Treasures of the Snow is Patricia St. John's second novel, first published in 1950. It's been adapted into a film, an anime, a stage show, and at least one audiobook.
The story is set in Switzerland and revolves around three children: Annette Burnier, her brother Dani, and Lucien Morel. Dani breaks his leg in an accident Lucien caused, Annette tries to get revenge for it, and Lucien tries to make amends. By the end Lucien learns to be a better person and Annette learns to forgive.
Overall I like this novel. Its innocence and clear distinction between right and wrong are a breath of fresh air when almost every story nowadays is obsessed with being "realistic" and "morally grey" -- usually at the expense of having any characters for the reader to root for. The characters actually grow and change from beginning to end. Their actions have consequences, and they have to suffer those consequences just like in real life. And eventually there's a happy ending that makes perfect sense and doesn't feel contrived or implausible.
There's just one problem. It often descends into the trap of preaching at the reader. When I read a novel, I don't expect or want a sermon. (That's one of the reasons I avoid stories written solely to convey a moral.) There were several passages so unbearably preachy that I skim-read them until I reached the actually interesting parts of the story.
If you don't mind the preachiness and can focus on the rest of the story, you might like this book. It's aimed specifically at children, but don't let that fool you into thinking adults can't enjoy it too.
Is it available online?: Not as far as I know.
Rating: 7/10.
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