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3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
Signs of spring are in the air and the people of Albany, New York are caught completely by surprise when a blizzard descends on the East Coast. Four feet of snow fell in Albany and nearly 400 people along the North East Coast were killed by the storm, including Bonnie and David O'Donnell. Three days later when the snow stopped falling, the teachers at the local school sent the hungry and nearly poisoned children home. Emma and Claire O'Donnell, ten and seven years old, struggle in the snow to find their way home and are lost.
Dr. Mary Sutter Stipps thinks of Bonnie O'Donnell as a sister and is devastated by her death. She and her family are determined to find the missing girls though she will have to wade through the ugly underbelly of her town. The perverse truth slowly unfolds through the pages of the compelling novel.
Review originally posted on my blog : http://utahmomslife.blogspot.com/2018/02/winter-sisters-book-review.html
Winter Sisters by Robin Oliveira begins with the excitement and terror of the big storm. It gets bogged down for a bit as it reintroduces the reader to characters from Oliveira's novel My Name is Mary Sutter. It is, however, not necessary to read the earlier novel in order to enjoy Winter Sisters (I didn't read the first). Eventually, the novel settles into a steady pace as it focuses on the missing girls and the Stipps family's search to find them.
Winter Sisters is a thriller and a mystery but set in 1879, it takes a less frenetic pace than many contemporary thrillers. There is time to be more thoughtful and considerate; time to examine aspects of the culture that are still pervasive today. It took me a little while to really feel the novel and connect with the characters, but once I did, I was spellbound by the mystery and Mary's desire and mission to not only solve it but to save the girls--physically and mentally.
Dr. Mary Sutter Stipps thinks of Bonnie O'Donnell as a sister and is devastated by her death. She and her family are determined to find the missing girls though she will have to wade through the ugly underbelly of her town. The perverse truth slowly unfolds through the pages of the compelling novel.
Review originally posted on my blog : http://utahmomslife.blogspot.com/2018/02/winter-sisters-book-review.html
Winter Sisters by Robin Oliveira begins with the excitement and terror of the big storm. It gets bogged down for a bit as it reintroduces the reader to characters from Oliveira's novel My Name is Mary Sutter. It is, however, not necessary to read the earlier novel in order to enjoy Winter Sisters (I didn't read the first). Eventually, the novel settles into a steady pace as it focuses on the missing girls and the Stipps family's search to find them.
Winter Sisters is a thriller and a mystery but set in 1879, it takes a less frenetic pace than many contemporary thrillers. There is time to be more thoughtful and considerate; time to examine aspects of the culture that are still pervasive today. It took me a little while to really feel the novel and connect with the characters, but once I did, I was spellbound by the mystery and Mary's desire and mission to not only solve it but to save the girls--physically and mentally.
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Two sisters get lost in a blizzard in Albany in 1879, and are given up for dead, only to resurface alive because of a terrible flood. This story delves into the mystery of their disappearance, touching on corruption and criminality, and takes up the life of renowned Civil War surgeon, Dr. Mary Sutter and her husband, after their return to civilian life. It touches on different forms of commitment and betrayal, and, most of all, love.
Thought provoking and kept me gripped from beginning to end. Had me yelling at the book and mad at the way things used to be.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I lived in the Albany, New York area for 11 years, so I was intrigued with the setting of this novel. After reading the first several chapters, however, I didn't think that I would be able to give it more than three stars, largely due to a truly horrific event in the story. To my surprise, Robin Oliveira handled that aspect of the novel well, and brought the action to a riveting conclusion. Recommended.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
This is my first time reading a book by this author. I enjoyed the beautiful time period that this story took place in. I could feel the blistering chill of the wind from the winter storm in the beginning of the story.
I enjoyed getting to know Mary and her niece, Elizabeth. They were both so kind. Although, I will say that Mary was a great lead character in this story. The way that she showed strength in the most adverse situation and against all of the doubters was lovely. As the story progressed, I grew closer to Mary. Yet, I did not grow as close to the overall story as I would have liked or hoped. This is because the rest of the characters did not click with me as much. Therefore, their voices were weaker. In fact, the started to all sound alike. Overall, I did find this to be a nice read. Due to the fact that I enjoyed Mary, I do want to go back and read book one.
I enjoyed getting to know Mary and her niece, Elizabeth. They were both so kind. Although, I will say that Mary was a great lead character in this story. The way that she showed strength in the most adverse situation and against all of the doubters was lovely. As the story progressed, I grew closer to Mary. Yet, I did not grow as close to the overall story as I would have liked or hoped. This is because the rest of the characters did not click with me as much. Therefore, their voices were weaker. In fact, the started to all sound alike. Overall, I did find this to be a nice read. Due to the fact that I enjoyed Mary, I do want to go back and read book one.
Second in a series to "My Name is Mary Sutter," but much better--I don't think one needs to read the first book. In 1879 New York, two girls disappear after a blizzard, only to reappear 6 weeks later after a flood. One of the girls has been "interfered with." Excellently written, the book is suspenseful and complex, but also shows that while things were different then, so many things relating to this subject haven't changed.
Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings
The second in a series and this book picks up years after book one ends. Dr. Mary Sutter has moved back to Albany and is in a good place in life when a blizzard hits the city and lifelong friends of her have been found dead and their daughters are now missing. She is determined to find them and after a natural disaster tides will turn and this story goes a little dark.
I enjoyed this book leaps and bounds more than the first book. I am completely on the fence as to if you should start with book one or skip on to this one. I was glad that I had the background information on Mary Sutter, but I could have absolutely enjoyed this one without the knowledge of the first book.
I loved Mary Sutter so much more in this book. She was a fierce female and having to deal with the low expectations of females at the time and her high expectations of her self - I just loved her so much more in this book. I applauded her so much in this book!
The second in a series and this book picks up years after book one ends. Dr. Mary Sutter has moved back to Albany and is in a good place in life when a blizzard hits the city and lifelong friends of her have been found dead and their daughters are now missing. She is determined to find them and after a natural disaster tides will turn and this story goes a little dark.
I enjoyed this book leaps and bounds more than the first book. I am completely on the fence as to if you should start with book one or skip on to this one. I was glad that I had the background information on Mary Sutter, but I could have absolutely enjoyed this one without the knowledge of the first book.
I loved Mary Sutter so much more in this book. She was a fierce female and having to deal with the low expectations of females at the time and her high expectations of her self - I just loved her so much more in this book. I applauded her so much in this book!
*****CONTAINS SPOILERS ***** writing a summary of the book to refresh my memory so this has spoilers.
I got this book at the dollar store one day because I saw it was rated well and it was only a dollar, so I didn’t have super high expectations of the book, but it was very good!
The writing style made it hard to get into the book at first, but the book takes place in the 1800’s so the writing style does match that well.
The story is about a horrible snow storm that hits the town and parents that leave their jobs for the day to try and go get their daughters from school to get them home. Both the mom and dad are killed and freeze to death in the storm and do not get to the school.
A man in a sled picks up the two sisters from school and brings them to another mans house. The whole town is looking for the girls and eventually give up and have a funeral for the entire family that the family friends coordinate. At the funeral a very wealthy family comes (mom dad and son) to give their condolences. The son meets Elizabeth, the cousin of the girls and they hit it off.
Weeks later, the town experiences a flood and the girls escape the basement of the man and make it to their family friends house. The man who was keeping them in the basement was put on trial and the wearily sad forces his son to represent the man at court because he worked for the family.
The son does not want to represent him because he was holding the girls hostage and he is interested In the girls cousin who would likely not forgive him for defending the man.
The two girls said that they were locked in “the mans” basement, but that was the “Other man” who would come to the house and rape the older of the two sisters. Many people did not believe this and thought that the older girl was imagining the Other Man as a coping mechanism.
But at trial, the son that was defending the man argued that there was in fact another man, and then proves that the Other Man was actually his father.
I got this book at the dollar store one day because I saw it was rated well and it was only a dollar, so I didn’t have super high expectations of the book, but it was very good!
The writing style made it hard to get into the book at first, but the book takes place in the 1800’s so the writing style does match that well.
The story is about a horrible snow storm that hits the town and parents that leave their jobs for the day to try and go get their daughters from school to get them home. Both the mom and dad are killed and freeze to death in the storm and do not get to the school.
A man in a sled picks up the two sisters from school and brings them to another mans house. The whole town is looking for the girls and eventually give up and have a funeral for the entire family that the family friends coordinate. At the funeral a very wealthy family comes (mom dad and son) to give their condolences. The son meets Elizabeth, the cousin of the girls and they hit it off.
Weeks later, the town experiences a flood and the girls escape the basement of the man and make it to their family friends house. The man who was keeping them in the basement was put on trial and the wearily sad forces his son to represent the man at court because he worked for the family.
The son does not want to represent him because he was holding the girls hostage and he is interested In the girls cousin who would likely not forgive him for defending the man.
The two girls said that they were locked in “the mans” basement, but that was the “Other man” who would come to the house and rape the older of the two sisters. Many people did not believe this and thought that the older girl was imagining the Other Man as a coping mechanism.
But at trial, the son that was defending the man argued that there was in fact another man, and then proves that the Other Man was actually his father.