top of page
Search

Review: “Snowblind” by Anna Velfman

  • Writer: Holly Jane - Writer
    Holly Jane - Writer
  • Jan 1
  • 4 min read

Genre(s): Fantasy, Fiction

Favourite Quote: “Together we shall change everything Lanna. Now, tell them to rise..”

Favourite Character: Lanna is the most kickass female protagonist and you need her in your life. On a side note; Frez is a national treasure and needs to be protected at all costs.

*Please note, this review MAY contain spoilers. Read at your own risk!*

I have followed Anna Velfman online for many years by her shared love of writing fanfiction. She is one of the rare authors I was always excited by, to hear she’s uploaded another story or another chapter. For the sake of staying unbiased as I try to when I’m reviewing, I jumped straight into this with an open mind and a notebook to jot down my thoughts as I went.

Snowblind is Anna Velfman’s debut novel and it’s not one for the faint of heart. If you’re invested in a huge story with rich organic lore, deep characters and development on every angle – this one’s for you and you won’t be disappointed.

We start off at the beginning of a journey for Lanna and her family as they venture away from their family home to new and dangerous lands, bringing nothing but their sharp survival wits and the shirts on their backs. These people are strong and proud and we’re along the journey with them as they begin their new lives among the imperial lands, where they are now considered foreigners.

We’re gently eased into the lore in such a way it didn’t give me cold feet, jumping headfirst into a deep end as some novels of this genre tend to. I danced from one chapter to another and suddenly, it’s 11pm and I’ve forgotten to feed the animals!

Without sharing too many details: I laughed and I cried along with Lanna. She is the embodiment of female strength and proud of her heritage and who she is. I think if a lot of young women and girls felt this way about themselves in the world today, it’d certainly be a different place.

Pros

· The character development is raw and well explored.

· The plot opens up a lot more in the last third of the book, and we get a glimpse of just how big this world is going to be and we’re treated with theories and ideas of just how that might come to pass.

· Characterisation and conversation is organic and believable, coming from very well fleshed out creations.

· Settings and locations are well researched from the time periods in my mind, they borrow ideas from. I can smell the wet grass and farming lands in the village to the deadly scent of flowers in the palace.

· For me, Snowblind didn’t feel as if it was trying to emulate any reads or worlds I’ve seen before. I couldn’t predict what would happen next and there really were times when I was totally floored by a plot twist or a side character.

Cons

· I’m going to have to wait for the sequel, Ice Dancer. Literally, I’m bummed out.

· The last two chapters flew by just a little quicker than I’d have liked them to, but nonetheless fully enjoyable and what a powerful ending to the first book in the series.

Final thoughts

Fantasy is a difficult genre to write, because it requires the careful conception and creation of an entire world, history, backstory, lore, culture and environment. Because of this, I see newer writers get in over their heads with the massive story they’ve envisioned, which never quite leaves the ground. But not today. Snowblind ascends from the landing strip and keeps climbing altitude to a dramatic and satisfying end. I’m here for the rest of the ride!

Snowblind will definitely be going on my top reads for 2020 and will be successfully staying on my kindle for future rereading.

I have absolutely no reservations that Anna Velfman will indeed go far and continue to create very beautiful and entertaining stories. She is currently working on the next instalment in the Pler series and I for one, will be pre-ordering.

About the author:

“Hi, I'm Anna. Writer and newbie podcaster. I've been writing for longer than I care to remember. I am in love with fantasy and the paranormal but a sucker for a good romance. Born in Germany, raised in Wales, adopted by Scotland where I live with my husband, sons, cat and a rather bouncy dalmatian.”

Check out Anna Velfman’s social media:

--

As always, I’m taking requests for reads I should review next. Feel free to drop me a line via the site or my social media pages. Thanks for reading!

HJ

--

Comments

HOLLY JANE - AUTHOR

  • Twitter
  • Instagram

©2020 by Words Are Messy. Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page