Snowdrops (novel)

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First edition (publ. Atlantic Books)

Snowdrops is a novel by A. D. Miller which was shortlisted for the 2011 Man Booker Prize.[1] It was also shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger,[2] the Los Angeles Times Book Awards,[3] the James Tait Black Memorial Prize[4] and the Galaxy National Book Awards.[5] It was the first novel to be nominated for both the Booker and the Gold Dagger. It was translated into 25 languages.

Plot[edit]

The novel is set in Moscow in the early 2000s and is written in the form of a first-person narrative by the protagonist, Nick Platt, a British lawyer based in Russia. Nick meets two young women, Masha, with whom he becomes romantically involved, and Katya. The liaison sees him drawn into the underworld of Russia. Miller has described Snowdrops as a "moral thriller", because the reader knows that something bad is going to happen, but is not exactly sure what or how.[6]

Reception[edit]

The book received generally positive reviews, with The Guardian writing: "Snowdrops is...a powerful warning of the dangers of staring at something so long that you stop noticing what you're seeing".[7] The Financial Times described it as a "superlative portrait of a country in which everything has its price", which "displays a worldly confidence reminiscent of Robert Harris at his best".[8] The Sunday Telegraph called it "disturbing and dazzling".[9] The novel was selected as a 'book of the year' for 2011 in the Financial Times,[10] the Observer[11]  and the Spectator,[12] among other publications.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Man Booker 2011 Shortlist". Themanbookerprize.com. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  2. ^ Flood, Alison (19 August 2011). "Males in the frame as Gold Dagger shortlist revealed". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  3. ^ Kellogg, Carolyn (21 February 2012). "2011 Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalists announced". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Literary prize winners announced". The University of Edinburgh. 13 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Galaxy National Book Awards". www.galaxynationalbookawards.com. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Q & A with A.D. Miller". Snowdrops. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  7. ^ O'Connell, John (1 January 2011). "Snowdrops by AD Miller – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  8. ^ Turpin, Adrian (8 January 2011). "Snowdrops". Financial Times. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  9. ^ Evans, Benjamin (9 January 2011). "Snowdrops By AD Miller: review". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Tales for under the tree". Financial Times. 3 December 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  11. ^ Flood, Alison (4 December 2011). "Books for giving: thrillers". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  12. ^ "Books of the Year". The Spectator. 12 November 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2023.