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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Such a slow book. Great twist though. Everything comes together in the last 50 pages or so.
Honestly it reminded me a little bit of A Good Girls Guide to Murder but worse… I just didn’t really like the ending and how everything happened. It almost felt childish I don’t know. But the story did have potential in the beginning and it was hard to put down at other times.
Exquisite writing by the author. I was completely swept away and captivated by her words and the way she sets the atmosphere. This book was a 5 for me all the way to chapter 24 and then began a wee portion and detail that was just a bit much for me. However, I still loved the book. I guessed part of this in the middle but with all the well-written twists I was second guessing myself a lot.
16 years ago, Sylvie's sister, Persephone, is murdered. The cops never find the killer and it eats at Sylvie. She returns home to care for her mother who has fallen ill, but when she runs into the man she's always believed to be her sisters killer, Sylvie is forced to face her own, her mother's, and Persephone's own dark secrets.
16 years ago, Sylvie's sister, Persephone, is murdered. The cops never find the killer and it eats at Sylvie. She returns home to care for her mother who has fallen ill, but when she runs into the man she's always believed to be her sisters killer, Sylvie is forced to face her own, her mother's, and Persephone's own dark secrets.
Very Gillian Flynn-esque. I enjoyed it as I was reading it, however, I found the ending a little unearned.
2.5-3 Stars
I downloaded this because I was in the mood for a mystery, or thriller--something dark and sinister. This was not it. "The Winter Sister" wasn't what I expected it to be, since it was more women's fiction. Though, even if I'd gone in knowing it's more women's fiction than a taut thriller, I would still give it an average rating, because, frankly, it was pretty average.
The writing was okay, it was an easy read which I finished in just a couple sittings after I got through the first 20% or so. I was interested in Sylvie, and her relationship with her mother, Also, I was interested to find out what happened to Persephone, but nothing surprised me. If you've watched a single soap opera for any period of time, then you're going to know all the plot twists.
This one just wasn't great, it wasn't thrilling, it didn't give me chills, it didn't give me those feels that I wanted. And, even from the women's fiction aspect, the characters weren't very intriguing. Their relationships and their dynamics were interesting enough to keep me reading, but not enough to make an impact.
If you're looking for a read to elicit strong feelings from you, and leave you breathless and on edge, then "The Winter Sister" isn't that read, unfortunately.
I downloaded this because I was in the mood for a mystery, or thriller--something dark and sinister. This was not it. "The Winter Sister" wasn't what I expected it to be, since it was more women's fiction. Though, even if I'd gone in knowing it's more women's fiction than a taut thriller, I would still give it an average rating, because, frankly, it was pretty average.
The writing was okay, it was an easy read which I finished in just a couple sittings after I got through the first 20% or so. I was interested in Sylvie, and her relationship with her mother, Also, I was interested to find out what happened to Persephone, but nothing surprised me. If you've watched a single soap opera for any period of time, then you're going to know all the plot twists.
This one just wasn't great, it wasn't thrilling, it didn't give me chills, it didn't give me those feels that I wanted. And, even from the women's fiction aspect, the characters weren't very intriguing. Their relationships and their dynamics were interesting enough to keep me reading, but not enough to make an impact.
If you're looking for a read to elicit strong feelings from you, and leave you breathless and on edge, then "The Winter Sister" isn't that read, unfortunately.
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
For my first real thriller in a while, I absolutely loved the author's writing style. The descriptors really had me wrapped up in the book, looking for the next piece of flowery language in a dark story. I didn't find the plot to be overly predictable, and there was a lot of discovery and development in the story that kept me interested. After I got through the first 20 pages or so, I knew I needed to change how I was reading, so I started flagging the passages and sentences where the writing really stood out to me. I ended this book with 10 specific moments where I particularly loved the artistry and poetic nature of the writing.
While I don't usually tend towards thrillers, the writing alone had me really engaged, which absolutely can make a 5-star read for me (see Picture of Dorian Grey). Even if you don't pick thrillers for yourself, the writing on this one was so stellar I can't help but recommend it.
While I don't usually tend towards thrillers, the writing alone had me really engaged, which absolutely can make a 5-star read for me (see Picture of Dorian Grey). Even if you don't pick thrillers for yourself, the writing on this one was so stellar I can't help but recommend it.
A favorite quote of mine that really highlights the writing style is:
I had no idea that the light we see is just an echo of an old burn, or that, most of the time, it's the absence of a glow, instead of the glow itself, that goes on and on and on.
How gorgeous is that?
The Winter Sister is a fantastic debut novel by Megan Collins. I literally read this in one evening. I couldn't put it down.
When Sylvie is called home to care for her cancer-stricken mother, she is forced to re-examine the events that surrounded her sister's unsolved murder from over a decade prior. What she finds is a tangled web of relationships, small town history and secrets.
Looking forward to future novels from Ms. Collins.
I received an advanced reader copy from Simon & Schuster via Net Galley.
When Sylvie is called home to care for her cancer-stricken mother, she is forced to re-examine the events that surrounded her sister's unsolved murder from over a decade prior. What she finds is a tangled web of relationships, small town history and secrets.
Looking forward to future novels from Ms. Collins.
I received an advanced reader copy from Simon & Schuster via Net Galley.