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A review by nilu_reads
The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner
2.0
I read the excerpt and I was looking forward to read this book. But as I started it, I almost added it into my DNF pile. The storytelling was very disjointed. And while it is supposed to be about sisterly love, I was not sold on the relationship between the sisters. Lots of things annoyed me about the characters.
First of all their mother drops a massive life changing secret individually to both sisters and then does not explain it to them in the subsequent days instead continuing like life is normal while her daughters have questions for them. In fact the parents leave them alone after telling them a family secret! How is that normal?
Secondly both sisters don't speak to each other cos they do not know if the other sister knows the secret. Come on, if you want me to believe that they have a close sisterly bond then they would have immediately told each other everything. Especially since Liba is shy and has no friends so she should be confiding in Laya.
Thirdly was their naivete. Liba constantly went back and forth on all decisions . If she made a decision at one point, all I had to do was flip the page to see her change her mind. There was so much of back and forth and I understand she is teenager, unsure of herself and her ever changing body and mind, burdened with a secret that her mother told her and didn't even bother to explain to her but come on girl, at no point did she take a break to be like what the fuck is going on?
Fourthly, how did their parents think they can keep this a lifelong secret from them
Fifthly, we are not told why Laya speaks in verse? WHY??
Of course it is a typical YA fantasy book recipe - parents drop a secret to the kids, leave them alone, kids have to a deal with changes and cue teenage angst about body changes and romance, drama ensues.
The only reason why it would get a plus point is the fact that at the mid way point, the story picks up and progresses in spite of a lot of back and forth and the Anti-Semitic views and pogroms of that time was showcased in the book and it showed how the characters had to deal with it.
But yea a bit disappointed by it.
First of all their mother drops a massive life changing secret individually to both sisters and then does not explain it to them in the subsequent days instead continuing like life is normal while her daughters have questions for them. In fact the parents leave them alone after telling them a family secret! How is that normal?
Secondly both sisters don't speak to each other cos they do not know if the other sister knows the secret. Come on, if you want me to believe that they have a close sisterly bond then they would have immediately told each other everything. Especially since Liba is shy and has no friends so she should be confiding in Laya.
Thirdly was their naivete. Liba constantly went back and forth on all decisions . If she made a decision at one point, all I had to do was flip the page to see her change her mind. There was so much of back and forth and I understand she is teenager, unsure of herself and her ever changing body and mind, burdened with a secret that her mother told her and didn't even bother to explain to her but come on girl, at no point did she take a break to be like what the fuck is going on?
Spoiler
And while she found out about the fact that she and her sister were shapeshifters, it was hard for her to believe that there were Goblins in the forest? You need to be really stupid to not believe that after everything that has happened or to be in denial of other supernaturals.Fourthly, how did their parents think they can keep this a lifelong secret from them
Spoiler
especially if all they had to do was get intimate to trigger the changes!Fifthly, we are not told why Laya speaks in verse? WHY??
Of course it is a typical YA fantasy book recipe - parents drop a secret to the kids, leave them alone, kids have to a deal with changes and cue teenage angst about body changes and romance, drama ensues.
The only reason why it would get a plus point is the fact that at the mid way point, the story picks up and progresses in spite of a lot of back and forth and the Anti-Semitic views and pogroms of that time was showcased in the book and it showed how the characters had to deal with it.
But yea a bit disappointed by it.