callaghan's upcoming book featuring this fascinating woman who worked as an international reporter. The majority of the story is set in 1930s Russia, opening with the arrest of Milly's Russian husband, and following her as she works and hunts for stories, spending nearly every spare minute waiting in interminable lines often just to get a place in the next line in her pursuit to find out what has happened to her husband and hopefully, eventually, free him.
Milly Bennett seems to have led an exceptionally independent life, but not necessarily an entirely happy one. Callaghan captured both her personal and professional struggles. I found her life and choice to live in fairly newly communist Russia to be so intriguing, and I'm so glad the author brought her life to readers' attention. This is my favorite sort of subset of historical fiction, and Callaghan wrote a truly enthralling story.
January 29, 2020
Very engaging and fascinating story of journalist Milly Bennett in the 1930s. Her travel and talent are far beyond what her time was ready for. she never gave up in her passion of reporting or her own even when it seemed like she was going to be lost I admire her honesty and fight for truth and justice. I found this book well written and look forward to reading more books by this author!
January 21, 2020
4 stars: 4/5 star rating
I was shocked and surprised as I read this novel. It hits right to the core. I did think that it could have been a bit more exciting in parts though. Some parts could have been more descriptive and dramatic to help set the stage.
I really enjoyed the book though and had to do some research of my own after reading the novel to learn more about the time period in history and in Russia, China, and Spain. So the book spurred me to examine history further.
The main character had more spunk than I have. I think I would have run from Russia at the first hint of trouble. Milly stayed firm though and did not waver in her resolve to do her job.
I received a digital ARC of this book from netgalley and Amberjack Publishing in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.
I was shocked and surprised as I read this novel. It hits right to the core. I did think that it could have been a bit more exciting in parts though. Some parts could have been more descriptive and dramatic to help set the stage.
I really enjoyed the book though and had to do some research of my own after reading the novel to learn more about the time period in history and in Russia, China, and Spain. So the book spurred me to examine history further.
The main character had more spunk than I have. I think I would have run from Russia at the first hint of trouble. Milly stayed firm though and did not waver in her resolve to do her job.
I received a digital ARC of this book from netgalley and Amberjack Publishing in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.
December 19, 2019
Milly Bennett was one of the first female war correspondents. She was dedicated to telling the truth, a characteristic that often found her in hot water. Milly was a woman eons ahead of the times. She was compassionate, accepting, brave, unapologetically flirtatious and fought for what she believed in. She enjoyed drinking and sex and didn’t try to hide it.
A large portion of the book focuses on Milly’s life in Russia and the arrest of her husband on charges of homosexual activity. Milly fights to get him out of prison. The journalistic work of Milly while in Russia is mentioned, but the main focus is her husband’s case and Milly’s personal life. Once Milly moves to Spain and begins reporting there, the book focuses more on her career.
I never heard of Milly Bennet before reading this book, and I really enjoyed getting to know her. I think her aspiration of spreading the truth makes for a very inspirational story.
*Some of the material may not be appreciated by all readers.
My review can also be found on Instagram @rosetree_bookreviewer
Many thanks to NetGalley, Amberjack Publishing and Carrie Callaghan for the ARC of Salt the Snow in exchange for my honest review.
A large portion of the book focuses on Milly’s life in Russia and the arrest of her husband on charges of homosexual activity. Milly fights to get him out of prison. The journalistic work of Milly while in Russia is mentioned, but the main focus is her husband’s case and Milly’s personal life. Once Milly moves to Spain and begins reporting there, the book focuses more on her career.
I never heard of Milly Bennet before reading this book, and I really enjoyed getting to know her. I think her aspiration of spreading the truth makes for a very inspirational story.
*Some of the material may not be appreciated by all readers.
My review can also be found on Instagram @rosetree_bookreviewer
Many thanks to NetGalley, Amberjack Publishing and Carrie Callaghan for the ARC of Salt the Snow in exchange for my honest review.
December 21, 2019
Milly Bennett was a reporter living in Moscow in the 1930's. Moscow seemed like a miserable place with the frigid tempeatures and the political unrest. That would have made me careful of what I said and did but not Milly. She was still a brash American and did what she wanted and at times antagonized the OGPU. Truth be told I didn't like Milly much. I think she wanted so much to be a Socialist but deep down she was still the pushy American and at times caused problems for her husband, Zhenya. The first part of the book is told from two POVs, Before and Now. Since the before was only a couple of years before Now at times I had to check which time period I was reading. The second half was chronological so it made easier reading.
Although the book was beautifully written and I could feel what it was like in Russia during this time period I found that the downside of Historical Fiction is if you aren't familiar with that period of history and it's not explained it takes away the enjoyment and leaves me confused.
This book was provided to me by Netgalley for an honest review.
Although the book was beautifully written and I could feel what it was like in Russia during this time period I found that the downside of Historical Fiction is if you aren't familiar with that period of history and it's not explained it takes away the enjoyment and leaves me confused.
This book was provided to me by Netgalley for an honest review.
July 7, 2024
Thank you to the publisher for my free review copy. Salt the Stars turned out to be completely different from what I was expecting, and not in a bad way. For one, I was unaware that Milly Bennet was a real person, so I was pleasantly surprised.
Oh how I felt bad for Milly, she didn’t always have a happy life. She struggled to find her voice as a reporter/writer for a long time; She struggled with love and friendship. However, what she did have was strength. The strength to travel the world to be a reporter and be one of the few women out there doing that. The places she went and the things she reported on were not always the easiest or safest things.
I can’t say this book always flowed seamlessly, it starts off in one direction and then goes into another, and sort of ends abruptly. But, I think we have to remember that Millys life was sort of like that. She went somewhere for awhile, and then left there to go somewhere else in a drop of a hat.
Overall I enjoyed it, I flipped pages like no ones business, and I think I did learn from it. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Oh how I felt bad for Milly, she didn’t always have a happy life. She struggled to find her voice as a reporter/writer for a long time; She struggled with love and friendship. However, what she did have was strength. The strength to travel the world to be a reporter and be one of the few women out there doing that. The places she went and the things she reported on were not always the easiest or safest things.
I can’t say this book always flowed seamlessly, it starts off in one direction and then goes into another, and sort of ends abruptly. But, I think we have to remember that Millys life was sort of like that. She went somewhere for awhile, and then left there to go somewhere else in a drop of a hat.
Overall I enjoyed it, I flipped pages like no ones business, and I think I did learn from it. I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
October 22, 2020
I love historical fiction about interesting women during interesting eras, and since I'd never read anything about Milly or this time in Moscow, I devoured all the details in SALT THE SNOW!
January 25, 2020
SALT THE SNOW
This is a true story of American born Milly Bennett and her time as a journalist and war correspondent in Moscow and Spain in the 1930s. She was an editor for the Moscow Daily Times as well as a free-lance reporter. Later she covered the Spanish Civil War for the London Times and the U.S. wire services.
Milly in many ways seemed very naïve, especially in her marriage to Zhenya and in her support of socialism and communism. She was outspoken, self derogatory, intelligent, and socially unsure. But I admired her independence and guts for traveling and living alone in some very difficult places during difficult times. I get the impression from this book that she was both irritating and fascinating in her exploits; both romantically, and professionally as a journalist. A very independent woman for those times.
I thought the author’s descriptions of Moscow during the mid-1930s, of food shortages, strict laws, surveillance, and the prison conditions in Siberia, were very informative. The time Ms. Bennett spent covering the Spanish Civil War was also vividly presented.
Kind of like the person Milly Bennett herself, I found this book both a little irritating and endearing. I was pleased to learn in the endnotes that Milly Bennett was a real life person. I ended up enjoying this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Carrie Callaghan, and Chicago Review Press Incorporated for the opportunity to read and review this book.
June 30, 2025
This book was chosen for its title so I had no preconceived notions about it. It had history (ugh) and a lot of one chapter of this year, the next chapter of that year and so on (meh) and many, many reminders that our fearless heroine has self esteem issues (sigh). But it does have a happy ending so it wasn’t all bad.
January 16, 2020
I did not know when I accepted this book for review that it was based on a real person. For me that always makes a novel more interesting and it tends to send me off on a researching binge. Sometimes I end up down a reading rabbit hole thanks to what I find and I love that. Salt the Snow introduces Milly Bennet, a journalist who goes to Russia during the Depression to explore the building of Socialism. After the collapse of the financial system in the United States she sees the rebuilding going on and the promise of a new society as something hopeful but as history has shown us post revolution Russia was anything but a glorious experiment.
Milly is a very unique woman for her time as she has this job in the first place and she tends to run through men like water. I can’t say that I liked her as a character. It was hard to be sympathetic with her blind belief in the Russian system that was so obviously not working. It was only when she tried to buck it in support of her husband – a man whose true reality was in front of her but she refused to recognize, much like the political system she was cheerleading – that she started to see things clearly.
The story was a little confusing and for me a few aspects just plain didn’t make sense. But when dealing with real life it is said that truth is stranger than fiction. The writing is not to be faulted; it is compelling and Ms. Callaghan sets her scenes with skill whether it’s a run down apartment in Moscow or a war torn village in Spain. The frigid cold of a Russian winter is felt as the reader walks with a character through the night. I swear I needed my lap blanket while reading!
Arguably Milly Bennett was a woman ahead of her time but it was just hard to get behind her as she seemed to be an unhappy, unpleasant woman. At least for me it’s difficult to fall in love with a book with a main character that you can’t really get behind. What I did enjoy was the obviously well researched forays into life in Russia into life after the Revolution.
3.5
Milly is a very unique woman for her time as she has this job in the first place and she tends to run through men like water. I can’t say that I liked her as a character. It was hard to be sympathetic with her blind belief in the Russian system that was so obviously not working. It was only when she tried to buck it in support of her husband – a man whose true reality was in front of her but she refused to recognize, much like the political system she was cheerleading – that she started to see things clearly.
The story was a little confusing and for me a few aspects just plain didn’t make sense. But when dealing with real life it is said that truth is stranger than fiction. The writing is not to be faulted; it is compelling and Ms. Callaghan sets her scenes with skill whether it’s a run down apartment in Moscow or a war torn village in Spain. The frigid cold of a Russian winter is felt as the reader walks with a character through the night. I swear I needed my lap blanket while reading!
Arguably Milly Bennett was a woman ahead of her time but it was just hard to get behind her as she seemed to be an unhappy, unpleasant woman. At least for me it’s difficult to fall in love with a book with a main character that you can’t really get behind. What I did enjoy was the obviously well researched forays into life in Russia into life after the Revolution.
3.5
January 28, 2020
3.5 Stars
Set primarily in 1930s Moscow, this book and the main character, journalist Milly Bennet, share a sort of bleak optimism rarely afforded the Soviets from the American perspective. Befitting the tumultuous time period, the book is written with a kind of quiet but hectic uncertainty that leaves the reader with questions unanswered, as did history itself. Before reading this book I had never heard of Milly Bennet. I had no idea she was a real person, and such a trailblazer in the field of journalism. I am not convinced that this had anything to do with her call to write so much as her desperation to find herself. Reading about her I couldn't help but pity her, as her pain was so apparent, though we never really find the real root of it. I was disappointed in her morality and her constant need for male approval, but such were the times I suppose. I would have loved for this book to have further expanded upon the struggles that the Russians were experiencing at the time; while the housing and food shortages and such are mentioned in passing, I feel like more detail and explanation would have helped to provide some depth to the story. Honestly I think that this book would have been much better if it switched perspectives with Zhenya and detailed his life and experiences as a Citizen and Criminal in the eyes of the State. The way it is written leaves Milly's story seeming very one dimensional and self centered. Milly's time in Spain toward the end of the book was slightly more interesting to me, but overall this book was kind of slow and steady. A lot was happening at the time but not much happens in the book itself.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
Set primarily in 1930s Moscow, this book and the main character, journalist Milly Bennet, share a sort of bleak optimism rarely afforded the Soviets from the American perspective. Befitting the tumultuous time period, the book is written with a kind of quiet but hectic uncertainty that leaves the reader with questions unanswered, as did history itself. Before reading this book I had never heard of Milly Bennet. I had no idea she was a real person, and such a trailblazer in the field of journalism. I am not convinced that this had anything to do with her call to write so much as her desperation to find herself. Reading about her I couldn't help but pity her, as her pain was so apparent, though we never really find the real root of it. I was disappointed in her morality and her constant need for male approval, but such were the times I suppose. I would have loved for this book to have further expanded upon the struggles that the Russians were experiencing at the time; while the housing and food shortages and such are mentioned in passing, I feel like more detail and explanation would have helped to provide some depth to the story. Honestly I think that this book would have been much better if it switched perspectives with Zhenya and detailed his life and experiences as a Citizen and Criminal in the eyes of the State. The way it is written leaves Milly's story seeming very one dimensional and self centered. Milly's time in Spain toward the end of the book was slightly more interesting to me, but overall this book was kind of slow and steady. A lot was happening at the time but not much happens in the book itself.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
February 28, 2020
I’ve been thinking about this book since reading it. Time to write it down!
I love how Carrie writes about women I don’t know, and tells me things I should. I knew the Nazis first rounded up those who were different: gypsies, innocent children with disabilities, and persons of different sexual preference (layers, too, I imagine). I should have guessed that the Communists did, too. I appreciated this viewpoint about such treatment.
Milly Bennet begins as a silly girl who needs to wake up. At the same time she was very brave and idealistic. She fervently believes in Communism—until explicitly shown that she can’t. She finds herself in a quandary as one event leads to another and she must do what she can to survive. The point of the book is not just the brave feminine struggle, but the idealistic feminine awakening, the undeniable bravery of the women who went before us, and an examination of when (if ever) a woman must stop putting her youthful beliefs in front of her own welfare.
I’ve seen some comments that the second half of this book could have been more developed and I agree. I know the realities of book publishing, but with a story like this, more is better. More next time, Carrie. And keep it up. Keep showing us these women.
I love how Carrie writes about women I don’t know, and tells me things I should. I knew the Nazis first rounded up those who were different: gypsies, innocent children with disabilities, and persons of different sexual preference (layers, too, I imagine). I should have guessed that the Communists did, too. I appreciated this viewpoint about such treatment.
Milly Bennet begins as a silly girl who needs to wake up. At the same time she was very brave and idealistic. She fervently believes in Communism—until explicitly shown that she can’t. She finds herself in a quandary as one event leads to another and she must do what she can to survive. The point of the book is not just the brave feminine struggle, but the idealistic feminine awakening, the undeniable bravery of the women who went before us, and an examination of when (if ever) a woman must stop putting her youthful beliefs in front of her own welfare.
I’ve seen some comments that the second half of this book could have been more developed and I agree. I know the realities of book publishing, but with a story like this, more is better. More next time, Carrie. And keep it up. Keep showing us these women.
July 23, 2020
Salt the Snow was a little disappointing because I enjoyed Callaghan's first novel, A Light of Her Own, very much. It was vivid and fast paced historical fiction. In this one Callaghan seems to have a hard time making up her mind if her work is historical fiction or historical romance. The subject is pioneering American journalist Milly Bennett. After covering the civil war in China, Bennett lives in and writes from Russia in the mid-30s as Socialism is developing during hard times there. Later she goes on to be one of the first American woman to cover wartime action on the front lines in Spain. Salt the Snow focuses on the Russia years and Milly's efforts to rescue her husband, a Russian gay man who has been sent to Siberia. Milly is a liberated woman, who looks for love frequently and is often rejected. The plot kept me reading, but the writing needed more editing. It was repetitious and some phrases did not fit the era. How many times, Milly takes off her glasses, wipes them and puts them back on in the narrative was annoying. Maybe a 2.5 rating because I did learn a great deal about life in 1930s Russia, but the characterization of Milly did not fully satisfy. I liked the author's note encouraging readers to further explore Milly Bennett and her work.
January 8, 2020
This is my first book by this author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
It wasn’t until the end that I realised that this book was based on a real life woman. To be honest I didn’t care for this book and that had different reasons.
in the first part of the book the story goes back and forward in time, but since the time difference it only 3 years it just drags you out of the story. For me it would have worked better if the story was told lineair.
Millie was a characters I didn’t care or cold connect for. She herself doesn’t seem to know what she wants and she annoyed me a lot.
While I read the book I couldn’t really tell you what the story was about. It didn’t really hold my interest. It is a time of history I don’t know much about, so maybe I was just looking for more details about what happened.
It wasn’t until the end that I realised that this book was based on a real life woman. To be honest I didn’t care for this book and that had different reasons.
in the first part of the book the story goes back and forward in time, but since the time difference it only 3 years it just drags you out of the story. For me it would have worked better if the story was told lineair.
Millie was a characters I didn’t care or cold connect for. She herself doesn’t seem to know what she wants and she annoyed me a lot.
While I read the book I couldn’t really tell you what the story was about. It didn’t really hold my interest. It is a time of history I don’t know much about, so maybe I was just looking for more details about what happened.
January 27, 2020
This book is for my historical fiction fans, especially those interested in Russia after the Russian Revolutions and a bit more info on the Spanish War. I had really high expectations for this book. It's based on a real women and I love good stories about strong women before their time. However, this book fell a little flat for me, mainly because it was more character driven than plot driven. I'm more into plot driven books so that's already a negative for me.
While I thought Callaghan's writing was lovely, there were a few instances I just couldn't find to be believable about Milly. Her constant lack of confidence and point out her physical flaw are unrealistic to me. Maybe that's how she really was, but a women traveling around the world, writing in a man's world, should have a bigger spine than that in my opinion.
Callaghan did mention in her notes that Bennett had quite a few lovers, which I believe. I don't believe she continually threw herself at men and justified her self worth by her lovers. I just can't see a late 30 year old women in the 30's doing that. Once again, maybe she did fall in love easier, maybe she did let them sway her, I just didn't find it believable.
I did really enjoy getting a view into Communist Russia after their Civil War but before the Cold War. I think they're is a lot of history there and I do love Russian history. I also thought it was interesting that Bennett fully believed in the Communist party. She fully felt they were the answer to a better society and she fought to tell their stories in both Russia and during the Spanish Civil War. As an American, we mainly hear stories from an anti-communist perspective and while I don't necessarily agree with communism I find I value hearing about it from another's perspective. Seems there were quite a few Americans, British, and other citizen's who really believed in the cause and were willing to fight in a civil war that wasn't even for their country.
Overall, this was a ★★★ read. I wanted to like it more, but I felt the story could have been told more impactfully. I don't regret reading it, as it's peaked my curiosity into why young American women were heading to Soviet Russia, but it's not something I would recommend.
I love to google historical fiction books, especially women and I stumbled upon an articular from UT's (University of Texas' College of Liberal Arts magazine) that perfectly mirrors a lot of my own thoughts while reading this book. I highly recommend reading the whole article if you're interested in gaining more information around the appeal of Soviet Russia to young American women, for the link head to my blog speakingof.org.
I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on Salt the Snow. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof_books. Huge thanks to Netgallery for my advanced copy of the book.
While I thought Callaghan's writing was lovely, there were a few instances I just couldn't find to be believable about Milly. Her constant lack of confidence and point out her physical flaw are unrealistic to me. Maybe that's how she really was, but a women traveling around the world, writing in a man's world, should have a bigger spine than that in my opinion.
Callaghan did mention in her notes that Bennett had quite a few lovers, which I believe. I don't believe she continually threw herself at men and justified her self worth by her lovers. I just can't see a late 30 year old women in the 30's doing that. Once again, maybe she did fall in love easier, maybe she did let them sway her, I just didn't find it believable.
I did really enjoy getting a view into Communist Russia after their Civil War but before the Cold War. I think they're is a lot of history there and I do love Russian history. I also thought it was interesting that Bennett fully believed in the Communist party. She fully felt they were the answer to a better society and she fought to tell their stories in both Russia and during the Spanish Civil War. As an American, we mainly hear stories from an anti-communist perspective and while I don't necessarily agree with communism I find I value hearing about it from another's perspective. Seems there were quite a few Americans, British, and other citizen's who really believed in the cause and were willing to fight in a civil war that wasn't even for their country.
Overall, this was a ★★★ read. I wanted to like it more, but I felt the story could have been told more impactfully. I don't regret reading it, as it's peaked my curiosity into why young American women were heading to Soviet Russia, but it's not something I would recommend.
I love to google historical fiction books, especially women and I stumbled upon an articular from UT's (University of Texas' College of Liberal Arts magazine) that perfectly mirrors a lot of my own thoughts while reading this book. I highly recommend reading the whole article if you're interested in gaining more information around the appeal of Soviet Russia to young American women, for the link head to my blog speakingof.org.
I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on Salt the Snow. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof_books. Huge thanks to Netgallery for my advanced copy of the book.
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