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Winterfolk
This gorgeous and lyrical debut novel is perfect for fans of Nova Ren Suma, Laura Ruby, and Nina LaCour.
Rain doesn’t wish on stars anymore.
For as long as she can remember, her home has been among the Winterfolk, a group of homeless people living outside Seattle. Being homeless has taught Rain how to be invisible.
But when she discovers that the city plans to sweep out the Winterfolk’s camp, her world is shattered. Determined to face the world like she’s never had to before, she convinces her friend King to take her to Seattle.
The city is full of strange sights, sounds, people—and memories. When Rain and King are separated, she must fend for herself, and realizes that she’s not invisible after all. And if she’s going to save herself, King, and the Winterfolk, she’ll need to find a star big enough to make all of her wishes come true.
Rain doesn’t wish on stars anymore.
For as long as she can remember, her home has been among the Winterfolk, a group of homeless people living outside Seattle. Being homeless has taught Rain how to be invisible.
But when she discovers that the city plans to sweep out the Winterfolk’s camp, her world is shattered. Determined to face the world like she’s never had to before, she convinces her friend King to take her to Seattle.
The city is full of strange sights, sounds, people—and memories. When Rain and King are separated, she must fend for herself, and realizes that she’s not invisible after all. And if she’s going to save herself, King, and the Winterfolk, she’ll need to find a star big enough to make all of her wishes come true.
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 6, 2018
23 people are currently reading
1269 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
January 25, 2018
I have read quite a few YA books, and I must admit, I do not believe I have read any, which gave me such a detailed look into the life of a homeless teen. This was quite interesting, in that Rain had lived isolated from the outside world in a sort of compound.
Her sheltered existence showed in her observations and the narration as she sometimes seemed childlike. When King took her into to the city for her birthday, her inability to interact with strangers and her discomfort with the world at large was obvious. I will say, Rain grew some through the experience, and there was even (what I think) an "event" to punctuate her maturation.
I will also say, that this book is beautifully written. Kolby is a true wordsmith, and there was this gorgeous ethereal quality to her writing. My problem with the book was that there seemed to be so many holes. I felt like I was being held responsible for making those leaps, but I would have liked to have been told some things explicitly. And the ending. Well, let's just say....
I kept flipping back and forth, thinking I missed something, but nope. It was that abrupt and vague.
Overall: An interesting look at the challenges facing homeless youth, but too many unresolved plot threads left me frustrated.
Her sheltered existence showed in her observations and the narration as she sometimes seemed childlike. When King took her into to the city for her birthday, her inability to interact with strangers and her discomfort with the world at large was obvious. I will say, Rain grew some through the experience, and there was even (what I think) an "event" to punctuate her maturation.
I will also say, that this book is beautifully written. Kolby is a true wordsmith, and there was this gorgeous ethereal quality to her writing. My problem with the book was that there seemed to be so many holes. I felt like I was being held responsible for making those leaps, but I would have liked to have been told some things explicitly. And the ending. Well, let's just say....
I kept flipping back and forth, thinking I missed something, but nope. It was that abrupt and vague.
Overall: An interesting look at the challenges facing homeless youth, but too many unresolved plot threads left me frustrated.
March 4, 2018
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I don't know why I put off writing my review for this book for such a long time. Winterfolk was a lot different from other books that I've read, and to be honest, it's probably the very first book that I've read with a homeless character as the main character of the book. This really made it an interesting read, because so much was going on and we really got to understand the modern world from the point of view of a young girl who doesn't have access to the things we do - doing laundry at home, plenty of food to eat, and an understanding of certain people, places, and things.
Rain lives in the woods with her father outside of Seattle, where she is part of a small group of other homeless people who call themselves the Winterfolk. This group lives in tents, scavenges for food the best they can, and treats each other like family. The problem is? No one seems to care about or even see the Winterfolk - they are pretty much ignored, and while that has been a benefit to Rain most of her life, she is about to embark on a small journey that proves that maybe she can be seen, after all.
When she goes into the city with her best friend, where they decide to do their laundry and he has a surprise to give her (a real, honest shower - something she never would get otherwise), he goes missing and causes Rain to explore the city on her own, looking for him, meeting new people, and coming across things that she has never seen or heard of before.
During her journey, she makes new friends, and discovers that people aren't always who they say they are - sometimes for the good, and sometimes for the bad. As she tries to make her way back to the Winterfolk, where she needs to get ready to pack up and find a new place to stay, since they are going to demolish the woods they are currently living in, she comes across many obstacles that she wasn't expecting, and learns more about herself than she has ever known.
What I loved most about Winterfolk was definitely how we got to experience the world through Rain's eyes, as she navigates a world that she can't remember much about, or has no real ties to. It's so different to read a book from a point of view of a homeless girl, as most of the time when we read contemporary novels the narrators tend to be well off or have a home. This was different, and it was really eye-opening.
While I liked the idea of the book being told from Rain's point of view and how different things were than what we were used to, I have to say that I wasn't really able to connect to a single character in this book, and I think they all felt a bit flat. I didn't feel that any of them really had any kind of defining personality or traits that made them special; I would have loved to learn more about other characters in the book and feel more meaningful interactions between characters, as well.
It really was both sad and enlightening to look at the world from Rain's point of view, and while it's heartbreaking that there are teens that go through these types of things on a daily basis, it's also the kind of book that can really cause someone to want to try and change things. It's the kind of novel that's touching and really wants to drive you and inspire you to do something to help change the world - even if it's volunteering in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter.
Note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I don't know why I put off writing my review for this book for such a long time. Winterfolk was a lot different from other books that I've read, and to be honest, it's probably the very first book that I've read with a homeless character as the main character of the book. This really made it an interesting read, because so much was going on and we really got to understand the modern world from the point of view of a young girl who doesn't have access to the things we do - doing laundry at home, plenty of food to eat, and an understanding of certain people, places, and things.
"The problem with being a ghost - is that no one can see you."
Rain lives in the woods with her father outside of Seattle, where she is part of a small group of other homeless people who call themselves the Winterfolk. This group lives in tents, scavenges for food the best they can, and treats each other like family. The problem is? No one seems to care about or even see the Winterfolk - they are pretty much ignored, and while that has been a benefit to Rain most of her life, she is about to embark on a small journey that proves that maybe she can be seen, after all.
"I take his lead and look around. Sure looks like a world I used to know - with streets, and cars, and shops, and everything. Still here after all this time. Not a ghost town. Every color represented. Not just blue, brown, and green. A different world. With real people. All that separated us was a wall."
When she goes into the city with her best friend, where they decide to do their laundry and he has a surprise to give her (a real, honest shower - something she never would get otherwise), he goes missing and causes Rain to explore the city on her own, looking for him, meeting new people, and coming across things that she has never seen or heard of before.
During her journey, she makes new friends, and discovers that people aren't always who they say they are - sometimes for the good, and sometimes for the bad. As she tries to make her way back to the Winterfolk, where she needs to get ready to pack up and find a new place to stay, since they are going to demolish the woods they are currently living in, she comes across many obstacles that she wasn't expecting, and learns more about herself than she has ever known.
"Strange how some memories stick to you, while others are hard to find. Some, you hold - try to feel their edges and figure out their shapes - sort out if it's yours or someone else's."
What I loved most about Winterfolk was definitely how we got to experience the world through Rain's eyes, as she navigates a world that she can't remember much about, or has no real ties to. It's so different to read a book from a point of view of a homeless girl, as most of the time when we read contemporary novels the narrators tend to be well off or have a home. This was different, and it was really eye-opening.
While I liked the idea of the book being told from Rain's point of view and how different things were than what we were used to, I have to say that I wasn't really able to connect to a single character in this book, and I think they all felt a bit flat. I didn't feel that any of them really had any kind of defining personality or traits that made them special; I would have loved to learn more about other characters in the book and feel more meaningful interactions between characters, as well.
It really was both sad and enlightening to look at the world from Rain's point of view, and while it's heartbreaking that there are teens that go through these types of things on a daily basis, it's also the kind of book that can really cause someone to want to try and change things. It's the kind of novel that's touching and really wants to drive you and inspire you to do something to help change the world - even if it's volunteering in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter.
Note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
March 30, 2018
Winterfolk has an extremely unique premise as we follow homeless girl Rain, her father and her best friend. Rain has lived out in the 'jungle' in the outskirts of Seattle for as long as she can remember, which means she has no education and strangely lacks any kind of street smarts. She is an... interesting narrator? Maybe unreliable would be the better word? She was so completely naive to the world around her that it was a real struggle to follow her around Seattle. She never seemed to think about what she was doing, she disobeyed directions when people were trying to help her and she just didn't seem to understand how the world works.
When I initially read the synopsis, I expected Rain to actually go into Seattle and fight for hers and the Winterfolks rights to live on the land. This isn't what happens at all. The plot doesn't really have a plot with a climax and ending. The book ends very abruptly, and you really question if anything of note actually happens. Rain doesn't actively do anything. Her main role is to react to things that happen to or around her. And because she's so naive and young it brings in a different perspective, even though there's no action.
This book does however bring forward questions for social discussions about homeless people. Which I guess was the authors point? There's a very clear point of the Winterfolk being vermin being exterminated from the 'jungle'. Rain also has a very existential question of why no one seems to see her. She's a ghost, a no one and she's overlooked by everyone. Even the other Winterfolk try not to look at Rain (although I'm still unsure why?).
The character that does fight for the Winterfolk is someone from Seattle who feels moved by Rain at the start, she starts to write all over the city about the Winterfolk to start a movement. Although this is technically started by Rain, Rain didn't know what she was doing, and this again makes me believe she's an unreliable narrator. We can't quite see what real life is like because she can't grasp whats going on.
So I pretty much didn't enjoy the book. It wasn't bad but it just wasn't going anywhere and felt pointless. It had the opportunity to bring light to homelessness and problems around that topic but it missed the mark. The main character was hard to follow, and couldn't articulate the needs of the homeless for this discussion.
POSITIVES
+ Unique premise
+ Social discussion
NEGATIVES
– Unreliable narrator?
– MC doesn't actively do anything
I received Winterfolk by Janel Kolby from the publisher via Edelweiss. This is an unbiased and honest review
When I initially read the synopsis, I expected Rain to actually go into Seattle and fight for hers and the Winterfolks rights to live on the land. This isn't what happens at all. The plot doesn't really have a plot with a climax and ending. The book ends very abruptly, and you really question if anything of note actually happens. Rain doesn't actively do anything. Her main role is to react to things that happen to or around her. And because she's so naive and young it brings in a different perspective, even though there's no action.
This book does however bring forward questions for social discussions about homeless people. Which I guess was the authors point? There's a very clear point of the Winterfolk being vermin being exterminated from the 'jungle'. Rain also has a very existential question of why no one seems to see her. She's a ghost, a no one and she's overlooked by everyone. Even the other Winterfolk try not to look at Rain (although I'm still unsure why?).
The character that does fight for the Winterfolk is someone from Seattle who feels moved by Rain at the start, she starts to write all over the city about the Winterfolk to start a movement. Although this is technically started by Rain, Rain didn't know what she was doing, and this again makes me believe she's an unreliable narrator. We can't quite see what real life is like because she can't grasp whats going on.
So I pretty much didn't enjoy the book. It wasn't bad but it just wasn't going anywhere and felt pointless. It had the opportunity to bring light to homelessness and problems around that topic but it missed the mark. The main character was hard to follow, and couldn't articulate the needs of the homeless for this discussion.
POSITIVES
+ Unique premise
+ Social discussion
NEGATIVES
– Unreliable narrator?
– MC doesn't actively do anything
I received Winterfolk by Janel Kolby from the publisher via Edelweiss. This is an unbiased and honest review
February 25, 2021
Managed to finish this. Honestly, the characters weren't believable. 'Rain' was supposed to be 15, but it felt like she was 5 years old. Constantly being dragged everywhere by everyone else. It was so frustrating. The language felt so inconsistent, and the author put emphasis on weird things, but not others. The plot felt weak.
March 23, 2018
I was so, so excited to read this book, especially as it hits closer to home for me with it centering around the homeless community in Seattle. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into this book. There were a few reasons for this:
One of the first things that struck me about the writing was the main character’s thought process and her way of viewing the world, which was a bit jarring and difficult to get into. It’s clear as you read on that she’s not quite like most people and that there’s some sort of mental illness she’s suffering from. She hallucinates at times, she phrases things in a peculiar way, and she doesn’t completely understand a lot of typical social cues and other concepts. So following along in her perspective was sort of cumbersome and at times required some guesswork in order to understand what she was thinking, feeling, or expressing.
I understand the author’s decision in writing the main character, Rain, in this way, as a means of connecting protagonist and reader and thus allowing the reader to better understand and empathize with people who have these sort of conditions, and because there is some correlation between severe mental illness and homelessness. At the same time though, I thought that having Rain be homeless and also have a mental illness was a bit cheap and sort of playing into that stereotype a bit that every homeless person is mentally ill, which is obviously not the case. I think I would’ve enjoyed the story a lot more if Rain were just a typical teenager born into homelessness because I think she would’ve been able to articulate her experiences in a more clear, visceral, and profound way, and it would’ve shed light on the many teenagers who are born into these circumstances and feel helpless to their situation.
Another issue I had that prevented me from loving this book is that there didn’t seem to be a whole lot of plot to this story. I went into this novel thinking the story would begin with the Winterfolk community being kicked out of their space in the Jungle and having to adapt to moving into the city, thus kick-starting the plot from there. That would've been a lot more gripping in my opinion. But there isn’t ever any big moment where enforcement officers from the city forcibly evict everyone from their home in the Jungle. The Winterfolk get a flyer notice, but beyond that, it mostly just begins with the main characters knowing that they’re going to get evicted sooner or later and from there decide to take a field trip of sorts into the city. From here, the plot just felt very aimless and like it wasn’t really building up to anything. They were sort of just wandering around the city and things happen? At one point, Rain loses her boots, which causes all sorts of mayhem and takes them all over the city. They’re also trying to avoid this other homeless character who’s a lot of trouble, so they get on a city bus to try to lose him off their trail. And that’s sort of just it. Things happen but nothing that ever builds up to any big climax or with any particularly large stakes involved. I thought this book was going to incorporate a lot of social issues regarding homelessness, and I’m really sad that it’s didn’t because that’s definitely something I’m interested in and I think it would’ve made the book A LOT stronger if it did talk about things like homeless shelters, affordable housing, counseling, specialized programs, etc.
Finally: that ending was pretty ambiguous. It doesn't really tell us anything about where Rain is in her situation. Is she still homeless? Is she living in a shelter? Did they manage to save the Winterfolk? All we can really infer from the ending is that:
1) She can hear the seagulls from where she's at. Whether she's inside or outside is another question
2) She finally got her pet kitten. Surely she wouldn't be able to take care of a kitten if she were still homeless? Especially if she bought it from a pet store, where they typically do a background check on you and require at least an address and phone number.
3. She's practicing learning how to write.
I don't know, based on all of that, we can't really deduce any real conclusions that came out of this ending, so it just feels like there are so many unanswered questions.
***
All in all, this book was a pretty big letdown for me, which is unfortunate, considering it centers around a very real situation that’s very close to my own home and there were SO many missed opportunities to talk about a lot of social issues surrounding homelessness and to shed a deeper light on it all. I didn’t feel it did any of that but rather just portrayed an aimless day in the life of homelessness with all of the larger significance stripped away.
One of the first things that struck me about the writing was the main character’s thought process and her way of viewing the world, which was a bit jarring and difficult to get into. It’s clear as you read on that she’s not quite like most people and that there’s some sort of mental illness she’s suffering from. She hallucinates at times, she phrases things in a peculiar way, and she doesn’t completely understand a lot of typical social cues and other concepts. So following along in her perspective was sort of cumbersome and at times required some guesswork in order to understand what she was thinking, feeling, or expressing.
I understand the author’s decision in writing the main character, Rain, in this way, as a means of connecting protagonist and reader and thus allowing the reader to better understand and empathize with people who have these sort of conditions, and because there is some correlation between severe mental illness and homelessness. At the same time though, I thought that having Rain be homeless and also have a mental illness was a bit cheap and sort of playing into that stereotype a bit that every homeless person is mentally ill, which is obviously not the case. I think I would’ve enjoyed the story a lot more if Rain were just a typical teenager born into homelessness because I think she would’ve been able to articulate her experiences in a more clear, visceral, and profound way, and it would’ve shed light on the many teenagers who are born into these circumstances and feel helpless to their situation.
Another issue I had that prevented me from loving this book is that there didn’t seem to be a whole lot of plot to this story. I went into this novel thinking the story would begin with the Winterfolk community being kicked out of their space in the Jungle and having to adapt to moving into the city, thus kick-starting the plot from there. That would've been a lot more gripping in my opinion. But there isn’t ever any big moment where enforcement officers from the city forcibly evict everyone from their home in the Jungle. The Winterfolk get a flyer notice, but beyond that, it mostly just begins with the main characters knowing that they’re going to get evicted sooner or later and from there decide to take a field trip of sorts into the city. From here, the plot just felt very aimless and like it wasn’t really building up to anything. They were sort of just wandering around the city and things happen? At one point, Rain loses her boots, which causes all sorts of mayhem and takes them all over the city. They’re also trying to avoid this other homeless character who’s a lot of trouble, so they get on a city bus to try to lose him off their trail. And that’s sort of just it. Things happen but nothing that ever builds up to any big climax or with any particularly large stakes involved. I thought this book was going to incorporate a lot of social issues regarding homelessness, and I’m really sad that it’s didn’t because that’s definitely something I’m interested in and I think it would’ve made the book A LOT stronger if it did talk about things like homeless shelters, affordable housing, counseling, specialized programs, etc.
Finally: that ending was pretty ambiguous. It doesn't really tell us anything about where Rain is in her situation. Is she still homeless? Is she living in a shelter? Did they manage to save the Winterfolk? All we can really infer from the ending is that:
1) She can hear the seagulls from where she's at. Whether she's inside or outside is another question
2) She finally got her pet kitten. Surely she wouldn't be able to take care of a kitten if she were still homeless? Especially if she bought it from a pet store, where they typically do a background check on you and require at least an address and phone number.
3. She's practicing learning how to write.
I don't know, based on all of that, we can't really deduce any real conclusions that came out of this ending, so it just feels like there are so many unanswered questions.
***
All in all, this book was a pretty big letdown for me, which is unfortunate, considering it centers around a very real situation that’s very close to my own home and there were SO many missed opportunities to talk about a lot of social issues surrounding homelessness and to shed a deeper light on it all. I didn’t feel it did any of that but rather just portrayed an aimless day in the life of homelessness with all of the larger significance stripped away.
November 20, 2017
How shall I describe this book? At once both hopeful and sad, gritty and yet filled with magic, Winterfolk pairs the harsh reality of homelessness with a magical, lyrical writing style to create an ethereal novel about love, family, belonging, acceptance, and community.
Rain lives in the Jungle, the forest outside of town that shelters the Winterfolk. Rain knows how to be invisible, living with her father, King - who is friend, protector, everything - and a collection of souls who use the forest to take what protection they can to hide from the world. When the Winterfolk's home is threatened by destruction, Rain knows her home is in danger. On Rain's fifteenth birthday, King takes her into town. But a simple trip to see what lies outside the protection of their trees becomes a life-changing journey.
Winterfolk is a novel that deserves the time it takes to really sink into the story and join with the unique characters. Rain narrates the story and so everything is viewed through her perspective and individual style. She has a strong imagination and she uses it to view the world in a way that is different from how everyone else sees. At first, her family and friends, those around her, only humour her, indulge her fantasies because it helps her get through each day. Yet, as the story develops, it is Rain who makes the changes. She relies on others, especially King, for food, water and protection, but it is Rain who can make the biggest difference in both her own world and the world that extends outside the borders within which she has always stayed. And so, Winterfolk is the story of a girl finding her voice and discovering its power.
The writing style is what stands out in this wonderful book. It is almost like free verse poetry, which makes sense since the author is a poet. This realistic story borders on magical realism, but that's only because of the writing style and Rain's wonderful imagination. Winterfolk is unique and a little different from my usual reading fare, but I enjoyed it as it stretched my perspective and challenged my views.
If this book makes you take notice of your surroundings a little more, makes you look up and really see, then perhaps it has achieved its purpose.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library.
Rain lives in the Jungle, the forest outside of town that shelters the Winterfolk. Rain knows how to be invisible, living with her father, King - who is friend, protector, everything - and a collection of souls who use the forest to take what protection they can to hide from the world. When the Winterfolk's home is threatened by destruction, Rain knows her home is in danger. On Rain's fifteenth birthday, King takes her into town. But a simple trip to see what lies outside the protection of their trees becomes a life-changing journey.
Winterfolk is a novel that deserves the time it takes to really sink into the story and join with the unique characters. Rain narrates the story and so everything is viewed through her perspective and individual style. She has a strong imagination and she uses it to view the world in a way that is different from how everyone else sees. At first, her family and friends, those around her, only humour her, indulge her fantasies because it helps her get through each day. Yet, as the story develops, it is Rain who makes the changes. She relies on others, especially King, for food, water and protection, but it is Rain who can make the biggest difference in both her own world and the world that extends outside the borders within which she has always stayed. And so, Winterfolk is the story of a girl finding her voice and discovering its power.
The writing style is what stands out in this wonderful book. It is almost like free verse poetry, which makes sense since the author is a poet. This realistic story borders on magical realism, but that's only because of the writing style and Rain's wonderful imagination. Winterfolk is unique and a little different from my usual reading fare, but I enjoyed it as it stretched my perspective and challenged my views.
If this book makes you take notice of your surroundings a little more, makes you look up and really see, then perhaps it has achieved its purpose.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library.
October 12, 2020
Rain is a somewhat dreamy, poetic type of person. She lives in a wooded area at the edge of Seattle with her dad and a loosely associated community of people who call the woods their home. The day before her birthday, notices go up throughout the woods telling them that the city is cutting down the woods and everyone living there is about to be displaced. This kicks off a 2 day adventure into the city for Rain and her one true friend, King. This being her birthday, King takes her with him to a laundromat for the gift of a shower and to the library where she will see more books than she ever imagined possible. But unlike Rain, King knows the dangers of the city, and once there enemies catch up with them, old evils haunt and the dark parts of survival creep in.
With drugs, violence, strip clubs and exploitation this is not an easy story. But it is a true kind of story where not having a house and living on the margins is dangerous and risky in unpredictable ways. Everyone is a stranger, and not all of them trustworthy. Of course there are good, decent people and Rain does meet some. But knowing them apart from others is tricky for a girl whose friends have mostly been squirrels and trees. Ultimately Rain wants to help her community and the woods where they live; she wants to tell the world about the Winterfolk and save their place. But she also must come to terms with her sad family history, the loss of her mother, and the absence of adults who can provide for her. And here on the cusp of adulthood she needs to figure out who she can trust and who she will be. There are some diverse characters here including a gender queer runaway, but most are presumed white.
This book is a mix of a cruel and unsympathetic world on the one hand and a dreamy fantasy life on the other. Rain is a person who constantly reinvents and interprets what’s happening around her making for a lyrical, introspective book. With mature themes and content it is recommended for high school and older readers.
With drugs, violence, strip clubs and exploitation this is not an easy story. But it is a true kind of story where not having a house and living on the margins is dangerous and risky in unpredictable ways. Everyone is a stranger, and not all of them trustworthy. Of course there are good, decent people and Rain does meet some. But knowing them apart from others is tricky for a girl whose friends have mostly been squirrels and trees. Ultimately Rain wants to help her community and the woods where they live; she wants to tell the world about the Winterfolk and save their place. But she also must come to terms with her sad family history, the loss of her mother, and the absence of adults who can provide for her. And here on the cusp of adulthood she needs to figure out who she can trust and who she will be. There are some diverse characters here including a gender queer runaway, but most are presumed white.
This book is a mix of a cruel and unsympathetic world on the one hand and a dreamy fantasy life on the other. Rain is a person who constantly reinvents and interprets what’s happening around her making for a lyrical, introspective book. With mature themes and content it is recommended for high school and older readers.
May 7, 2024
Really an excellent book!! A whimsical telling of an ugly reality. The book definitely read more like poetry, at times. And it might not be for everyone since some things are not spelled out. And the main character often switches between reality and fantasy without always being obvious about it.
But a very deep, touching story of belonging, family, home, and living.
But a very deep, touching story of belonging, family, home, and living.
July 19, 2024
Winterfolk is a unique blend poetry, fantasy, social commentary and coming-of-age. The premise of the book, the tale of a homeless teenager making her way through the seedy underbelly of Portland, grabbed me immediately; however, the poetic/fantastical style left me with some unanswered questions… but maybe that was the point. I appreciated the themes of community & belonging, finding home & creating family, visibility, and growing up. The story and storytelling is unique enough to keep you engaged, but felt somewhat challenging and unsatisfying.
May 25, 2018
2.5 stars
So Winterfolk is a book by Janel Kolby which follows Rain, a homeless girl, as she wanders through Seattle. Don't let the blurb fool you. This isn't a book about Rain fighting back and protecting her home, it's kind of plotless if you know what I mean.
Instead, throughout this book, Rain is with her best friend King (maybe something more) and she's taken out on a trip to the city for her birthday. It's like her one last gift before King is going to take her and leave the area they are in because the city is going to be destroying her home.
There's some weird subplot as she wanders around about this guy called Cook and like her dad, but the book could essentially be called: The Musings of Rain in Seattle and would essentially have the same affect.
However, even with the fact that this book essentially had not plot, there was a whimsical feeling throughout it all. Rain is a very unreliable narrator who may either be mentally ill or is suffering from some type of trauma that is never explained. Relationships with other characters seem very distant because of Rain's unreliable narration, and there isn't much connection between many of the characters (because there is no plot).
I don't actually have much to say. I was interested in this book because I saw it on the library shelf and I have family who lives in Seattle, so I've been to that city a lot and liked reading about all the places that I've been to myself.
The book had an interesting premise and the execution was interesting for what it was. So, if you go into this book not expecting what is promised in the blurb, then I think you'll enjoy this kind of lamentation of a lost girl. Because all the memories and other things promised create more questions and the book answers barely any of them.
It actually seems to be very reflective of life. Not everyone is going to rise up and fight back. No everyone can rise up and fight back. There are smaller things in life that create priority because they are the things that affect us the most. Also, with Rain, we know that you can't know everything about everybody. And, with the short time frame the novel covers, in reality you wouldn't know everything about the people you spend time with. Or you already know and don't bother to tell the reader, which is what Rain did.
Overall a very quaint book.
I'm still confused about the inclusion of Cook because you're never told what he did exactly. But whatever. An okay read. 2.5 stars
So Winterfolk is a book by Janel Kolby which follows Rain, a homeless girl, as she wanders through Seattle. Don't let the blurb fool you. This isn't a book about Rain fighting back and protecting her home, it's kind of plotless if you know what I mean.
Instead, throughout this book, Rain is with her best friend King (maybe something more) and she's taken out on a trip to the city for her birthday. It's like her one last gift before King is going to take her and leave the area they are in because the city is going to be destroying her home.
There's some weird subplot as she wanders around about this guy called Cook and like her dad, but the book could essentially be called: The Musings of Rain in Seattle and would essentially have the same affect.
However, even with the fact that this book essentially had not plot, there was a whimsical feeling throughout it all. Rain is a very unreliable narrator who may either be mentally ill or is suffering from some type of trauma that is never explained. Relationships with other characters seem very distant because of Rain's unreliable narration, and there isn't much connection between many of the characters (because there is no plot).
I don't actually have much to say. I was interested in this book because I saw it on the library shelf and I have family who lives in Seattle, so I've been to that city a lot and liked reading about all the places that I've been to myself.
The book had an interesting premise and the execution was interesting for what it was. So, if you go into this book not expecting what is promised in the blurb, then I think you'll enjoy this kind of lamentation of a lost girl. Because all the memories and other things promised create more questions and the book answers barely any of them.
It actually seems to be very reflective of life. Not everyone is going to rise up and fight back. No everyone can rise up and fight back. There are smaller things in life that create priority because they are the things that affect us the most. Also, with Rain, we know that you can't know everything about everybody. And, with the short time frame the novel covers, in reality you wouldn't know everything about the people you spend time with. Or you already know and don't bother to tell the reader, which is what Rain did.
Overall a very quaint book.
I'm still confused about the inclusion of Cook because you're never told what he did exactly. But whatever. An okay read. 2.5 stars
November 29, 2017
I received an ARC of Winterfolk via Edelweiss. ***3.5 Stars***.
Janel Kolby did a stunning job bringing us into Rain’s world: a world that is small by measure, but boundless in her imagination and wonder.
Kolby’s handling of Rain’s worldly perspective made for a prose filled with tenderness and compassion. You immediately understand Rain’s perception is built by what’s she’s read in fairy tales/been told by others.
That said, when she is finally given the chance to see it for herself, she’s quickly forced to learn how difficult it can be to decipher truth from fiction.
Seeing how well she adjusts and navigates within this new experience is the crux of the story.
However, it also brought me to my main issue: the constant injection of the mythological into very real (and sometimes very dangerous)situations. I was sometimes unsure if I was meant to be reading a fantasy.
While I understood Rain to be inexperienced and immature, she was still 15. She could read and comprehend on the level of a basic teenager—thanks in large part to her exposure to books. So, why the fairy tale episodes?
Even if I account for the possibility that her flights of fancy was rooted in an inability to cope with certain truths, the continuous need to distort reality was a distraction.
It didn’t enhance the story, it disrupted its flow.
Even more, it was aggravating—and maybe even painful—to see how bizarrely Rain interacted with strangers: she was, at times, beyond awkward. Unnecessarily so.
The supporting characters worked well within the story. Kolby took great care to develop each one’s purpose—no matter the length of time you’re given to knowing them: I developed an affinity for not only Jessibel, but the librarian, and Kerry.
Kerry may have offered the most beautiful gift of all to Rain.
In the end, the strength of this book is how aware it makes you of our own lack of awareness: Do you really take the time to seethose around you? How much attention are you giving the world at large?
Additionally, it speaks to the inhumanity of a world, so geared towards commercialism, that it no longer concerns itself with conservation.
Bottom line, this was a sweet read, with a ton of heart, and a lesson to be learned about being more connected to others and your environment.
Janel Kolby did a stunning job bringing us into Rain’s world: a world that is small by measure, but boundless in her imagination and wonder.
Kolby’s handling of Rain’s worldly perspective made for a prose filled with tenderness and compassion. You immediately understand Rain’s perception is built by what’s she’s read in fairy tales/been told by others.
That said, when she is finally given the chance to see it for herself, she’s quickly forced to learn how difficult it can be to decipher truth from fiction.
Seeing how well she adjusts and navigates within this new experience is the crux of the story.
However, it also brought me to my main issue: the constant injection of the mythological into very real (and sometimes very dangerous)situations. I was sometimes unsure if I was meant to be reading a fantasy.
While I understood Rain to be inexperienced and immature, she was still 15. She could read and comprehend on the level of a basic teenager—thanks in large part to her exposure to books. So, why the fairy tale episodes?
Even if I account for the possibility that her flights of fancy was rooted in an inability to cope with certain truths, the continuous need to distort reality was a distraction.
It didn’t enhance the story, it disrupted its flow.
Even more, it was aggravating—and maybe even painful—to see how bizarrely Rain interacted with strangers: she was, at times, beyond awkward. Unnecessarily so.
The supporting characters worked well within the story. Kolby took great care to develop each one’s purpose—no matter the length of time you’re given to knowing them: I developed an affinity for not only Jessibel, but the librarian, and Kerry.
Kerry may have offered the most beautiful gift of all to Rain.
In the end, the strength of this book is how aware it makes you of our own lack of awareness: Do you really take the time to seethose around you? How much attention are you giving the world at large?
Additionally, it speaks to the inhumanity of a world, so geared towards commercialism, that it no longer concerns itself with conservation.
Bottom line, this was a sweet read, with a ton of heart, and a lesson to be learned about being more connected to others and your environment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2018
Okay, so I've seen a few reviews dinging this book on its language and general narration. Here's my take on it:
The narrator is a fifteen-year-old homeless girl living in a tent outside of Seattle with her (possibly alcoholic?) father. She's been homeless since she was ten years old, with no formal education since then. Her mother is gone, and she's the only child in a scattered community of people who call themselves the Winterfolk. She believes she can communicate with rats and squirrels, and she sees a lady in the camp that no one else sees. There are obviously some mental health issues going on.
... And people are expecting a clear-cut, cohesive narrative voice??
Rain is a fascinating narrator because she has no idea what's going on for 85% of the novel. She ventures into Seattle with stars in her eyes and no clue how the world works, and when it comes crashing down around her, how is she supposed to cope? She's been told her whole life to stay hidden, don't be noticed, and never ever wish on a star because it burdens the star and is a selfish thing to do. Hoooooly. Of course this kid speaks in metaphor and is an unreliable narrator. I honestly think that if Rain had a well-adjusted, perky, strong-female-protagonist voice that we see so often in YA books, it would be doing a disservice to the effects that her kind of life would have on her.
So there's my defence of Winterfolk.
I really liked it, and though I did find myself slogging through a few parts because of Rain's confusion, I think this is a really important story to be told and I'd recommend anyone thinking of trying this one to be patient with Rain as a narrator, as it's worth what you'll gain in the end.
The narrator is a fifteen-year-old homeless girl living in a tent outside of Seattle with her (possibly alcoholic?) father. She's been homeless since she was ten years old, with no formal education since then. Her mother is gone, and she's the only child in a scattered community of people who call themselves the Winterfolk. She believes she can communicate with rats and squirrels, and she sees a lady in the camp that no one else sees. There are obviously some mental health issues going on.
... And people are expecting a clear-cut, cohesive narrative voice??
Rain is a fascinating narrator because she has no idea what's going on for 85% of the novel. She ventures into Seattle with stars in her eyes and no clue how the world works, and when it comes crashing down around her, how is she supposed to cope? She's been told her whole life to stay hidden, don't be noticed, and never ever wish on a star because it burdens the star and is a selfish thing to do. Hoooooly. Of course this kid speaks in metaphor and is an unreliable narrator. I honestly think that if Rain had a well-adjusted, perky, strong-female-protagonist voice that we see so often in YA books, it would be doing a disservice to the effects that her kind of life would have on her.
So there's my defence of Winterfolk.
I really liked it, and though I did find myself slogging through a few parts because of Rain's confusion, I think this is a really important story to be told and I'd recommend anyone thinking of trying this one to be patient with Rain as a narrator, as it's worth what you'll gain in the end.
June 7, 2018
Review Posted on Reading Lark 6/6/18: https://readinglark.blogspot.com/2018...
I fully admit that I picked this one up simply because of the Seattle setting. The Pacific Northwest is my favorite backdrop for fiction as well as daydreaming. I miss living in the Seattle area and I love reading about intriguing characters in that locale. I was also excited about this title because it felt original. I cannot recall ever reading a novel with a homeless main character, so in my opinion, this is an important addition to the world of realistic YA fiction.
Rain lives in a tent with her father in the forest near Seattle. These tent cities may sound like something that Janel Kolby crafted for the purpose of this novel, but they are a reality in the Seattle area. I vividly recall the first time I saw tents perched in the trees as I was driving to work one day. I couldn't begin to fathom how anyone could live outdoors in the rainy Pacific Northwest weather, but these settlements seemed to be common in many towns in the area in spite of the rain and the chill in the air. I always wondered what would make someone turn to this lifestyle or what circumstances led them to that spot. Winterfolk allowed me to see inside the potential reasons for this lifestyle.
Rain explains the structure of her makeshift home and community in her poetical way. There were moments when she was not a reliable narrator, but this is largely due to the fact that she is naive in many ways and has few companions near her own age. The exception is King, an older teen who lives in a tent nearby and is protector figure for Rain. These two will be thrown together more when Seattle threatens to bulldoze the forest and destroy their homes. Things go from bad to worse when a crime rips through the community and makes everyone question their beliefs. Rain has to learn to navigate the cruelty of life while trying to hang on to her innocent optimism.
I was often in awe of Rain as I know that I would not have been nearly as gracious about those living conditions. I suppose since I know a different way that it would be more difficult for me to adapt. Sadly, Rain can't remember living anywhere besides her tent. Rain's time in Seattle certainly brings the theme of a "fish out of water" to life. She must learn to navigate new situations and relationships without experience and knowledge to guide her.
Another thing this novel brought to the surface for me was the notion of visibility. Rain often comments that she is a ghost and nobody sees her. How often have I avoided gazing at someone in need? How often have I overlooked a person living in poverty without a second glance? We all fall on difficult times in our lives, but I have been lucky to have others to help pick me back up. Perhaps these unseen in our cities and towns didn't have a support system to help them get back on their feet. So often we think that homelessness is something brought on by poor life choices, but what if there is more to the story? Rather than being oblivious, Rain's story makes me want to see things clearly.
One Last Gripe: The ending felt lackluster.
Favorite Thing About This Book: Seeing the world through Rain's eyes
First Sentence: I wasn't always a ghost.
Favorite Character: Rain
Least Favorite Character: Rain's Father - he seems more concerned with drinking than truly providing for his daughter
I fully admit that I picked this one up simply because of the Seattle setting. The Pacific Northwest is my favorite backdrop for fiction as well as daydreaming. I miss living in the Seattle area and I love reading about intriguing characters in that locale. I was also excited about this title because it felt original. I cannot recall ever reading a novel with a homeless main character, so in my opinion, this is an important addition to the world of realistic YA fiction.
Rain lives in a tent with her father in the forest near Seattle. These tent cities may sound like something that Janel Kolby crafted for the purpose of this novel, but they are a reality in the Seattle area. I vividly recall the first time I saw tents perched in the trees as I was driving to work one day. I couldn't begin to fathom how anyone could live outdoors in the rainy Pacific Northwest weather, but these settlements seemed to be common in many towns in the area in spite of the rain and the chill in the air. I always wondered what would make someone turn to this lifestyle or what circumstances led them to that spot. Winterfolk allowed me to see inside the potential reasons for this lifestyle.
Rain explains the structure of her makeshift home and community in her poetical way. There were moments when she was not a reliable narrator, but this is largely due to the fact that she is naive in many ways and has few companions near her own age. The exception is King, an older teen who lives in a tent nearby and is protector figure for Rain. These two will be thrown together more when Seattle threatens to bulldoze the forest and destroy their homes. Things go from bad to worse when a crime rips through the community and makes everyone question their beliefs. Rain has to learn to navigate the cruelty of life while trying to hang on to her innocent optimism.
I was often in awe of Rain as I know that I would not have been nearly as gracious about those living conditions. I suppose since I know a different way that it would be more difficult for me to adapt. Sadly, Rain can't remember living anywhere besides her tent. Rain's time in Seattle certainly brings the theme of a "fish out of water" to life. She must learn to navigate new situations and relationships without experience and knowledge to guide her.
Another thing this novel brought to the surface for me was the notion of visibility. Rain often comments that she is a ghost and nobody sees her. How often have I avoided gazing at someone in need? How often have I overlooked a person living in poverty without a second glance? We all fall on difficult times in our lives, but I have been lucky to have others to help pick me back up. Perhaps these unseen in our cities and towns didn't have a support system to help them get back on their feet. So often we think that homelessness is something brought on by poor life choices, but what if there is more to the story? Rather than being oblivious, Rain's story makes me want to see things clearly.
One Last Gripe: The ending felt lackluster.
Favorite Thing About This Book: Seeing the world through Rain's eyes
First Sentence: I wasn't always a ghost.
Favorite Character: Rain
Least Favorite Character: Rain's Father - he seems more concerned with drinking than truly providing for his daughter
May 24, 2022
Winterfolk by Janel Kolby
Andrea Mullarkey, Berkeley Public Library
Kolby, Janel. Winterfolk. Harper Teen, 2018. 320p. ISBN: 9780062487001. $17.99 HS, OT *****
Rain is a somewhat dreamy, poetic type of person. She lives in a wooded area at the edge of Seattle with her dad and a loosely associated community of people who call the woods their home. The day before her birthday, notices go up throughout the woods telling them that the city is cutting down the woods and everyone living there is about to be displaced. This kicks off a 2 day adventure into the city for Rain and her one true friend, King. This being her birthday, King takes her with him to a laundromat for the gift of a shower and to the library where she will see more books than she ever imagined possible. But unlike Rain, King knows the dangers of the city, and once there enemies catch up with them, old evils haunt and the dark parts of survival creep in.
With drugs, violence, strip clubs and exploitation this is not an easy story. But it is a true kind of story where not having a house and living on the margins is dangerous and risky in unpredictable ways. Everyone is a stranger, and not all of them trustworthy. Of course there are good, decent people and Rain does meet some. But knowing them apart from others is tricky for a girl whose friends have mostly been squirrels and trees. Ultimately Rain wants to help her community and the woods where they live; she wants to tell the world about the Winterfolk and save their place. But she also must come to terms with her sad family history, the loss of her mother, and the absence of adults who can provide for her. And here on the cusp of adulthood she needs to figure out who she can trust and who she will be. There are some diverse characters here including a gender queer runaway, but most are presumed white.
This book is a mix of a cruel and unsympathetic world on the one hand and a dreamy fantasy life on the other. Rain is a person who constantly reinvents and interprets what’s happening around her making for a lyrical, introspective book. With mature themes and content it is recommended for high school and older readers.
Andrea Mullarkey, Berkeley Public Library
August 17, 2018
The writing is magical, poetic, lyrical. I love the way that Kolby uses language, and also word placement on the pages, to create this story. Instead of happening in a land far far away, this story takes place in modern day Seattle. It’s fun to think about how this story could be a fairy tale of sorts, except that instead of Sherwood Forrest or NeverEver Land, it is Seattle in the 2010s.
This is a coming of age story written from the point of view of Rain, a girl who is growing up homeless in present day Seattle. She has lived a large part of her life in an illegal encampment in an area between highways known as the Jungle with her dad and another homeless person named King. King, who is not much older than Rain, but who has already crossed over into adulthood, took Rain and her dad under his wing when he was a teenager and brought them to the Jungle to live, where he keeps an eye on them.
Kept secret from the outside world by the WinterFolk (a long-time community of homeless people), Rain has made her own explanations and whimsical descriptions to describe the world, based on the little information she is given as she grows up. For her birthday, King comes through on his promise to take her out of the Jungle for a day trip. Once outside, in the city of Seattle, things go wrong, and Rain finds herself on her own without the knowledge of how to get back to the Jungle. And thus begins Rain’s hero’s journey in which she learns more about the outside world, about others, and about herself. Rain’s innocence, playfulness and a little bit of chutzpah, push her to at first experiment with and then embrace taking independent actions.
I enjoyed this book for both the writing and for the story.
What this book is not: it is not political.
What this book is: a lovely lyrical coming of age story.
This is a coming of age story written from the point of view of Rain, a girl who is growing up homeless in present day Seattle. She has lived a large part of her life in an illegal encampment in an area between highways known as the Jungle with her dad and another homeless person named King. King, who is not much older than Rain, but who has already crossed over into adulthood, took Rain and her dad under his wing when he was a teenager and brought them to the Jungle to live, where he keeps an eye on them.
Kept secret from the outside world by the WinterFolk (a long-time community of homeless people), Rain has made her own explanations and whimsical descriptions to describe the world, based on the little information she is given as she grows up. For her birthday, King comes through on his promise to take her out of the Jungle for a day trip. Once outside, in the city of Seattle, things go wrong, and Rain finds herself on her own without the knowledge of how to get back to the Jungle. And thus begins Rain’s hero’s journey in which she learns more about the outside world, about others, and about herself. Rain’s innocence, playfulness and a little bit of chutzpah, push her to at first experiment with and then embrace taking independent actions.
I enjoyed this book for both the writing and for the story.
What this book is not: it is not political.
What this book is: a lovely lyrical coming of age story.
December 22, 2018
Winterfolk by Janel Kolby is a book about a homeless community living outside of Seattle. It follows the story of a 15 year old girl, giving you her perspective of life as a homeless teen. I enjoyed this book because of how the author made an amazing story yet still helping others realize this is a problem many people are still facing. Reading this book made me realize how fortunate I am to be living in a home, having food to eat, and having the chance to go to school. Which is something the main characters struggled to have.
Winterfolk is the story of Rain and her dad living in the woods near Seattle. They are safe there until, Rain find out the city is planning on cutting down all the trees, meaning they have to evacuate and everyone else living there. Leaving them with no place to call home. Throughout the story, Rain and her best friend king face many kind of obstacles but still manage to get through them together. King is like a brother figure to Rain. He cares deeply about her and is always keeping her safe.
Winterfolk is such a unique book. This book gives so much detail about a homeless girl’s life. I felt a genuine connection to Rain, I felt as if we have similar personalities. She’s stubborn and often doesn’t feel like she fits in, which I feel like I relate to. The main reason why I loved this book was because of how detailed the author was, it allowed me to understand from a different perspective of life, through Rain.
Winterfolk is the story of Rain and her dad living in the woods near Seattle. They are safe there until, Rain find out the city is planning on cutting down all the trees, meaning they have to evacuate and everyone else living there. Leaving them with no place to call home. Throughout the story, Rain and her best friend king face many kind of obstacles but still manage to get through them together. King is like a brother figure to Rain. He cares deeply about her and is always keeping her safe.
Winterfolk is such a unique book. This book gives so much detail about a homeless girl’s life. I felt a genuine connection to Rain, I felt as if we have similar personalities. She’s stubborn and often doesn’t feel like she fits in, which I feel like I relate to. The main reason why I loved this book was because of how detailed the author was, it allowed me to understand from a different perspective of life, through Rain.
February 11, 2018
What can I say about a book that is set in Seattle and told from the perspective of a homeless girl?
First, that is was completely unlike anything I have ever read. I mean, we get this point of view of someone who has never known anything but a tent in the forest. She has only her father as family and the other residents of "The Jungle" who call themselves Winterfolk. Rain is fifteen-years-old. She knows how to read, but not write and keeps a rock garden outside of her tent. Her fiend and protector, King, takes her into Seattle one day for her birthday, the day before their home is to be demolished by the city and sets into motion events that turn into a day of firsts. It will sadden you, make you laugh,and maybe even open your eyes a little.
The supporting characters were colorful and fit well into the story. Basically, I couldn't put this book down, it was that good. Rain's narrative that was both magical and innocent drove the story. She has never been exposed to the real world so she incorporates what's she read into what is around her in order to cope. Again, it's sad.
I would absolutely love to see what else Janel Kolby does and I will scoop it up so fast I may even accidentally buy two books at once. If you're reading this, please write more books. We need them. I need them.
Thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC
First, that is was completely unlike anything I have ever read. I mean, we get this point of view of someone who has never known anything but a tent in the forest. She has only her father as family and the other residents of "The Jungle" who call themselves Winterfolk. Rain is fifteen-years-old. She knows how to read, but not write and keeps a rock garden outside of her tent. Her fiend and protector, King, takes her into Seattle one day for her birthday, the day before their home is to be demolished by the city and sets into motion events that turn into a day of firsts. It will sadden you, make you laugh,and maybe even open your eyes a little.
The supporting characters were colorful and fit well into the story. Basically, I couldn't put this book down, it was that good. Rain's narrative that was both magical and innocent drove the story. She has never been exposed to the real world so she incorporates what's she read into what is around her in order to cope. Again, it's sad.
I would absolutely love to see what else Janel Kolby does and I will scoop it up so fast I may even accidentally buy two books at once. If you're reading this, please write more books. We need them. I need them.
Thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC
March 19, 2021
In this Young Adult novel, we meet Rain, a homeless teen, living with her dad in a tent city in the woods of Seattle. She has been homeless for five years, living in this "community," which she now learns will be demolished. They will have to leave, not only Rain, her dad, and her best friend, King, but the others who live down the hill from them and who are called the Winterfolk. However, before the city is to step in, it's Rain's fifteenth birthday and King has a surprise for her, but they need to go into Seattle for it.
Rain has not been in the city for five years and thinks each thing she sees is her surprise, but when she finds out the surprise is that she can take a shower, well, man, what a great surprise for a teen who's been living in the woods for so long. Yes, there are many "adventures" during their time in Seattle, and when King and Rain get separated one wonders if they will ever reunite or what will happen to Rain while she's on her own.
The heartache one has for Rain and King is overwhelming. To live as a homeless person for all these years is hard to imagine. Has Kolby made it as terrifying a life as it really is? I don't know. What I do know, however, is that the last chapter, chapter 33, leaves me with many questions that I wish Kolby had answered. No, I'm not looking for a Hollywood ending, just some closure, which I felt she did not provide.
Rain has not been in the city for five years and thinks each thing she sees is her surprise, but when she finds out the surprise is that she can take a shower, well, man, what a great surprise for a teen who's been living in the woods for so long. Yes, there are many "adventures" during their time in Seattle, and when King and Rain get separated one wonders if they will ever reunite or what will happen to Rain while she's on her own.
The heartache one has for Rain and King is overwhelming. To live as a homeless person for all these years is hard to imagine. Has Kolby made it as terrifying a life as it really is? I don't know. What I do know, however, is that the last chapter, chapter 33, leaves me with many questions that I wish Kolby had answered. No, I'm not looking for a Hollywood ending, just some closure, which I felt she did not provide.
February 4, 2018
I believe this is the first book I've read that gave such a detailed look inside the life of a homeless teen. Rain lived most of her life with her father, in their tent, moving when forced, never really putting down roots. She was very isolated and sheltered. The book wasn't particularly fast paced even though it mostly took place within a day or two and the focus mainly stayed on Rain and her trying to find her way back after being separated on a trip to Seattle.
Rain had just turned fifteen in the book but she was a very young fifteen. She saw the world so differently and it was clear from the way she interacted with people. The other Winterfolk mostly stayed away from her except for her father and her friend King. She started the book off by being pretty dependent on both of them for everything. Her main focus was on staying invisible, like a ghost, but she grew as the book went on and she began to find her voice.
The plot was mostly centered around King taking Rain into Seattle for her birthday. They were going to do laundry, get something to eat, then go back to Winterfolk where her father was finally going to teach her how to make the bracelets he sold to earn them a little cash. To Rain, this was going to be a great day. Then she and King got separated and she had to try to find her way on her own. I was expecting the book to go deeper into the Winterfolk's forced eviction but it felt like that and the ending was a little rushed.
This is a book I can definitely recommend to younger readers who are looking to move into the YA section. It would be good for older readers as well, it's just that, as a bookseller, finding books for those younger readers who want to read in the YA section that their parents were okay with is getting more difficult and this one is a really good option.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Rain had just turned fifteen in the book but she was a very young fifteen. She saw the world so differently and it was clear from the way she interacted with people. The other Winterfolk mostly stayed away from her except for her father and her friend King. She started the book off by being pretty dependent on both of them for everything. Her main focus was on staying invisible, like a ghost, but she grew as the book went on and she began to find her voice.
The plot was mostly centered around King taking Rain into Seattle for her birthday. They were going to do laundry, get something to eat, then go back to Winterfolk where her father was finally going to teach her how to make the bracelets he sold to earn them a little cash. To Rain, this was going to be a great day. Then she and King got separated and she had to try to find her way on her own. I was expecting the book to go deeper into the Winterfolk's forced eviction but it felt like that and the ending was a little rushed.
This is a book I can definitely recommend to younger readers who are looking to move into the YA section. It would be good for older readers as well, it's just that, as a bookseller, finding books for those younger readers who want to read in the YA section that their parents were okay with is getting more difficult and this one is a really good option.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 17, 2018
I received this from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Rain is a homeless girl living with her father in a tent in a community of other homeless people. The group has been told to vacate the area because construction by the city will soon begin. As the group must find a new place to go, Rain is given the opportunity to explore the nearby city with her friend King. The two go to the local laundromat, where they are quickly separated. Rain spends the day traveling through the city trying to find King and eventually make it back to her father. This day will change Rain's entire life and force her to grow into herself.
I had difficulty understanding that this was realistic fiction and didn't realize it until I read summaries online. It read like magical realism, and through that vibe I think I lost the message related to the experience of the homeless in America. It was an interesting concept, which didn't fully blossom into something I could connect with. This novel moved slowly and it was difficult to get into.
Rain is a homeless girl living with her father in a tent in a community of other homeless people. The group has been told to vacate the area because construction by the city will soon begin. As the group must find a new place to go, Rain is given the opportunity to explore the nearby city with her friend King. The two go to the local laundromat, where they are quickly separated. Rain spends the day traveling through the city trying to find King and eventually make it back to her father. This day will change Rain's entire life and force her to grow into herself.
I had difficulty understanding that this was realistic fiction and didn't realize it until I read summaries online. It read like magical realism, and through that vibe I think I lost the message related to the experience of the homeless in America. It was an interesting concept, which didn't fully blossom into something I could connect with. This novel moved slowly and it was difficult to get into.
March 30, 2021
'I wasn't always a ghost. I was told to be.'
Rain is living with her Father in the woods along with a community of homeless people called the Winterfolk. Rain finds peace with these people, until the city that they live near threatens to clear the woods.
Now Rain has to go back into the city - Can she adjust, survive and help her community?
There was an interesting premise and unique story throughout this read, although at times the story tended to lose sight of the overarching plot. There is a young, female, homeless protagonist which there isn't much of in fiction which adds a nice element to the uniqueness of the plot. However, this main character appears too naïve after being homeless for years?
The ending felt as if it didn't wrap much up of the story.
Overall, a good and extremely different read!
Rain is living with her Father in the woods along with a community of homeless people called the Winterfolk. Rain finds peace with these people, until the city that they live near threatens to clear the woods.
Now Rain has to go back into the city - Can she adjust, survive and help her community?
There was an interesting premise and unique story throughout this read, although at times the story tended to lose sight of the overarching plot. There is a young, female, homeless protagonist which there isn't much of in fiction which adds a nice element to the uniqueness of the plot. However, this main character appears too naïve after being homeless for years?
The ending felt as if it didn't wrap much up of the story.
Overall, a good and extremely different read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2018
Caveat: despite my relatively low rating, I think there are quite a few people out there that will really love this book. My rating has more to do with the fact that I was expecting/hoping for one type of book and got a different type...
I was really excited about this one after seeing the prepub reviews. After having helped out in some homeless shelters in Seattle, I thought I might be able to make a real connection with this book. What I didn't know going in is that this book is not realistic fiction, as I had thought. There is realism in here, yes, but also strong influences of what you could call either magical realism or possibly the results of mental illness.
I was really excited about this one after seeing the prepub reviews. After having helped out in some homeless shelters in Seattle, I thought I might be able to make a real connection with this book. What I didn't know going in is that this book is not realistic fiction, as I had thought. There is realism in here, yes, but also strong influences of what you could call either magical realism or possibly the results of mental illness.
December 22, 2018
3.5 stars.
Not a lot of books on homeless people, which is sad. There's a lot.
I enjoyed Winterfolk, but sometimes Rain was really confusing and kind of crazy (not in a good way.)
I almost didn't want to finish this because of how weird the characters were..and how they treated Rain was weird and never explained in my opinion.
This book also kind of put me in a bad place because I could easily become someone like Rain. It's on the verge of happening and I can't do anything about it.
Anyways, this book was good: but not what I thought it would be.
Not a lot of books on homeless people, which is sad. There's a lot.
I enjoyed Winterfolk, but sometimes Rain was really confusing and kind of crazy (not in a good way.)
I almost didn't want to finish this because of how weird the characters were..and how they treated Rain was weird and never explained in my opinion.
This book also kind of put me in a bad place because I could easily become someone like Rain. It's on the verge of happening and I can't do anything about it.
Anyways, this book was good: but not what I thought it would be.
February 24, 2020
An observation of community, trauma, and exultation, Winterfolk is certainly interesting, though it lacks drive in some places. But, here's the cool thing: it makes you think. About halfway through reading it, I put it down and let what I'd read so far wash over me. It is truly a deep book, though some of the supporting characters lack depth or charm. Despite that, the book still manages to make you want to come back for more of Rain, the novel's protagonist. All in all, not a bad read for any realistic fiction or YA fans.
April 23, 2018
I liked this book but I didn't love this book.
Pros:
Great details about living on the streets being homeless and wonderful descriptions of Seattle
Cons:
the writing was a bit choppy because the main character is a bit mentally ill/delayed/inexperienced.
there wasn't that great of a plot element. There was a huge focus on showing the world from the homeless' eyes, but the plot element was weak.
Sometimes things got a bit too lyrical/flowy with the writing
Pros:
Great details about living on the streets being homeless and wonderful descriptions of Seattle
Cons:
the writing was a bit choppy because the main character is a bit mentally ill/delayed/inexperienced.
there wasn't that great of a plot element. There was a huge focus on showing the world from the homeless' eyes, but the plot element was weak.
Sometimes things got a bit too lyrical/flowy with the writing
January 14, 2019
While there were't any specific issues with this book, it lacked plot. It just seemed to meander with no real goal. Add to that an unreliable narrator with mental illness and sometimes you just get lost wondering what is going on. I kept wondering who the Winterfolk were but when I found out it was a bit of a disappointment.
I finished the book, so it was absolutely read-able, but I just didn't love it.
I finished the book, so it was absolutely read-able, but I just didn't love it.
January 15, 2019
This book is difficult to describe. It is a glimpse into the life of a homeless teen. It is not plot driven and is written in stream of consciousness. It is intentionally difficult to follow. Winterfolk is one of the most unique ways I have seen an author develop a voice and a character in a long time. Overall, it was a thought-provoking and heartbreaking story to read.
May 12, 2018
Beautiful prose, a compelling protagonist, a unique and compelling contemporary setting with hints of magic—Winterfolk will pull you into the world of homeless teenagers. This book left me feeling simultaneously disturbed and hopeful.
July 4, 2018
Great title, but the book is really badly written and pointless. Too bad, I would be very interested in homelessness from this person's point of view. I hope the author tries again, but s/he was badly served by the lack of guidance and editing in this book.
May 2, 2019
So confusing. The writing itself was ethereal and poetic, but in terms of plot it was full of holes and unresolved matters. The main character seems childlike and insane at times, and then....she gets her period?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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