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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I first read The Coldest Winter Ever in the ninth grade. After finishing it, I knew I never wanted to be Winter. Rereading it,14 years later, I can't help but think of all the girls who became Winter. I start teaching high school English in the fall and I can't help but think this should be required reading.
Even though parts of this book border on vulgar, it made me feel like I was right there living Winter's life with her. You can see why the cycle is so difficult to break out of. While I personally, loved the book, it's definitely not for everyone.
the book was great but i didnt like the main character. she was just...lol ugh she made me mad with just about every dumb move she made. great story though
dark
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I think the book is definitely a must read. It follows the life of Winter Santiaga as she tells her story. There were some parts that I felt were long and drawn out.
fast-paced
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Winter is one of the most infuriating protagonists I’ve read, but she’s also not the worst. She’s selfish, but she knows what she wants. Though she's willing to use other people to get it. A raw story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual harassment
Minor: Death of parent
One of the best books that I have ever read in my entire life!!! I literally brought the paper copy and the digital copy so that I could always have it with me! I wish there was another book like this one!
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I felt obligated to read this book because it claims to represent the "real ghetto experience" (featuring that 1999 terminology). I was largely underwhelmed, though.
I was offput by the inclusion of the author as a character. I thought it was tacky; maybe it was better received at the time when she was still more prominent? It also bothered me that Sister Souljah wrote about a reality that was not something she herself experienced with the express purpose of revealing why she finds it egregious. She did detail different types of women, as she states she set out to in the extensive Q&A in the back of the book, but she clearly valorizes some and demonizes others instead of allowing the reader to embrace ambiguity and come to their own conclusions. It rubbed me the wrong way that someone who is not intimately acquainted with this reality would also write statements like this: "Through [Midnight] is delivered the strongest and most relevant message to black men ever delivered in the form of literature." In my opinion, that is a wholly unfounded statement that insults the writers who came before Sister Souljah.
This book will find a home on my classroom shelves because it's a quick and engaging read that I know my kids will like, but I have lots of reservations about the agenda behind the story and seek to problematize that for them, too.
I was offput by the inclusion of the author as a character. I thought it was tacky; maybe it was better received at the time when she was still more prominent? It also bothered me that Sister Souljah wrote about a reality that was not something she herself experienced with the express purpose of revealing why she finds it egregious. She did detail different types of women, as she states she set out to in the extensive Q&A in the back of the book, but she clearly valorizes some and demonizes others instead of allowing the reader to embrace ambiguity and come to their own conclusions. It rubbed me the wrong way that someone who is not intimately acquainted with this reality would also write statements like this: "Through [Midnight] is delivered the strongest and most relevant message to black men ever delivered in the form of literature." In my opinion, that is a wholly unfounded statement that insults the writers who came before Sister Souljah.
This book will find a home on my classroom shelves because it's a quick and engaging read that I know my kids will like, but I have lots of reservations about the agenda behind the story and seek to problematize that for them, too.