Book Review: "The Snow Queen" by Michael Cunningham

Around a decade ago, my friend recommended that I should read a book called The Hours by Michael Cunningham and honestly, it took me forever to actually read the book. It just sat there on my TBR for ages and when it appeared on a university reading list a few months later, I read it and I loved it. It was one of the best books I had read that year with one of the worst movie adaptations I have ever seen. I am so sorry but the movie is frankly, awful. I don't think I'll be watching any adaptation of The Snow Queen though, but the book sure is very good...

In November 2004, Barrett Meeks, a struggling and introspective man in his late thirties, experiences a moment of transcendence. While walking through Central Park after being unceremoniously dumped via text message, he sees an inexplicable celestial light in the sky. The vision, silent and otherworldly, leaves him in awe, stirring within him a sense of longing for meaning and connection. This mystical experience sets the tone for the novel, as Barrett wrestles with questions of faith, purpose, and the nature of existence. I loved the scene where he just watches the sky. It is fantastic and sublime - awe-inspiring it is written amazingly.

Barrett’s older brother, Tyler, is a musician and songwriter who dreams of crafting a love song of profound beauty and truth. He lives with his fiancée, Beth, in a modest Brooklyn apartment, where his artistic aspirations are overshadowed by his heroin addiction. Tyler believes that his song will be his greatest legacy, yet he is trapped in a cycle of self-destruction. His addiction becomes both a creative crutch and a source of immense guilt, particularly as Beth’s health declines. I do enjoy the way in which Michael Cunningham uses different characters to represent different aspects of the human condition. It's like each one is a fragment whilst also being a complete person.

Beth, a kind and intelligent woman, is battling a serious illness (presumably cancer) that looms over their lives like an inevitable tragedy. Despite her frail condition, she remains the emotional centre of their small, makeshift family, offering wisdom and warmth. Tyler, who worships her, believes that marrying her will provide a sense of meaning, yet he is consumed by the fear of losing her. Her illness forces all three characters: Barrett, Tyler, and herself, to confront their own mortality in different ways. Beth was one of my favourite characters from the book because of her strength as a character. She is a fantastic representation of the kindness of human beings.

The novel unfolds over the course of several years, but its early sections are steeped in the atmosphere of a Brooklyn winter: cold, bleak, and isolating. The characters exist in a state of waiting: waiting for Beth’s health to improve or worsen, waiting for Tyler to finish his masterpiece, waiting for Barrett to find stability. The city, with its restless energy and shifting seasons, becomes both a backdrop and a metaphor for their emotional landscapes. Again, this is an amazing trope of Michael Cunningham's book - the time lapses. Each character has their own wait which depends on the waits of everyone else, the reader therefore waits along, holding their breath as the stories all unfold together.

As Barrett struggles with the memory of the light he saw in the sky, he finds himself drawn to spiritual and religious texts, searching for answers in a world that increasingly feels devoid of divine presence. Unlike Tyler, who channels his emotions into music and substance abuse, Barrett turns inward, questioning whether his vision was a sign of God or simply an illusion. His journey is one of quiet desperation, as he seeks purpose in an era that often feels indifferent to such questions. As the novel goes on, there is a clear shift in how these characters feel, almost like a guilt. Barrett might struggle but ultimately, it will be Tyler who struggles with what exactly he wants to happen.

All in all, I enjoyed this book by Michael Cunningham. He has never really disappointed me in his literature. He has this way with words which makes you just want to breathe the entire story in.