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saldre's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
beastreader's review against another edition
5.0
Morgana’s mother marries her to Cai Jenkins. She does it out of love. She worries about Morgana and who will take care of her. Morgana is a nice girl but she has a slight flaw. She does not talk. Morgana has not spoken a word in years.
In the beginning Morgana did not care for Cai. Over time, she came to love Cai and their home together. Morgana meets a woman who helps her unlock the magic within Morgana. Later strange things start happening in town. People grow anxious and blame Morgana for the cause.
I read The Witch’s Daughter but I remember thinking this book was good but I did struggle some with it. I did not have this problem at all with The Winter Witch. In fact, I had devoured the first half of the book before I made myself put it down. There was something spellbinding about Morgana and Cai. The way that Morgana and Cai interacted with each other, I thought brought them closer as Morgana did not talk. Cai is a very caring and patient husband. The way that he cared for Morgana made me fall in love with his more.
Morgana turned out to be a very intriguing character. She started out quiet and I don’t mean this literally. What I mean is that I wondered how this story was going to play out with Morgana not talking. It turned out just fine. I liked that Morgana gained her strength learning magic and with Cai’s love. While Morgana did not display her magic talents often. As she progressed they did get stronger. The ending put a smile on my face. The Winter Witch is a magical journey that you will not want to end!
In the beginning Morgana did not care for Cai. Over time, she came to love Cai and their home together. Morgana meets a woman who helps her unlock the magic within Morgana. Later strange things start happening in town. People grow anxious and blame Morgana for the cause.
I read The Witch’s Daughter but I remember thinking this book was good but I did struggle some with it. I did not have this problem at all with The Winter Witch. In fact, I had devoured the first half of the book before I made myself put it down. There was something spellbinding about Morgana and Cai. The way that Morgana and Cai interacted with each other, I thought brought them closer as Morgana did not talk. Cai is a very caring and patient husband. The way that he cared for Morgana made me fall in love with his more.
Morgana turned out to be a very intriguing character. She started out quiet and I don’t mean this literally. What I mean is that I wondered how this story was going to play out with Morgana not talking. It turned out just fine. I liked that Morgana gained her strength learning magic and with Cai’s love. While Morgana did not display her magic talents often. As she progressed they did get stronger. The ending put a smile on my face. The Winter Witch is a magical journey that you will not want to end!
kirwin524's review against another edition
5.0
This seemed a bit like freemen in the beginning but it really is a love story amid a battle of good versus evil. I enjoyed the story!
mamap's review against another edition
2.0
PG-married
Didn't read every word. Skipped to the end.
Too obvious. Long.
Didn't read every word. Skipped to the end.
Too obvious. Long.
morrigan_le_fae's review against another edition
2.0
It was an okay book with a very interesting premise and a mediocre execution. There was a lot of fluff and repetition that there didn’t need to be, while actually interesting concepts or tgemes were ignored or skimmed over. And of course, it suffered greatly from not-like-other-girls syndrome.
amibunk's review against another edition
3.0
This book started out lovely and romantic. The alternating points of view felt seamless and necessary. However, the middle part of the story dragged a wee bit, followed by a somewhat hasty and predictable ending. Still, overall entertaining. Nothing beats the Welsh people for romance.
abumblebeee's review against another edition
3.0
Number of days it took to complete: 5 days
Number of hours spent reading the book: 8 hours
"Calamity surrounds you. Destruction is ever at your heels."
The Winter Witch is the tale of Morgana, who at a young age, through the loss of her father no longer speaks. This by no means determines her intelligence, though most who meet her deem her to be simple due to her choosing not to talk. Knowing that no one in the village they live in will marry Morgana due to her eccentricities, her mother knows that she is sick and arranges a marrige for Morgana to Cai Jenkins who is a drover that needs a wife in order to be "porthmon: a man of honor, integrity and worth" for the village he lives in because his village has the belief that if a porthmon is not married he will not return from the drove because he will have nothing to come home to. Once back at Ffynnon Las, Cai and Morgana struggle to gain the towns acceptance of their marriage, in part due to the loathing of prominent parties in the town, and in part due to strange occurrences that always seem to center around Morgana. Will Cai become a successful porthmon? Will Cai and Morgana's new relationship flourish? Will the town ever accept Morgana?
This book is a solid 3. If you want a lot of action and adventure, this is not the book for you. A large part of this book is highly in depth descriptions of every little thing, that truly paints the most beautiful picture of the world these characters live in. While reading you almost feel as if you are at Ffynnon Las and are working the ponies and cattle on the farm.
Cai and Morgana certainly are not a case for insta love. They are put into an arranged marriage, and during the betrothal Cai announces that he is not getting married for love because he believes his first wife Catrin who died was his true love. Throughout this novel their relationship is tested time and time again and they have to overcome every obstacle, both from outside the marriage and also from within. You truly feel that these characters get to know each other body and soul in this novel and you want everything to work out for them.
After moving to Ffynnon Las, Morgana faces her first foe Isolda Bowen, and from the start their is instant dislike. This dislike grows as the story continues. Honestly her part in the story was highly predictable and I had no doubt how the book was going to end. There are some original parts to the story that may not have been guessable; however, as a whole the book is pretty predictable.
The magic in this book was very hard to understand. I still do not think that I have a full grasp on it, other than there are good witches and bad witches and they can harness power. A lot of the mechanics of the magic were not explained and how it is used was also glossed over. I understand that in part this was due to Morgana denying she was a witch and her magic throughout her entire life, but I do feel that it could have been more properly explained.
This book was on my TBR shelf for a very long time and I am happy that I picked it up, while it is by no means my favorite, it was a very solid read and I would consider reading another book by Paula Brackston again.
Number of hours spent reading the book: 8 hours
"Calamity surrounds you. Destruction is ever at your heels."
The Winter Witch is the tale of Morgana, who at a young age, through the loss of her father no longer speaks. This by no means determines her intelligence, though most who meet her deem her to be simple due to her choosing not to talk. Knowing that no one in the village they live in will marry Morgana due to her eccentricities, her mother knows that she is sick and arranges a marrige for Morgana to Cai Jenkins who is a drover that needs a wife in order to be "porthmon: a man of honor, integrity and worth" for the village he lives in because his village has the belief that if a porthmon is not married he will not return from the drove because he will have nothing to come home to. Once back at Ffynnon Las, Cai and Morgana struggle to gain the towns acceptance of their marriage, in part due to the loathing of prominent parties in the town, and in part due to strange occurrences that always seem to center around Morgana. Will Cai become a successful porthmon? Will Cai and Morgana's new relationship flourish? Will the town ever accept Morgana?
This book is a solid 3. If you want a lot of action and adventure, this is not the book for you. A large part of this book is highly in depth descriptions of every little thing, that truly paints the most beautiful picture of the world these characters live in. While reading you almost feel as if you are at Ffynnon Las and are working the ponies and cattle on the farm.
Cai and Morgana certainly are not a case for insta love. They are put into an arranged marriage, and during the betrothal Cai announces that he is not getting married for love because he believes his first wife Catrin who died was his true love. Throughout this novel their relationship is tested time and time again and they have to overcome every obstacle, both from outside the marriage and also from within. You truly feel that these characters get to know each other body and soul in this novel and you want everything to work out for them.
After moving to Ffynnon Las, Morgana faces her first foe Isolda Bowen, and from the start their is instant dislike. This dislike grows as the story continues. Honestly her part in the story was highly predictable and I had no doubt how the book was going to end. There are some original parts to the story that may not have been guessable; however, as a whole the book is pretty predictable.
The magic in this book was very hard to understand. I still do not think that I have a full grasp on it, other than there are good witches and bad witches and they can harness power. A lot of the mechanics of the magic were not explained and how it is used was also glossed over. I understand that in part this was due to Morgana denying she was a witch and her magic throughout her entire life, but I do feel that it could have been more properly explained.
This book was on my TBR shelf for a very long time and I am happy that I picked it up, while it is by no means my favorite, it was a very solid read and I would consider reading another book by Paula Brackston again.
bookguyinva2022's review against another edition
4.0
Another great witchy tale, got a little bogged down toward the end, but came back with a vengeance. I had read the 3rd part of the series first, so off to the second now to see how it all pieces together.
drlisak's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book. I like the switching between point of vies, as well as the atmosphere created by Morgana's relationship with her magic and with nature. The historical time period is fascinating as well. Brackston's language is lovely. All in all a delightful read.
emilymorgan02's review against another edition
3.0
This was nicely done as an audiobook. I enjoyed the characters and the accent of the narrator.