Snowed Inn: The Beginning

Snowed Inn: The Beginning

by Eliza Harwell

In 1969, hippie Iris has no idea what she wants to do with her life. So when the opportunity arises to learn how to work an organic farm in rural Virginia, she figures she has nothing to lose. It's been a year since Vern has returned from Vietnam, but he still remembers the trials of war. When his advisor suggests he spend time researching his doctoral thesis in rural Virginia, he welcomes the opportunity. Little do Iris and Vern realize they will find their futures in the woods.

This novella is a prequel to Eliza Harwell's Snowed Inn series and tells the story of how the innkeepers, Iris and Vern, met. When I read the blurb, I expected the story to remain in the past, but it not only begins in the present time, but it continues to interrupt the story with flashes back to the present. I would have much preferred a story that was set in the past and stayed there.

The story begins with an description of everyone sitting around a table, providing entirely too much information about people who are not players in the main storyline. In fact, the only role most of these people play is to interrupt the story. I found it very distracting.

About 10% of the way into the book, the main story started and I finally found myself engaged. Unfortunately, just as the story grew interesting, it was interrupted by a jolt back into the present.

The story also contained a lot of background information that felt irrelevant at the moment. While some of it was possibly necessary, I would have much rather either been shown the events happening or learned about it through casual dialogue between the characters. In my opinion, it would have been a great way to show our characters learning about each other and coming together instead of just telling the story. A prime example of this is a description of an argument in chapter 2 instead of showing us the arguing itself.

Ultimately, I felt like I was sitting at the dining room table listening to a story of how my two innkeepers met. I did not feel engaged or invested in the story. I didn't even have to wonder if Iris and Vern would ever get together, because of the continual interruptions reassuring me they would. I would rate this story three quills and place it on my bottom shelf.