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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
I had not read The Long Winter in a long time and had forgotten what a classic children's book it was. Like The Force Awakens, The Long Winter felt like a throwback to the earlier books, with the return of Mr. Edwards, stories of Pa's childhood told by the fire and his nightly songs on the fiddle. It was like an old friend had come home.
Laura, while only fourteen has grown up and with school and farm work has taken on more responsibility and showed that she could be relied upon and therefore much more mature than its five predecessors.
I also liked that Almanzo had a bigger role in this novel, introducing the readers to a man who had grown up and was no longer a Farmer Boy. He was a strong character who did what he felt was right rather than take the easy way out.
Of course the main event of the book was the seven month-long winter and desperately read to learn of the Ingalls' fate and how they survived the blizzard and their resilience made for a fantastic story.
Laura, while only fourteen has grown up and with school and farm work has taken on more responsibility and showed that she could be relied upon and therefore much more mature than its five predecessors.
I also liked that Almanzo had a bigger role in this novel, introducing the readers to a man who had grown up and was no longer a Farmer Boy. He was a strong character who did what he felt was right rather than take the easy way out.
Of course the main event of the book was the seven month-long winter and desperately read to learn of the Ingalls' fate and how they survived the blizzard and their resilience made for a fantastic story.
There was a lot to enjoy in this super depressing book where everyone almost dies of starvation and cold.
As usual, the narration and fiddling is phenomenal, and the story is just gutting. So many things go wrong, but juuuust enough manage to go right that the family scrapes by. Almanzo's back, and he's in the book the perfect amount.
Maybe this book is particularly relatable because it's 2020 and so many of our lives have become a similar mix of peril, isolation, and mind-numbing routine, but this book was mostly bleak, partially triumphant, and really struck a chord with me.
(As usual, the book loses points for racism. This one has the usual terrible depiction of native people, but this time there's 100% more Pa singing minstrel songs!)
As usual, the narration and fiddling is phenomenal, and the story is just gutting. So many things go wrong, but juuuust enough manage to go right that the family scrapes by. Almanzo's back, and he's in the book the perfect amount.
Maybe this book is particularly relatable because it's 2020 and so many of our lives have become a similar mix of peril, isolation, and mind-numbing routine, but this book was mostly bleak, partially triumphant, and really struck a chord with me.
(As usual, the book loses points for racism. This one has the usual terrible depiction of native people, but this time there's 100% more Pa singing minstrel songs!)
These books are such a good empty-your-head thing for me, I really like them
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
The Long Winter is my second favorite Little House on the Prairie book it is a must read if you are a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan. This book is fascinating with all the problem solving that has to be done in it. Just make sure you are in a warm room when you read it because it really is a longg winter.
Pretty intense description of deprivation. This is the novel in which we come to realize that no matter how self-sufficient Pa is, he is still dependent on the society around him. In some of the descriptions of Pa as a bearded hollow eyed man, he comes across a little less than the glowing hero we're used to. Also, what was up with the scene where he feasted on pancakes with the Wilder boys while his own family was starving in the cold back at the house?
The descriptions of the cold and the struggles are very vivid.
The descriptions of the cold and the struggles are very vivid.
reread November 2017. Upped it to five stars. This book was long like the wonter but I appreciated it more now that I am older. The part where pa's hands are to stiff and the again at the end when they have Christmas dinner in May I teared up.
Wonderful story.
Wonderful story.
Maybe it's because I live in Alberta and every winter feels like "The Long Winter" but this was by far, the least enjoyable Little House series book for me. Storm happens, they make it through. Another storm happens, they make it through. Insert fiddle playing, music playing, animals, and wheat. There wasn't much focus on anything besides how awful winter is, which, as a Canadian my whole life, I'm painfully aware of.
Hoping Book #7 is better.
Hoping Book #7 is better.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced