Winterkill by Kate A. Boorman
Published by Abrams on September 9th 2014
Pages: 336
Format: eARC
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Emmeline knows she’s not supposed to explore the woods outside her settlement. The enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, attacking at night and keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters. Living with the shame of her grandmother’s insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent.
When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it’s an opportunity for Emmeline to wash the family slate clean—even if she has eyes for another. But before she’s forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her into the woods, where she uncovers a path she can’t help but follow. The trail leads to a secret that someone in the village will kill to protect. Her grandmother followed the same path and paid the price. If Emmeline isn’t careful, she will be next.
Oh, where do I start?
Winterkill = The Village meets… well, The Village
Deep in the woods lies a village. Although high walls and watchers protect the village, there lies a deeper threat, the malmaci. No one knows for sure what the malmaci is, but the fear of this creature has kept this village deep in the woods for generations. The people of this village depend on the Council for guidance and protection. But what happens when all you think you knew is false?
Going into Winterkill, I pretty much knew what to expect. Although, I was hoping for a nice twist or two, sadly, with Winterkill, what you see is basically what you get.
The story itself started off nicely. Emmeline is a Stained. A person who has been disgraced due to the actions of another. For Emmeline, it was the actions of her grandmother. Although Emmeline knows the stories of her grandmother’s actions and understands what is at stake for her own family, she cannot help but be called to the woods just like her grandmother.
I wanted to like Emmeline. I wanted to like most of the characters in Winterkill. Heck, I even really wanted to like Winterkill itself. However, there is one huge issue I have with Winterkill (the world, the characters, just all of it)… nothing is ever fully explained! Winterkill has this strange habit of dancing along the surface with just about everything. Giving just enough details to satisfy basic questions or to give a general understanding without fully going into depth. While this was often beyond frustrating, it also left me feeling disconnected from the read more than I would have liked. Every time I felt like I was on the verge of making a connection with Winterkill, it would get cut short. So, instead of leaving the book feeling some sort of connection with Emmeline or Tom or Kane or even this world, I left wishing that either the book had been longer to allow for those bonds to have formed or that maybe it would have taken another direction.
All the complaints I have aside, most not mentioned to avoid spoilers, Winterkill is an enjoyable read for what it is. Do I wish there had been more to it? Absolutely. Do I wish things had been explained better? A thousand times yes! Winterkill is what it is. The possibility is set for this to be a series or possibly have a sequel. While I have my issues with Winterkill, I would actually like to see more of this world. Most of the best bits of Winterkill are the parts describing the world outside of the village. That world has potential, and I would love to get to see it.
Verdict:
If you liked The Village, go for it. Winterkill will be right up your alley. However, if not, Winterkill may not be your cup of tea. There is plenty to like in Winterkill, but it could have been so much better if it had gone into more depth.