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A review by bmg20
The Steep and Thorny Way by Cat Winters
2.0
The year is 1923 and in a small town in Oregon, hate spreads like wildfire. Life is challenging for Hanalee Denney, the daughter of a black man and a white woman, but she has learned to persevere. When her father is killed by a drunk driver, she’s devastated by his absence from her life, especially after her mother quickly remarries. The boy responsible for his death, Joe Adder, is released from prison a mere seventeen months after being sentenced and once Hanalee finds out she takes her anger and a loaded gun to pay him a visit. After speaking with Joe, she leaves with her entire perception changed after hearing a vastly different story about what happened the night her dad died: he didn’t die from an automobile accident and that the man her mom remarried is the one truly responsible for his death.
I’ve read every Cat Winters book at this point but they seem to be hit or miss for me. I loved both [b:In the Shadow of Blackbirds|13112915|In the Shadow of Blackbirds|Cat Winters|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1348721608s/13112915.jpg|18286614] and [b:The Uninvited|19547848|The Uninvited|Cat Winters|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1415313161s/19547848.jpg|27679567], but felt [b:The Cure for Dreaming|20702018|The Cure for Dreaming|Cat Winters|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1397628715s/20702018.jpg|24967486] was slightly mediocre in comparison. The Steep & Thorny Way falls in the latter category. Much like [b:Dreaming|20702018|The Cure for Dreaming|Cat Winters|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1397628715s/20702018.jpg|24967486], I felt that the subject matter was something I would normally welcome, however, overall it ended up feeling incredibly flat and listless. Cat Winters signature style has always been a fusion of stories with historical importance and a flair of paranormal, and it’s something that she does quite well. With, Thorny though, the Hamlet retelling comparisons as well as the paranormal aspects were elements which could have been left out entirely without affecting the story. A story about a half black/half white girl living during the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and a homosexual boy that is struggling to survive in a time where the study of eugenics has many thinking the issue of homosexuality is something that can be “fixed” is absolutely a strong enough story on its own.
I always appreciate the lesser known periods of history being given a spotlight and it’s interesting to see a story focus on the influence of the Ku Klux Klan extending far past the deep South, clear into Oregon. Tackling both race and sexuality prejudices in addition to touching on the topic of eugenics was edifying without feeling overwhelming, except I kept feeling off and on as if these characters were simplistic versions of their true potential. I suppose what it all boils down to though is Winters definitely demonstrates the ugliness of the times, yet it’s covered in a glossy veneer that hides the true grotesqueness doing the seriousness of the story somewhat of a disservice.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I’ve read every Cat Winters book at this point but they seem to be hit or miss for me. I loved both [b:In the Shadow of Blackbirds|13112915|In the Shadow of Blackbirds|Cat Winters|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1348721608s/13112915.jpg|18286614] and [b:The Uninvited|19547848|The Uninvited|Cat Winters|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1415313161s/19547848.jpg|27679567], but felt [b:The Cure for Dreaming|20702018|The Cure for Dreaming|Cat Winters|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1397628715s/20702018.jpg|24967486] was slightly mediocre in comparison. The Steep & Thorny Way falls in the latter category. Much like [b:Dreaming|20702018|The Cure for Dreaming|Cat Winters|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1397628715s/20702018.jpg|24967486], I felt that the subject matter was something I would normally welcome, however, overall it ended up feeling incredibly flat and listless. Cat Winters signature style has always been a fusion of stories with historical importance and a flair of paranormal, and it’s something that she does quite well. With, Thorny though, the Hamlet retelling comparisons as well as the paranormal aspects were elements which could have been left out entirely without affecting the story. A story about a half black/half white girl living during the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and a homosexual boy that is struggling to survive in a time where the study of eugenics has many thinking the issue of homosexuality is something that can be “fixed” is absolutely a strong enough story on its own.
I always appreciate the lesser known periods of history being given a spotlight and it’s interesting to see a story focus on the influence of the Ku Klux Klan extending far past the deep South, clear into Oregon. Tackling both race and sexuality prejudices in addition to touching on the topic of eugenics was edifying without feeling overwhelming, except I kept feeling off and on as if these characters were simplistic versions of their true potential. I suppose what it all boils down to though is Winters definitely demonstrates the ugliness of the times, yet it’s covered in a glossy veneer that hides the true grotesqueness doing the seriousness of the story somewhat of a disservice.
I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.