Scan barcode
yunabean's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book, but hated the ending. I almost always hate the ending to books, though.
christiana's review against another edition
3.0
Do you like movies like "(500) Days of Summer" and "Garden State"? Do you fancy yourself a hipster? Then Winter Town is for you.
I actually do think this would be an ok read for teen boys even though it's heavier on romance. It's a good story for someone who is feeling ready to be different, ready to go to college and discover their future self while at the same time having no idea what they really want from their future.
The crazy troubled girl who ends up showing him things about himself he never knew just doesn't work for me the same way it works for other people, so I am willing to think this is just not the book for me, not necessarily not the book for someone else. Also, full disclosure, right before this book, I read another story of painful first love, and I was hoping to not read another one back to back. So this is a bit of wrong book/wrong time. Regardless, my first reaction is that it was a bit of a letdown.
I actually do think this would be an ok read for teen boys even though it's heavier on romance. It's a good story for someone who is feeling ready to be different, ready to go to college and discover their future self while at the same time having no idea what they really want from their future.
The crazy troubled girl who ends up showing him things about himself he never knew just doesn't work for me the same way it works for other people, so I am willing to think this is just not the book for me, not necessarily not the book for someone else. Also, full disclosure, right before this book, I read another story of painful first love, and I was hoping to not read another one back to back. So this is a bit of wrong book/wrong time. Regardless, my first reaction is that it was a bit of a letdown.
minas_elessar's review against another edition
2.0
Well... first of all, I just feel like I've seen Lucy's character so many times before. And, well, Evan's too for that matter. Both of them just felt a lot like replicas of John Green's characters, like in Looking for Alaska especially. I liked Lucy a lot more when I saw her side, but a lot of the time she was just having irrational mood swings and bitching at Evan for no reason.
I almost didn't read the second half, but once I got going it was easier to keep reading. Stephen Emond's writing is good, it was just kind of annoying because I felt like he was trying to reuse the same "badass girl, nerdy/artsy indie music listener guy" romance plot. But maybe that's just me.
I almost didn't read the second half, but once I got going it was easier to keep reading. Stephen Emond's writing is good, it was just kind of annoying because I felt like he was trying to reuse the same "badass girl, nerdy/artsy indie music listener guy" romance plot. But maybe that's just me.
missbookiverse's review against another edition
4.0
Manche Menschen sind mit zu vielen Talenten gesegnet, so auch Stephen Emond, der seinen Roman gleichzeitig geschrieben und illustriert hat. Manchmal untermalen die Zeichnungen die Handlung, an anderen Stellen sind die kurzen Comicstrips Bestandteil eben dieser, denn Protagonist Evan ist selbst Künstler.
Die Story erfindet das Rad nicht neu, aber sie ist süß, lustig (Evans hochmoderne Großmutter haut einfach die besten Sprüche raus), unterhaltsam illustriert und nachdenklich. Ich mochte die angeschnittenen Themen. Bloß weil jemand kein Scheidungskind ist oder andere offensichtliche Problem hat, bedeutet das nicht, dass die Person keine schwierigen Konflikte auszutragen hat. In Evans Fall mit seinem leistungsorientierten Vater. Was hat mich dieser Mann zur Weißglut getrieben. Dass Evan da nicht regelmäßig ausgerastet ist, ist mir ein Rätsel.
Einzig vom Ende habe ich mir mehr gewünscht. Wieso bietet niemand Lucy Hilfe an? Weder ihr Vater (der wahrscheinlich einfach keine Peilung hat) noch Evan, dem sie ihre ganze Misere beichtet. Danach gibt es plötzlich einen Zeitsprung und ich wurde ganz fies mit einer großen Wissenslücke zurückgelassen.
Das steckt drin: süße Comicstrips, lustige Dialoge, ein hosenloser Weihnachtsmann, frustrierende Eltern, eine grandiose Großmutter und ganz viel Schnee.
Die Story erfindet das Rad nicht neu, aber sie ist süß, lustig (Evans hochmoderne Großmutter haut einfach die besten Sprüche raus), unterhaltsam illustriert und nachdenklich. Ich mochte die angeschnittenen Themen. Bloß weil jemand kein Scheidungskind ist oder andere offensichtliche Problem hat, bedeutet das nicht, dass die Person keine schwierigen Konflikte auszutragen hat. In Evans Fall mit seinem leistungsorientierten Vater. Was hat mich dieser Mann zur Weißglut getrieben. Dass Evan da nicht regelmäßig ausgerastet ist, ist mir ein Rätsel.
Einzig vom Ende habe ich mir mehr gewünscht. Wieso bietet niemand Lucy Hilfe an? Weder ihr Vater (der wahrscheinlich einfach keine Peilung hat) noch Evan, dem sie ihre ganze Misere beichtet. Danach gibt es plötzlich einen Zeitsprung und ich wurde ganz fies mit einer großen Wissenslücke zurückgelassen.
Das steckt drin: süße Comicstrips, lustige Dialoge, ein hosenloser Weihnachtsmann, frustrierende Eltern, eine grandiose Großmutter und ganz viel Schnee.
amym84's review against another edition
5.0
I was intrigued by this book because of the mix with the novel and graphic novel aspects. Plus, I thought that storyline sounded good. Two people who have been friends since young childhood find themselves growing up and questioning their feelings for one another, all while having to face the difficult decisions of what to do with their lives. I really always like a love story like this.
Evan and Lucy have been friends since childhood. They used to spend all their time together. Until about maybe six years ago when Lucy's parents divorced and she wen to live with her mother. Now she only comes home for two weeks at the Christmas holiday. Usually they just pick up where they left off, but this last year Lucy has changed, not only her hair cut / color, but Evan knows there's definitely something wrong. But how does he find out.
This story is told in both Evan and Lucy's point of view with each of them taking half of the book to tell their side of things. Where Evan's side ends Lucy's side picks up the story. I like when we get mulitple perspectives, but I'll admit sometimes it can get confusing. By having each character get 1/2 half of the book, I thought this writing device was successful.
Interspersed throughout the book are Stephen Emond's own comic drawings. I think they just enhanced the story that much more. There would be two pages setting up each chapter and then in the chapters themselves we would get drawings about the most important aspects happening. At the end of each chapter we were given a little comic taking place in teh fictitous world that Evan and Lucy created. The adventure in this comic does loosely mimic what is happening in the story proper. It really shows the way a graphic novel and describe in less pages, with drawings and some conversation bubbles, what a novels takes more time to describe with words. I like the two different medians as a form of storytelling.
I thought that book was a cute, quick read showing us a glimpse of the character's lives at a pivitol moment where they will make the decision of what path to take on their future. This is definitely something I could pick up again (maybe around Christmas) and enjoy reading about the characters and their journey. Until Then!
Evan and Lucy have been friends since childhood. They used to spend all their time together. Until about maybe six years ago when Lucy's parents divorced and she wen to live with her mother. Now she only comes home for two weeks at the Christmas holiday. Usually they just pick up where they left off, but this last year Lucy has changed, not only her hair cut / color, but Evan knows there's definitely something wrong. But how does he find out.
This story is told in both Evan and Lucy's point of view with each of them taking half of the book to tell their side of things. Where Evan's side ends Lucy's side picks up the story. I like when we get mulitple perspectives, but I'll admit sometimes it can get confusing. By having each character get 1/2 half of the book, I thought this writing device was successful.
Interspersed throughout the book are Stephen Emond's own comic drawings. I think they just enhanced the story that much more. There would be two pages setting up each chapter and then in the chapters themselves we would get drawings about the most important aspects happening. At the end of each chapter we were given a little comic taking place in teh fictitous world that Evan and Lucy created. The adventure in this comic does loosely mimic what is happening in the story proper. It really shows the way a graphic novel and describe in less pages, with drawings and some conversation bubbles, what a novels takes more time to describe with words. I like the two different medians as a form of storytelling.
I thought that book was a cute, quick read showing us a glimpse of the character's lives at a pivitol moment where they will make the decision of what path to take on their future. This is definitely something I could pick up again (maybe around Christmas) and enjoy reading about the characters and their journey. Until Then!
tiggerrd's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
ennitsud's review against another edition
4.0
the book was really sweet. the friendship between evan and lucy was bittersweet (in the way that they kept up with each other, yet it seemed like they still kept things from each other). the comics and illustrations were wonderful (making me wish, even more, that i bought more graphic novels and comics earlier) and the stories of alesthysia were adorable.
inkstndfngrs's review against another edition
3.0
I found Lucy to be kind of a drama queen, and Evan was sort of a push-over. I liked the open ending, the comics were so cute --I would totally read that webcomic! The accompanying art was gorgeous; Stephen Emond is obviously very talented as an artist. As a writer...ehhh...well, you can't be good at everything. I don't regret reading it, but I probably won't be picking it up for a second time through.
libreroaming's review against another edition
5.0
Winter Town is described as a great novel to curl up under the blankets and read book, and it is. The synopsis sets you up for a comfortably well-tread, yet endearing concept, that of best friends who grow up and sometimes grow apart.
Evan and Lucy grew up together, until Lucy's parents got divorced and she moves away and they only are able to see each other for winter break each year. In spite of the distance, they maintain a relatively inspired relationship, collaborating on a comic and having enough imaginary adventures to make many childhood friend duos jealous. But this year Lucy shows up with chopped up dyed hair, a nose ring and some serious attitude. In trying to figure out just what exactly happened to Old Lucy, what if New Lucy was always part of the old, and his own feelings for her, Evan stumbles into a complicated relationship of his old expectations and the future goals his family has set for him.
Both characters have authentic voices, with the novel starting off in Evan's head then switching over to Lucy's little over halfway. I think this works best, because the novel is really about how they hold each other in some kind of ideal during their perfect winter vacations, and how it's not exactly true. So while we get comfortable in Evan's perceptions and truly can't comprehend Lucy's behavior, we find out later that Evan's actions can sometimes be just as baffling to hers.
The side characters are also well rendered. Evan's friends are endearing and, while sometimes almost too quirky, it's easy to see them as believable. Evan's grandmother is, by far, the best character in the book for me. And it's easy to see the foilables of both their parents reflected in the personalities of the teens.
The one big weakness of Winter Town for me was that it meandered nicely in getting the two of them together, the eventual problems and revelations that split them apart seemed a little too haphazard. When they part there's a lot left unsaid between the characters, but the reader also feels like there should be more to it, and the problematic circumstances overshadow the feelings the characters would have about it. It's something the one year later epilogue can't quite manage to salvage.
That said, if you want a story--slightly bittersweet--about the first time really falling in love or enjoy childhood friends-turned-sweethearts then this book has a lot to offer. The comics are cute additions, really bringing the tone of the novel to life and become a great commentary for the events going on. This is the literary equivalent of one of those winter movies designed for some unapologetic sentimentality while still trying to stay grounded in the real world.
Evan and Lucy grew up together, until Lucy's parents got divorced and she moves away and they only are able to see each other for winter break each year. In spite of the distance, they maintain a relatively inspired relationship, collaborating on a comic and having enough imaginary adventures to make many childhood friend duos jealous. But this year Lucy shows up with chopped up dyed hair, a nose ring and some serious attitude. In trying to figure out just what exactly happened to Old Lucy, what if New Lucy was always part of the old, and his own feelings for her, Evan stumbles into a complicated relationship of his old expectations and the future goals his family has set for him.
Both characters have authentic voices, with the novel starting off in Evan's head then switching over to Lucy's little over halfway. I think this works best, because the novel is really about how they hold each other in some kind of ideal during their perfect winter vacations, and how it's not exactly true. So while we get comfortable in Evan's perceptions and truly can't comprehend Lucy's behavior, we find out later that Evan's actions can sometimes be just as baffling to hers.
The side characters are also well rendered. Evan's friends are endearing and, while sometimes almost too quirky, it's easy to see them as believable. Evan's grandmother is, by far, the best character in the book for me. And it's easy to see the foilables of both their parents reflected in the personalities of the teens.
The one big weakness of Winter Town for me was that it meandered nicely in getting the two of them together, the eventual problems and revelations that split them apart seemed a little too haphazard. When they part there's a lot left unsaid between the characters, but the reader also feels like there should be more to it, and the problematic circumstances overshadow the feelings the characters would have about it. It's something the one year later epilogue can't quite manage to salvage.
That said, if you want a story--slightly bittersweet--about the first time really falling in love or enjoy childhood friends-turned-sweethearts then this book has a lot to offer. The comics are cute additions, really bringing the tone of the novel to life and become a great commentary for the events going on. This is the literary equivalent of one of those winter movies designed for some unapologetic sentimentality while still trying to stay grounded in the real world.