THE SNOW GLOBE
Inside the glass orb was a miniature garden and a house. If she stared long enough, she could almost see the people inside. But whether they were trapped there, or kept safe, in that miniscule snowbound world, she couldn’t have said…
Christmas 1926 holds bright promise for nineteen-year-old Daisy Forbes, with celebrations under way at Eden Hall, her family’s country estate in Surrey, England. But when Daisy, the youngest of three daughters, discovers that her adored father, Howard, has been leading a double life, her illusions of perfection are shattered. Worse, his current mistress, introduced as a family friend,
Inside the glass orb was a miniature garden and a house. If she stared long enough, she could almost see the people inside. But whether they were trapped there, or kept safe, in that miniscule snowbound world, she couldn’t have said…
Christmas 1926 holds bright promise for nineteen-year-old Daisy Forbes, with celebrations under way at Eden Hall, her family’s country estate in Surrey, England. But when Daisy, the youngest of three daughters, discovers that her adored father, Howard, has been leading a double life, her illusions of perfection are shattered. Worse, his current mistress, introduced as a family friend, is joining them for the holidays. As Daisy wrestles with the truth, she blossoms in her own right, receiving a marriage proposal from one man, a declaration of love from another, and her first kiss from a third. Meanwhile, her mother, Mabel, manages these social complications with outward calm, while privately reviewing her life and contemplating significant changes. And among those below stairs, Nancy, the housekeeper, and Mrs. Jessops, the cook, find that their long-held secrets are slowly beginning to surface…
As the seasons unfold in the new year, and Daisy moves to London, desires, fortunes, and loyalties will shift during this tumultuous time after the Great War. The Forbes family and those who serve them will follow their hearts down unexpected paths that always return to where they began…Eden Hall.
- NAL
- Paperback
- March 2015
- 416 Pages
- 9780451472090
Buy the Book
$16.00
About Judith Kinghorn
Judith Kinghorn is also the author of The Last Summer and The Memory of Lost Senses. She was born in Northumberland, educated in the Lake District, and is a graduate in English and History of Art. She lives in England with her husband and two children.
Praise
“Both a gripping tale of family secrets and a comedy of manners, Kinghorn’s novel paints a vivid portrait of love and its perplexing complications. Set against the backdrop of Europe in the years following the Great War, The Snow Globe is a fascinating journey back in time. Historical fiction fans will not want to miss this gem!”—Renee Rosen, author of What the Lady Wants
“An absolutely delicious book…The period is beautifully observed, and we are expertly drawn into a suspenseful blend of tangled relationships and shocking discoveries. Daisy’s coming of age in the ‘brave new world’ of post-war England had me holding my breath. Elegant and evocative to the last word.”—Elizabeth Cooke, author of Rutherford Park and The Wild Flowers
Discussion Questions
What did you most enjoy about The Snow Globe? What do you think you will remember about it many months from now?
The author has called the novel a comedy of manners. Did you find it funny? Discuss the various places that made you smile, or even laugh.
Discuss the various ways in which a failure to communicate causes conflict in the relationships. How much of this can you attribute to the way people were expected to behave in England in the 1920s? How might people today handle the situation differently?
One might argue that the rift between Mabel and Howard has its origins in the beginning of their marriage. Discuss those origins. Have you ever experienced a conflict in a relationship that you realized originated in choices or expectations that were established long ago?
What did you think of Mabel’s going off to Europe, leaving her family behind? Were you surprised by what happens when she returns?
What does the snow globe mean to Daisy? Do you have a similar treasure?
Who is your favorite character, and why?
Did Eden Hall fulfill your expectations of what an English country estate should be? What do you think accounts for its appeal?
How does the men’s behavior contrast with the women’s when it comes to sex and love? Who is faithful? Who is unfaithful? Talk about the double standard for men and women. Does some remnant of such attitudes persist today?
Discuss the novel’s depiction of unwed pregnancy and adoption. Why do you think Mrs. Jessop delays telling Stephen who his real mother is?
The novel takes place several years after the end of World War I. Talk about the many ways in which its impact is still felt by the characters.