Flowers in the Snow by Danielle Stewart is the first
book in The Edenville series which opens with Betty with her family as she
receives the last letter from a dead, old friend. As she struggles with opening
the letter, she tells her family how she met her friend. Rewind to 1961 in
Edenville, North Carolina at the height of the KKK and the continued struggle
to integrate the schools. Betty, then 11, meets Alma, 10, as she is running away
from a group of boys who mean to harm her. Betty defends her and takes her home
where she meets Alma’s family. Despite the social climate and warnings to stay
away, Betty is drawn to the warmth and love of Alma and her family. As the
tensions rise, Betty and Alma must find a way to stay friends. Will there ever
be peace in their tiny town, or will it be destroyed by hate?
Flowers in the Snow is a sweet, dramatic story about
a friendship that society didn’t want. The events of the story were a little farfetched
and, in some cases, over too quickly. For instance, one male character in the
beginning is as mean as they come and in a few short chapters, has made a
complete 180. It was a good read, but I think it was over far too much and the
author probably is hoping readers will continue the series to learn more. I’ve
read other books which did a better job in telling a story of unlikely
friendship in an uncertain time. I feel, as a first book in a series, Flowers
in the Snow, should have gone a little more in depth and set up the rest of
the series better. I doubt I will continue the series. Overall, I liked the
series, there just isn’t anything pulling me to read further.
Flowers in the
Snow
is available in
paperback, eBook and audiobook
