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pretty_little_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
I truly believe that I read Winter Dream at the best possible time of the year – its winter and Christmas is just a couple weeks away. This book really geared me up for the festive season ahead.
As is clear from the synopsis, Winterdream is a retelling of the original Nutcracker story and oh what a retelling! I really enjoyed reading this book and I love that Chantal has such a penchant for creating these amazing retellings of fairytales that we all know.
With her classic elegant style of writing, that is smooth and reads like the classic caramel custard my mother makes this time of the year, Chantal has infused the very spirit of Christmas into the book, or the book has infused the festive spirit into me. Words cannot do this justice. The beginning was a bit slow, I found, but only the pace picked up, I could not put it down. This book really took me very less amount of time to finish – I could hardly put it down once I started reading it, despite that fact that I am going through my last week of classes before winter break and we all know hoe very tiring and hectic that can be.
The world building was amazing – the lush and wonderfully evocative words made it all so very real. Chantal’s words have a vivid imagery that sucks the reader right in. The description of the magical Sugarland, and Winterdream as a whole was magical really – I cannot find enough words to describe it, except saying that you should definitely pick it up this December. The character development – be it emotional or mental, was well written and explored, especially in Clara. Everything was natural and smooth flowing – the reader goes along and there are no abrupt jerks in the development of the characters and that really builds a strong structure for the story. The characters have a depth to their beings and in this manner, the author shows both strength and vulnerability in them.
I read to Tchaikovsky’s music while reading the book and I definitely recommend you all to do that too as it gives you really magical feelings.
{I received a review without any guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed herein are unbiased and my own.}
I quite enjoyed this book and I rate it a 4/5 stars.
As is clear from the synopsis, Winterdream is a retelling of the original Nutcracker story and oh what a retelling! I really enjoyed reading this book and I love that Chantal has such a penchant for creating these amazing retellings of fairytales that we all know.
With her classic elegant style of writing, that is smooth and reads like the classic caramel custard my mother makes this time of the year, Chantal has infused the very spirit of Christmas into the book, or the book has infused the festive spirit into me. Words cannot do this justice. The beginning was a bit slow, I found, but only the pace picked up, I could not put it down. This book really took me very less amount of time to finish – I could hardly put it down once I started reading it, despite that fact that I am going through my last week of classes before winter break and we all know hoe very tiring and hectic that can be.
The world building was amazing – the lush and wonderfully evocative words made it all so very real. Chantal’s words have a vivid imagery that sucks the reader right in. The description of the magical Sugarland, and Winterdream as a whole was magical really – I cannot find enough words to describe it, except saying that you should definitely pick it up this December. The character development – be it emotional or mental, was well written and explored, especially in Clara. Everything was natural and smooth flowing – the reader goes along and there are no abrupt jerks in the development of the characters and that really builds a strong structure for the story. The characters have a depth to their beings and in this manner, the author shows both strength and vulnerability in them.
I read to Tchaikovsky’s music while reading the book and I definitely recommend you all to do that too as it gives you really magical feelings.
{I received a review without any guarantee of a favorable review. The opinions expressed herein are unbiased and my own.}
I quite enjoyed this book and I rate it a 4/5 stars.
thebookworm_queen's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you Chantal!!
This is by far Chantal's best work! I have read 2/6 of her books, now 3, and I know I can always expect magic in between the pages but with this book I can see how she has developed as an author. Her retelling of The Nutcracker was simply wonderful. It filled me with Christmas magic, which was just what I needed since the holiday blues are hitting me hard. As far as I'm concerned it's still Christmas!
Back to the book: the characters, the world of WinterDream, the character, the romance,the twists. The list goes on really.
I truly loved Clara and she grew so much I'm so proud of her! I knew she needed someone to make her strong but I was anxious for that moment in which she became strong for herself. That said the love connection between her and the nutcracker really grew once she discovered her own strength.👐Their relationship is really cute though, it develops from a school girl crush to a passionate love💕
Along side the romance there is mystery a d adventure as Clara tries to figure how she can be the one to save her nutcracker and his world. Also what is up with her Uncle why would he gift her such a thing. What is it that he not telling. Oh and then you have evil fairies and mice all over place. It's a book that you can read through in one sitting as it has so much going you just want to know more.
The only reason that it isn't a 5 is because I wish that Clara could've been more independent and a smoother ending; felt rushed to me. Over all I loved the story it was the feel good book I needed to start the new year.☺
This is by far Chantal's best work! I have read 2/6 of her books, now 3, and I know I can always expect magic in between the pages but with this book I can see how she has developed as an author. Her retelling of The Nutcracker was simply wonderful. It filled me with Christmas magic, which was just what I needed since the holiday blues are hitting me hard. As far as I'm concerned it's still Christmas!
Back to the book: the characters, the world of WinterDream, the character, the romance,the twists. The list goes on really.
I truly loved Clara and she grew so much I'm so proud of her! I knew she needed someone to make her strong but I was anxious for that moment in which she became strong for herself. That said the love connection between her and the nutcracker really grew once she discovered her own strength.👐Their relationship is really cute though, it develops from a school girl crush to a passionate love💕
Along side the romance there is mystery a d adventure as Clara tries to figure how she can be the one to save her nutcracker and his world. Also what is up with her Uncle why would he gift her such a thing. What is it that he not telling. Oh and then you have evil fairies and mice all over place. It's a book that you can read through in one sitting as it has so much going you just want to know more.
The only reason that it isn't a 5 is because I wish that Clara could've been more independent and a smoother ending; felt rushed to me. Over all I loved the story it was the feel good book I needed to start the new year.☺
readwithlissanne's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest review.
I literally jumped at the opportunity of reviewing a book like this, because I have loved the story of the Nutcracker for as long as I can remember.
I loved this retelling, although I feel like it could've been a little less sweetly written. Don't get me wrong, I liked the fact that the story focussed on the romantic connection between the Nutcracker and Clara, but I feel like so much more could've been done with the battles and the "scouts".
Clara is headstrong (which is one of my favorite traits for protagonists) but I feel like sometimes she deliberately wants to put herself into danger to prove her worth to the Nutcracker, even though she really didn't need to.
I kind of predicted from the start that Anton would be the nutcracker and that Irina would be some form of a spy for the mouse king. I was kind of disappointed by the fact that I could predict that to be honest.
Overall, I thought it was highly enjoyable and perfect for the holiday season, but I would've loved to have seen a bit more of darker scenes (the last battle felt like a bit of a breeze compared to other battles I've read about.)
3/5 stars
I literally jumped at the opportunity of reviewing a book like this, because I have loved the story of the Nutcracker for as long as I can remember.
I loved this retelling, although I feel like it could've been a little less sweetly written. Don't get me wrong, I liked the fact that the story focussed on the romantic connection between the Nutcracker and Clara, but I feel like so much more could've been done with the battles and the "scouts".
Clara is headstrong (which is one of my favorite traits for protagonists) but I feel like sometimes she deliberately wants to put herself into danger to prove her worth to the Nutcracker, even though she really didn't need to.
I kind of predicted from the start that Anton would be the nutcracker and that Irina would be some form of a spy for the mouse king. I was kind of disappointed by the fact that I could predict that to be honest.
Overall, I thought it was highly enjoyable and perfect for the holiday season, but I would've loved to have seen a bit more of darker scenes (the last battle felt like a bit of a breeze compared to other battles I've read about.)
3/5 stars
thereadingfaery's review against another edition
4.0
As this was my first book by Gadoury, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. But since I love retellings and haven't read a Nutcracker retelling before, I was excited to give this one a try. And boy, did it deliver.
Winterdream was am absolutely magical read. I immediately fell in love with Clara and the Nutcracker. Clara was such a sweet, brave character, and I loved her from the start. And the romance was really sweet, and clean, which I found refreshing.
The setting of this story was the true highlight for me. It was what made it so magical. The author did such a good job describing all the places in Winter Dream that it was easy getting lost in the world. If there ever was a fictional world I wish to be real, it's this one.
I have to admit, I'm not exactly an expert on the Nutcracker. Other than listening to the music and seeing the Barbie movie, I haven't seen it. So I can't really say if Winterdream stuck to the original story or not, but what I can tell you is that it really felt like a fairytale. It was such a beautifully written, sweet story, and whether you know the original story or not doesn't matter. This is a fairytale everyone should read.
Winterdream was am absolutely magical read. I immediately fell in love with Clara and the Nutcracker. Clara was such a sweet, brave character, and I loved her from the start. And the romance was really sweet, and clean, which I found refreshing.
The setting of this story was the true highlight for me. It was what made it so magical. The author did such a good job describing all the places in Winter Dream that it was easy getting lost in the world. If there ever was a fictional world I wish to be real, it's this one.
I have to admit, I'm not exactly an expert on the Nutcracker. Other than listening to the music and seeing the Barbie movie, I haven't seen it. So I can't really say if Winterdream stuck to the original story or not, but what I can tell you is that it really felt like a fairytale. It was such a beautifully written, sweet story, and whether you know the original story or not doesn't matter. This is a fairytale everyone should read.
bookishlynerdy's review against another edition
4.0
Click here for my full review
This is my first audiobook for review so please be gentle with your thoughts at the end.
Ironically, I legit just watched Nutcracker and the Four Realms so the timing for this could not have been funnier.
Audiobooks, to me, are a bit of an inconvenience. Mainly because it requires me to have a generally quiet atmosphere and no distractions so that I can concentrate on what’s going through my ears. Winterdream was the same issue. Even still it was surprisingly enjoyable.
This is my first audiobook for review so please be gentle with your thoughts at the end.
Ironically, I legit just watched Nutcracker and the Four Realms so the timing for this could not have been funnier.
Audiobooks, to me, are a bit of an inconvenience. Mainly because it requires me to have a generally quiet atmosphere and no distractions so that I can concentrate on what’s going through my ears. Winterdream was the same issue. Even still it was surprisingly enjoyable.
shaegeeksout's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars This Nutcracker Retelling was such a fun read! I felt that it stuck pretty closely to the original story, while still having a life of its own. I loved the world of Winter Dream, and our characters as well. Pick it up!
rattletheshelves's review against another edition
4.0
I know I repeat myself but I love Chantal Gadoury's books so much-and it just might be my favourite. (Yeah, I know that I say it after every new one comes out) When I was reading it I've finally realized that Chantal Gadoury doesn't write novels or retellings-she writes fairy tales. And by fairy tales I mean the old-school, not the Disney kind, full of magic and true love but also horror and cruelty. WinterDream is a classic fairy tale at its finest and the proof of its brilliance is simple: when I've finished it, I had an immediate need to reread it. And, let me tell you, that hasn't happened since I've read Autoboyography in June.
WinterDream is a retelling of the "Nutcracker." It was actually my first encounter with Nutcracker, other than listening to Tchaikovsky's music, but it inspired me to look for more-I started searching for tickets to see the ballet and I want to see all the films and adaptations. WinterDream is full of Christmassy, winter magic and I really want to reread it closer to Christmas. Maybe it will help me feel the "magic of Christmas" atmosphere for the first time in years.
I don't know what else to say, my emotions apparently still haven't settled, so let's keep is short and simple: please, do yourself a favour this Christmas time and pick up Winterdream.
WinterDream is a retelling of the "Nutcracker." It was actually my first encounter with Nutcracker, other than listening to Tchaikovsky's music, but it inspired me to look for more-I started searching for tickets to see the ballet and I want to see all the films and adaptations. WinterDream is full of Christmassy, winter magic and I really want to reread it closer to Christmas. Maybe it will help me feel the "magic of Christmas" atmosphere for the first time in years.
I don't know what else to say, my emotions apparently still haven't settled, so let's keep is short and simple: please, do yourself a favour this Christmas time and pick up Winterdream.
kdreidsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
There is a richness in the language Gadoury uses in this novel. The book is tactile. Every moment is described in tastes and smells and the touch of the world. Clara is a likable girl from the start. She is a rebel against tradition and a believer in adventure making her a fun protagonist. Though she is most certainly a damsel in distress - fragile, naive, sheltered, but brave upon instinct and holds to her kindness during tragedy. Much of the mystery of the story is revealed by protagonist speculation rather than dialogue or by a turn of the plot. Which means that the reader is left to trust the author and be guided rather than to discover. Thoughts and emotions are often expressed within the narrative just before being expressed through dialogue, making for some redundancy. Many of the scenes can almost be imagined in the form o the classic ballet, which Gadoury quotes as a big inspiration to her in the grattitude at the beginning of her novel. This saves a great deal of the story. Simply by knowing that it is a retelling, much of the convenience of the plot and most of the parallels can be excused by that familiarity. Other ideas still are said over and over again, and sometimes the chronology is off kilter. For example, Clara and a friend are gathering flowers for a wreath. Clara's internal monologue mentions the purpose of the wreath, but then just a page or two after this thought, her friend says that should like to make a wreath. Clara's internal monologue then mentions that a wreath would be nice for this particular purpose. This little fluke and the plot hole in Chapter 29 (perhaps an editorial miss) were a bit disengaging. There are also some spots of word confusion and grammar mistakes that tend to pull the reader from the book for a moment to properly interpret what is written. Gadoury's characters are, however, enchanting. Falling in love with Marzipan, Clara, and the Nutcracker is extremely easy. Entrancing as it was, the story was not entirely solid, even so, it did keep the reader positively immersed within the world. The characters all go through noticeable growth, and Gadoury again embellishes this novel with a very specific charm. The book was enjoyable, so I would give it three stars.
ravenmoon's review against another edition
4.0
This book is another great retelling of The Nutcracker and I highly recommend reading it.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars out of 5
Rating: 4 1/2 stars out of 5
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