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beesandbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This is closer to a 3.5 read than a 4, but I prefer to round up when a book is deserving of praise.
I enjoyed this book, though it had some unfinished business it never got around to. Only a couple of the characters really get resolutions. A third is mentioned casually, but having read from her perspective so often I felt like it was unfair how little attention was paid to her conclusion. There were no explanations for certain aspects of the mystical that are touched on in the story, though some of those were best left unexplained.
Despite not having a totally solid plot, this novel reads as though it does. The hydrophobia, the panther, and the return to Hope Hollow all follow the idea of rising action, climax, and falling action. However, the plot is essentially just the character development of one character, Dr. Aubrey Waycross. Which is fine, as long as you like the doctor. Personally I went back and forth on my opinion of him, so there were definitely times where I was thankful for a change in pace by getting Sarah Winter's perspective.
I also thought it was an interesting choice to make Sarah the other perspective throughout the body of the novel. She is an observer, known for sitting in trees with her rifle and waiting. She doesn't engage directly in the matters of rabies or healing, preferring to only do things that actually interest her. I liked her the most of all the characters, though her perspective was less about herself and more about giving us an additional perspective on the way things were playing out in Waycross's life.
If you want a story with a little bit of magical realism, a humbled man, and some odds and ends about life and death then this should entertain you for a few days.
I enjoyed this book, though it had some unfinished business it never got around to. Only a couple of the characters really get resolutions. A third is mentioned casually, but having read from her perspective so often I felt like it was unfair how little attention was paid to her conclusion. There were no explanations for certain aspects of the mystical that are touched on in the story, though some of those were best left unexplained.
Despite not having a totally solid plot, this novel reads as though it does. The hydrophobia, the panther, and the return to Hope Hollow all follow the idea of rising action, climax, and falling action. However, the plot is essentially just the character development of one character, Dr. Aubrey Waycross. Which is fine, as long as you like the doctor. Personally I went back and forth on my opinion of him, so there were definitely times where I was thankful for a change in pace by getting Sarah Winter's perspective.
I also thought it was an interesting choice to make Sarah the other perspective throughout the body of the novel. She is an observer, known for sitting in trees with her rifle and waiting. She doesn't engage directly in the matters of rabies or healing, preferring to only do things that actually interest her. I liked her the most of all the characters, though her perspective was less about herself and more about giving us an additional perspective on the way things were playing out in Waycross's life.
If you want a story with a little bit of magical realism, a humbled man, and some odds and ends about life and death then this should entertain you for a few days.
crowlrx's review against another edition
5.0
Near fanatical historic fiction
I picked this up thinking it was going to be a history fiction wrapped up in fairy tale. At first I was sorely disappointed (because I wanted a book about witches), but the writing kept me sucked in. It's really an excellent read just understand going in that its less fantasy than a charming character study.
I picked this up thinking it was going to be a history fiction wrapped up in fairy tale. At first I was sorely disappointed (because I wanted a book about witches), but the writing kept me sucked in. It's really an excellent read just understand going in that its less fantasy than a charming character study.
suvata's review against another edition
4.0
It’s in the 1800’s and The Winter Sisters are the only “healers” in a small, remote north Georgia logging town. The only problem is that the local minister believed that they were witches as they were healing with herbs and other natural remedies. They were banished from the town and the mayor sent for a Hippocratic doctor who was pretty much taught how to bleed people and how to amputate infected limbs. Eventually the doctor helped the sisters move back into town and they worked together blending the best treatments from both disciplines. Interesting and well written! 4-stars
kilayman10's review against another edition
3.0
I was given a free copy of this book, but the opinion is my own. 3.5 stars, in my book. This will be short, sweet, and to the point.
Cons: I felt that it started a bit slow, but it did pick up as the story went along. I wasn’t crazy about Dr. Waycross or Effie. Waycross was too wishy washy, obsessive, and pompous. Effie lacked substance and any back story.
Pros: I thought the story itself was well constructed, and so were Rebecca and Sarah. Sarah was probably my favorite of the sisters, with her no nonsense attitude and her playing to the gullibility of the patrons of Lawrenceville. She gave them what they wanted: cures based on psychological manipulation. The hysteria, superstitious, and witch-hunt mentality of the town-members read as believable.
Overall, I did like this novel. I just didn’t love it.
Cons: I felt that it started a bit slow, but it did pick up as the story went along. I wasn’t crazy about Dr. Waycross or Effie. Waycross was too wishy washy, obsessive, and pompous. Effie lacked substance and any back story.
Pros: I thought the story itself was well constructed, and so were Rebecca and Sarah. Sarah was probably my favorite of the sisters, with her no nonsense attitude and her playing to the gullibility of the patrons of Lawrenceville. She gave them what they wanted: cures based on psychological manipulation. The hysteria, superstitious, and witch-hunt mentality of the town-members read as believable.
Overall, I did like this novel. I just didn’t love it.
joycerl's review against another edition
5.0
I loove a good folksy rural story.I’m from Georgia so the history of the time (1800) was fascinating to me.
Dr Waycross,a medical doctor was asked to come to a little town to help with a Rabies outbreak.He soon finds out that it was a pretext to get him there.
The townspeople would rather go to the three witch sisters than have him bleed them or amputate parts which is what they believe doctors do.
This book skillfully combines magic,herbs,medicine and history.
#netgalley #thewintersisters #timwestover
Dr Waycross,a medical doctor was asked to come to a little town to help with a Rabies outbreak.He soon finds out that it was a pretext to get him there.
The townspeople would rather go to the three witch sisters than have him bleed them or amputate parts which is what they believe doctors do.
This book skillfully combines magic,herbs,medicine and history.
#netgalley #thewintersisters #timwestover
llminnowpea's review against another edition
4.0
While this doesn't take place in Maine, this reminds me very much of Van Reid's novels (which do take place in Maine). Not as dryly funny, but still, with its absurd moments, funny moments, a bit of folklore and self realization.
byronicreader's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this book and I enjoyed reading it. The Winter Sisters are intelligent and they knew what they are doing. The doctor was an pompous idiot and I can't connect with his character at all. The thing I loved about this book is the writing. The writing was wonderful and I hooked into the story from the beginning. But unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the ebook version of this book at all. The ebook version disturbed my reading experience. I think that will be rectified soon. I would recommend this book to all the fantasy fans.
flybyreader's review against another edition
4.0
(Special thanks to NetGalley and Qw Publishers for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.)
This novel is the exact embodiment of what I want in a book: the story is intriguing, concrete and well-balanced, a work of fiction based on historical facts, the characters are unique and lovable. We have love, we have action, we have fun and all in an ideal dosage that does not tire the reader out. I want to congratulate the author for balancing a great novel on a thin rope.
The Winter Sisters tells the story of a doctor, who is lured to a town thinking he would entreat patients with rabies but instead he finds himself among people, who are as healthy as an ox but just as ignorant.
They believe in charms, ointments, magical waters offered by the Winter Sisters and hecklers who provide them a medicine show every once in a while to sell potions wth weird names. Having spent all his money travelling to this forgotten part of the world without an imminent escape, the doctor starts discovering the town and undertake the mission of directing the attention of the townsfolk towards hippocratic medicine and positive science (by positive science, don’t expect something complicated though, it’s mid 1800s for God’s sake, the most advanced method is bleeding the patient by opening up some woulds to let the infected/dirty/excessive blood and getting high on ether for fun.)
A civilized, educated western man amongst common people, trying to persuade them that witches and magic do not exist. Will he accomplish his goal or lower his guard to let the magic leak into his spirit, changing his core beliefs? This is a great read for the lovers of the genre.
This novel is the exact embodiment of what I want in a book: the story is intriguing, concrete and well-balanced, a work of fiction based on historical facts, the characters are unique and lovable. We have love, we have action, we have fun and all in an ideal dosage that does not tire the reader out. I want to congratulate the author for balancing a great novel on a thin rope.
The Winter Sisters tells the story of a doctor, who is lured to a town thinking he would entreat patients with rabies but instead he finds himself among people, who are as healthy as an ox but just as ignorant.
They believe in charms, ointments, magical waters offered by the Winter Sisters and hecklers who provide them a medicine show every once in a while to sell potions wth weird names. Having spent all his money travelling to this forgotten part of the world without an imminent escape, the doctor starts discovering the town and undertake the mission of directing the attention of the townsfolk towards hippocratic medicine and positive science (by positive science, don’t expect something complicated though, it’s mid 1800s for God’s sake, the most advanced method is bleeding the patient by opening up some woulds to let the infected/dirty/excessive blood and getting high on ether for fun.)
A civilized, educated western man amongst common people, trying to persuade them that witches and magic do not exist. Will he accomplish his goal or lower his guard to let the magic leak into his spirit, changing his core beliefs? This is a great read for the lovers of the genre.
chelsaat's review against another edition
2.0
I would have enjoyed this much more if it was solely from the perspective of the Winter sisters. I didn't care for Dr. Waycross much at all, although it was nice to see his evolution from a by-the-books scientific doctor into someone a bit more believing in the fantastical and the tried-and-true healing arts. Medicine was...truly horrific then, wasn't it? There was way too much detailed description of blood-letting and amputations here for my taste. Thank god I didn't live back then. All hail vaccines AND witch hazel.
The ending was truly bizarre and would have made more sense if we had any prior insight into Effie's head before then. Instead she's held as this enigmatic figure, a riddle instead of a person, and I honestly felt no emotion upon hearing her final fate.
I did enjoy some of the atmosphere and vibes of this book. Very seasonally appropriate.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book. Just a note to you guys -- the ebook here was impossible to decipher between POV shifts. Really hindered the reading experience.
The ending was truly bizarre and would have made more sense if we had any prior insight into Effie's head before then. Instead she's held as this enigmatic figure, a riddle instead of a person, and I honestly felt no emotion upon hearing her final fate.
I did enjoy some of the atmosphere and vibes of this book. Very seasonally appropriate.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book. Just a note to you guys -- the ebook here was impossible to decipher between POV shifts. Really hindered the reading experience.
fixatedonfiction's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed reading The Winter Sisters. I loved the mystery of the three sisters and hearing about how they treated ailments and the fact that their remedies were classed as witchcraft, although technically, yes they were witches. But still, the remedies they had given were much better than Dr Waycross's remedies!
It was really slow to start off with for me, but once I sat down and got into it, it turned out to be a great historical read with magical realism.
It was really slow to start off with for me, but once I sat down and got into it, it turned out to be a great historical read with magical realism.