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Winter White: A Modern Retelling of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale
A bold and authentic reimagining of The Winter’s Tale full of tragedy, triumph, and an unforgettable voice.
Pia and her brother, Max, live on an isolated farm in rural Maine, and it’s the only life they remember. Their father says the only way for them to stay protected is to stay on the farm. Pia doesn’t question it. Pia’s entire world turns upside down when her father breaks his leg, and she must be the one to venture into town to make farm deliveries. And then she sees him. Felix, a boy who is both a stranger and somehow familiar, makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself, her past, and her family. But no matter how she feels about Felix, she must always obey her father, above all else.
But Pia's feelings are too big to ignore, and the more she engages with Felix, the more she begins to see that there’s promise for her beyond the isolated world to which she’s grown accustomed. And the more she dreams about a better life, the more she wonders if her father is telling the truth about their family’s past. Pia knows her father and his friend Anthony are hiding something, and soon Pia must reckon with the damage her father is doing to their community and the damage he has done to their own lives.
Winter White is an astonishingly told and searingly authentic reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Kathleen Glasgow, and Sarah Dessen.
Pia and her brother, Max, live on an isolated farm in rural Maine, and it’s the only life they remember. Their father says the only way for them to stay protected is to stay on the farm. Pia doesn’t question it. Pia’s entire world turns upside down when her father breaks his leg, and she must be the one to venture into town to make farm deliveries. And then she sees him. Felix, a boy who is both a stranger and somehow familiar, makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself, her past, and her family. But no matter how she feels about Felix, she must always obey her father, above all else.
But Pia's feelings are too big to ignore, and the more she engages with Felix, the more she begins to see that there’s promise for her beyond the isolated world to which she’s grown accustomed. And the more she dreams about a better life, the more she wonders if her father is telling the truth about their family’s past. Pia knows her father and his friend Anthony are hiding something, and soon Pia must reckon with the damage her father is doing to their community and the damage he has done to their own lives.
Winter White is an astonishingly told and searingly authentic reimagining of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Kathleen Glasgow, and Sarah Dessen.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 27, 2026
About the author
Annie Cardi
3 books112 followersAnnie Cardi is the author of Red, which was chosen as Kids’ Indie Next Pick by the American Booksellers Association and The Chance You Won’t Return, which received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly, and was named a Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year. She has an MFA from Emerson College, and she currently lives with her family and dog in the Boston area.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 27, 2026
It was an absolute page turner!
April 3, 2026
I’m an adult, not a teen, so not the target audience. The book has some issues. Pia has supposedly been isolated for ten years. Her family has no TV, no computers, etc. She leaves the farm just twice a year. I’ve known some people who live rather isolated lives. Their teens are a bit different. Yet Pia, with no outside exposure, acts like any other teenager. It is not plausible. Towards the end of the book, Pia says she doesn’t know much music. Yet earlier in the book, she somehow knows that Freddy Mercury is the lead singer of Queen. Not credible. She doesn’t have a cell phone, yet when she sneaks one away from her father, she knows how to send and then delete a text. Not plausible. So her character is not believable. The book has other odd inconsistencies. For example, her father breaks his leg and can barely get around. But then one night he’s somehow managed to climb upstairs to check on Pia. The next morning he again has trouble walking. Not credible. Pia is always doing chores, rarely school. That was rather repetitive. All that said, why four stars? The author succeeded at a modern version of The Winter’s Tale! I’ve always liked The Winter’s Tale. I was impressed how she wove many of the themes and characters and storylines into the book. I hope other readers check out her source material to see what she’s done. Plus, overall I enjoyed reading it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book.
This is a modern retelling of winter’s tale by Shakespeare. I think it nailed the central themes of the original work while still being its own.
Pia is living in a farm in Maine with her younger brother Max and her dad. Pia goes into town once a year until her dad breaks his leg and can’t do his daily deliveries. Pia has to replace her father and make deliveries. This gives her an opportunity to go into town and meet new people, including Felix.
The writing was nice. It was pretty YA, but it does deal with domestic violence, drugs and death. The ending was predictable from the beginning but I still enjoyed my time reading this book. I’d recommend it if you want a new take on a classic story!
This is a modern retelling of winter’s tale by Shakespeare. I think it nailed the central themes of the original work while still being its own.
Pia is living in a farm in Maine with her younger brother Max and her dad. Pia goes into town once a year until her dad breaks his leg and can’t do his daily deliveries. Pia has to replace her father and make deliveries. This gives her an opportunity to go into town and meet new people, including Felix.
The writing was nice. It was pretty YA, but it does deal with domestic violence, drugs and death. The ending was predictable from the beginning but I still enjoyed my time reading this book. I’d recommend it if you want a new take on a classic story!
July 20, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Union Square & Co for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pia and her brother, Max, live with their father in a secluded farm in the rural part of Maine. Their father says the only way to stay safe is to keep their heads down and stay on the farm. However after their father has an accident and breaks his leg, he has Pia begin going to town to not only make errands but to mostly make mysterious deliveries to people. As she goes into town, she begins to learn that not everything is as it seems and she meets a boy, Felix, who she instantly connects with and seems familiar somehow…
A modern retelling of Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale, this YA was super well written I thought. Pia and her brother’s relationship is really sweet despite the environment that they are in. And I love Pia’s slow realization of what her dad said is true and what isn’t the more she goes into town. It’s a heavier story but everything wraps up nicely in the end. I had a hard time putting it down and finished it really quickly. It was tense and I was on the edge of my sheet especially the last 20% of the story. This is my first novel that I have read by Annie Cardi, and I look forward to reading more of her work!
Pia and her brother, Max, live with their father in a secluded farm in the rural part of Maine. Their father says the only way to stay safe is to keep their heads down and stay on the farm. However after their father has an accident and breaks his leg, he has Pia begin going to town to not only make errands but to mostly make mysterious deliveries to people. As she goes into town, she begins to learn that not everything is as it seems and she meets a boy, Felix, who she instantly connects with and seems familiar somehow…
A modern retelling of Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale, this YA was super well written I thought. Pia and her brother’s relationship is really sweet despite the environment that they are in. And I love Pia’s slow realization of what her dad said is true and what isn’t the more she goes into town. It’s a heavier story but everything wraps up nicely in the end. I had a hard time putting it down and finished it really quickly. It was tense and I was on the edge of my sheet especially the last 20% of the story. This is my first novel that I have read by Annie Cardi, and I look forward to reading more of her work!
September 8, 2025
I'm not entirely sure if I liked this story or not. Winter White is very well written and kept me reading despite the lack of much of a plot. All the events that drove the plot past daily chores and brief visits with secret friends happen in the last 20% of the book.
Pia's life at the farm and the deliveries she has to make while her father is injured feel more real than her escape from under his thumb. There are talks about interviews with social workers, police and doctors without them being on the page. I would have liked to see some of that, or even what Pia and Max's adjustment to the real world looked like.
Despite the criticism I have, I really did enjoy getting to see Pia's chilling home life. Her devotion to her brother and her want to have a life of her own made an enthralling inner conflict.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
Pia's life at the farm and the deliveries she has to make while her father is injured feel more real than her escape from under his thumb. There are talks about interviews with social workers, police and doctors without them being on the page. I would have liked to see some of that, or even what Pia and Max's adjustment to the real world looked like.
Despite the criticism I have, I really did enjoy getting to see Pia's chilling home life. Her devotion to her brother and her want to have a life of her own made an enthralling inner conflict.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2026
4.75/5
I rarely tend to read Shakespeare retellings because they aren't always done... well? It's very difficult for me to end up enjoying a retelling in general because you never know how much the author / director of the film could be pulling from the source material, or even hate language that was used, whether that be for better or worse. This though. Omg. I actually want to read The Winter's Tale now and I have a good feeling it might be one of my favorite Shakespeare plays? The plot point of this story though were so good. I was hooked from the very beginning and as the plot progressed, it was just so well done. It was incredibly tense at times and the mystery that was unfolded... I was obsessed. My only thing about the book is that I wish the ending was drawn out a little more. I felt that it was rushed and I really wanted a little bit more.
I rarely tend to read Shakespeare retellings because they aren't always done... well? It's very difficult for me to end up enjoying a retelling in general because you never know how much the author / director of the film could be pulling from the source material, or even hate language that was used, whether that be for better or worse. This though. Omg. I actually want to read The Winter's Tale now and I have a good feeling it might be one of my favorite Shakespeare plays? The plot point of this story though were so good. I was hooked from the very beginning and as the plot progressed, it was just so well done. It was incredibly tense at times and the mystery that was unfolded... I was obsessed. My only thing about the book is that I wish the ending was drawn out a little more. I felt that it was rushed and I really wanted a little bit more.
April 22, 2026
Really well done. I picked this book up, intrigued by the connection to The Winter’s Tale, and I’m so glad I did. Set in rural Maine, you really feel the isolation, and the beauty of the landscape. As Emma/Pia’s world expands, the reality of her situation becomes more and more clear. Emma is involved unknowingly in illegal activities through her father, but it is through these “deliveries” that she is able to start to explore the world. The blight of the opioid crisis is drawn with great sensitivity, I cried several times. And like The Winter’s Tale, Winter White is a “romance” in the classical sense - it moves from dark to somewhat light, there’s no easy answer, but I was so grateful that Pia and Max were allowed some semblance of freedom and redemption. A brutal, complicated and beautiful book.
August 18, 2025
As a literature teacher, I felt I had to pick this up, since it is loosely based on Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. The nods to character names and plot echoes are there, though the connection feels pretty loose overall.
That said, I could not put it down. The story was gripping, and I really enjoyed the way it unfolded. The ‘almost ending’ (Anthony’s fate) felt a little overdone to me, but it worked and wrapped things up well.
This book does carry some definite trigger warnings, so I would recommend checking those beforehand. Oddly, while reading I found myself reminded of Untamed (Netflix), and those same kinds of vibes ran through the story.
Annie Cardi is now firmly on my list of authors I will read again without hesitation.
#NetGalley #WinterWhite
That said, I could not put it down. The story was gripping, and I really enjoyed the way it unfolded. The ‘almost ending’ (Anthony’s fate) felt a little overdone to me, but it worked and wrapped things up well.
This book does carry some definite trigger warnings, so I would recommend checking those beforehand. Oddly, while reading I found myself reminded of Untamed (Netflix), and those same kinds of vibes ran through the story.
Annie Cardi is now firmly on my list of authors I will read again without hesitation.
#NetGalley #WinterWhite
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Winter White is based on a less familiar Shakespearean work called The Winter Tale. It is about Pia and her brother Max who live with their less than stellar father in a remote part of Maine. They are homeschooled and kept from socializing with the world. When her father is injured, Pia must begin making "deliveries" for him in town. She meets a boy and falls in love. She also realizes that her father is doing nefarious things and that her life is a lie. It all comes to a head when her brother must be taken to the emergency room. This book is for older teens. It contains mature language and themes. It ends on a hopeful note, but is a tragic story.
I received a free advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.
I received a free advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC to review!
Annie Cardi is probably my new favorite YA author. I loved the last book, Red. This one didn’t disappoint either!
Calling it a re-telling is broad, at best. It does hit the themes and vibe of A Winter’s Tale. But it shines in getting the feeling of Pia’s isolation into the reader’s mind. It helps the reader understand why decisions are made. Touching also on the fentanyl crisis helps keep this feeling relevant to current times. Touching on domestic violence was a heavy topic, but one that handled with expert storytelling.
Exit, pursued by bear.
Annie Cardi is probably my new favorite YA author. I loved the last book, Red. This one didn’t disappoint either!
Calling it a re-telling is broad, at best. It does hit the themes and vibe of A Winter’s Tale. But it shines in getting the feeling of Pia’s isolation into the reader’s mind. It helps the reader understand why decisions are made. Touching also on the fentanyl crisis helps keep this feeling relevant to current times. Touching on domestic violence was a heavy topic, but one that handled with expert storytelling.
Exit, pursued by bear.
January 9, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - liked it
🌶️ glimpses and kisses
I received a free eARC from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is my own honest opinion about the book.
Book Review: Winter White by Annie Cardi
Release Date: 1/27/26
(These opinions are mine, if you don't agree, talk about that on your page)
*Spoilers Ahead*
This may just not be the book for me or it just doesn’t strike the current mood reading mood but here are my opinions on the book. The whole time I kept wondering when the book was going to pick up and something was going to happen. Then when something finally does happen it felt kinda anticlimactic.
🌶️ glimpses and kisses
I received a free eARC from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is my own honest opinion about the book.
Book Review: Winter White by Annie Cardi
Release Date: 1/27/26
(These opinions are mine, if you don't agree, talk about that on your page)
*Spoilers Ahead*
This may just not be the book for me or it just doesn’t strike the current mood reading mood but here are my opinions on the book. The whole time I kept wondering when the book was going to pick up and something was going to happen. Then when something finally does happen it felt kinda anticlimactic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Winter White is a roller coaster of a ride. Pia lives with her father and little brother on an isolated farm. She is allowed to go into town with her father only twice a year for their protection, but when Pia's father has an accident and breaks his leg, everything changes. Pia is making deliveries for her father, but things are not adding up correctly and Pia is finally able to interact with the outside world. Will she choose to believe everything her father tells her or what she is starting to feel about the situation.
A great book and emotional read.
A great book and emotional read.
January 30, 2026
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and Union Square & Co in exchange for my honest review.
A very solid modern re-telling of The Winter's Tale. I'm not super familiar with the original, but this really captured the essence of what I know of the play and its central themes. The story is modernized in a believable way (with maybe one exception, but honestly that part was so satisfying I didn't mind). Pia is a well-drawn character and I enjoyed getting to experience her complexities, many of which she was discovering for herself. I wish Pia's father was a bit less of a one-dimensional villain, but from what I know of the original character I can't say this interpretation is too far off. Cardi's writing is lovely and honest, and she does a nice job balancing her stories with despair and hope.
A very solid modern re-telling of The Winter's Tale. I'm not super familiar with the original, but this really captured the essence of what I know of the play and its central themes. The story is modernized in a believable way (with maybe one exception, but honestly that part was so satisfying I didn't mind). Pia is a well-drawn character and I enjoyed getting to experience her complexities, many of which she was discovering for herself. I wish Pia's father was a bit less of a one-dimensional villain, but from what I know of the original character I can't say this interpretation is too far off. Cardi's writing is lovely and honest, and she does a nice job balancing her stories with despair and hope.
March 23, 2026
3.75, rounded up. This was a quick read that I think will interest students because of the urgency of it. I don’t know the Shakespeare text that it is a retelling of, so I am sure I missed some layers of storytelling, but I was interested and motivated to listen because I wanted to know if she would get out of her situation & how. I was annoyed at how much trouble she got herself into at times, how naive her dad seemed, and how dense she seems about some situations in her life, but it was a captivating story overall. I would call this mature YA.
April 13, 2026
Loosely based on Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, the story weaves in the themes of domestic drama within a contemporary setting in which a teen girl and her brother live an isolated existence with their father.
Sixteen-year-old Pia is resourceful and resilient, even though she has been living off-grid for ten years with her brother. Their father is a harsh man, steeped in the philosophy he is protecting and providing his children in the best way possible.
An engaging story that echoes some of the themes of Shakespeare’s story, yet stands alone even without the reference.
Sixteen-year-old Pia is resourceful and resilient, even though she has been living off-grid for ten years with her brother. Their father is a harsh man, steeped in the philosophy he is protecting and providing his children in the best way possible.
An engaging story that echoes some of the themes of Shakespeare’s story, yet stands alone even without the reference.
January 27, 2026
What a deeply moving book this one was, difficult yet so powerful and quite well-written.
Pia and her brother Max lead an unusual life. Homeschooled and living in rural Maine, they rarely interact with anyone else aside from their father and his co-worker, Anthony.
But Pia cannot help but imagine what life might be like if she was a normal teenager. Going to the diner, celebrating her birthday, checking out a book from the library… what could be bad about those things, and what is her dad trying so hard to protect them from?
When Pia’s dad is hurt and she has to help out with the family business, some of her questions are answered, but they open the door to so many more. Are there things her dad is hiding?
Dealing with tough subjects in a beautifully raw and real way, I am so glad I read this one. I both listened to and read this one, and the emotion of the audio was truly impactful.
I’m trying hard to stay warm in this weekend’s winter weather. What’s your favorite spot for cozy reading?
Pia and her brother Max lead an unusual life. Homeschooled and living in rural Maine, they rarely interact with anyone else aside from their father and his co-worker, Anthony.
But Pia cannot help but imagine what life might be like if she was a normal teenager. Going to the diner, celebrating her birthday, checking out a book from the library… what could be bad about those things, and what is her dad trying so hard to protect them from?
When Pia’s dad is hurt and she has to help out with the family business, some of her questions are answered, but they open the door to so many more. Are there things her dad is hiding?
Dealing with tough subjects in a beautifully raw and real way, I am so glad I read this one. I both listened to and read this one, and the emotion of the audio was truly impactful.
I’m trying hard to stay warm in this weekend’s winter weather. What’s your favorite spot for cozy reading?
April 19, 2026
I found this a bit predictable as I have read many books about the children living off-grid who get a taste of reality and then fight their boundaries to be released from captivity. That being said, this will get read by teens who like short chapters, independent, strong-willed teens with a savior complex.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An outstanding contemporary take on Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale." Cardi keeps many of the characters and plot points of the play while shifting the story to be from Perdita/Pia's point of view in present-day Maine. A book I will be recommending to my students and to high school teachers.
February 25, 2026
I really enjoyed this YA novel. Great suspense, good character development. Good stuff. Great audio.
This is a retelling of Shakespeare's Winter's Tale, a play with which I am not terribly familiar, so I just read it as a story and didn't make the connection until reading it online.
This is a retelling of Shakespeare's Winter's Tale, a play with which I am not terribly familiar, so I just read it as a story and didn't make the connection until reading it online.
March 8, 2026
this book was sad. It could possibly trigger a person. It was good though. i really liked the characters. I read this book to fullfill the prompt read a book released in January (read with Allison 2026)
April 12, 2026
3.5 - I didn’t know the story of the winter’s tale before reading this but found the book interesting as it covered a less known Shakespeare play and deep subject matter in a very immersive winter setting, if at times unrealistic and even disturbingly hard to believe.
April 19, 2026
4.25, I am not familiar with Shakespeare to know how this compared, but I really enjoyed this book. I admit to knowing where this was going but I still found myself turning pages as rapidly as I could.
February 13, 2026
stayed up too late murmuring "get out of there girl!!!" to myself
February 18, 2026
A compelling story with a strong female voice. Annie Cardi
March 1, 2026
Enthusiastic five stars. I became hooked around 15% into it. I literally spent the entire day reading this book - couldn’t put it down.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews