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thebookitself's review
2.0
This is the type of book where the writing style will either make it or break it for the reader. Unfortunately, the writing didn't work for me at all. I really enjoyed the plot. I really enjoyed the main protagonist Teyr. Teyr is a badass who also has nothing but love for her family. Despite liking those two aspects (which are pretty important!), I'm giving this two stars. I really struggled to get through a large chunk of this book and that's the first thing I think about when The Winter Road comes to mind.
tempse's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
hobbleit's review
2.0
Copy received from Netgalley. All opinions (not that I have many) are my own.
Oh, this is a hard one for me to review. Every other review I have read has praised this book to the hilt and I can see where they are coming from. There is nothing wrong with The Winter Road at all but, for the life of me, I could not connect to this story at all.
The plot is decent, the writing is good, the characters aren’t irritating and the world building was excellent but there was something stopping me from connecting with it. I don’t know what it was.
It has been less than an hour since I finished reading it at the time of writing this review and I cannot remember anything about the story. I was reading the words and nothing was sinking in. I was an hour into reading it and I realised I couldn’t even remember the main characters name (Teyr, it sunk in eventually). The plot has long since disappeared from my brain.
This should have been a book that I loved. It has everything that I know I like and I didn’t hate it. I just can’t remember anything about it. Maybe I should try again in a few months with a physical copy of the book when I haven’t been reading a book which is rapidly sending me into a reading slump alongside it and I’ll change my opinion. For now, though, this has to be my review.
Oh, this is a hard one for me to review. Every other review I have read has praised this book to the hilt and I can see where they are coming from. There is nothing wrong with The Winter Road at all but, for the life of me, I could not connect to this story at all.
The plot is decent, the writing is good, the characters aren’t irritating and the world building was excellent but there was something stopping me from connecting with it. I don’t know what it was.
It has been less than an hour since I finished reading it at the time of writing this review and I cannot remember anything about the story. I was reading the words and nothing was sinking in. I was an hour into reading it and I realised I couldn’t even remember the main characters name (Teyr, it sunk in eventually). The plot has long since disappeared from my brain.
This should have been a book that I loved. It has everything that I know I like and I didn’t hate it. I just can’t remember anything about it. Maybe I should try again in a few months with a physical copy of the book when I haven’t been reading a book which is rapidly sending me into a reading slump alongside it and I’ll change my opinion. For now, though, this has to be my review.
jcriddle3's review
1.0
It's not that I don't like it. I am just really struggling with it. I can't seem to keep invested in the plot or the characters. I am a little over 50% through and honestly don't think I could tell even one thing that is going on right now.
helenid's review
4.0
I started this and after about 17% had to put it down. The author writes as the characters realistically would speak/think. Was/were are interchangeable. My problem is that as a primary teacher, I’d be thrown into marking mode rather than reader. I found it very hard to read and enjoy.
The first section is also tough. You’re thrown in the deep end in two different timelines, then and now. Now being very harsh.
However, the story kept pulling me back so I switched to audio. The ‘grammar’ wasn’t such an issue for me.
Teyr is an ex-soldier with big ambitions. These ambitions clash with a new and powerful warlord. What follows is breathtaking - I can’t say much more without giving spoilers.
The first section is also tough. You’re thrown in the deep end in two different timelines, then and now. Now being very harsh.
However, the story kept pulling me back so I switched to audio. The ‘grammar’ wasn’t such an issue for me.
Teyr is an ex-soldier with big ambitions. These ambitions clash with a new and powerful warlord. What follows is breathtaking - I can’t say much more without giving spoilers.
judd's review
4.0
This might very well get 5 stars with time to reflect. I loved it.
Revenge, a protagonist with a past who wants to build something ambitious to improve the world around her, a love story, a deep setting conveyed well. The violence is fast and dark and vicious.
I'm a fan. Check it out.
P.S. You can read this without reading Snakewood.
Revenge, a protagonist with a past who wants to build something ambitious to improve the world around her, a love story, a deep setting conveyed well. The violence is fast and dark and vicious.
I'm a fan. Check it out.
P.S. You can read this without reading Snakewood.
colossal's review
4.0
Teyr Amondsen is a former mercenary, a user of the potent fightbrews that all serious soldiers use to stand against other fighters who've "paid the colour", so-called because of the discoloration of the skin that is only one of the many side-effects of the drugs. In parallel stories we follow Teyr after she survives a near-fatal and total defeat, and the year leading up to that defeat. Her path to redemption leads to confronting just how much (and who) she has lost in seeking her ambitions, and finally her legacy.
This is a smart character study of someone who sets out to do great things in a grimdark fantasy setting. It's got non-linear storytelling, with distinctly different modes in each of the three parts of the book. There's also an interesting magic system that's well thought out and integrated into the sociopolitics of the world.
At no point does it condescend to giving the reader much background for this world. It's all there, but it's deeply embedded in the narrative and you're supposed to pick it up through context. It does an extremely good job of this. It's also difficult, particularly in the first part with Teyr so completely shattered and the cruel warlord Khiese and his brutal conquest of the Circle that Teyr is trying to advance.
This is a smart character study of someone who sets out to do great things in a grimdark fantasy setting. It's got non-linear storytelling, with distinctly different modes in each of the three parts of the book. There's also an interesting magic system that's well thought out and integrated into the sociopolitics of the world.
At no point does it condescend to giving the reader much background for this world. It's all there, but it's deeply embedded in the narrative and you're supposed to pick it up through context. It does an extremely good job of this. It's also difficult, particularly in the first part with Teyr so completely shattered and the cruel warlord Khiese and his brutal conquest of the Circle that Teyr is trying to advance.
majaingrid's review
2.0
2,5 stars
I'm not having the greatest start of the year with my books
I wanted to like this book. I really did. Thing is I'm not even sure why I bought it at all. I've tried reading an excerpt from Orbit several times but couldn't get through it at all. But I saw some promising reviews and wanted to give it a proper chance.
It does have a promising plot and worldbuilding, and Teyr is a really well written character, I really liked her. BUT the writing. I didn't like it at all. It's the kind of writing you'll either really like or really dislike I think. It's two different timelines, which are pretty close to each other (just one year apart) which made stuff bit confusing. It also mixed using present tense for (current timeline) and past tense (for the "past" timeline. It's written in first person point of view. The writing style and the two timelines made it really hard for me to connect with the plot.
I'm not having the greatest start of the year with my books
I wanted to like this book. I really did. Thing is I'm not even sure why I bought it at all. I've tried reading an excerpt from Orbit several times but couldn't get through it at all. But I saw some promising reviews and wanted to give it a proper chance.
It does have a promising plot and worldbuilding, and Teyr is a really well written character, I really liked her. BUT the writing. I didn't like it at all. It's the kind of writing you'll either really like or really dislike I think. It's two different timelines, which are pretty close to each other (just one year apart) which made stuff bit confusing. It also mixed using present tense for (current timeline) and past tense (for the "past" timeline. It's written in first person point of view. The writing style and the two timelines made it really hard for me to connect with the plot.
shendriq's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
heidens's review
DNF at 30%
Although I find the main protagonist and the world interesting (especially the fightbrews), I just can’t get into the story.
The pace is not well managed IMO, and the plot is not engaging enough and the writing style is really confusing, sometimes using words without explaining what they represent in this world.
Might try again.
Although I find the main protagonist and the world interesting (especially the fightbrews), I just can’t get into the story.
The pace is not well managed IMO, and the plot is not engaging enough and the writing style is really confusing, sometimes using words without explaining what they represent in this world.
Might try again.