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Wintering
When Jessica’s partner disappears into the dark Tasmanian forest, there is of course the mystery of what happened to him. The deserted car; the enigmatic final image on his phone.
There is the strange circle of local women, widows of disappeared men, with their edgy fellowship and unhinged theories.
And the forest itself: looming hugely over this tiny settlement on the remote tip of the island.
But for Jessica there is also the tight community in which she is still a stranger and Matthew was not. What secrets do they know about her own life that she doesn't? And why do they believe things that should not—cannot—be true. For her own sanity, Jessica needs to know two things. Who was Matthew? And who—or what—has he become?
There is the strange circle of local women, widows of disappeared men, with their edgy fellowship and unhinged theories.
And the forest itself: looming hugely over this tiny settlement on the remote tip of the island.
But for Jessica there is also the tight community in which she is still a stranger and Matthew was not. What secrets do they know about her own life that she doesn't? And why do they believe things that should not—cannot—be true. For her own sanity, Jessica needs to know two things. Who was Matthew? And who—or what—has he become?
261 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2018
13 people are currently reading
591 people want to read
About the author
Krissy Kneen
26 books73 followersKrissy Kneen has been shortlisted three times for the Queensland Premier's Literary awards. She is founding member of Eatbooks Inc and is the marketing and promotions officer at Avid Reader bookshop. Find out more about Krissy Kneen at www.eatbooks.com and www.avidreader.com.au
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
September 2, 2018
“She felt the calm of the cave as soon as she stepped through the unmarked entrance. The air felt different in here. Colder, damper. Still. There was a silence as if she was holding a seashell up to each ear, a silence filled with the pulse of heart, the whoosh of blood.
She waited till her eyes adjusted. Closed them, counted to ten, lifted her chin and opened her eyes to the universe unfurled above. Her tiny, miraculous larval galaxy...
The first cave was the largest. There was one of the biggest colonies of glow-worms in the world clustered here, dangling their sticky threads from the rocks above. She waited till the silence dissolved and the sounds of the world returned to her, the constant trickle of the creek, the drip of moisture. Her heart quietened.”
Wintering is the fifth novel by prize-winning Australian bookseller, poet and author, Krissy Kneen. After eight years in the far south of Tasmania, thirty-year-old Jessica Weir has finally completed her PhD research. When not tucked away in her cave gathering data on her glow worms, or guiding tours of the caves, or writing articles for Science Weekly, she’s with Matthew Masterton in their little shack at Southport.
Matthew cooks, makes home brew, smokes salmon, and is her contact with the town. But one night, Matthew is late home from work. Jessica wakes in the early hours, certain there’s a wild animal in the house, then answers a phone call from the Police who have found his mobile in his abandoned vehicle. Of Matthew, there is no sign.
A clip on Matthew’s phone shows an encounter with a creature that could be animal or human. Because of Matthew, Jessica has had minimal contact with the local community, but now a group of rather quirky local women count her among their number, all having one thing in common: their husbands were taken by the elusive Tasmanian tiger.
As Jessica progresses through worry, confusion, loneliness and grief, she catches snippets about Matthew that have her wondering if she really knew him at all.
Kneen latest offering has an original plot with twists and surprises that will keep readers guessing right up to the dramatic climax. Whether there’s a touch of paranormal, or whether certain strange occurrences can be explained by natural phenomena (hallucinations, tricks of light, strong emotions), the result is engrossing and thought-provoking. Her descriptive prose is exquisite: “She had picked a shell out of the sand, thin as skin stretched tight, brittle, a warm cup of sunlight” and she evokes her setting with consummate skill.
Kneen’s protagonist is a single-minded, nature-focussed young woman with some slightly skewed priorities. Despite her intelligence, her unusual upbringing leaves her vulnerable, and the initial hints of domestic violence and psychological abuse later prove true. Kneen easily conveys Jessica’s feelings and emotions: “Her freezers would be close to full. She should stop fishing for a while, but the thought of it made her chest clench. That simple activity. Dawn and dusk, dragging the boat into the water, dropping the net. Moments of relief in her unbearable days.”
In the author’s acknowledgements, there is mention of a film version, something that would be anticipated with interest by readers of this marvellous novel.
She waited till her eyes adjusted. Closed them, counted to ten, lifted her chin and opened her eyes to the universe unfurled above. Her tiny, miraculous larval galaxy...
The first cave was the largest. There was one of the biggest colonies of glow-worms in the world clustered here, dangling their sticky threads from the rocks above. She waited till the silence dissolved and the sounds of the world returned to her, the constant trickle of the creek, the drip of moisture. Her heart quietened.”
Wintering is the fifth novel by prize-winning Australian bookseller, poet and author, Krissy Kneen. After eight years in the far south of Tasmania, thirty-year-old Jessica Weir has finally completed her PhD research. When not tucked away in her cave gathering data on her glow worms, or guiding tours of the caves, or writing articles for Science Weekly, she’s with Matthew Masterton in their little shack at Southport.
Matthew cooks, makes home brew, smokes salmon, and is her contact with the town. But one night, Matthew is late home from work. Jessica wakes in the early hours, certain there’s a wild animal in the house, then answers a phone call from the Police who have found his mobile in his abandoned vehicle. Of Matthew, there is no sign.
A clip on Matthew’s phone shows an encounter with a creature that could be animal or human. Because of Matthew, Jessica has had minimal contact with the local community, but now a group of rather quirky local women count her among their number, all having one thing in common: their husbands were taken by the elusive Tasmanian tiger.
As Jessica progresses through worry, confusion, loneliness and grief, she catches snippets about Matthew that have her wondering if she really knew him at all.
Kneen latest offering has an original plot with twists and surprises that will keep readers guessing right up to the dramatic climax. Whether there’s a touch of paranormal, or whether certain strange occurrences can be explained by natural phenomena (hallucinations, tricks of light, strong emotions), the result is engrossing and thought-provoking. Her descriptive prose is exquisite: “She had picked a shell out of the sand, thin as skin stretched tight, brittle, a warm cup of sunlight” and she evokes her setting with consummate skill.
Kneen’s protagonist is a single-minded, nature-focussed young woman with some slightly skewed priorities. Despite her intelligence, her unusual upbringing leaves her vulnerable, and the initial hints of domestic violence and psychological abuse later prove true. Kneen easily conveys Jessica’s feelings and emotions: “Her freezers would be close to full. She should stop fishing for a while, but the thought of it made her chest clench. That simple activity. Dawn and dusk, dragging the boat into the water, dropping the net. Moments of relief in her unbearable days.”
In the author’s acknowledgements, there is mention of a film version, something that would be anticipated with interest by readers of this marvellous novel.
April 17, 2019
*spoilers*
I should have loved this book. I enjoyed Krissy Kneen's Steeplechase and think she's a talented writer. I adore spooky stories about people in remote locations, especially when the story has a lot of symbolic meaning.
Wintering has all these things but for me it fell flat. I've traveled through this part of Tassie and visited the Hastings Cave, and even spent time in a tiny cabin there on the edge of the ocean with the wind roaring and shaking the walls. I did enjoy this aspect of the book. The landscape and cave descriptions were well done and I felt the bitter coldness and isolation in my bones.
The main reason I didn't take to the book was because Kneen wants to have it both ways. The mythical Tasmanian tiger represents domestic violence and drug abuse and what they do to people, and is also an actual tiger, but she waivers between both without ever choosing one. It's either real or it isn't. At times it changes right in front of Jessica's eyes from her boyfriend Matthew into an animal and then back again. For me this was just silly and there were many gaps in logic which I found frustrating. I know Jessica is an unreliable narrator, but this just wasn't enough to overcome these gaps which weakened the impact of the book considerably.
For example:
*When they have a fight and Matthew seizes her laptop, Jessica panics because her only copy of her thesis is on there. Who in their right mind has only one copy of their Phd thesis saved that they've been working on for 8 years, especially when they live with a violent jerk like Matthew?
*Just before Matthew goes missing, Jessica finishes her Phd thesis and she emails the final copy to the university after he's gone missing. When the police come a short time later her bound thesis falls onto the floor and is damaged. In the midst of dealing with a missing boyfriend, has she somehow found the time to run off and get her thesis bound? This may seem like knit-picking, but the woman can barely function and this would be at the bottom of her list of priorities.
*Matthew filmed himself playing 'chicken' just before he disappeared and there was a video on the phone of him hitting an animal/tiger, but Jessica doesn't bother to turn this over to the police until they ask for his phone even though it holds an important clue to his disappearance.
*There are 12 other women who claim their men have been 'taken' by the tiger. They too have been stalked by their missing men in tiger form and advise Jessica the only option is to hunt him down and shoot him. We never find out exactly what happened to these men, but how can 13 people disappear in a relatively small area and not ring alarm bells with the police?
*Why would a tiger need a meth lab? Even if Matthew built the meth lab before he was turned into a tiger, why would he build it in a cave in sub-zero temperatures? If he is supposed to be just a drug-addled zombie and not a tiger, how has he survived out there for so long? (and if this is the case, is Kneen suggesting men like Matthew are irredeemable and deserve death?)
*Despite the fact that many people have explored the cave system, Jessica manages to stumble upon a cave that no one else has found but which is easily accessible by foot.
*Jessica loves Matthew deeply and yearns for him but has no hesitation in jumping into bed with his friend within weeks of his disappearance.
*Matthews family are introduced and then barely mentioned again.
*Why so many references to penises? Every time the tiger is mentioned, its penis is also mentioned. I just found this weird.
Maybe I'm too literal-minded for this type of book but I do need some grounding in reality and closure. A book which makes no sense is not poetic, it's weak writing in my opinion. To use the tiger as a metaphor while revealing at the end that it's not an actual tiger would have been more satisfying for me. I lost interest at about the halfway mark and skimmed to the end just to find out what happened. It's a shame, but I haven't given up on Krissy Kneen.
I should have loved this book. I enjoyed Krissy Kneen's Steeplechase and think she's a talented writer. I adore spooky stories about people in remote locations, especially when the story has a lot of symbolic meaning.
Wintering has all these things but for me it fell flat. I've traveled through this part of Tassie and visited the Hastings Cave, and even spent time in a tiny cabin there on the edge of the ocean with the wind roaring and shaking the walls. I did enjoy this aspect of the book. The landscape and cave descriptions were well done and I felt the bitter coldness and isolation in my bones.
The main reason I didn't take to the book was because Kneen wants to have it both ways. The mythical Tasmanian tiger represents domestic violence and drug abuse and what they do to people, and is also an actual tiger, but she waivers between both without ever choosing one. It's either real or it isn't. At times it changes right in front of Jessica's eyes from her boyfriend Matthew into an animal and then back again. For me this was just silly and there were many gaps in logic which I found frustrating. I know Jessica is an unreliable narrator, but this just wasn't enough to overcome these gaps which weakened the impact of the book considerably.
For example:
*When they have a fight and Matthew seizes her laptop, Jessica panics because her only copy of her thesis is on there. Who in their right mind has only one copy of their Phd thesis saved that they've been working on for 8 years, especially when they live with a violent jerk like Matthew?
*Just before Matthew goes missing, Jessica finishes her Phd thesis and she emails the final copy to the university after he's gone missing. When the police come a short time later her bound thesis falls onto the floor and is damaged. In the midst of dealing with a missing boyfriend, has she somehow found the time to run off and get her thesis bound? This may seem like knit-picking, but the woman can barely function and this would be at the bottom of her list of priorities.
*Matthew filmed himself playing 'chicken' just before he disappeared and there was a video on the phone of him hitting an animal/tiger, but Jessica doesn't bother to turn this over to the police until they ask for his phone even though it holds an important clue to his disappearance.
*There are 12 other women who claim their men have been 'taken' by the tiger. They too have been stalked by their missing men in tiger form and advise Jessica the only option is to hunt him down and shoot him. We never find out exactly what happened to these men, but how can 13 people disappear in a relatively small area and not ring alarm bells with the police?
*Why would a tiger need a meth lab? Even if Matthew built the meth lab before he was turned into a tiger, why would he build it in a cave in sub-zero temperatures? If he is supposed to be just a drug-addled zombie and not a tiger, how has he survived out there for so long? (and if this is the case, is Kneen suggesting men like Matthew are irredeemable and deserve death?)
*Despite the fact that many people have explored the cave system, Jessica manages to stumble upon a cave that no one else has found but which is easily accessible by foot.
*Jessica loves Matthew deeply and yearns for him but has no hesitation in jumping into bed with his friend within weeks of his disappearance.
*Matthews family are introduced and then barely mentioned again.
*Why so many references to penises? Every time the tiger is mentioned, its penis is also mentioned. I just found this weird.
Maybe I'm too literal-minded for this type of book but I do need some grounding in reality and closure. A book which makes no sense is not poetic, it's weak writing in my opinion. To use the tiger as a metaphor while revealing at the end that it's not an actual tiger would have been more satisfying for me. I lost interest at about the halfway mark and skimmed to the end just to find out what happened. It's a shame, but I haven't given up on Krissy Kneen.
September 4, 2018
Full and fair disclosure: I know the author.
I was so, so excited to read this and it did not disappoint - I finished it in two sittings. Wintering takes several dark twists and turns, but initially we're gripped by the disappearance of our protagonist Jessica's partner in the remote Tasmanian forest. It made me feel physically cold and pretty creeped-out at times; there is a perfect combination of specific science (duh, it's Kneen) and a much more amorphous sense of the uncanny. Setting is a critical component of this book, and I found the natural world was painted vividly for me and that the dialogue was absolutely evocative of a particular time and place. The ending is hugely satisfying so that 'cold' feeling was like the hard work to get to a red-hot finale. A fantastic, expertly-handled book.
I was so, so excited to read this and it did not disappoint - I finished it in two sittings. Wintering takes several dark twists and turns, but initially we're gripped by the disappearance of our protagonist Jessica's partner in the remote Tasmanian forest. It made me feel physically cold and pretty creeped-out at times; there is a perfect combination of specific science (duh, it's Kneen) and a much more amorphous sense of the uncanny. Setting is a critical component of this book, and I found the natural world was painted vividly for me and that the dialogue was absolutely evocative of a particular time and place. The ending is hugely satisfying so that 'cold' feeling was like the hard work to get to a red-hot finale. A fantastic, expertly-handled book.
Read
October 24, 2018‘At once a supernatural thriller and a sharp meditation on the legacy abusive men leave behind.’
Readings
Readings
September 19, 2018
If Krissy Kneen is not already known as The Literary Chameleon, then she should be. Once again, she has flexed her writing muscle and proven her literary adaptability and diversity with her most recent novel Wintering (Text Publishing 2018). As we have come to expect from this author, Wintering is a genre-bending hybrid, but it is a departure from anything I have read from her before – part ghost story, part horror outback noir, part romance, part Twilight Zone, part mystery – and all, of course, bound together with the curiosity, affection and respect for science and nature that all her writing captures.
For those of you unfamiliar with Kneen’s work, she does have a reputation for giving us some of the steamiest and sexiest erotic fiction published in Australia, although she has also written memoir, literary fiction and award-winning poetry (AND was recently shortlisted for the Stella Prize). But if risqué is not your cup of tea, and you’ve been wondering where to start with this author, then this latest – Wintering – is a perfect introduction: gentle, subtle and sensitive, with a conventional narrative that is easy to read and relatable, with the addition of mysterious spine-tingling occurrences and a plot-driven sense of thrill that will have you turning the pages faster and faster as the story develops.
But do not let the gentleness and subtlety fool you. This is a book with a chilling puzzle at its centre, a story with unexplained events and creepy characters. Perhaps it’s a frightening descent into madness, or maybe it’s an insightful perspective on incidents and behaviour we can’t explain. The reader is left to decide which version they believe, which is more plausible, which is the most palatable.
The protagonist Jessica is a glow-worm scientist, and when her partner disappears while driving through the dense Tasmanian forest, Jessica is forced to face uncomfortable rumours, confrontational locals and the fears of her own mind as she sets about to uncover the truth. What she discovers about her missing partner – and about herself, and what she might be capable of – threatens not only her state of mind and her way of life, but also has the potential to unlock long-buried secrets of her past.
The story is full of strong and competent women. The hint of domestic violence and the abuse of power, or power imbalance, runs in an almost subterraneous way throughout the story, much like Jessica’s underground caves where she does her research and feels most at home. This ‘message’ is so subtle, however, that it is not really until you reach the end of the book that you understand the full impact of what has happened, of the tangled relationships of Jessica’s past, and the dangers of her current predicament.
The book features fishing, guns, scientists, widows, rednecks, religious fanatics and Australian native wildlife – both alive and extinct (maybe? …) Also, this book is very COLD. From the first page to the last, we feel immersed in the bone-chilling cold of the Tasmanian forest, where fires must always be lit and coats always worn, and where shelter is essential. Deep in the heart of Tasmanian wilderness, where even the SOS function on your mobile phone fails, where anything could happen and where, if it did, nobody would hear you scream … that is the setting for this gothic tale.
If there’s one thing that the many writings of Krissy Kneen have in common, it is that her words provoke robust discussion about the depth of human emotions, the parameters around human behaviour, and the roles of judgement versus tolerance in society. Kneen is a courageously inquisitive investigator of the human condition and has a keen appreciation of the perplexing and the profound.
For those of you unfamiliar with Kneen’s work, she does have a reputation for giving us some of the steamiest and sexiest erotic fiction published in Australia, although she has also written memoir, literary fiction and award-winning poetry (AND was recently shortlisted for the Stella Prize). But if risqué is not your cup of tea, and you’ve been wondering where to start with this author, then this latest – Wintering – is a perfect introduction: gentle, subtle and sensitive, with a conventional narrative that is easy to read and relatable, with the addition of mysterious spine-tingling occurrences and a plot-driven sense of thrill that will have you turning the pages faster and faster as the story develops.
But do not let the gentleness and subtlety fool you. This is a book with a chilling puzzle at its centre, a story with unexplained events and creepy characters. Perhaps it’s a frightening descent into madness, or maybe it’s an insightful perspective on incidents and behaviour we can’t explain. The reader is left to decide which version they believe, which is more plausible, which is the most palatable.
The protagonist Jessica is a glow-worm scientist, and when her partner disappears while driving through the dense Tasmanian forest, Jessica is forced to face uncomfortable rumours, confrontational locals and the fears of her own mind as she sets about to uncover the truth. What she discovers about her missing partner – and about herself, and what she might be capable of – threatens not only her state of mind and her way of life, but also has the potential to unlock long-buried secrets of her past.
The story is full of strong and competent women. The hint of domestic violence and the abuse of power, or power imbalance, runs in an almost subterraneous way throughout the story, much like Jessica’s underground caves where she does her research and feels most at home. This ‘message’ is so subtle, however, that it is not really until you reach the end of the book that you understand the full impact of what has happened, of the tangled relationships of Jessica’s past, and the dangers of her current predicament.
The book features fishing, guns, scientists, widows, rednecks, religious fanatics and Australian native wildlife – both alive and extinct (maybe? …) Also, this book is very COLD. From the first page to the last, we feel immersed in the bone-chilling cold of the Tasmanian forest, where fires must always be lit and coats always worn, and where shelter is essential. Deep in the heart of Tasmanian wilderness, where even the SOS function on your mobile phone fails, where anything could happen and where, if it did, nobody would hear you scream … that is the setting for this gothic tale.
If there’s one thing that the many writings of Krissy Kneen have in common, it is that her words provoke robust discussion about the depth of human emotions, the parameters around human behaviour, and the roles of judgement versus tolerance in society. Kneen is a courageously inquisitive investigator of the human condition and has a keen appreciation of the perplexing and the profound.
September 19, 2018
Vivid, dramatic and intense - Kneen is one of our most inventive writers and this is another stunner. She creates a menacingly atmospheric atmosphere - you can feel the cold leaching into your bones and the trees closing in around you - and fills it with marine science, tough old women, hinst of the supernatural and a gripping plot. Goooood stuff (I've dropped a star because I didn't *quite* buy the ending).
May 1, 2019
I feel like my 3 star rating doesn't convey how much I enjoyed reading this book - I couldn't put it down. I found the story very gripping, and the writing style was great - Kneen did an excellent job of describing just how cold, muddy, dark and dense Tassie's southern forests are. I also really enjoyed the metaphor of Tassie tiger as masculine abuse/coercion, but I suppose I wasn't convinced why the main character ever would get together with her partner in the first place. There was a lot of telling not showing when it came to their relationship, and so when she was grieving his loss (not a spoiler - he goes missing at the start of the story) I found I didn't feel any feelings along with her (even though the actual descriptions of grief were good). So I suppose my rating reflects the technical issues I could see with the story, even though I really enjoyed the rest of it.
May 26, 2020
Wintering was my second book by Krissy Kneen, with Uncertain Grace being my first introduction to this Australian author. Set on the edge of the Tasmanian wilderness, Wintering is a story about domestic violence and coercive control, gently revealed in snippets: "She remembered apologising -of course it had been her fault. She had been a constant provocation. Opinionated, snobbish, rude."
"They seemed to belong here. Their great-great-grandparents had joined the killing lines, hunting out the real locals, and killing everyone in their path. She imagined them walking through the same forests now, searching for one of their own, closing ranks." What starts off as a story of how hard it is to be outsider entering a close-knit rural community, united by struggle and genocide, quickly becomes a tale of finding strength in other women.
When the perpetrator of violence, Matthew, disappears, ostensibly kidnapped by a Tasmanian tiger, Jessica is invited into the circle of local women. While her scientific brain resists the narrative they're telling her, in the end she comes to admire these strong Tasmanian women and their ethos: "You just do what you have to do, then get on with it. We're good like that. Tough as nails."
Some men are better if they disappear, leaving the women-folk who once loved them better off without them. By the end of the novel, it would seem that Jessica can see the impacts of the violence, rape and coercive control, and wants to live and love differently: "She could feel the strength in the old woman's hands, the daily ritual of putting out the boat and bringing in the net. Again she felt dizzy, seeing her future staring into her eyes. And it wasn't so bad really. Tough, solitary, self-sufficient. Wise? Maybe."
"They seemed to belong here. Their great-great-grandparents had joined the killing lines, hunting out the real locals, and killing everyone in their path. She imagined them walking through the same forests now, searching for one of their own, closing ranks." What starts off as a story of how hard it is to be outsider entering a close-knit rural community, united by struggle and genocide, quickly becomes a tale of finding strength in other women.
When the perpetrator of violence, Matthew, disappears, ostensibly kidnapped by a Tasmanian tiger, Jessica is invited into the circle of local women. While her scientific brain resists the narrative they're telling her, in the end she comes to admire these strong Tasmanian women and their ethos: "You just do what you have to do, then get on with it. We're good like that. Tough as nails."
Some men are better if they disappear, leaving the women-folk who once loved them better off without them. By the end of the novel, it would seem that Jessica can see the impacts of the violence, rape and coercive control, and wants to live and love differently: "She could feel the strength in the old woman's hands, the daily ritual of putting out the boat and bringing in the net. Again she felt dizzy, seeing her future staring into her eyes. And it wasn't so bad really. Tough, solitary, self-sufficient. Wise? Maybe."
March 14, 2019
I’ll admit at first I was little bit “meh” about this book, but after about halfway through I was hooked.
Without giving away too many spoilers, it takes a kind of folklore most commonly found in European and Native American tales and plants it firmly in an Australian context*. This particular type of folklore has really been taken up by YA fiction and movies in the past decade or so (no, it’s not what you are thinking), yet somehow the author gives a really fresh take on the story. Her writing evokes the isolation of a small town perfectly, and shifts and changes as the protagonists mind alternates between sanity and panic. It’s creepy without being gross, and provides a perfect sense of dread. It really is so much more than just a supernatural thriller, with the focus being on the protagonist reconciling how she feels about past events, and how they shape her feelings and actions relating to her partners disappearance.
*I did a quick google and was unable to find any Aboriginal Australian beliefs that this may have been based on. I could be entirely wrong, and if anyone can find any evidence to the contrary I would love it to hear it provided it is ok to share with a non-Aboriginal woman. I understand how vast Aboriginal culture and beliefs are, and how they are not the same between different groups, so my quick google was not sufficient in order for me to not give credit! I’m sure once I go read the other reviews I may be immediately corrected.
Without giving away too many spoilers, it takes a kind of folklore most commonly found in European and Native American tales and plants it firmly in an Australian context*. This particular type of folklore has really been taken up by YA fiction and movies in the past decade or so (no, it’s not what you are thinking), yet somehow the author gives a really fresh take on the story. Her writing evokes the isolation of a small town perfectly, and shifts and changes as the protagonists mind alternates between sanity and panic. It’s creepy without being gross, and provides a perfect sense of dread. It really is so much more than just a supernatural thriller, with the focus being on the protagonist reconciling how she feels about past events, and how they shape her feelings and actions relating to her partners disappearance.
*I did a quick google and was unable to find any Aboriginal Australian beliefs that this may have been based on. I could be entirely wrong, and if anyone can find any evidence to the contrary I would love it to hear it provided it is ok to share with a non-Aboriginal woman. I understand how vast Aboriginal culture and beliefs are, and how they are not the same between different groups, so my quick google was not sufficient in order for me to not give credit! I’m sure once I go read the other reviews I may be immediately corrected.
July 23, 2019
I try not to look at reviews of a novel before I read it, but in this case I so wish I had so I could have avoided it altogether. It was exciting to begin with, had a great sense of place (I could feel the cold of Southern Tasmania), the characters were believable.....and then it went off into magic realism nearly half way through. I felt cheated, it was not what I signed up for but I felt I had to finish it. People turning into animals or animals turning into people, nah sorry, not for me.
August 8, 2019
2 1/2 rounded up because although I did read the whole book, some of the 'mystical' elements just seemed silly!
October 11, 2022
1.5 rounded up
Set in the southern most town in Tasmania this novel had potential. Jessica, a PhD student who works as a guide in the local cave system, lives with Matthew in a small remote shack, until Matthew goes missing. Kneen attempted to use the elements of this small town and surrounding region, the cold, the dense forest, the local caves, the ocean, to add atmosphere and to build tension but it just didn't quite work for me.
Underlying the premise of the missing partners and extinct Tasmanian tiger, is a link to domestic violence and drug addiction which also did not gel for me. While I could relate to the small town everyone knows everyone's business scenario, I struggled with Jessica's contrasting naivety and her lack of insight and knowledge of people, especially as she works locally. This, and other elements of her character, were seemingly linked to a very limited back story, of her childhood in a religious cult. Similarly, her missing partner Matthew's family are introduced and there are sledgehammer hints about something sinister and wrong, but these are not taken further and the family does not reappear. On top of this there are some inconsistencies in the novel, for example Jessica's thesis is both a manuscript on her laptop, emailed to her supervisor and awaiting final revisions and, in an earlier or perhaps concurrent scene (time shifted for me and was difficult to pin down) is a fully bound thesis. This felt like a first draft, something that needed expanding and refining. It just didn't come together for me.
Set in the southern most town in Tasmania this novel had potential. Jessica, a PhD student who works as a guide in the local cave system, lives with Matthew in a small remote shack, until Matthew goes missing. Kneen attempted to use the elements of this small town and surrounding region, the cold, the dense forest, the local caves, the ocean, to add atmosphere and to build tension but it just didn't quite work for me.
Underlying the premise of the missing partners and extinct Tasmanian tiger, is a link to domestic violence and drug addiction which also did not gel for me. While I could relate to the small town everyone knows everyone's business scenario, I struggled with Jessica's contrasting naivety and her lack of insight and knowledge of people, especially as she works locally. This, and other elements of her character, were seemingly linked to a very limited back story, of her childhood in a religious cult. Similarly, her missing partner Matthew's family are introduced and there are sledgehammer hints about something sinister and wrong, but these are not taken further and the family does not reappear. On top of this there are some inconsistencies in the novel, for example Jessica's thesis is both a manuscript on her laptop, emailed to her supervisor and awaiting final revisions and, in an earlier or perhaps concurrent scene (time shifted for me and was difficult to pin down) is a fully bound thesis. This felt like a first draft, something that needed expanding and refining. It just didn't come together for me.
February 3, 2019
You will want to set aside a leisurely day for this one when you can totally immerse and not have to tear yourself away for anything less essential than food and water. So often I had to force myself to STOP READING! and ...BREATHE. Turned around and read the first two chapters again immediately after finishing (sadly, it was over way too soon)! .
..But perhaps don't read this review before you begin because I'm going to rave and it may be best if you have low or no expectations, as I did when starting.
This book was an incomparable experience, which doesn't fit easily any one genre. It simply stands alone, with its beautiful cover and the promise of a shiver. Kneen conjures a tangible experience of a wild and unfamiliar landscape and paints her characters with such compelling realism. With Wintering, she confirms herself convincingly as a total master of this craft. Even the smells are so real, you will find yourself sniffing hesitantly and feel your skin prickle with suspense at the slightest hint of foreshadowing. The plot moves apace with inexplicable leaps and backtracks which never detract but match the confusion and uncertainty of our protagonist.
What, in particular, might appeal? Such a long list, but let's start with: the story of a smart woman cowed who manages to reclaim her strength and sense of worth, a touch of the paranormal and a dark sense of foreboding that keeps your heart racing, mystery, romance (and the rest - but hey, if you've read anything else by this author you will expect some sizzle!), successful retribution for crimes of abuse, fascinating creatures of myth and of science, homage to the natural world, Australian landscapes.
This is a novel that refuses to be compared or catalogued, though I was reminded (in a GOOD way) of prior reads. To name a few: All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld (the phantom dog, the central character), Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett (location, mood) and Liar by Justine Larbalestier (sometimes you're driven to doubting the narrator about... well I'll let you work it out).
Well done Krissy Kneen. You deserve every accolade for this offering. Brutal. Beautiful. Brilliant!
..But perhaps don't read this review before you begin because I'm going to rave and it may be best if you have low or no expectations, as I did when starting.
This book was an incomparable experience, which doesn't fit easily any one genre. It simply stands alone, with its beautiful cover and the promise of a shiver. Kneen conjures a tangible experience of a wild and unfamiliar landscape and paints her characters with such compelling realism. With Wintering, she confirms herself convincingly as a total master of this craft. Even the smells are so real, you will find yourself sniffing hesitantly and feel your skin prickle with suspense at the slightest hint of foreshadowing. The plot moves apace with inexplicable leaps and backtracks which never detract but match the confusion and uncertainty of our protagonist.
What, in particular, might appeal? Such a long list, but let's start with: the story of a smart woman cowed who manages to reclaim her strength and sense of worth, a touch of the paranormal and a dark sense of foreboding that keeps your heart racing, mystery, romance (and the rest - but hey, if you've read anything else by this author you will expect some sizzle!), successful retribution for crimes of abuse, fascinating creatures of myth and of science, homage to the natural world, Australian landscapes.
This is a novel that refuses to be compared or catalogued, though I was reminded (in a GOOD way) of prior reads. To name a few: All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wyld (the phantom dog, the central character), Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett (location, mood) and Liar by Justine Larbalestier (sometimes you're driven to doubting the narrator about... well I'll let you work it out).
Well done Krissy Kneen. You deserve every accolade for this offering. Brutal. Beautiful. Brilliant!
February 26, 2019
Wow...I think... so torn... so wish I hadn’t read a review of this before I read the book... I started with incredibly high expectations and then was quickly disappointed... but then I read on and wondered is this a seriously great book or the most far fetched story I’ve ever read? When I describe the story line to someone it seems even more ridiculous? But then I couldn’t put it down so I guess it was the former? I see that this author normally writes erotica? I’m still so confused! But I liked it..I think??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2018
Kneen is a unique and inventive writer and in Wintering she takes readers into altogether new terrain - a small and isolated coastal community in Tasmania where men go missing. It is a skilfully suspenseful story in which readers must wrestle with the possibilities of madness, myth, magic and reality.
October 2, 2018
Avoid pages 164-165. (Dream/memory of shooting a kitten as part of a cult.)
Avoid pages 237-238. (Freeing dead dog's corpse from a net.)
The book also contains domestic abuse.
Kind of reminds me of Kenneth Cook's WAKE IN FRIGHT. Aussie noir. Only this is in winter instead of summer.
Avoid pages 237-238. (Freeing dead dog's corpse from a net.)
The book also contains domestic abuse.
Kind of reminds me of Kenneth Cook's WAKE IN FRIGHT. Aussie noir. Only this is in winter instead of summer.
January 18, 2019
This was disappointing. I never warmed to the main character and found her life choices to be strange and not very believable. I also found the 'mystery' pretty silly which drew me out of the main story. 3 stars.
February 22, 2019
Hmmm. I was keen for this read - Aussie author, story set in Tasmania. But I didn’t realise it had a supernatural theme. Won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
October 24, 2019
This slow burning story crept up on me. The sadness and bewilderment Jessica suffers when her partner Matthew goes missing gradually expands until she snaps. The atmosphere changes into an eerie, gothic-like tale of deception and fear. There are disturbing bits, there are gruesome bits and there are sex scenes. I was unsure of William, the man who offers to help, I was unsure of the coven of local women who offer strange advice and an even stranger solution. In the end I wanted Jessica to fight back and the result is worth more than the price of admission to the spooky glow-worm caves.
Prior to Matthew’s disappearance, Jessica, a scientist, is just finishing her PhD on glow-worms and works as a tour guide at the cave complex, helping the tiny creatures to prosper. Winter Cave is her favourite and Winter Cave coldness, the surrounding dense forest and its feral smells pervade this book. Disturbingly, she is a good shot and needs to carry a gun to feel safe.
The character portrayals were well suited to their Tasmanian coastal surroundings, in particular Marijam of Cockle Creek and her outlook on what appears to be a strange isolated life. She net-fishes for her food and compares commercial fishermen to the demise of small traders “Pick on a little bookstore, put a big mega-store across the road. Discounts on all the prices till the little fella dies, then corner the market” which she read about on the internet.
I queried some of the things in the story - how/why/what actually happens to Matthew? – but I sincerely hope the thylacine Tasmanian Tiger exists. I also wondered if Jessica knew those caves as well as she thought. My pet peeve is proof-reading misses (1) License interchanged with licence, rear-view mirror becomes rear-vision mirror, etc. I’d go for the Aussie spelling every time (2) Parts of the story felt like a filmscript not a literary description. There is a difference.
Krissy Kneen’s story reflects the time and effort she put into it, the sense of place is strong and at times overpowering. As a child, my parents and I visited the Jenolan Caves in NSW and I have been claustrophobic ever since.
♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward
Prior to Matthew’s disappearance, Jessica, a scientist, is just finishing her PhD on glow-worms and works as a tour guide at the cave complex, helping the tiny creatures to prosper. Winter Cave is her favourite and Winter Cave coldness, the surrounding dense forest and its feral smells pervade this book. Disturbingly, she is a good shot and needs to carry a gun to feel safe.
The character portrayals were well suited to their Tasmanian coastal surroundings, in particular Marijam of Cockle Creek and her outlook on what appears to be a strange isolated life. She net-fishes for her food and compares commercial fishermen to the demise of small traders “Pick on a little bookstore, put a big mega-store across the road. Discounts on all the prices till the little fella dies, then corner the market” which she read about on the internet.
I queried some of the things in the story - how/why/what actually happens to Matthew? – but I sincerely hope the thylacine Tasmanian Tiger exists. I also wondered if Jessica knew those caves as well as she thought. My pet peeve is proof-reading misses (1) License interchanged with licence, rear-view mirror becomes rear-vision mirror, etc. I’d go for the Aussie spelling every time (2) Parts of the story felt like a filmscript not a literary description. There is a difference.
Krissy Kneen’s story reflects the time and effort she put into it, the sense of place is strong and at times overpowering. As a child, my parents and I visited the Jenolan Caves in NSW and I have been claustrophobic ever since.
♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward
June 6, 2023
Totally intriguing and very atmospheric. Granted, I have always been fascinated by the thylacine and whether there may still be some living in the deepest forests of Tasmania. The way the author weaves the story of the possible existence of surviving thylacines with the disappearance of men is creepy and definitely builds the tension of the story.
Those who desire a definite conclusion/explanation in their reading will, however, be disappointed. I love that the author left it all up to the reader to decide what happened, which leaves the book in your mind for quite some time as you ponder the possibilities.
Those who desire a definite conclusion/explanation in their reading will, however, be disappointed. I love that the author left it all up to the reader to decide what happened, which leaves the book in your mind for quite some time as you ponder the possibilities.
December 1, 2018
This book kept me thinking long after I put it down each time....(a shame when real life gets in the way of a long reading session)
So atmospheric, intense and with a hint supernatural, I really didn’t know which way the book was leading me but I loved it.
So atmospheric, intense and with a hint supernatural, I really didn’t know which way the book was leading me but I loved it.
September 18, 2021
My favourite thing was the expert depiction of a remote Tasmanian community in winter. I could feel the cold, smell the fish, and picture the threatening and impenetrable forest. The premise was good, but the writing style was completely different to Kneen's other work, An Uncertain Grace. I found myself wondering if they were the same author. The usual murder/mystery trope was turned on it's head in this novel. Instead of a young woman going missing, this time it's her loser boyfriend. Kneen tossed in some fantasy elements too.
November 4, 2018
Intriguing, dark, mysterious Australian gothic. Krissy Kneen can do no wrong.
July 22, 2020
Beautifully written in a stunning setting, very enjoyable
August 30, 2018
Superb.
August 2, 2021
Strong story about one of a young scientist and journalist living in an isolated area of Tassie with the plot turning on some gothic/speculative lore about the extinct Tasmanian Tiger. There were a couple of moments where the narrative scared the wits out of me with its suspensefulness.
August 24, 2019
fairytale and mystery my kind of book
July 23, 2019
A dream of a book set in the winter cold of South Tasmania.
June 17, 2019
Read for book club June 2019
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