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A review by with_drea
Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
4.5. Overall, I enjoyed this one more than Bitterblue, but Fire still wins the series in my mind. That said, in many ways this book helps me enjoy Bitterblue more in hindsight.
It was so nice to see the growth in Bitterblue by looking at her relationship to Lovisa, especially because of how much Lovisa goes through. I do feel like Giddon & Lovisa both stole the show a bit for me— Giddon has grown so much since the first book in the series and I get real emotional about it. You could argue that Giddon & Bitterblue’s relationship seemed a little rushed, but I forgive it with the 5 year interim period & the inklings we saw in Bitterblue.
We also get a couple other nonhuman POVs in this, which was really cool to see, though I wish we’d gotten more of it. I feel really good about Ad’s story arc, but wish we saw more from the “Keeper,” especially considering they were our first POV in the book.
Aside from the characters, there’s a lot of hope & good messages in the text re: politics & the environment that I think would be valuable for anyone younger reading this. I’m a little too jaded for it, but I appreciate it nonetheless.
Holding out hope for a someday return to the Dells, but I love this new world & the people in it that we’ve met!
It was so nice to see the growth in Bitterblue by looking at her relationship to Lovisa, especially because of how much Lovisa goes through. I do feel like Giddon & Lovisa both stole the show a bit for me— Giddon has grown so much since the first book in the series and I get real emotional about it. You could argue that Giddon & Bitterblue’s relationship seemed a little rushed, but I forgive it with the 5 year interim period & the inklings we saw in Bitterblue.
We also get a couple other nonhuman POVs in this, which was really cool to see, though I wish we’d gotten more of it. I feel really good about Ad’s story arc, but wish we saw more from the “Keeper,” especially considering they were our first POV in the book.
Aside from the characters, there’s a lot of hope & good messages in the text re: politics & the environment that I think would be valuable for anyone younger reading this. I’m a little too jaded for it, but I appreciate it nonetheless.
Holding out hope for a someday return to the Dells, but I love this new world & the people in it that we’ve met!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Colonisation