Rating: 
Summary: Oh let it end already
Review: Four hundred and thirty-four pages of dialog with little description other than "he said", "she said", and a plot that was achingly slow. I'd rather stick a fork in my eye than finish reading this book. I wish I'd borrowed it from the library instead of buying it, but that's what I get for buying a book based on cover art.What a horrible, plodding, pile of .... words.
Rating:
Summary: Samurai Soap Opera
Review: I was drawn to this book because of the subject matter/time period (medieval Japan) but was sorely disappointed by this unremarkable book.
A major frustration came from the "arm's length" feeling of the characters; one would think that the 3rd person narration would be a useful vehicle to allow the author to delve deeply into the minds and personalities of multiple characters, but it really doesn't happen. The two main characters get the most, but even they don't get nearly as much as they should, considering the fact that the brunt of the story revolves directly around them.
Lady Utsu is the dubious heroine; she is unabashedly and admittedly icy and calculating, and there are no positive elements to round her out. Not surprisingly, it's hard to care about or root for this person. Also, for someone who is described in the cover blurb as a "supreme poetic genius," her infrequent poems don't do much.
The other characters didn't get enough development, so they didn't give you much to think about; some in particular could have been expanded much more. For example, Aki, Utsu's servant through part of the story, could have served as a nice foil to Utsu's iciness, had she been more developed.
Another big problem is the writing style. Ms. Schaeffer should be reminded of one of the axioms of writing: "Show, don't tell." So much of this book consisted of "Let's tell each other what we're going to do before we do it and then do it!"
There are so many "he said/he did"s that it gets very repetitive, and almost like a report, rather than flowing fiction.
I'm wondering who wrote the excessive superlatives in the cover descriptions ("a sweeping novel of epic range and depth...a great and moving love story") because I found none of these qualities in this book. The love story of Utsu and Matsuhito was flat and uninspired (it didn't even seem like they cared about each other), the plotline dragged (for the last 1/3rd of the book I kept thinking "Where is this going?") until it meandered at last to a close, and much of the dialogue was so stilted as to be ridiculous ("you annoying person!").
The storyline would have been decent, but it just couldn't rise above all these flaws. Based on this book, I really wonder who bestowed upon the author the epithet of "one of America's most acclaimed writers." She's evidently prolific (has no less than 12 other books, according to the author blurb), but quantity does not equal quality.
If you would like to read a novel set in ancient Japan with a poet as heroine, try Liza Dalby's "Tale of Murasaki," a well-researched and infinitely more descriptive novel based on the life of Lady Murasaki Shikibu. The character of Murasaki is far more developed, interesting and worthy of the reader's compassion; Utsu pales in comparison.
Rating: 
Summary: Read a book, it won't kill you.
Review: I'm a Vietnam vet. I don't usually read novels. I read Buffalo Afternoon. Now I look for Susan F. Schaeffer's novels. I bought this one before it came out. I was surprised, I thought it was great. I was up late reading it and finished it in a few days, this is very fast for me. How does this woman know so much about war? This book too makes you remember what war really was. And the love story...well women can be pretty tough, and the woman in this book is something. I don't think I'm going to forget her. What I've learned in my life is that life is hard but there are always great things that keep you going. Susan F. Schaeffer looks at life the way I do. Read this book, man. Next I will reread Buffalo Afternoon. That's MY book! But this is my book too. Ten stars, let's not be stingy.
Rating:
Summary: surpassing beauty from one of america's premier novelists
Review: In the one short week since "The Snow Fox" debuted, I have read this novel twice. Why? Because the book is so compelling in its plot, character development, and beauty of language that I needed to savor it more than once. However, this was not without costs: the closing chapters brought tears to my eyes and heart and the writing, from first page to last, transported me to a time and place from which it was difficult to return. All of my reactions reflect the particular genius for which the author Susan Fromberg Schaeffer is best known. In "Anya" and "Madness of a Seduced Woman," Schaeffer proved herself a master with few peers in evoking other times and places. Now she has taken on an even more difficult setting, that of medieval Japan. Schaeffer obviously devoted years to studying Japanese history and culture, but her talents as a novelist and poet are never overwhelmed by period details or the Zen-like sensibility that informs the latter part of the book, and her exceptional command of rhythm and image are used to dazzling effect. Wrap yourself in the beautiful fabric that Schaeffer has created in "The Snow Fox" and enjoy what is both a love story of remarkable complexity and a meditation on the meaning of life.
Rating: 
Summary: A romance in the grand tradition.
Review: In this most romantic of novels, Susan Fromberg Schaeffer recreates eleventh century court life in Japan, revealing the refined aesthetic sensibilities and the bloodthirsty brutality, the sense of honor and the petty jealousies, the samurai code and the human need for love. In language which compliments the spare writing style of ancient poetry, she reveals the everyday the lives of the courtiers, their relationships within the court, and their behavior during times of crisis--war, plague, sudden illness, and changes of fortune--concentrating especially on two characters--Lady Utsu, reputedly the most beautiful (and dangerous) woman in the court, and Lord Matsuhito, who comes to her as her bodyguard and soon falls in love with her. As in all romances, the course of love never runs smoothly. Lord Matsuhito goes off to war almost immediately after the love story begins, and returns, a samurai, to find her missing. She, accompanied only by her pet fox, is in seclusion, believing that she is destined to kill everyone she has ever loved. As the setting alternates between Lady Utsu and Lord Matsuhito, and between the court and the countryside, the author broadens her scope, incorporating bandits, peddlers, farmers, and wanderers, along with their daily activities, lifestyles, and concerns, bringing the eleventh century vibrantly to life. Epic in scope, the novel contains many of the magical elements common to both epics and romances. It is a story of "lost children," heroism in warfare, unknown identities, and two lovers who may be fated to be together, at the same time that it is also the story of secret messages, dreams and memories coming to life, hidden treasure, coincidences galore, unexpected rescues, animals with human abilities and understanding, and even nature itself helping the heroes. Though lovers of well written romance may not care about a few weaknesses, some readers may be distracted by the way the story moves from reality to dream and back, sometimes without warning or explanation. The circumstances surrounding a battle and the significance of the outcome are not always clear, and the main characters sometimes seem to ramble around the countryside without much purpose. The dialogue frequently sounds wooden, and the constant foreshadowing of the future can be distracting: "Her comment caused a chill to steal over [him], as if the sun had gone behind a cloud," and "A hawk was circling. Someone would die soon." Still, the novel beautifully evokes a lost time, when nature was pure, heroes had deeply held values and allegiances, and art and poetry were a natural part of everyone's life. They are certainly part of this novel. Mary Whipple
Rating:
Summary: A romance in the grand tradition.
Review: In this most romantic of novels, Susan Fromberg Schaeffer recreates eleventh century court life in Japan, revealing the refined aesthetic sensibilities and the bloodthirsty brutality, the sense of honor and the petty jealousies, the samurai code and the human need for love. In language which compliments the spare writing style of ancient poetry, she reveals the everyday the lives of the courtiers, their relationships within the court, and their behavior during times of crisis--war, plague, sudden illness, and changes of fortune--concentrating especially on two characters--Lady Utsu, reputedly the most beautiful (and dangerous) woman in the court, and Lord Matsuhito, who comes to her as her bodyguard and soon falls in love with her. As in all romances, the course of love never runs smoothly. Lord Matsuhito goes off to war almost immediately after the love story begins, and returns, a samurai, to find her missing. She, accompanied only by her pet fox, is in seclusion, believing that she is destined to kill everyone she has ever loved. As the setting alternates between Lady Utsu and Lord Matsuhito, and between the court and the countryside, the author broadens her scope, incorporating bandits, peddlers, farmers, and wanderers, along with their daily activities, lifestyles, and concerns, bringing the eleventh century vibrantly to life. Epic in scope, the novel contains many of the magical elements common to both epics and romances. It is a story of "lost children," heroism in warfare, unknown identities, and two lovers who may be fated to be together, at the same time that it is also the story of secret messages, dreams and memories coming to life, hidden treasure, coincidences galore, unexpected rescues, animals with human abilities and understanding, and even nature itself helping the heroes. Though lovers of well written romance may not care about a few weaknesses, some readers may be distracted by the way the story moves from reality to dream and back, sometimes without warning or explanation. The circumstances surrounding a battle and the significance of the outcome are not always clear, and the main characters sometimes seem to ramble around the countryside without much purpose. The dialogue frequently sounds wooden, and the constant foreshadowing of the future can be distracting: "Her comment caused a chill to steal over [him], as if the sun had gone behind a cloud," and "A hawk was circling. Someone would die soon." Still, the novel beautifully evokes a lost time, when nature was pure, heroes had deeply held values and allegiances, and art and poetry were a natural part of everyone's life. They are certainly part of this novel. Mary Whipple
Rating:
Summary: A passionate, mythical romance
Review: Schaeffer paints an elegant portrait of Japan, a world of noble lords, samurai and beautiful ladies whose faces are always hidden from view. When, in 12th century Japan, the samurai, Matsuhito, is ordered to guard Lady Utsu against attack in her palace quarters, he becomes enchanted with her legendary beauty and the quality of her poetry. The two become lovers. Later, when a daughter is born, Lady Utsu sends the child away to be raised away from the court intrigues. It is this girl who grows up to write of the great love between the lady and the samurai, who can love no one else. Matsuhito fights at Lord Norimasa's side for many years, until the Lord's death. The samurai thinks to return and search for Lady Utsu, but she has fled the palace with only her pet fox for company. In the following years, Matsuhito wanders north, towards the mountains and the snow. He acquires a horse and, later, a fox, the three of them moving up the mountains. He is content with his memories, but quietly yearns for the Lady Utsu. Eventually, the samurai falls ill. He stumbles upon a hut in the snow, occupied by a woman who lives alone. Sharing their secrets and dreams, the woman and the samurai realize that fate has given them another chance; thereafter, the lovers experience an affinity far more precious than the passion of their youth. Together they endure everything that comes their way, joy, intrigue, happiness and heartbreak. The author imbues her characters with the quality of myth, living as they do in splendid isolation, surrounded by nature's bounty and beauty. But The Snow Fox is not a fairy tale: rather, Schaeffer writes of the mature love of a man and a woman. With haunting imagery, the author's light-handed touch creates shimmering reflection of the past: the elegant palace of Lord Norimasa, the elaborate, embroidered gowns, the ornate armor of the samurai and the simple beauty of the blossoming cherry trees. All is as beautifully wrought as the sound of Lady Utsu's voice as she whispers the tale of the four children. Luan Gaines/2004.
Rating:
Summary: A Spellbinding And Poignant Novel Of Medieval Japan
Review: Susan Fromberg Schaeffer has long been one of my favorite authors, so I was delighted to discover that she has written and published a new novel. She certainly does not disappoint her fans with "The Snow Fox," an elegantly written, multidimensional saga of 12th century Japan. Her characters, as always, are rich, compelling and three-dimensional. However, their various tales of love, both lasting and ephemeral, brutal civil war, loyalty to the ancient samurai code and to their warlord, Machiavellian politics, plague and illness, the camaraderie of noble soldiers and bandits alike, and the jealousies of beautiful court ladies, prove true the old adage that, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." The author weaves here an intricate and complete tapestry - a portrait of three particular characters, set against the backdrop of a beautiful country during the most turbulent of times. One thousand years ago, while art and culture still flourished in Japan, warlords and their samurais vied for power, turning their land into a bloody battlefield where chaos and anarchy reigned supreme. Lord Norimasa, one of the most powerful of the Japanese lords, was ruthless in his ambition to reunite and stabilize the kingdom. Poetry, art and beauty were held in the highest esteem by Norimasa's opulent court. Lady Utsu, renowned for her extraordinary physical beauty, was a remarkably gifted poet. Lord Norimasa had brought her to court when she was just a child, ostensibly to teach Chinese to Lady Tsukie, Norimasa's wife. The little girl had learned the language from a man in her native village. The royal couple treated the girl as one of their own, until Norimasa took her as a lover when she reached her teens. This entanglement caused never-ending problems between Lady Tsukie and the young woman, who had little say in the romantic attachment her mentor formed for her. As she matured, Lady Utsu also become renowned for her cruelty to men. A later lover of Utsu's, once told her wisely that, "Pain that cannot be endured turns to cruelty. In your life, it has." This man was the samurai, Matsuhito, who was destined to love Utsu deeply all his life. He too was brought to court as a youth by Lord Norimasa. There he trained to be a great warrior and followed his lord until Norimasa's death, many years later, released him from his vows of loyalty and further participation in the ongoing war. These three characters are inextricably bound together throughout the novel and all bear love for the other, in different ways, to different degrees. The most enduring love and relationship, however, is Matsuhito's and Utsu's. They meet and feel the intense emotions of lovers in the prime of youth, but never reveal the extent of their feelings to each other. War and hardship separate them, seemingly forever. The two do reunite, as is their destiny. They meet in middle-age, so transformed by time that they do not recognize each other physically. However, the spiritual bond and attraction that first brought them together still binds them. There is an additional mystical bond between the two, formed through their pet Snow Foxes - their sole companions in the years of lonely wanderings in the cold northern Snow Country. The intensity, honesty and extraordinary closeness of the relationship between this middle-aged couple far surpasses the experience and passion of their fleeting time together years before. I think one of the author's primary themes is the transitory nature of all things and experiences. Though some may think the book ends tragically, I do not agree. I rather believe what Matsuhito found to be true as he thinks to himself, "How strange Utsu and Matsuhito both were, each in love with the other, each unaware of how deep their feelings went. Yet in the end, they found each other again. Few people are given such a chance." The author's prose is as lyrical and poignant as haiku poetry. And indeed, the actual poetry in the book is wonderful. She paints exquisite landscapes with words that evoke images of Sesshu, using a delicate, muted palette and changing to rich, brilliant colors to describe the gorgeous multilayered kimonos and costumes used during the period. Ms. Schaeffer is at her best when developing character and describing emotion in the most subtle of ways, which leave the reader with a sense of loss once the novel is completed. Kudos to SFS on completing another wonderful novel! JANA
Rating:
Summary: A Spellbinding And Poignant Novel Of Medieval Japan
Review: Susan Fromberg Schaeffer has long been one of my favorite authors, so I was delighted to discover that she has written and published a new novel. She certainly does not disappoint her fans with "The Snow Fox," an elegantly written, multidimensional saga of 12th century Japan. Her characters, as always, are rich, compelling and three-dimensional. However, their various tales of love, both lasting and ephemeral, brutal civil war, loyalty to the ancient samurai code and to their warlord, Machiavellian politics, plague and illness, the camaraderie of noble soldiers and bandits alike, and the jealousies of beautiful court ladies, prove true the old adage that, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." The author weaves here an intricate and complete tapestry - a portrait of three particular characters, set against the backdrop of a beautiful country during the most turbulent of times. One thousand years ago, while art and culture still flourished in Japan, warlords and their samurais vied for power, turning their land into a bloody battlefield where chaos and anarchy reigned supreme. Lord Norimasa, one of the most powerful of the Japanese lords, was ruthless in his ambition to reunite and stabilize the kingdom. Poetry, art and beauty were held in the highest esteem by Norimasa's opulent court. Lady Utsu, renowned for her extraordinary physical beauty, was a remarkably gifted poet. Lord Norimasa had brought her to court when she was just a child, ostensibly to teach Chinese to Lady Tsukie, Norimasa's wife. The little girl had learned the language from a man in her native village. The royal couple treated the girl as one of their own, until Norimasa took her as a lover when she reached her teens. This entanglement caused never-ending problems between Lady Tsukie and the young woman, who had little say in the romantic attachment her mentor formed for her. As she matured, Lady Utsu also become renowned for her cruelty to men. A later lover of Utsu's, once told her wisely that, "Pain that cannot be endured turns to cruelty. In your life, it has." This man was the samurai, Matsuhito, who was destined to love Utsu deeply all his life. He too was brought to court as a youth by Lord Norimasa. There he trained to be a great warrior and followed his lord until Norimasa's death, many years later, released him from his vows of loyalty and further participation in the ongoing war. These three characters are inextricably bound together throughout the novel and all bear love for the other, in different ways, to different degrees. The most enduring love and relationship, however, is Matsuhito's and Utsu's. They meet and feel the intense emotions of lovers in the prime of youth, but never reveal the extent of their feelings to each other. War and hardship separate them, seemingly forever. The two do reunite, as is their destiny. They meet in middle-age, so transformed by time that they do not recognize each other physically. However, the spiritual bond and attraction that first brought them together still binds them. There is an additional mystical bond between the two, formed through their pet Snow Foxes - their sole companions in the years of lonely wanderings in the cold northern Snow Country. The intensity, honesty and extraordinary closeness of the relationship between this middle-aged couple far surpasses the experience and passion of their fleeting time together years before. I think one of the author's primary themes is the transitory nature of all things and experiences. Though some may think the book ends tragically, I do not agree. I rather believe what Matsuhito found to be true as he thinks to himself, "How strange Utsu and Matsuhito both were, each in love with the other, each unaware of how deep their feelings went. Yet in the end, they found each other again. Few people are given such a chance." The author's prose is as lyrical and poignant as haiku poetry. And indeed, the actual poetry in the book is wonderful. She paints exquisite landscapes with words that evoke images of Sesshu, using a delicate, muted palette and changing to rich, brilliant colors to describe the gorgeous multilayered kimonos and costumes used during the period. Ms. Schaeffer is at her best when developing character and describing emotion in the most subtle of ways, which leave the reader with a sense of loss once the novel is completed. Kudos to SFS on completing another wonderful novel! JANA
Rating:
Summary: Romantic and Beautiful, but Not Quite Perfect
Review: The protagonist of THE SNOW FOX, Lady Utsu, is a highly complex and fascinating character. A poet and a member of the court of Lord Norimasa, Lady Utsu is aristocratic, fun loving and heartbreakingly beautiful. Despite her good qualities (and she does have many), Lady Utsu is also hard-hearted and cruel. We hear about Lady Utsu's cruelty from Lady Utsu, herself, probably not the most unimpeachable source. But, we also see Lady Utsu's cruelty in action when Lord Norimasa orders her to kill the man she loves and she complies. This act of cruelty, which occurs early in the book, is important because it goes far in shaping the character of Lady Utsu and the events to come. THE SNOW FOX takes a very romantic turn when Lord Norimasa sends Matsuhito, one of his favorites at court, to guard Lady Utsu. She falls in love with him immediately and it is a love that is destined to last a lifetime despite the fact that complications soon arise for both of the lovers. THE SNOW FOX is set in eleventh century Japan and is a book filled with exquisite detail, something at which Schaeffer really excels. These details are often extremely romantic and beautiful, e.g., the description of "snow viewing" parties, but they are just as often violent and bloody, as when Lord Norimasa beheads a rival and displays that rival's head on a stick like a trophy. Schaeffer, to her credit, is equally adept whether describing the fragile and beautiful qualities of snow or the bloody violence of a beheading. Schaeffer's prose in THE SNOW FOX is a little stilted and old-fashioned, but I didn't mind that. I thought it "fit" the feudal setting of the novel well. What I did mind was the author's repetitiveness, which eventually got on my nerves and the fact that some of her metaphors were too heavy-handed. A story as beautiful as this one could have been strengthened with a lighter touch. I also felt that some of the transitions in THE SNOW FOX were awkward and rather clumsy. This is a book that's very complex, sophisticated and ambitious in its narrative structure. It covers many, many years and is almost epic in scope. Most of the time, I felt Schaeffer handled the novel's complexity very well, but at other times, she misses the mark and the book is not seamless. I did enjoy the oblique description and the fact that Schaeffer didn't feel the need to "spell everything out." I loved the dream and memory sequences and the way they overlapped with reality. I thought this added to the book's sophistication and also to its romantic quality. The very fact that Schaeffer didn't feel the need to explain everything gave THE SNOW FOX an assurance that many novels from lesser authors lack. THE SNOW FOX is a fascinating book, especially for western readers, since it takes place in a time and country very far away and is made up of events that would have never happened in the west. It does, however, concern itself with themes that are universal, i.e., the enduring (or, one could say the fleeting) quality of love and the effects of growing older and losing one's beauty, especially with regard to women. Women take center stage in THE SNOW FOX. They are the most complex characters and they present great puzzles to the men involved, including the powerful Lord Norimasa. The ending of THE SNOW FOX is inevitable and quite beautiful. I would definitely recommend this lovely and romantic book (it is definitely not a genre romance) to anyone interested in fiction set in ancient Japan or simply to a general readership interested in a beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking, story.
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