Eowyn Ivey's "Blackwood's Blue Sky" is a captivating novel set in the Alaskan wilderness, exploring themes of family, resilience, and the transformative power of nature. The story follows Birdie and Emmeline, a mother and daughter, who encounter a mysterious man named Arthur. Their lives intertwine as they move in with him, only to discover his extraordinary ability to transform into a grizzly bear. This magical realism element serves as a powerful metaphor for the complexities of Ivey's own childhood experiences and the challenges she faced. The novel delves into themes of trauma, healing, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.
Eowyn Ivey's "To the Bright Edge of the World" is a historical fiction novel set in 19th-century Alaska. It tells the story of a young woman who travels to Alaska to find her missing brother. The novel explores themes of family, survival, and the harsh beauty of the Alaskan wilderness. The story is full of adventure and suspense, as the protagonist faces challenges and dangers in her quest to find her brother. The novel is also a beautiful portrayal of the Alaskan landscape and its people. It's a powerful and moving story that will stay with you long after you finish reading.
The Snow Child is Eowyn Ivey's debut novel, set in the Alaskan wilderness of the 1920s. The story follows Jack and Mabel, a middle-aged couple who, after the loss of their newborn, move from Pennsylvania to Alaska to start a new life. In a moment of levity, they build a snow child, which mysteriously comes to life as a young girl named Faina. The novel explores themes of longing, loss, and the power of imagination as Jack and Mabel form a bond with Faina, who is both a real child with a troubled past and a figure from a Russian fairy tale. The book delves into the harsh realities of life in the wilderness and the emotional journeys of its characters, blending elements of fantasy, myth, and psychological insight.
This week we chat with Eowyn Ivey, the acclaimed author of The Snow Child and To the Bright Edge of the World, ahead of her new novel Black Woods, Blue Sky. We explore the inspiration behind her vivid Alaskan settings, her journey from bookseller to bestselling novelist, and the themes of resilience and wonder that thread through her work.
Black Woods, Blue Sky, tells the story of Birdie and Emaleen, mother and daughter travelling through the Alaskan wilderness, until they meet the timid Arthur. They soon form a close-knit group and move in with him, only to discover that he came transform into a Grizzly Bear.
It's a story inspired by a difficult childhood, and Eowyn explored how she was effected by her father's brutality through the story. We discuss how she managed to keep a plot going and grounded, when unpacking what had happened to her. You can hear why she has published just 3 books in 14 years, and how she keeps saying she's done with writing... only to be tempted back to the page.
Eowyn reveals how much she thinks about genre, why the benegits of success don't apply to storytelling, and when she started to understand that the novel was drawing to a close.
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Writer's Routine 
