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nadiajs's review against another edition
4.0
i LOVE a shakespeare retelling but hanalee and fleur shouldve got together
britterization's review against another edition
1.0
DNF at roughly 33%
Look, I liked the other Cat Winters that I've read. I like the way she writes. I even like many of the elements of the story (setting, important themes that include sexism, racism, bigotry against LGBT folk, a POC main whose appearance is actually reflected on the cover, etc.)...but I went in expecting a creepy kind of scary historical fiction book, and that's not what I got. Its straight up historical fiction, and I thought it was pretty boring. I mean, its a Hamlet retelling, and it manages to be boring. I don't know. If I didn't have about a million other books waiting for me that sound a lot more interesting, I'd maybe finish it. But I have those other books. Sorry, this book.
Look, I liked the other Cat Winters that I've read. I like the way she writes. I even like many of the elements of the story (setting, important themes that include sexism, racism, bigotry against LGBT folk, a POC main whose appearance is actually reflected on the cover, etc.)...but I went in expecting a creepy kind of scary historical fiction book, and that's not what I got. Its straight up historical fiction, and I thought it was pretty boring. I mean, its a Hamlet retelling, and it manages to be boring. I don't know. If I didn't have about a million other books waiting for me that sound a lot more interesting, I'd maybe finish it. But I have those other books. Sorry, this book.
ratdebibliotheque's review against another edition
4.0
Besides the spiritual asset it was a well written and executed historical-fiction novel. The characters were interesting as well as the events and the timeline. Near perfect book.
burnourhistory's review against another edition
4.0
"There's a troubling undercurrent rumbling beneath the surface of this town."
It's my favorite line from the story, a line that reflects not only the tone conveyed by Cat Winters but serves as a stark reminder of what this country once was and what it could be again. Winters says in the author's notes that she was worried about writing the book from the perspective she did because of who she is and her experience versus what her protagonist Hannalee's would have been growing up as a biracial child in the 1920s. But she wrote what I consider to be an important book because, again, it reflects a time so easily forgotten and ideologies that are, to this day, dangerous.
Aside from that, the book is a solid mystery/ghost story. The 'whodunit' aspect wasn't overdone nor was it bogged down by extraneous details. The ultimate twist of who was responsible for the death of Hannalee's father wasn't earth shattering but it also wasn't obvious. It kept me reading but didn't drive me crazy wondering either. The story behind Laurence and his involvement in the story was the same way. Subtle but intriguing all the same.
The emphasis on friendship was a nice addition to the story, especially in the case of Fleur and Hannalee and, ultimately, Hannalee and Joe. It's seems like strong, healthy, symbiotic relationships between friends take a backseat to romances in YA fiction but this story highlights the importance of them and shows how they can sustain bigotry and hypocrisy or be built from destruction.
It's my favorite line from the story, a line that reflects not only the tone conveyed by Cat Winters but serves as a stark reminder of what this country once was and what it could be again. Winters says in the author's notes that she was worried about writing the book from the perspective she did because of who she is and her experience versus what her protagonist Hannalee's would have been growing up as a biracial child in the 1920s. But she wrote what I consider to be an important book because, again, it reflects a time so easily forgotten and ideologies that are, to this day, dangerous.
Aside from that, the book is a solid mystery/ghost story. The 'whodunit' aspect wasn't overdone nor was it bogged down by extraneous details. The ultimate twist of who was responsible for the death of Hannalee's father wasn't earth shattering but it also wasn't obvious. It kept me reading but didn't drive me crazy wondering either. The story behind Laurence and his involvement in the story was the same way. Subtle but intriguing all the same.
The emphasis on friendship was a nice addition to the story, especially in the case of Fleur and Hannalee and, ultimately, Hannalee and Joe. It's seems like strong, healthy, symbiotic relationships between friends take a backseat to romances in YA fiction but this story highlights the importance of them and shows how they can sustain bigotry and hypocrisy or be built from destruction.
falconerreader's review against another edition
3.0
I found this one uneven. Really liked some elements, but struggled to stay invested through the middle section. Still, knowing what I do about Oregon's racist history and how it affects our state today, I am glad I read it.
endlessmidnight's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fantastic book, it had been something which had entertained me and I finished it within the span of three days. And it knows what it wants to make and hit.
Much more than almost any other books this touches on racism and the difficulty of being queer in the 1920s, where we see two characters which are interesting characters, Hanalee is biracial and Joe is attracted to guys.
And it does hit hard, who really cares for dark fantasy where our real world is as grim as this book is. Which I appreciate it is because it doesn't tone down on the issues America faced be it about sexuality or about race and ethnicity. Seeing what they intend to do, it is really really bleak.
Which is why I could really feel Hanalee for her, and eventually admire her for wanting to change it. Which is why despite nothing groundbreaking happened, but instead it started another chapter of her life, where she would move and learn methods so that she could eventually change it.
That is a good thing, rather than just blindly trying to change them. Show them the error of their ways instead. And for once, I like her because despite how it is she wants to change it.
The plot had came with many twists and although it didn't have much to do with mystery, but everything more or less hits the notes with racism, and the whites refusing to accept the different.
This isn't a book about romance, it's about a black girl who is trying to find her father's murderer, and a guy who is wrongfully accused into jail. And how racism is widespread throughout the entire America. It isn't about romance, and I'm fine with it having none.
Much more than almost any other books this touches on racism and the difficulty of being queer in the 1920s, where we see two characters which are interesting characters, Hanalee is biracial and Joe is attracted to guys.
And it does hit hard, who really cares for dark fantasy where our real world is as grim as this book is. Which I appreciate it is because it doesn't tone down on the issues America faced be it about sexuality or about race and ethnicity. Seeing what they intend to do, it is really really bleak.
Which is why I could really feel Hanalee for her, and eventually admire her for wanting to change it. Which is why despite nothing groundbreaking happened, but instead it started another chapter of her life, where she would move and learn methods so that she could eventually change it.
That is a good thing, rather than just blindly trying to change them. Show them the error of their ways instead. And for once, I like her because despite how it is she wants to change it.
The plot had came with many twists and although it didn't have much to do with mystery, but everything more or less hits the notes with racism, and the whites refusing to accept the different.
This isn't a book about romance, it's about a black girl who is trying to find her father's murderer, and a guy who is wrongfully accused into jail. And how racism is widespread throughout the entire America. It isn't about romance, and I'm fine with it having none.
jayceebond's review against another edition
2.0
1.5 stars
The characters weren't fully fleshed out and quite predictable.
The characters weren't fully fleshed out and quite predictable.
jillcd's review against another edition
2.0
I think some of my students will enjoy this but it fell flat for me. The concept is interesting but the character development was lacking so It didn't suck me in. The relationships seemed rushed and I could never get a feel for the characters. I was also disappointed in the use of the f bomb. While I understand its use in certain books, it was out of place here and made me wonder if it was for shock value.
chwaters's review against another edition
3.0
Something's rotten in the state of Oregon. Hanalee Denney's father was killed when he was hit by a car over a year ago. Since then, Hanalee's mother, Greta, has remarried Clyde Koning, a local doctor. It seems like Greta has been able to move on from her husband's death, so why can't Hanalee seem to get over it? Why are there stories circulating around town about a ghost that looks an awful lot like Hank Denney hanging around the very same road that he died upon? Why does it feel like he's looking for something? It should be time to let go, but too many things aren't adding up. Hanalee decides it's time for her to get some answers in spite of her cynicism. With the help of a local girl whose family is know not only for their moonshine, but also their tonics and elixirs, Hanalee takes a potion that will enable her to speak to the dead. There, at the darkened crossroads, she sees her father who tells her that he "puts full blame on the doc" and that he was alive after the car accident. Believing that her stepfather may have had something to do with her father's death, Hanalee seeks out the driver of the car that hit her father, Joe Adder, a local youth fresh out of jail for the crime of hitting someone while driving drunk. Joe insists that Hank was alive when he brought Hank to Dr. Koning after the accident.
Hanalee is floored by the idea that there's more to the story of her father's death and persists in her efforts to find out who killed him and why. Topping her list of suspects is her new stepfather. Topping her list of motives is racism. In 1923, the Ku Klux Klan had a major presence in Oregon, to the extent that they were able to carry out their will with impunity. Hanalee, whose father was black and mother white, risks everything to get to the bottom of this rash and bloody deed.
In case you can't tell by the plot description, this is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Most of the major plot points of the play are there for the beginning of Hanalee's story, though the parallels between the two diminish as The Steep and Thorny Way finds its footing. The historical context is fascinating, if harrowing. It's difficult for modern sensibilities to fathom living in a time where the KKK could have so much control over a state (many blacks, Catholics, Jews and others left the state for kinder environs). As such, many of the scenes in the book serve as an unsettling education about the realities of the era. Luckily, this version of Hamlet doesn't have high body count of the original, but this story maintains the situational gravity.
I didn't have any specific problems with the book other than it moved far more slowly than I would have expected and that it didn't follow the plot of Hamlet as much as I hoped. I'm a big fan of Shakespeare, so when I heard that Cat Winters had published a book featuring a female Hamlet in 1920's Oregon, I was sold. Winters embellishes her narrative with period photos, which adds for a nice, evocative finishing touch. If anything, I wish there had been more of these. While the plot may not be as Hamlet-y as I would have liked, it's still a solid exploration of race and politics in a well-realized historical setting.
Hanalee is floored by the idea that there's more to the story of her father's death and persists in her efforts to find out who killed him and why. Topping her list of suspects is her new stepfather. Topping her list of motives is racism. In 1923, the Ku Klux Klan had a major presence in Oregon, to the extent that they were able to carry out their will with impunity. Hanalee, whose father was black and mother white, risks everything to get to the bottom of this rash and bloody deed.
In case you can't tell by the plot description, this is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Most of the major plot points of the play are there for the beginning of Hanalee's story, though the parallels between the two diminish as The Steep and Thorny Way finds its footing. The historical context is fascinating, if harrowing. It's difficult for modern sensibilities to fathom living in a time where the KKK could have so much control over a state (many blacks, Catholics, Jews and others left the state for kinder environs). As such, many of the scenes in the book serve as an unsettling education about the realities of the era. Luckily, this version of Hamlet doesn't have high body count of the original, but this story maintains the situational gravity.
I didn't have any specific problems with the book other than it moved far more slowly than I would have expected and that it didn't follow the plot of Hamlet as much as I hoped. I'm a big fan of Shakespeare, so when I heard that Cat Winters had published a book featuring a female Hamlet in 1920's Oregon, I was sold. Winters embellishes her narrative with period photos, which adds for a nice, evocative finishing touch. If anything, I wish there had been more of these. While the plot may not be as Hamlet-y as I would have liked, it's still a solid exploration of race and politics in a well-realized historical setting.
wishesandpages's review against another edition
4.0
He breathed a small laugh. “You make it sound simple.”
“I didn't say that, but let's do it. Let's become better educated than them – make more money than them – love people more fiercely than they could ever dream of loving.”
4.5 stars
Weirdly enough, I always go into Cat Winters' books thinking they won't be for me. Yet, every time, she proves me wrong. I rated both The Cure for Dreaming and In the Shadow of Blackbirds five stars, so The Steep and Thorny Way might be considered my 'least favourite' of her books so far, but it probably will be the one I'll remember the most.
When I started reading The Steep and Thorny Way, I struggled with the beginning, because I didn't understand what the plot would be and I wasn't sure I would connect with the characters, whereas it came instantaneously with Winters' previous novels. I decided to persist in my reading and it took me time, but it was worth it. Once you understand where the author is going with her novel, you get how important this story is, how topical it is, even though it's set in 1920s Oregon and that you will remember it.
This novel might be a YA historical fiction with hints of fantasy, but it's mainly the story of outsiders, people who don't fit into society because others have decided it would be so, and it's about racism, homophobia and the Ku Klux Klan. Because of that, it terrified me, because of that, it gave me hope. I can't say if the representation is accurate or not in this novel, but Cat Winters stated that she worked with readers to try to make it so.
I absolutely loved Hannalee's character. Like Cat Winters' other main characters, she wants to do great things and won't let her gender or her race prevent her to do so. As it's set in 1920s Oregon, interracial marriages are forbidden and her mother is being called a whore, because she's white and married a black man. After Hannalee's father dead, she remarries with a white man and Hannalee feels like her heritage is put aside. In the end, she bonds with Joe, a boy who doesn't fit either because he's gay and it was so empowering, because this novel is their story and how they're right, while they're trying to stand up to white supremacists, here the Ku Klux Klan. I felt so much for Joe, because being gay at that time was hard enough, but with people who wanted to castrate you just because you're not straight? Here's another reason why I wanted to throw up.
“What's wrong with people out there,” I asked, “deciding who gets to have children and who has to be stopped from living the type of life that feels right to them? What's wrong with them?”
The plot took its time before it really started, but once it did, I needed to know the truth behind Hannalee's father death and it was absolutely shocking. I don't understand such cruelty and it's sad it still isn't completely gone when we're almost a century later. Truth be told, I'm French and didn't know much about the Ku Klux Klan before reading this novel, but now I have documented myself on the subject and it terrified me so much. No matter how terrifying this topic is, I'm grateful Cat Winters decided to talk about it in her novel.
Once again, the historical aspects of this novel were so well-done and I felt like I was there. The fantasy elements weren't as present as in Winters' previous novels and while it disappointed me at first, I understand why she put them on the side a little more this time around, because the issues she chose to address were so much more important.
To sum it up, Cat Winters did it again. She will never cease to surprise me and I'm already looking forward to read her newest book. The Steep and Thorny Way was such an important book because it dealt with issues that are still topical, even though we've changed so much on those topics. I would totally recommend it, regardless if you enjoy historical fiction or not.
Other quotes I loved:
“No... What if he knows you're not attracted to women?”
“Everyone always assumes this is something I can change. We can use that.”
“There's nothing worse,” he said from within the haze, “than luring boys who aren't yet even men into a life of hatred”