Worth the wait...
H.M. Bouwman could not have said it better in her first young adult novel, "...stories are treasures...tell them only at the correct time." With the current world situation, The Remarkable & Very True Story of Lucy & Snowcap arrives at the PERFECT time. Both a lesson for teens and a reminder to adults, this tale conveys a timeless message-that it is never too late to change our ways and "nothing is ever set in stone."
I first met Bouwman at a local library where she spoke with future authors about her long journey from manuscript to publication. She was quite personable and approachable, A WRITER WHOSE STORY I WOULD TRULY LIKE TO READ. While I usually prefer short stories and magazine articles, I had no trouble finishing this book in two days. I can't say that I was absorbed directly into this story. I was more of a passive participant-watching the events unfold, but still able to connect those events with my own life experiences.
Bouwman's characters are imperfect, most of them capable of viewing others only through their own eyes and with their prejudices. They are selfish, self-serving and sometimes downright cruel. Yet, the characters' imperfections are what brought them to life. Throughout the story, the reader can hypothesize the reason why Snowcap is so mean to others, but that reason is not directly confirmed until late in the story. The reader is in charge of the "ah-ha" moments.
The pacing in this story is as perfect as it gets! The plot unfolds slowly and deliberately, encouraging the reader to put the pieces together, as a mystery. For example, an interesting event takes place when Snowcap and Lucy finally realize their connection to each other (I must be honest, most readers may put those pieces together earlier than I did-on page 112.). Yet, Bouwman does not make the connection between the two girls a meeting of the minds, as it were. Each character has her own demons to slay before she is ready to become available and vulnerable to someone else. Not all characters manage a positive transformation in their lifetime. However, Bouwman still manages to eventually "cast" even the most sinister character in a better light.
It must also be mentioned that Bouwman's story will appeal to young readers for other reasons. Magic, sorcery, and shape-shifting are important elements of modern novels. Here again, Bouwman creates her own recipe from these elements. Instead of becoming a sauce that saturates the plot, the use of magic and sorcery are sprinkled sparingly throughout. When magic takes place in a scene, there is still the question in the back of the reader's mind-was this really magic or a clever manipulation of facts? (To me, exactly as it should be-magic should always remain a bit of a mystery)
In the end, Bouwman's patience with the release of her novel perfectly parallels the theme of this book-with patience, anything is possible. Her story is most definitely WORTH THE WAIT.
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