Snow Moon Rising

Snow Moon Rising is an intimate glimpse of the seasons of Mischka Gallo's life. From her happy childhood, in spite of social injustice and bigotry against the Roma people (derogatorily referred to as Gypsies), Mischka maintains her innocence through her mid-teens. Only later does reality harden her. She displays a zest for life and heroic strength, believing that, "Everyone should feel the love, enjoy the exhilaration life afforded... [O]ver time she came to realize that each soul needs its own private place and solitude to nourish both joy and pain" (p. 2). It is this optimism that allows Snow Moon Rising to inspire us, rather than let us be defeated by the malice Mischka faces. Many fictional stories are based on the atrocities of Hitler during World War II, but Lori L. Lake uses an uncommon perspective, telling the story from the Roma and German point of view, and then adding a refreshing twist. Without gratuitous sex or violence, Lake succeeds in writing an emotionally charged, action-packed, and authentic story. Her tight, crisp narrative flows seamlessly as Mishka, at eighty, recounts her life's experiences to her fifteen-year-old grandson, Tobar. As the events unfold, it's easy to imagine her world. Mischka says to Tobar, "I don't want to end your childhood with sad stories, but remember, after darkness there is always light. Just like after the moon disappears, the sun always rises" (p. 5). Throughout Lake's novel, the theme that resonates most isn't the bleakness you might expect, but rather, is hopeful. The relationship between Mischka and Pauline Stanek (Pippi), as friends and lovers, spans seventy-one years. Pippi is the sister of a wounded AWOL German soldier, Emil. The Roma clan adopted Emil when Mischka was a child, and he became a beloved cousin of Mischka. It is through Emil, that Mischka and Pippi meet for the first time. The connection and kinship they feel is immediate. The two young girls make a vow to remain friends, forever bonded by heart, spirit, and soul. It seems theirs was an unlikely union, considering that homosexuality was considered a sin and punishable by death and both women end up on opposite sides during the war. Pippi knew Hitler to be the madman that he was, but what choice did she have when the Third Reich summoned her and ordered her to serve at a labor camp? One wonders how many unwilling German guards and soldiers were as much a victim of the war as the prisoners. Snow Moon Rising is a page-turner because Lake carefully balances the storyline, choosing only the scenes that move the plot along. The immediacy and transparency, as the story unfolds, allows the reader to engage both emotions and intellect. The reader not only understands the horrid situation--but also feels deeply along with Mischka, her people, and Pippi as well. The narrative summaries don't lecture, but rather convey feelings, making the scenes compelling. This reviewer imagines what it must have been like in Mischka's camp: the sound

After reading Snow Moon Rising. I hated finishing it, Lori has another hit on her hands. When I have taught sophomores, one of the books that I teach is Night. Your descriptions of the atrocities in the concentration camps were right on. I have also done extensive research on World War II for when I taught history. The mood of the novel was also perfect because unfortunately during a time of war, many innocent lives are lost as illustrated in Snow Moon Rising. I loved all of the characters in the book. It was very obvious about all the work Ms Lake had done for this book, I applaud you and strongly recommend this novel to everyone!

Whenever I see Lori L. Lake's name on a book I know I'm about to be entranced by characters who come to life on the pages she's written. This new book is a true gift for those of us who want to immerse ourselves in a story we'll treasure in our memory. Mischka and Pippi are the central characters in SNOW MOON RISING. Their names and exploits will stay with you long after you've finished the book. There's no need for me to relate details as other reviewers have done an excellent job. My purpose is to encourage you to treat yourself to a lasting Christmas treat by reading this remarkable story.

I have never read anything quite like this one! Mischka Gallo is a one-of-a-kind character - ripped from history, ripped from the headlines, ripped from humanity, but graciously restored. The story of how she lives and survives terrible times is gripping. Pippi's side of the story and Emil's side too are nearly as gripping. The book is an adventure and it's at times thrilling, and it's a lifelong romance. Great novel with the kind of message we've all come to expect from Lori L. Lake -- that of how people can be humane and loving even in the midst of terrible times. Wish I could give it TEN STARS!

With SNOW MOON RISING author Lori L. Lake has created something rare: a boldly written, meticulously researched book that will take your soul, wring it dry, make you cry, and make you think. SNOW MOON RISING covers seventy years in the life of Mischka Gallo, a Polish Roma (Gypsy), from the free but hard life of the traveling caravan through the manmade hell of a Nazi work camp, to life as a refugee in New York without even a name that is her own, to coming together with her one true love in middle age. SNOW MOON RISING is masterful, a word I do not use lightly. The story recreates the world of the Roma, who were among the forgotten victims of the Holocaust. The author has structured the book in a "bookend" style, which goes back and forth between 1989 and the years between and during the two world wars. The "bookend" structure diminishes some of the suspense,but it lets the reader make it through the horrible things that happen because you know that Mischka survives. The book begins with Mischka, at eighty, talking to fifteen-year-old Tobar, her grandson in every way except biologically. Tobar is a typical American teenager who is unhappy about his life and hates his name. Then Mischka draws him into the story about his name and his heritage. It is a story Tobar--and the reader--will never forget. Though Lori Lake is well known among readers of Lesbian books for her "Gun" series, this story of human vitality and courage will win her a legion of new fans. Ruth Sims, author of The Phoenix