sonham's review against another edition
1.0
Dieses Buch war Teil des in England sehr beliebten "Richard's and Judy's BookClub" und ich hatte in deren Podcast nur Gutes darüber gehört. Ich war also neugierig genug, um es auf meinen Kindle zu laden. Doch ich stolperte bereits über den Anfang, den ich einfach nicht verstanden habe. Ich schob es auf ein sprachliches Problem und las weiter. Es entwickelte sich wirklich spannend und sehr, sehr gruselig, auch wenn eigentlich nicht viel geschah und auch der rote Faden fast völlig fehlte. Aber so richtig absurd wurde es dann im letzten Viertel. Man hat das Gefühl, die Autorin wusste nicht, wie sie die Geschichte beenden sollte und hat dann mal tief in die "religiöse Horrokiste" gegriffen. Sie hat keine Vampire aus dem Hut gezaubert, immerhin, dafür aber eine noch unglaubwürdigeren Figur. Sie hat das "Draculagenre" eindeutig in Sachen Blödsinn getoppt.
Was für ein Schrott - besser nicht lesen.
Was für ein Schrott - besser nicht lesen.
belovedsnail's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Adequately written, but the plot was predictable and uninteresting.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
chrissireads's review
3.0
I really enjoyed parts of this book. It was well written, easy to read despite it being so eerie. I felt a little let down by the ending but other than that, I think it is well worth reading.
bibliobethreads's review
3.0
A good debut thriller with themes of motherhood, religion and pure evil! Quite eerie in places with an intriguing ending, I wouldn't mind seeing what this author does next.
klnbennett's review
1.0
This book was repetitive and obvious. There were hundreds of pages of set-up, with almost no payoff at all. It was slow and I lost all sympathy for the main character very early on.
gurveen_kaur's review
2.0
So disappointed with this one! I was really hoping to enjoy it but it just felt dragged on, and most of it didn't really fit well within the story line. The scares and horror of it all felt quite weak and forceful.
And yet again, the protagonist was made into this clueless, hopeless and a weak person to such an unrealistic and frustrating extent.
Blog: www.timesofgee.com
And yet again, the protagonist was made into this clueless, hopeless and a weak person to such an unrealistic and frustrating extent.
Blog: www.timesofgee.com
beckylej's review
4.0
After losing her husband overseas, Cass is in need of a change. The advert for the newly renovated mill turned apartment building in Darnshaw comes at the perfect time. Cass lived in Darnshaw for a while when she was a kid and though the memories of the place aren't all wonderful, it seems this is just what she and her son need. They arrive to find that building has stopped on the mill - but for their apartment, the building is empty of tenants and - if the apartment below Cass's is any indication - it'll be a while before that changes. But the other mothers seem welcoming enough and the substitute at her son's school is very supportive. Then the snow arrives. Darnshaw is soon cut off and Cass begins to realize that the village isn't at all what she'd hoped it would be.
I've been looking forward to this debut from Alison Littlewood for quite some time. When it hit shelves in the UK and reviews started popping up online, I immediately added it to my must have list. I'd actually planned to finally order it overseas when I learned it would be part of Quercus's US list, which of course resulted in a big, dorky happy dance.
Littlewood's strength in A COLD SEASON is atmosphere. From the get go, the town of Darnshaw and the old mill come across with ominous and creepy undertones. As the snow rolls in and Cass starts to become desperate, Littlewood ratchets up these elements appropriately. It helps to build an increasing tension throughout the story, making the reader even more aware of how Cass's situation is escalating into something horrible.
I'd originally thought that Cass's reactions to her son's behavior were odd. I'm not a parent, obviously. It's another piece of the mounting desperation that Littlewood builds in her characters, though. As she tries to excuse his odd outbursts as a result of losing his father and being uprooted, the reader is all too aware that it's something quite different.
A COLD SEASON is an excellent debut and I'm already looking forward to more from Littlewood. If I had one issue with this book, however, it would simply be that it went by too quickly.
I've been looking forward to this debut from Alison Littlewood for quite some time. When it hit shelves in the UK and reviews started popping up online, I immediately added it to my must have list. I'd actually planned to finally order it overseas when I learned it would be part of Quercus's US list, which of course resulted in a big, dorky happy dance.
Littlewood's strength in A COLD SEASON is atmosphere. From the get go, the town of Darnshaw and the old mill come across with ominous and creepy undertones. As the snow rolls in and Cass starts to become desperate, Littlewood ratchets up these elements appropriately. It helps to build an increasing tension throughout the story, making the reader even more aware of how Cass's situation is escalating into something horrible.
I'd originally thought that Cass's reactions to her son's behavior were odd. I'm not a parent, obviously. It's another piece of the mounting desperation that Littlewood builds in her characters, though. As she tries to excuse his odd outbursts as a result of losing his father and being uprooted, the reader is all too aware that it's something quite different.
A COLD SEASON is an excellent debut and I'm already looking forward to more from Littlewood. If I had one issue with this book, however, it would simply be that it went by too quickly.
ephemerawoman's review
3.0
This is a very English horror story, reminding me of James Herbert's more restrained works (the David Ash books, rather than Rats).
An English village, cut off by snow, strange goings on and a young boy in peril. Well-written, pacy and engaging and a creeping sense of dread rather than a ton of gore.
Perfect lazy summer reading.
An English village, cut off by snow, strange goings on and a young boy in peril. Well-written, pacy and engaging and a creeping sense of dread rather than a ton of gore.
Perfect lazy summer reading.