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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
A superbly dark and brooding novel that captures the chill heart of dark mountains during a particularly harsh and deadly winter. Having picked this up in a fabulous little bookstore in Canmore while on holiday in Canada, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I am so glad the store clerk recommended it. It is a great story with superb characters that have such depth and realism you feel that you never really get to know them, not completely. The story morphs from a historical fiction telling of new settlers to a mountain region in Sweden to a murder mystery and witch hunt as magic permeates the air. This is a slow burn of a story but it doesn't drag as can happen with such a style, instead it feels as much part of the story as everything else as it allows the cold chill of the winter winds to seep into your bones as well as letting the tension build within the reader as it does the villagers. A stunning read that I can barely believe is a debut novel.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Absolutely amazing and intense and just glorious is a definite read for this year. Will be on the look out for another book from this author for sure.
I received this book through Weinstein Books and NetGalley for an honest review. The official release date is on January 27th
WOLF WINTER tells the tale of Paavo and Maija, along with their two children Frederika and Dorotea as they take over Paavo's brother home in the ominous Blackasen mountains of Sweden. Soon after arriving, the two children find a body in the forest and the townspeople are quick to chalk it up to an animal killing, but Maija is sure that another human is responsible for killing the man. Soon thereafter, the family begins to notice strange things about the town and the people that inhabit it. Secrets, lies and deception abound as the worst winter the mountain has ever seen, take hold. Uncovering the truth behind the body may unearth something much darker than the family could ever imagine.
This book took a little while to get into because it was translated from Swedish, so the prose wasn't something I was use to. Also, there were some dry spots to the story that made the pacing slightly off. Once I got use to the writing, I was pulled into the story and seemingly lived right alongside the characters in the year 1717. The feeling of authenticity is great in this story; all of the descriptions on how they live, the hardships of a severe winter that they face, the murder they are trying to solve, all have a very real feel to them.
The pacing was slow in the first half of the book, but once the elements started to stack up, the intrigue of the story grew. For those looking for a good murder/mystery set in a different time period, with a touch of the supernatural, this is a good one to pick up! You feel the cold of the setting, the characters feel real and the mystery has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing all the way to the last page. I give this one a 4/5!
WOLF WINTER tells the tale of Paavo and Maija, along with their two children Frederika and Dorotea as they take over Paavo's brother home in the ominous Blackasen mountains of Sweden. Soon after arriving, the two children find a body in the forest and the townspeople are quick to chalk it up to an animal killing, but Maija is sure that another human is responsible for killing the man. Soon thereafter, the family begins to notice strange things about the town and the people that inhabit it. Secrets, lies and deception abound as the worst winter the mountain has ever seen, take hold. Uncovering the truth behind the body may unearth something much darker than the family could ever imagine.
This book took a little while to get into because it was translated from Swedish, so the prose wasn't something I was use to. Also, there were some dry spots to the story that made the pacing slightly off. Once I got use to the writing, I was pulled into the story and seemingly lived right alongside the characters in the year 1717. The feeling of authenticity is great in this story; all of the descriptions on how they live, the hardships of a severe winter that they face, the murder they are trying to solve, all have a very real feel to them.
The pacing was slow in the first half of the book, but once the elements started to stack up, the intrigue of the story grew. For those looking for a good murder/mystery set in a different time period, with a touch of the supernatural, this is a good one to pick up! You feel the cold of the setting, the characters feel real and the mystery has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing all the way to the last page. I give this one a 4/5!
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
An historical thriller set in 1700s in Swedish Lapland during the coldest brutal winter known - Wolf Winter.
"Wolf winter,'" she said, her voice small. "I wanted to ask about it. You know, what it is."
He was silent for a long time. "It's the kind of winter that will remind us we are mortal," he said. "Mortal and alone."
A Finnish family arrive, hoping to forget the traumas of their past and put down new roots in this harsh but beautiful land. Above them looms Blackåsen, a mountain whose foreboding presence looms over the valley and whose dark history seems to haunt the lives of those who live in its shadow.
Told through three different voices; Maaja, the mother of the Finnish family, Frederika, her teenage daughter and the priest. A body is found, a murder has happened.
The story revolves around the hows and why of this murder intertwined with politics, religion, superstitions survival and fear. A book full of strong, very well developed flawed characters, a blend of historical fiction with magic realism. It's atmospheric, dark and twisty.
Want to read more by this writer.
"Wolf winter,'" she said, her voice small. "I wanted to ask about it. You know, what it is."
He was silent for a long time. "It's the kind of winter that will remind us we are mortal," he said. "Mortal and alone."
A Finnish family arrive, hoping to forget the traumas of their past and put down new roots in this harsh but beautiful land. Above them looms Blackåsen, a mountain whose foreboding presence looms over the valley and whose dark history seems to haunt the lives of those who live in its shadow.
Told through three different voices; Maaja, the mother of the Finnish family, Frederika, her teenage daughter and the priest. A body is found, a murder has happened.
The story revolves around the hows and why of this murder intertwined with politics, religion, superstitions survival and fear. A book full of strong, very well developed flawed characters, a blend of historical fiction with magic realism. It's atmospheric, dark and twisty.
Want to read more by this writer.
This book was so meh I don’t remember much about it
I struggled getting into this book. Someone mentioned to me this book required patience and it certainly does. About halfway through, the chilling and darkness of the world Ekbäck creates was something I could only take in small doses. There was no relief, no moments of joy to break up the bleakness and for that reason I was relieved when I finished. That said, I have to recognize it was well written and Ekbäck has a great talent for painting a clear image of the haunting scenes in your mind that you wish you could shake.