Although I am weary of WW2 novels, this one was a fairly interesting book about the lives of a Polish family affected by the invasion of 1939. Lena is a selfish teenager who wants to become a doctor. Her dreams are thwarted by family expectations and then by war. She finds an unexpected romance in the worst of circumstances- but questionable decisions affect her and her entire family.

"If you embrace all the suffering that life hands out it’s too much to bear. If you refuse to embrace it, what kind of person does it make you?’ ( )

Certainly a well-written book, but I struggled to connect with the protagonist and therefore the story line and development fell a little flat. ( )

The Snow Hare is a beautifully written story of a Polish woman at the end of her life as she remembers her past and the love she experienced during her lifetime.

It was a bit disorienting in the beginning, but once I knew what was happening, I became engrossed in her story. Living in Poland when the Soviets invaded, her life was turned upside down when her family was sent to a Siberian camp.

As she recounts her years, readers will meet a young woman with dreams of becoming a doctor, a reluctant bride and later a young mother with a fierce love for her child. As she ages, her heart softens and it seems she has a bigger capacity for love. The proof of this is how her life has settled as she lays dying. The loved ones by her side are her reward for a life well lived—one of heartache, love and forgiveness.

This was a wonderful story for the snowy, rainy days we have been having and has a calming, yet sober tone overall.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown & Company for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to offer my honest review and recommend this book to readers. ( )

Lena lies on her deathbed, stuck betwixt the harsh realities of life and the comfort and heartache lurking in her memories. Preparing to leave worldly life behind, she reminisces about life growing up under the shadow of war. Lena dreamed of becoming a doctor, but opportunities for a young woman in 20th century Poland were limited. Thrust into a life and marriage she never wanted, Lena has to find her inner strength when everything she has ever loved is threatened by World War II.

The Snow Hare is an illuminating historical fiction novel, based loosely on the life of Lichtarowicz’s grandmother. The style is coldly descriptive, somewhat remote but intensely focused on the plight of Poland and its people during hostile rule. ( )