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Winter Animals
In one of America's Happiest Cities, Elen is trapped under the shadow of the snow-capped Cascade Mountains. Her husband has left her. Her belongings are in the boot of her car. Her days are filled mostly with silence and drinking. When she meets four English teenagers in an empty bar, she is enamoured.
The teenagers are wealthy squatters, drifting between ski resorts and breaking into empty AirBnBs. As they welcome Elen into their group, she senses a violent secret that fuels the four's never-ending disappearing act, simmering beneath the well-oiled machine of their socialist bliss.
Vibrant and cultish, they force Elen to ruminate on the irresistible pull of bright young things. She cannot understand what they want from her - but why would Elen leave when she has nowhere else to go?
A dark meditation on the dangers and seductive power of youthful idealism, and the slippages between friendship and love, Winter Animals is an extraordinary debut examining freedom, friendship, desire, and excess.
The teenagers are wealthy squatters, drifting between ski resorts and breaking into empty AirBnBs. As they welcome Elen into their group, she senses a violent secret that fuels the four's never-ending disappearing act, simmering beneath the well-oiled machine of their socialist bliss.
Vibrant and cultish, they force Elen to ruminate on the irresistible pull of bright young things. She cannot understand what they want from her - but why would Elen leave when she has nowhere else to go?
A dark meditation on the dangers and seductive power of youthful idealism, and the slippages between friendship and love, Winter Animals is an extraordinary debut examining freedom, friendship, desire, and excess.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2024
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855 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 18, 2023
Winter Animals is a novel about a woman who finds herself drawn into the world of four wealthy squatters as they visit ski resorts and dream of their ideal future community. Elen lives in Bend, Oregon, and has been drinking since her husband left her. When she meets four British rich kids in a bar, they invite her to join them, squatting in buildings in beautiful ski locations, skiing and drinking. One of them, Luka, obsesses over a long-dead writer's ideal of community, hoping to build something similar, but utopias don't always go as planned.
This is a hazy novel, with prose that invites you to float through the narrative like Elen seems to be floating through her experiences, and doesn't answer many of its own questions. In terms of actual plotline, there's not a huge amount going on, with small moments and dramas and a fairly abrupt ending, as the book is more about ideas and themes: wealth, desire, freedom, dreams. There is a good atmosphere created, but overall the book did end up dragging for me, with a lot of not much actually happening, and maybe the 'outsider joins a weird posh group' concept needs more of an actual narrative to go deeper than just 'how weird what rich people can just do'. Elen's own desires and feelings towards the others were interestingly confused, but the ending felt like it ignored all of that and become a slightly different book, and strangely for a book that seems to be trying to focus on it, queer desire felt very brushed aside in the narrative, and the fluid vibe of many things in the book didn't seem to translate into anything interesting around gender roles or desire.
Winter Animals has a good concept and from the way it is described and categorised it seemed like it might have more about transgressive excess or power, but instead it felt quite safe, similar to a lot of other books about a group of rich kids, and the skiing element didn't really have enough impact by the end to make it feel distinctive enough.
This is a hazy novel, with prose that invites you to float through the narrative like Elen seems to be floating through her experiences, and doesn't answer many of its own questions. In terms of actual plotline, there's not a huge amount going on, with small moments and dramas and a fairly abrupt ending, as the book is more about ideas and themes: wealth, desire, freedom, dreams. There is a good atmosphere created, but overall the book did end up dragging for me, with a lot of not much actually happening, and maybe the 'outsider joins a weird posh group' concept needs more of an actual narrative to go deeper than just 'how weird what rich people can just do'. Elen's own desires and feelings towards the others were interestingly confused, but the ending felt like it ignored all of that and become a slightly different book, and strangely for a book that seems to be trying to focus on it, queer desire felt very brushed aside in the narrative, and the fluid vibe of many things in the book didn't seem to translate into anything interesting around gender roles or desire.
Winter Animals has a good concept and from the way it is described and categorised it seemed like it might have more about transgressive excess or power, but instead it felt quite safe, similar to a lot of other books about a group of rich kids, and the skiing element didn't really have enough impact by the end to make it feel distinctive enough.
February 2, 2024
I felt personally victimized by the misleading comparison made between Winter Animals and Donna Tartt's The Secret History, which massively skewed my expectations for this book…
Winter Animals is a "no plot just vibes", character-driven story, so if that is not your cup of tea, this one may not be for you. The concept had such potential, but the execution was completely fumbled. Every aspect of this book fell flat – the writing style, the abrupt, disappointing ending, the two-dimensional, archetypal characters, the numerous questions posed and then left unanswered and undeveloped. These undeveloped ideas particularly irked me – why did Elen keep having visions of murdering her friends and violent hallucinations that were never explained? Why did the author spend so much time centralising Elen's queer desire only to discard it, leaving readers to question its relevance? The cultish aspect of the narrative was probably the most intriguing thing about the book, and could have been the focal point for unfolding drama, but this too, fails to deliver on its potential.
Ultimately, the writing style, dialogue, characters, and themes collectively create the uncomfortable impression that this is evidently a novel that is trying really hard to appear clever and profound.
The characters come off as contrived, overly familiar to the literary fiction/dark academia genre – the privileged intellectual teens who are obsessed with themselves and their mission are too two-dimensional to deliver.
Dropping in philosophical discussions uttered by pretentious characters does not equate to a clever novel that is on par with The Secret History, whose erudite characters, while unlikeable and definitely pretentious, display a depth, a complexity, an insight into the human psyche that the flimsy characters of Winter Animals lack.
I brought my rating up to two stars because I will concede this book had moments of great writing, and as mentioned previously, it had so much potential, but the execution left much to be desired. Winter Animals struggles to live up to its own aspirations.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Winter Animals is a "no plot just vibes", character-driven story, so if that is not your cup of tea, this one may not be for you. The concept had such potential, but the execution was completely fumbled. Every aspect of this book fell flat – the writing style, the abrupt, disappointing ending, the two-dimensional, archetypal characters, the numerous questions posed and then left unanswered and undeveloped. These undeveloped ideas particularly irked me – why did Elen keep having visions of murdering her friends and violent hallucinations that were never explained? Why did the author spend so much time centralising Elen's queer desire only to discard it, leaving readers to question its relevance? The cultish aspect of the narrative was probably the most intriguing thing about the book, and could have been the focal point for unfolding drama, but this too, fails to deliver on its potential.
Ultimately, the writing style, dialogue, characters, and themes collectively create the uncomfortable impression that this is evidently a novel that is trying really hard to appear clever and profound.
The characters come off as contrived, overly familiar to the literary fiction/dark academia genre – the privileged intellectual teens who are obsessed with themselves and their mission are too two-dimensional to deliver.
Dropping in philosophical discussions uttered by pretentious characters does not equate to a clever novel that is on par with The Secret History, whose erudite characters, while unlikeable and definitely pretentious, display a depth, a complexity, an insight into the human psyche that the flimsy characters of Winter Animals lack.
I brought my rating up to two stars because I will concede this book had moments of great writing, and as mentioned previously, it had so much potential, but the execution left much to be desired. Winter Animals struggles to live up to its own aspirations.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 3, 2025
I took my time with this small novel but I really did enjoy. I recommend if you like cultish vibes which this gave off.
I really enjoyed the back story for Elen. This came off a YouTubers recommendation and now adding more from their channel into my 2025 list
I really enjoyed the back story for Elen. This came off a YouTubers recommendation and now adding more from their channel into my 2025 list
February 4, 2024
A beautiful cover and endorsements comparing this book to The Secret History is what led me to request this book on Netgalley. I was sold a pup. Despite some occasional flashes of brilliant writing, this was for the most part, a poorly executed, pretentious novel that believes itself to be saying something profound when really it’s just a bunch of one-dimensional privileged kids on an ill-conceived gap year.
Elen is a 38 year old woman from Oregon whose marriage has ended. Drinking herself into a spiral, she is picked up by some posh English teens/ski bums. She decides to accompany them on their trip north towards Canada, where they opt to crash in deserted/unoccupied ski resorts and chalets, spending their days skiing and their nights ruminating on their own self-importance.
One of the group Luka is obsessed with an 18th Century French philosopher Fourier whose idea of a utopian community with relaxed sexual mores and a health dose of misogyny can only augur badly for the group.
Despite an interesting premise, nothing much happens, characters aren’t well fleshed out (Clover and her endlessly mentioned beautiful hair doesn’t count) and there is little to like beyond some eerie descriptions of abandoned hotels and snow-capped mountains. This was a slog. All vibes, no plot. A disappointing 2/5⭐️
*Many thanks to Dialogue Books for the arc via Netgalley. As always, this is an honest review.
Elen is a 38 year old woman from Oregon whose marriage has ended. Drinking herself into a spiral, she is picked up by some posh English teens/ski bums. She decides to accompany them on their trip north towards Canada, where they opt to crash in deserted/unoccupied ski resorts and chalets, spending their days skiing and their nights ruminating on their own self-importance.
One of the group Luka is obsessed with an 18th Century French philosopher Fourier whose idea of a utopian community with relaxed sexual mores and a health dose of misogyny can only augur badly for the group.
Despite an interesting premise, nothing much happens, characters aren’t well fleshed out (Clover and her endlessly mentioned beautiful hair doesn’t count) and there is little to like beyond some eerie descriptions of abandoned hotels and snow-capped mountains. This was a slog. All vibes, no plot. A disappointing 2/5⭐️
*Many thanks to Dialogue Books for the arc via Netgalley. As always, this is an honest review.
December 17, 2023
The premise of this book sounded so so good but ultimately, I think it fell flat. I did appreciate the flow of the book and how it coasted along, like Elen and the teenagers and I enjoyed the ‘cultish’ aspect. Overall, there were more questions than answers.
September 28, 2025
It’s okay, it’s diverting.
The premise is this: sad, broke, 30-something divorcee meets happy, 20-something trust fund babies and they set up a ski cult together.
Unfortunately, even a fat trust fund doesn’t make your life perfect. Luckily, that’s what the ski cult is for. One guess as to how well that works out in the end.
The premise is this: sad, broke, 30-something divorcee meets happy, 20-something trust fund babies and they set up a ski cult together.
Unfortunately, even a fat trust fund doesn’t make your life perfect. Luckily, that’s what the ski cult is for. One guess as to how well that works out in the end.
February 21, 2024
I read this book enticed by the comparison to The Secret History- I wasn’t disappointed (also brings Madam to mind). I love the setting (a snowy town- Instagram perfect in my head, but with those fake almost creepy smiles, an abandoned holiday park- I’d have liked more of that- and an uninhibited holiday home). I didn’t like the characters but that was the point, I think. I was slightly confused by the storyline about the incident with the brother/watermelon and thought it could have been explored further and there wasn’t much of a driving plot but I thoroughly enjoyed this and will be buying the hard copy to revisit (much like my very dog eared copy of TSH.) an exciting debut!
September 10, 2025
Great book to read on holiday - although probably better fit for a snowy vacay. Explored youth, privilege, identity and belonging in a very digestible, lighthearted way, although thoroughly enjoyed the darker undertones. Probably wouldn’t read again or massively remember the plot but worth a read nonetheless.
January 16, 2024
★★★★☆
The NetGalley email said that this was for fans of The White Lotus and The Secret History, which if you've ever even brushed past Bookstagram is a big claim. I definitely see where they were going with that, but for me this was very Ottessa Moshfegh-esque (particularly Eileen but that might be because there was snow lol).
This follows Elen, recently abandoned by her husband, homeless and drinking, where she meets 4 privileged 20-somethings squatting at various places to go skiing. The entire book keeps you on edge, with this constant eerie quality that everything could explode at any point (which is, as claimed, very White Lotus), although is very much a "no-plot-just-vibes" kind of narrative. If you're looking for a super-twisty thriller this probably isn't it, but for anyone that wants to feel like your skin is crawling and someone is constantly watching you, then do I have a winner.
There was one chapter that shifted perspective which was a bit rogue for me, and as a self-professed plot-girlie, I do wish there was a little bit more substance to the ending, but overall it was a good read. I <3 Clover.
Huge thanks to Dialogue Books for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
cw// mentions of animal abuse/hunting, alcoholism, drug use, scenes of violence
The NetGalley email said that this was for fans of The White Lotus and The Secret History, which if you've ever even brushed past Bookstagram is a big claim. I definitely see where they were going with that, but for me this was very Ottessa Moshfegh-esque (particularly Eileen but that might be because there was snow lol).
This follows Elen, recently abandoned by her husband, homeless and drinking, where she meets 4 privileged 20-somethings squatting at various places to go skiing. The entire book keeps you on edge, with this constant eerie quality that everything could explode at any point (which is, as claimed, very White Lotus), although is very much a "no-plot-just-vibes" kind of narrative. If you're looking for a super-twisty thriller this probably isn't it, but for anyone that wants to feel like your skin is crawling and someone is constantly watching you, then do I have a winner.
There was one chapter that shifted perspective which was a bit rogue for me, and as a self-professed plot-girlie, I do wish there was a little bit more substance to the ending, but overall it was a good read. I <3 Clover.
Huge thanks to Dialogue Books for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
cw// mentions of animal abuse/hunting, alcoholism, drug use, scenes of violence
October 19, 2024
I'm still at a loss as to what the point of Winter Animals was. The novel dives into some weighty themes – utopianism, political idealism in Bright Young Things, sapphic desire, and complex human relationships – all of which have been explored many times before in novels of this genre. This combination of themes could have made for a truly excellent book, but the novel’s attempts at profundity fell flat, leaving me confused and, dare I say, bored.
The characters are so superficially shaped that I struggled to care about any of them. The novel follows Elen, a woman in her late thirties, as she spends her time getting drunk and high while squatting in abandoned ski resorts with a group of rich kids (à la Saltburn or Gossip Girl), but nothing particularly meaningful or interesting ever happens to her in the process and her interactions with a group of four much younger people feel aimless. Her queer desire never gets realised, nor does anyone have any sort of epiphany which the novel hints at constantly. It felt like I was dragging myself through this, waiting for some glimmer of context that sadly never arrived.
And then there’s the skiing. I cannot express to you how little I care about skiing, and the constant back-and-forth to the slopes frustrated me to no end. I believe I even muttered “Oh not again” out loud when they were back on the mountain. It quickly became monotonous; a needless backdrop to an already meandering plot. The novel could have been set anywhere else and gained the same effect: the ski resorts felt like little more than an empty symbol (perhaps an attempt to inspire a sense of liminal space?) but ultimately just came across as tedious.
What also threw me off was the clunky voice of Elen. Winter Animals is set in the USA, yet it’s peppered with overtly British vernacular. Reading terms like “trolley” instead of “shopping cart” or “lollies” instead of “popsicle” completely brought me out of the supposed American setting, regularly reminding me that this wasn’t Elen’s voice I was hearing, but rather that of an author. To me, it felt like Lewis struggled to pin down the natural cadence of Elen’s inner monologue, which is crucial for a book with this little plot.
I must mention the gratuitous animal abuse. It’s not something I take lightly in any context, but here it felt especially unnecessary. There seemed to be no purpose to it other than shock value, and it just left a bitter taste in my mouth. It added nothing to the narrative, except perhaps a sense of violence that the novel didn’t need.
There are, however, a few glimmers of potential buried in the novel. The world-building had its moments, and Lewis clearly has an eye for vivid, atmospheric writing. But these moments couldn��t redeem the larger structure, which seemed to wander without ever truly getting anywhere. It’s not even a ‘no plot, just vibes’ kind of book, because it doesn’t even commit fully to that. It’s just sort of... there, a mix of half-realised ideas and characters you can't care about.
Ultimately, Winter Animals is a book with potential but in desperate need of more rigorous editing. The themes could have led to something truly brilliant, but they’re left tragically underdeveloped. That being said, Ashani Lewis does have a distinctive voice and I wouldn’t write her off just yet. With the right editorial guidance, I’d still be intrigued to see what she does next. I just hope the next time, there’s more substance to match the style.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The characters are so superficially shaped that I struggled to care about any of them. The novel follows Elen, a woman in her late thirties, as she spends her time getting drunk and high while squatting in abandoned ski resorts with a group of rich kids (à la Saltburn or Gossip Girl), but nothing particularly meaningful or interesting ever happens to her in the process and her interactions with a group of four much younger people feel aimless. Her queer desire never gets realised, nor does anyone have any sort of epiphany which the novel hints at constantly. It felt like I was dragging myself through this, waiting for some glimmer of context that sadly never arrived.
And then there’s the skiing. I cannot express to you how little I care about skiing, and the constant back-and-forth to the slopes frustrated me to no end. I believe I even muttered “Oh not again” out loud when they were back on the mountain. It quickly became monotonous; a needless backdrop to an already meandering plot. The novel could have been set anywhere else and gained the same effect: the ski resorts felt like little more than an empty symbol (perhaps an attempt to inspire a sense of liminal space?) but ultimately just came across as tedious.
What also threw me off was the clunky voice of Elen. Winter Animals is set in the USA, yet it’s peppered with overtly British vernacular. Reading terms like “trolley” instead of “shopping cart” or “lollies” instead of “popsicle” completely brought me out of the supposed American setting, regularly reminding me that this wasn’t Elen’s voice I was hearing, but rather that of an author. To me, it felt like Lewis struggled to pin down the natural cadence of Elen’s inner monologue, which is crucial for a book with this little plot.
I must mention the gratuitous animal abuse. It’s not something I take lightly in any context, but here it felt especially unnecessary. There seemed to be no purpose to it other than shock value, and it just left a bitter taste in my mouth. It added nothing to the narrative, except perhaps a sense of violence that the novel didn’t need.
There are, however, a few glimmers of potential buried in the novel. The world-building had its moments, and Lewis clearly has an eye for vivid, atmospheric writing. But these moments couldn��t redeem the larger structure, which seemed to wander without ever truly getting anywhere. It’s not even a ‘no plot, just vibes’ kind of book, because it doesn’t even commit fully to that. It’s just sort of... there, a mix of half-realised ideas and characters you can't care about.
Ultimately, Winter Animals is a book with potential but in desperate need of more rigorous editing. The themes could have led to something truly brilliant, but they’re left tragically underdeveloped. That being said, Ashani Lewis does have a distinctive voice and I wouldn’t write her off just yet. With the right editorial guidance, I’d still be intrigued to see what she does next. I just hope the next time, there’s more substance to match the style.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2024
I love a good cult based book, especially one involving pretentious rich kids who don't seem to realise the extent of their pretentiousness. I also love books which are character driven and delve deep into a character's mind. Combine all of this and that's exactly what this book is about - plus a mid-life crisis from protagonist, Elen.
Overall, I found this book to be an interesting read, full of intriguing characters and an unpredictable plot. The supporting characters - Luka, Lyn, George and Clover - are what kept me reading, mostly because I found them all fascinating. Despite being dealt so much good luck in terms of financial security, they throw it all away to squat in empty buildings and ski all day. However, I cannot sing praise to the teenagers of the novel without criticising the main character, Elen, who I found to be the weakest part of the book. Something about her was missing to the storyline - it felt very unbelievable that she would click with the group like she did, and overall, she was just a bit boring. I think it's partly because I didn't really find the cause of the 'cult' all that believable, although the characterisation of the 'leader' and the 'followers' was excellent. Winter Animals reads as the prequel of an established cult, how the foundations are laid out and the leader is established as The One.
I would recommend this book for those looking for a quick novel depicting the beginning schemes of a cult. It also had interesting perspectives on wealth, capitalism and philosophy, and was beautifully written.
Thank you to Dialogue Books for the e-ARC!
Overall, I found this book to be an interesting read, full of intriguing characters and an unpredictable plot. The supporting characters - Luka, Lyn, George and Clover - are what kept me reading, mostly because I found them all fascinating. Despite being dealt so much good luck in terms of financial security, they throw it all away to squat in empty buildings and ski all day. However, I cannot sing praise to the teenagers of the novel without criticising the main character, Elen, who I found to be the weakest part of the book. Something about her was missing to the storyline - it felt very unbelievable that she would click with the group like she did, and overall, she was just a bit boring. I think it's partly because I didn't really find the cause of the 'cult' all that believable, although the characterisation of the 'leader' and the 'followers' was excellent. Winter Animals reads as the prequel of an established cult, how the foundations are laid out and the leader is established as The One.
I would recommend this book for those looking for a quick novel depicting the beginning schemes of a cult. It also had interesting perspectives on wealth, capitalism and philosophy, and was beautifully written.
Thank you to Dialogue Books for the e-ARC!
February 2, 2024
I always try to give a fair review and being totally honest this was just not my cup of tea and a bit of a slog to read.
Nothing much seemed to happen at all, the story seemed to centre around Elen who has been left by her husband Robert.
She is drifting and rootless and picks up with four hedonistic teens squatting aimlessly wandering between ski resorts to break into.
So starts a seemingly endless round of bed hopping, drinking and drugs.
It all just seemed rather pointless, random and I think I may have missed something in the meaning maybe other readers will pick up on with this.
I truly did find it rather boring and I couldn't engage with ANY of the characters as I didn't like or empathise with them.
The graphic scenes of animal cruelty I just glossed off as it revolted me and is a personal trigger.
This purely wasn't my kind of read so fell flat for me.
Nothing much seemed to happen at all, the story seemed to centre around Elen who has been left by her husband Robert.
She is drifting and rootless and picks up with four hedonistic teens squatting aimlessly wandering between ski resorts to break into.
So starts a seemingly endless round of bed hopping, drinking and drugs.
It all just seemed rather pointless, random and I think I may have missed something in the meaning maybe other readers will pick up on with this.
I truly did find it rather boring and I couldn't engage with ANY of the characters as I didn't like or empathise with them.
The graphic scenes of animal cruelty I just glossed off as it revolted me and is a personal trigger.
This purely wasn't my kind of read so fell flat for me.
February 3, 2025
This should’ve remained a short story.
It almost felt self-aware of how barely-a-novel it was with how it tried to save itself (multiple times) in the final act. The late additions made no difference to the book, perhaps only made me long for what it could’ve been.
Incredibly fleeting and dejected. No character was fully realised, which is a shame because this could’ve been an excellent study on human behaviour through sex and the power of cult/fantasy.
It almost felt self-aware of how barely-a-novel it was with how it tried to save itself (multiple times) in the final act. The late additions made no difference to the book, perhaps only made me long for what it could’ve been.
Incredibly fleeting and dejected. No character was fully realised, which is a shame because this could’ve been an excellent study on human behaviour through sex and the power of cult/fantasy.
January 15, 2024
If you are someone who enjoys insular character driven narratives, explorations of social philosophies and atmospheric winter settings then this may be the book for you.
This novel follows 38 year old Elen who finds herself falling in with a group of four wealthy twenty-somethings. Together the five of them ski, navigate communal living and get up to all sorts of shenanigans, whilst squatting from building to building.
Based on the synopsis, I had high hoped for this book and really wanted to love it. For the first third or so I was hooked by the premise and intrigued at what was to come. Sadly, the remainder of the book didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I can however acknowledge that I a fair few people will love this book. I will say that the writing was beautiful and I will be keeping an eye out for more from this author.
This book is very orientated around the relationships between the characters and their world views, with very minimal plot points. Whilst some readers love this, I personally had a hard time with it and if you also require more plot based stories you may struggle too.
I also had a hard time with the book continuously referring to the twenty-somethings as teenagers whilst simultaneously exploring some narratives that would be inappropriate if they were in fact teenagers, this left me a little confused at times.
I was also disappointed by a brief step into some queer themes that very abruptly just disappeared from the narrative. Whilst I am an advocate for queer characters having experiences and story lines outside of their queer identities (which we do not see often enough), the way in which queerness was approached here felt like it would become more relevant to the character development than it ultimately did. I was left disappointed with a lack of follow through.
I have bumped up my rating a little on public platforms because although it wasn’t for me, I do appreciate what this author set out to do and can see that there will definitely be an audience for this story. I can see this book being a very divisive book in the book community, which is often the best way for a new release to be!
Winter animals is set for publication on February 1st 2024.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dialogue Books for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.
This novel follows 38 year old Elen who finds herself falling in with a group of four wealthy twenty-somethings. Together the five of them ski, navigate communal living and get up to all sorts of shenanigans, whilst squatting from building to building.
Based on the synopsis, I had high hoped for this book and really wanted to love it. For the first third or so I was hooked by the premise and intrigued at what was to come. Sadly, the remainder of the book didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I can however acknowledge that I a fair few people will love this book. I will say that the writing was beautiful and I will be keeping an eye out for more from this author.
This book is very orientated around the relationships between the characters and their world views, with very minimal plot points. Whilst some readers love this, I personally had a hard time with it and if you also require more plot based stories you may struggle too.
I also had a hard time with the book continuously referring to the twenty-somethings as teenagers whilst simultaneously exploring some narratives that would be inappropriate if they were in fact teenagers, this left me a little confused at times.
I was also disappointed by a brief step into some queer themes that very abruptly just disappeared from the narrative. Whilst I am an advocate for queer characters having experiences and story lines outside of their queer identities (which we do not see often enough), the way in which queerness was approached here felt like it would become more relevant to the character development than it ultimately did. I was left disappointed with a lack of follow through.
I have bumped up my rating a little on public platforms because although it wasn’t for me, I do appreciate what this author set out to do and can see that there will definitely be an audience for this story. I can see this book being a very divisive book in the book community, which is often the best way for a new release to be!
Winter animals is set for publication on February 1st 2024.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dialogue Books for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.
July 27, 2024
This book sat on my to be read pile for rather to long apologies for that. I finally got round to reading it now.
This is the story of Elen a recent divorcee in her 30s who is about to return home to live with her parents when she meets a group of young people in a bar. These teenagers are British youth travelling around after university and choosing to live in a rather alternative lifestyle squatting in an abandoned ski chalets. Initially the story looks like it’s going to be primarily focusing on the difference in the age group of the main character to the young people however this very soon becomes irrelevant. One of the young men has become very interested in the writings of a 70s guru of free love and communal living and is trying to re-create these experiences, in his own life with mixed success.
The fact that the young people are living illegally in the buildings in which they squat gives the novel a feeling of claustrophobia and illegality which tightens the tension of the reading experience.
Likewise, the snowy weather adds to the muffled secluded atmosphere.
This is a very American novel although the main group are British it’s the differences between them and their American main character which adds interest to the story
I enjoyed the authors writing style, which is quite distinctive there is something in her writing that recalls the Secret history by Donna Tatt . And something in her writing style which is similar to the novels of Elizabeth Strout . Ultimately not much happens during the novel, but we find that we know more about the Behaviour of the main characters, characters and the way they react to each other seems real.
I read an copy of the novel on NetGalley UK. The book was published on the 1st of February 2024 by Dialogue books. This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads, and my book blog bionicSarahsbooks.wordpress.com and on Amazon UK.
This is the story of Elen a recent divorcee in her 30s who is about to return home to live with her parents when she meets a group of young people in a bar. These teenagers are British youth travelling around after university and choosing to live in a rather alternative lifestyle squatting in an abandoned ski chalets. Initially the story looks like it’s going to be primarily focusing on the difference in the age group of the main character to the young people however this very soon becomes irrelevant. One of the young men has become very interested in the writings of a 70s guru of free love and communal living and is trying to re-create these experiences, in his own life with mixed success.
The fact that the young people are living illegally in the buildings in which they squat gives the novel a feeling of claustrophobia and illegality which tightens the tension of the reading experience.
Likewise, the snowy weather adds to the muffled secluded atmosphere.
This is a very American novel although the main group are British it’s the differences between them and their American main character which adds interest to the story
I enjoyed the authors writing style, which is quite distinctive there is something in her writing that recalls the Secret history by Donna Tatt . And something in her writing style which is similar to the novels of Elizabeth Strout . Ultimately not much happens during the novel, but we find that we know more about the Behaviour of the main characters, characters and the way they react to each other seems real.
I read an copy of the novel on NetGalley UK. The book was published on the 1st of February 2024 by Dialogue books. This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads, and my book blog bionicSarahsbooks.wordpress.com and on Amazon UK.
January 7, 2024
Thirty eight year old Elen's life is disintegrating as she drinks more and more each day and then her husband leaves her. Unable to pay the rent on their house any longer she decides to leave town and move back to her estranged parents. On the way she stops for a drink and meet a group of priveledged British kids who are ski squatting their way around the world.
Initially Elen feels out of place, older, wiser and married compared to the kid's free and easy attitude. She is at odds with their family wealth and their privileges and selfish wishes to live life on their terms. But slowly she is drawn into the group and finds as her body becomes stronger with the daily exercise of skiing and climbing the mountains, so her position in the group becomes more fixed and she is accepted and accepts them.
I really enjoyed the premise of this story and was drawn in by the promise of it being compared to White Lotus and The Secret History but I have to say I found the plot somewhat lacking and actual story no where on the level of either of those two books.
I also found Lena a rather disappointing character and more than once I wanted to urge her to buck her ideas up and do something. I found her rather a doormat.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the buildings - the abandoned resort and the air b&b - that the group used and the descriptions of skiing were good. I liked the back stories of the group but ultimately the well drawn and quirky characters couldn't make up for the lack of plot for me and in my view this one sadly missed the mark.
With thanks to Netgalley and Dialogue Books for an arc copy in return for an honest review.
Initially Elen feels out of place, older, wiser and married compared to the kid's free and easy attitude. She is at odds with their family wealth and their privileges and selfish wishes to live life on their terms. But slowly she is drawn into the group and finds as her body becomes stronger with the daily exercise of skiing and climbing the mountains, so her position in the group becomes more fixed and she is accepted and accepts them.
I really enjoyed the premise of this story and was drawn in by the promise of it being compared to White Lotus and The Secret History but I have to say I found the plot somewhat lacking and actual story no where on the level of either of those two books.
I also found Lena a rather disappointing character and more than once I wanted to urge her to buck her ideas up and do something. I found her rather a doormat.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the buildings - the abandoned resort and the air b&b - that the group used and the descriptions of skiing were good. I liked the back stories of the group but ultimately the well drawn and quirky characters couldn't make up for the lack of plot for me and in my view this one sadly missed the mark.
With thanks to Netgalley and Dialogue Books for an arc copy in return for an honest review.
January 18, 2024
This is the story of Elen, a 38 year old whose husband, Robert, has recently left her and also taken everything including her home. She is left with nowhere to live and a few personal items she has in her car. While drowning her sorrows in a bar in Bend, central Oregon, she meets Luca, George, Clover and Lyn who are rich British teenagers travelling around the world and squatting in unused ski resorts, Airbnbs and similar. The young foursome are a phalanstery dedicated to the idea of following the beliefs of Charles Fourier, a French philosopher who was an influential early socialist thinker and one of the founders of utopian socialism. If you don’t know what the word phalanstery means then this is maybe not the book for you. It’s used nine times in this novel along with many similar obscure words which I just found irritating.
The foursome persuade Elen to join then and things just get weirder and weirder with lots of skiing, hedonism and drugs but no plot. There are huge passages of philosophical rambling which bored me silly and a whole section written when the group are on an acid trip. Elen ponders on her previous serious relationship with a woman but this then comes to nothing in relation to the story and the reader is left wondering of its relevance.
I regret wasting my time getting to the end of this book as it just fizzled out with no ending.
With thanks to NetGalley and Dialogue Books for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review but not a book I enjoyed at all.
The foursome persuade Elen to join then and things just get weirder and weirder with lots of skiing, hedonism and drugs but no plot. There are huge passages of philosophical rambling which bored me silly and a whole section written when the group are on an acid trip. Elen ponders on her previous serious relationship with a woman but this then comes to nothing in relation to the story and the reader is left wondering of its relevance.
I regret wasting my time getting to the end of this book as it just fizzled out with no ending.
With thanks to NetGalley and Dialogue Books for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review but not a book I enjoyed at all.
January 10, 2024
Elen finds herself questioning her life choices and her future in a US backwater mountain resort after her husband leaves her. A group of English teenagers rescue her from lonely drinking, and invite her to come along with them as they move from ski resort to ski resort, squatting in empty chalets.
She is attracted by their youth and free spirit, which invigorates her and makes her feel part of a close unit but gradually the shine is tarnished as she comes to realise their sad truth.
Luka, Lyn, George and Clover are the winter animals because they carry the psychological burden of dread that they may be a generation that sees the decline of the human race. Clover does not want to bring a child in to a world of the future. They keep on moving because they do not want to come up against reality. Live for now in a hedonistic present rather than look back or forward.
There is a bit of a dive into Charles Fourier and his utopian socialism philosophy, who believed people could live harmoniously in a state of nature, free of government intervention. I was unaware of him and will investigate his ideas further.
The gradual reveal of some of the pasts of the characters is what kept me interested and offered an insight into their motivations.
She is attracted by their youth and free spirit, which invigorates her and makes her feel part of a close unit but gradually the shine is tarnished as she comes to realise their sad truth.
Luka, Lyn, George and Clover are the winter animals because they carry the psychological burden of dread that they may be a generation that sees the decline of the human race. Clover does not want to bring a child in to a world of the future. They keep on moving because they do not want to come up against reality. Live for now in a hedonistic present rather than look back or forward.
There is a bit of a dive into Charles Fourier and his utopian socialism philosophy, who believed people could live harmoniously in a state of nature, free of government intervention. I was unaware of him and will investigate his ideas further.
The gradual reveal of some of the pasts of the characters is what kept me interested and offered an insight into their motivations.
January 24, 2024
When we meet Elen, her husband has left her, their house has been repossessed, she has no job and her drinking has been out of control for a while. Ready to leave town with the only option to drive to her parents two thousand miles away, she’s in a bar having a few for the road when four English kids walk in and adopt her. In the following weeks, she stays with them in vacant holiday lets and they ski to their hearts’ content.
I get why PR teams want to mention Donna Tartt’s The Secret History when promoting a new book set on campus or featuring a close-knit group of young adults. Rarely, though, does the comparison stand up. Perhaps because Winter Animals has been likened to that classic, I anticipated death, murder even. There’s definitely an air of tension throughout. I really enjoyed it but wonder whether I would have done so more if I hadn’t had expectations of where it might head; Ashani Lewis’s writing is good enough to stand on its own merits without flip comparisons.
I received a free proof copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I get why PR teams want to mention Donna Tartt’s The Secret History when promoting a new book set on campus or featuring a close-knit group of young adults. Rarely, though, does the comparison stand up. Perhaps because Winter Animals has been likened to that classic, I anticipated death, murder even. There’s definitely an air of tension throughout. I really enjoyed it but wonder whether I would have done so more if I hadn’t had expectations of where it might head; Ashani Lewis’s writing is good enough to stand on its own merits without flip comparisons.
I received a free proof copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
April 3, 2024
It took me a while to get into the rhythm of this book but once you start to ‘go with the flow’, you do get swept up. Elen is a 30 something woman, who’s life is disintegrating. She meets a group of 4 British ‘students’ in a bar and tags along with them on their gap year adventures.
Elen is well developed, although a bit two dimensional. The 4 youngsters are barely described at all. The skiing is beautifully captured and although I’ve never worn a ski in my life, I felt the adrenaline and enjoyed those scenes.
The concept of ‘socialism’ and ‘group living’ is talked about by the boys especially but they’re all fairly wealthy and living cheaply in closed hotels out of season etc.,
This is not a plot driven book and if you don’t warm to the characters, you’ll get little enjoyment from following the five as they meander through various states. The ending is a bit rushed but somehow the pacing works. I’ll be looking out for more from Ashani Lewis. This is accomplished writing.
I was given a copy of the book by NetGalley
Elen is well developed, although a bit two dimensional. The 4 youngsters are barely described at all. The skiing is beautifully captured and although I’ve never worn a ski in my life, I felt the adrenaline and enjoyed those scenes.
The concept of ‘socialism’ and ‘group living’ is talked about by the boys especially but they’re all fairly wealthy and living cheaply in closed hotels out of season etc.,
This is not a plot driven book and if you don’t warm to the characters, you’ll get little enjoyment from following the five as they meander through various states. The ending is a bit rushed but somehow the pacing works. I’ll be looking out for more from Ashani Lewis. This is accomplished writing.
I was given a copy of the book by NetGalley
January 13, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Dialogue Books for the ARC. I’m really not sure what to think about this book. The depiction of a woman obsessing over the end of her marriage, the claustrophobic intensity of the found community/cult that she ends up living with, the sinister setting of the empty ski resorts - all really well written and compelling. Unfortunately the story just doesn’t go anywhere and the lengthy discussions of Charles Fourier’s utopian philosophy took up far too much of the book - like the author had researched him and felt the need to info dump as much as possible. It felt like the book needed reworking and editing to tighten the whole thing up.
October 8, 2024
I wanted more from this one. It was atmospheric and tense, super promising... and then just fizzled out.
Do you care about any of the characters? No. Do the characters grow in any real way? Also no. Is there any lesson here? Again, also no.
If you're into philosophy, character-driven stories and long rambling prose - this one is for you. Typically, I'm not a fan of character-driven stories and this didn't change that for me. I excpected a dark, culty, dark academia style plot and instead found deep character studies.
Do you care about any of the characters? No. Do the characters grow in any real way? Also no. Is there any lesson here? Again, also no.
If you're into philosophy, character-driven stories and long rambling prose - this one is for you. Typically, I'm not a fan of character-driven stories and this didn't change that for me. I excpected a dark, culty, dark academia style plot and instead found deep character studies.
June 4, 2024
This book was incredibly conceptual and told through ideas and theories rather than basic plot. It’s wonderfully atmospheric which I enjoyed greatly although some of the language comes across as pretentious due to an overuse of ‘big words’ and over explanations. I enjoyed getting to know the varied and interesting characters and their complexed relationships. The ideas behind the narrative are fascinating and scarily believable. It was a good short read.
December 30, 2024
What a great book to finish at the end of a year! I loved it and it felt like ending on a high. My partner gifted it to me on Christmas Eve as part of our festive tradition and I spent the Christmas period slowly reading it, wanting to savour it.
It's a hard book to describe - the premise of a woman in her late thirties hanging out with some 21 year olds is not enough to do it justice. The story is fleshed out by a meandering plot and prose that I wanted to linger on.
It's a hard book to describe - the premise of a woman in her late thirties hanging out with some 21 year olds is not enough to do it justice. The story is fleshed out by a meandering plot and prose that I wanted to linger on.
June 28, 2024
A confident and stylistically interesting debut novel marred by undercooked characters and plot. While I didn't dislike this book, I didn't take anything from it either.
With that being said, having read one of Lewis' stories in the London literary magazine Die Quieter Please, I'm very exciting for her upcoming short story collection.
With that being said, having read one of Lewis' stories in the London literary magazine Die Quieter Please, I'm very exciting for her upcoming short story collection.
July 7, 2025
I thought this book was really good for what it was. I just picked it up at a book thrift store with no reviews or idea of what it was about and I think that's probably the best way to go into any book, but this one especially. I liked the pacing and think that's probably anyone who liked My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh would like this book too.
January 11, 2024
A great book, privilege and someone down on her luck. A well plotted story that kept me turning pages.
Loved the style of writing and the storytelling.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Loved the style of writing and the storytelling.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
March 16, 2025
Chosen for its cover really (mine had two women basking in sunshine leaning on skis) but I did find this quite gripping. Not always believable, not convinced the Brits were totally authentically portrayed but I was intrigued to the end.
January 18, 2024
✨ ARC Review ✨
Winter Animals by Ashani Lewis
Publication date: 15 February 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Winter Animals is an intricate and intriguing novel that follows Elena,a 38 woman,who has been recently left by her husband and she turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism.She befriends 4 young,rich British kids and joins them on their journey of squatting and skying on different beautiful sky locations.
It gives a cultish vibe through and although the story building is quite promising,I found myself a bit confused in the end and felt like something was missing.It does have a great concept and it is written beautifully,but I think it just wasn’t the book for me.
Winter Animals by Ashani Lewis
Publication date: 15 February 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Winter Animals is an intricate and intriguing novel that follows Elena,a 38 woman,who has been recently left by her husband and she turned to alcohol as a coping mechanism.She befriends 4 young,rich British kids and joins them on their journey of squatting and skying on different beautiful sky locations.
It gives a cultish vibe through and although the story building is quite promising,I found myself a bit confused in the end and felt like something was missing.It does have a great concept and it is written beautifully,but I think it just wasn’t the book for me.
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