saltycorpse's review against another edition
4.0
A great spaghetti western epic meets Cormac McCarthy. I would have liked a Quentin vs Winter showdown in the end, though.
librarianmillie's review against another edition
2.0
This book is so violent, and for me to say it- it's a lot.
blevins's review against another edition
3.0
Ultra-violent western that concentrates more on mood and atmosphere than on actual story as it follows the fictional Winter Family Gang from their pre-formation Civil War days to their years of criminal rampaging.
reallyrillo's review against another edition
4.0
*Note: This book was won through a Goodreads giveaway.*
I won the bound galley version. While it’s not my normal preference for reading, I was surprisingly interested in the book. Maybe, it could be my love for crime and justice that lured me in. Overall, a pretty good read.
I won the bound galley version. While it’s not my normal preference for reading, I was surprisingly interested in the book. Maybe, it could be my love for crime and justice that lured me in. Overall, a pretty good read.
thepoptimist's review against another edition
4.0
This is a Quentin Tarantino movie put to print. Kicking off during the American Civil War the Winter family is a brutal band of killers, sadists, hired guns and ex-soldiers that sow terror through the United States in the late 1800’s led by Augustus Winter.
From their exploits during the civil war, to the bloody politicking in Chicago down to Phoenix scalping Indians and up to California it’s a blood-splattered, debauched and over the top escapades involving an ever changing cast of well-formed, uniquely eccentric characters.
From their exploits during the civil war, to the bloody politicking in Chicago down to Phoenix scalping Indians and up to California it’s a blood-splattered, debauched and over the top escapades involving an ever changing cast of well-formed, uniquely eccentric characters.
briarsreviews's review against another edition
3.0
The Winter Family by Clifford Jackman
This book reminds me of Games of Thrones if it was set in a western setting. There's lots of death, and lots of interesting drama to keep you interested.
I'm not crazy into westerns, but I love reading in different genres so I don't get bored reading the same old, same old. So this read was refreshing, even if I'm not the typical "target audience".
The book's setting is around civil war time, which is not a setting I see often of (at least in the books I typically read). For me, this setting worked well within the story. I enjoyed reading all of the descriptions of the locations and people of the time and Clifford Jackman did well within this setting.
While this book is fictional, a lot of the scenarios that happen in the book (brutal, almost R rated scenarios I might add) were situations that happened to people. It was incredible to read, but it rips your heart out knowing some of this did happen to people back in this time. The history was on point despite being fiction. It's not totally Wild West fiction if my review makes you believe that, but it's a "western" style near the Civil War (not men on horses shooting everyone like those old movies).
I definitely want to see Clifford Jackman write more - I thought this book did well within it's genre and was a good read. He was skilled at writing blood and war without a hero or antihero. It was just a novel following someone's life in a dark western-esque era. It didn't knock my socks off and turn me to the western genre, but it was worthy read I'd recommend or suggest my local library pick up for other readers.
On point Clifford! Keep up the good work! I can't wait to see you grow as an author!
Three out of five stars.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
This book reminds me of Games of Thrones if it was set in a western setting. There's lots of death, and lots of interesting drama to keep you interested.
I'm not crazy into westerns, but I love reading in different genres so I don't get bored reading the same old, same old. So this read was refreshing, even if I'm not the typical "target audience".
The book's setting is around civil war time, which is not a setting I see often of (at least in the books I typically read). For me, this setting worked well within the story. I enjoyed reading all of the descriptions of the locations and people of the time and Clifford Jackman did well within this setting.
While this book is fictional, a lot of the scenarios that happen in the book (brutal, almost R rated scenarios I might add) were situations that happened to people. It was incredible to read, but it rips your heart out knowing some of this did happen to people back in this time. The history was on point despite being fiction. It's not totally Wild West fiction if my review makes you believe that, but it's a "western" style near the Civil War (not men on horses shooting everyone like those old movies).
I definitely want to see Clifford Jackman write more - I thought this book did well within it's genre and was a good read. He was skilled at writing blood and war without a hero or antihero. It was just a novel following someone's life in a dark western-esque era. It didn't knock my socks off and turn me to the western genre, but it was worthy read I'd recommend or suggest my local library pick up for other readers.
On point Clifford! Keep up the good work! I can't wait to see you grow as an author!
Three out of five stars.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
rubenstein's review against another edition
4.0
... as the bodies piled up, I was less concerned with just who would be next, and more concerned with The Winter Family actually having any characters around for the ending.
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!
icameheretoread's review against another edition
4.0
I'm always looking for a Western to recommend. The question is not "is the Winter Family a Western?" the question is, "can I recommend this book to readers who just want to read Louis L'amour?" Nope, this is far too gritty. This is 3 miles past Unforgiven, and another 2 miles past Let There Be Blood (or Oil!) gritty. There are psychos killing for the fun of it in here and using the Civil War and the Wild West as a playground to do it. In fact, there are so many of them doing it for no reason that there is a wonder that there is anybody left in the area to actually homestead and farm.
I was actually stunned while reading some parts-almost wished someone else was reading it too so I could lean over and ask-- did you just read that too? Other parts were a bit repetitive. I loved Bill Bread and I can't say why. And the whole reason I picked this up was Chicago, but in this time period right after the fire the setting might as well be a pile of ashes, not the Chicago I just visited. Duh, me.
Anyway from all of this chaos is born a hero, and I loved that. This, however, is not that hero's story. It is the story of the chaos.
I was actually stunned while reading some parts-almost wished someone else was reading it too so I could lean over and ask-- did you just read that too? Other parts were a bit repetitive. I loved Bill Bread and I can't say why. And the whole reason I picked this up was Chicago, but in this time period right after the fire the setting might as well be a pile of ashes, not the Chicago I just visited. Duh, me.
Anyway from all of this chaos is born a hero, and I loved that. This, however, is not that hero's story. It is the story of the chaos.