I have already mentioned the reason I decided to use Snowflake as the title for my novel.
In the novel Sally Clarke tells her daughter, Amanda, a legend about a Snowflake. She explains to the child that kindness fights cruelty, friendship is better than enmity, truth is worth much more than lies and only indifference has no antidote. Snowflakes have been sent as a reminder to people to care for each other, to clear their mind and soul of negativity, to notice the beauty of the world around them. Tiny snowflakes, each an epitome of care taken in crafting it differently from millions of others. They are like a human souls carved in ice: so similar, yet each unique.
I’m going away on a three week long holiday in a few days time. I’ll be visiting my parents, my grandparents and my German shepherd. I’m also planning to do some serious writing in a hope that the walls and the gardens of my childhood home will nourish my imagination. In the meanwhile, I’d like to leave the Legend of the Snowflake for you to read.
Saturday 20 June 2009
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I was surprised how complete your legend was. By complete I mean that it can easily be read on its own and it still makes perfect sense. It reminded me of the Alchemist by Paelo Coelho. It sounds simple, yet it’s full of deep meaning. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me, but it made me feel a little bit sad.
ReplyDeleteAna, I think you done a great job and written a legend that is both beautiful and meaningful. You captured the essence of human indifference and other “diseases” very well. I admit it made me think a lot about whether I care enough.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a nice legend, but if I was writing something similar, I’d make it more vibrant, more lively, because overall it felt sad.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s good that all of us got the same feelings reading the legend. I guess the little touch of sadness is suitable for the novel because the legend is likely to be told at a difficult time for one of the characters. The legend is written well, it has a good beginning and a meaningful conclusion. I believe it would enrich the overall narrative of the novel.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if I liked the legend, but I did enjoy reading it.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a very interesting idea to express the central meaning of the novel in a legend. It’s already interesting to read, but I think we will understand its full impact when we read the whole novel, which I hope we’ll be able to do at some point.
ReplyDeleteI agree. If the legend is part of a bigger story, then we can only appreciate it as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI liked the legend so much, I read it to my children as a bedtime story. They loved it, but it raised so many questions that they refused to fall asleep until I explained everything to them. Of course, that was completely my fault! I’ve downloaded your three chapters and can’t wait to read them tonight (once the little devils are asleep).
ReplyDeleteI also read the legend as a bedtime story and I slept like a baby! On a more serious note, I liked the legend very much and I’m also going to read it to my children... once I get them, that is.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a beautiful legend. It is sad, but it’s also full of hope. Thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteGood legend. To be honest, I am a little surprised.
ReplyDeleteAna, your legend about Snowflake is very thoughtful. If I know it earlier I would tell it to my child, but I will narrate this legend to my grandchildren in future.
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