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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.
christajls's review against another edition
4.0
Originally reviewed at Hooked on Books
This is by far the cutest book I have ever read. The story is sweet, compassionate and it'll warm your heart. It was so cute I just want to cuddle with it.
There were so many things I enjoyed about this novel. But the best by far were the characters. Evan and Lucy are interesting, they're funny, they have depth and throughout the book they really grow as characters. Lucy especially was my favourite, she may have been scared and vulnerable but she was tough and you knew no matter what happened she was going to make it through. She was definitely the character that made me feel the most – I was happy for her, proud of her, disappointed by her. It was a roller coaster ride of a relationship but it may the connection between us that much stronger.
In addition to the characters I loved the animation that went along with the story. Especially the short comic strips at the end of the chapters. I really thought they enhanced the story and gave us a little more insight into the characters and their motivations. Also a lot of the drawing were incredibly creative and funny. It was a nice touch and added a unique element to your traditional contemporary novel.
This was a wonderful story and it really made me smile. It was a coming of age story but it didn't beat you over the head with strong moral overtones or an overly obvious message. Instead it just wrapped you up in an incredibly sweet story between two people who are just trying to figure out who they are and who they want to become.
This is by far the cutest book I have ever read. The story is sweet, compassionate and it'll warm your heart. It was so cute I just want to cuddle with it.
There were so many things I enjoyed about this novel. But the best by far were the characters. Evan and Lucy are interesting, they're funny, they have depth and throughout the book they really grow as characters. Lucy especially was my favourite, she may have been scared and vulnerable but she was tough and you knew no matter what happened she was going to make it through. She was definitely the character that made me feel the most – I was happy for her, proud of her, disappointed by her. It was a roller coaster ride of a relationship but it may the connection between us that much stronger.
In addition to the characters I loved the animation that went along with the story. Especially the short comic strips at the end of the chapters. I really thought they enhanced the story and gave us a little more insight into the characters and their motivations. Also a lot of the drawing were incredibly creative and funny. It was a nice touch and added a unique element to your traditional contemporary novel.
This was a wonderful story and it really made me smile. It was a coming of age story but it didn't beat you over the head with strong moral overtones or an overly obvious message. Instead it just wrapped you up in an incredibly sweet story between two people who are just trying to figure out who they are and who they want to become.
mckinlay's review against another edition
2.0
i skipped over 100 pages just to get it done. i would have quit completely had i not gotten it in a book exchange so i kept powering through because obviously someone i'm friends with really liked it. i ended up liking the ending, but i don't feel like i missed much by skipping.
lesbrary's review against another edition
2.0
Was enjoying this for the most part (nothing too extraordinary, but a quick read), until I got to the sketch in the extras that is labelled "Adam's apple = tr*nny". Except without the censoring, obviously. Just needless hateful transmisogyny. It soured the whole book for me. There were other parts that I thought were questionable, like Lucy calling Evan's gay friends her "gay boyfriends", but I was giving them the benefit of the doubt. Now I'm just annoyed that this was my last read of the year.
kkdemarco's review against another edition
4.0
Winter Town was a good read! I liked: Evan and Lucy's characters, how they grew and changed throughout the novel, the comic strips after each chapter, and the parts where they talked about fantasy and adventure. :) I didn't like that some of the scenes felt rushed; I almost wished it was longer and more in depth. Like, what happened after Lucy went home? Overall, I enjoyed it!
afretts's review against another edition
2.0
Words I would use to describe this novel:
Meh
Okay
Fine
What I would say if you asked me what I thought of it:
"It was okay. I mean, I didn't feel like killing myself when reading it."
What I would look like while saying this:
Meh
Okay
Fine
What I would say if you asked me what I thought of it:
"It was okay. I mean, I didn't feel like killing myself when reading it."
What I would look like while saying this:
suzangilly's review against another edition
2.0
Rating 2 out 5 stars
Overall the book goes into the life of Evan Owen who has lived a life of safety and a planned life from his family (ivy league school, get a good career, meet a girl, settle down). Apart from that, each winter Evan looks forward to seeing his childhood friend Lucy for 2 weeks every year after she left when her parents divorces. This look good, till one year Lucy return with choppy black hair, a nose piercing, and hidden issues. From this surprised Evan tries to figure out what happens to her while Lucy become more distant from her old self
The premise of the book is what drew to start reading it. Thinking this was a "coming of age" story, but sadly it just fell short for me. It just felt like a mess with Lucy some what using Evan for further her from what's happened the past 11 months and not being honest with him about whats happened in her life. But I was very satisfied with how the ending is for both of these characters.
Overall the book goes into the life of Evan Owen who has lived a life of safety and a planned life from his family (ivy league school, get a good career, meet a girl, settle down). Apart from that, each winter Evan looks forward to seeing his childhood friend Lucy for 2 weeks every year after she left when her parents divorces. This look good, till one year Lucy return with choppy black hair, a nose piercing, and hidden issues. From this surprised Evan tries to figure out what happens to her while Lucy become more distant from her old self
The premise of the book is what drew to start reading it. Thinking this was a "coming of age" story, but sadly it just fell short for me. It just felt like a mess with Lucy some what using Evan for further her from what's happened the past 11 months and not being honest with him about whats happened in her life. But I was very satisfied with how the ending is for both of these characters.
rosalind14's review against another edition
3.0
I don't have much to say about Winter Town, I think because I can't even put my finger on why I didn't much like it. It was fairly well written and all, but there was a strange detachment to it such that I feel like I missed a couple chapters by mistake, or maybe fell asleep in the middle. It felt realistic, but almost TOO realistic-- like I was intruding into the lives of strangers, not people worthy of having a book written about them. Also it wasn't too exciting--nothing really happened-- and the characters and their stories weren't very compelling. Otherwise, though, I enjoyed it well enough.
Apologies for the sort of nonsensical review, but I'll end it by saying that I'm sure it's a likable book for someone who's not me, so it's definitely worth a try-- especially if you're a fan of graphic art (which I'm not, really).
Oh, and this really annoyed me (and probably me alone): the main character's name is Evan Owens. Evan and Owen are both forms of the name John. Ugh.
Apologies for the sort of nonsensical review, but I'll end it by saying that I'm sure it's a likable book for someone who's not me, so it's definitely worth a try-- especially if you're a fan of graphic art (which I'm not, really).
Oh, and this really annoyed me (and probably me alone): the main character's name is Evan Owens. Evan and Owen are both forms of the name John. Ugh.
nicksquiggles's review
3.0
Great read for winter, could recommend as a book to get your into the Christmas mood!