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A Good Winter
I looked after Lara. We both looked after Sophie and her baby. We had to. It’s not like Sophie was going to look after that baby herself. All she was interested in was weeping and wailing for her dead husband. She was so busy weeping and wailing for her dead husband that she rejected his baby who was right in front of her.
When Olga’s friend Lara becomes a grandmother, Olga helps out whenever she can. After all, it’s a big imposition on Lara, looking after her bereaved daughter and the baby. And the new mother is not exactly considerate.
But smoldering beneath Olga’s sensible support and loving generosity is a deep jealous need to be the centre of Lara’s attention and affection—a need that soon becomes a consuming, dangerous and ultimately tragic obsession.
Gigi Fenster’s A Good Winter is an enthralling psychological thriller, a dark and complex portrait of a troubled mind.
When Olga’s friend Lara becomes a grandmother, Olga helps out whenever she can. After all, it’s a big imposition on Lara, looking after her bereaved daughter and the baby. And the new mother is not exactly considerate.
But smoldering beneath Olga’s sensible support and loving generosity is a deep jealous need to be the centre of Lara’s attention and affection—a need that soon becomes a consuming, dangerous and ultimately tragic obsession.
Gigi Fenster’s A Good Winter is an enthralling psychological thriller, a dark and complex portrait of a troubled mind.
260 pages, Paperback
First published September 14, 2021
6 people are currently reading
307 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
March 19, 2022
Not an easy one to decide a rating on!
Half of me hated every moment of this book and the other half valued the sheer madness! I really disliked Olga but the other characters only barely sustained the story (to a point.). The storyline was plausible to an extent but inevitable in outcome.
Option - if you hate it at halfway it’s probably not for you.
Half of me hated every moment of this book and the other half valued the sheer madness! I really disliked Olga but the other characters only barely sustained the story (to a point.). The storyline was plausible to an extent but inevitable in outcome.
Option - if you hate it at halfway it’s probably not for you.
February 13, 2022
3.5
Honestly, I don't know what to make of this one. I think the labelling as a "psychological thriller" might disappoint readers of that genre. However, it is an interesting proposition as a character study. Narrated entirely by Olga, a "fussbudget" and well-meaning neighbourly type. Olga's voice is hard to shake, she might be the reading equivalent of an earworm. As this book progressed Olga ground me down with her righteous thoughts. I wanted to be rid of her and struggled to understand why no one else in the novel seemed to want to run a mile from her as well.
The ending IS disquieting, however, a little more general menace and "thrillery" bits would not go amiss in the journey to get there.
In short; not unhappy this made the longlist of the NZ Ockhams Fiction Awards and I hope we see more from Gigi Fenster.
Honestly, I don't know what to make of this one. I think the labelling as a "psychological thriller" might disappoint readers of that genre. However, it is an interesting proposition as a character study. Narrated entirely by Olga, a "fussbudget" and well-meaning neighbourly type. Olga's voice is hard to shake, she might be the reading equivalent of an earworm. As this book progressed Olga ground me down with her righteous thoughts. I wanted to be rid of her and struggled to understand why no one else in the novel seemed to want to run a mile from her as well.
The ending IS disquieting, however, a little more general menace and "thrillery" bits would not go amiss in the journey to get there.
In short; not unhappy this made the longlist of the NZ Ockhams Fiction Awards and I hope we see more from Gigi Fenster.
August 25, 2021
A Good Winter is the second novel by New Zealand author, Gigi Fenster. Lara, a fairly recent widow, is a new arrival in Olga’s city apartment block. She sold the family home to be closer to her just widowed, pregnant daughter, Sophie. Some three months after Michael’s birth, Sophie’s grief is compounded by post-natal depression: she is not coping with motherhood.
Having made a casual acquaintance over Olga’s green fingers and Lara’s pot-plant failures, Sophie’s crisis unites them: Olga’s generous offer to care for Sophie and Michael until Lara can work her job’s two-week notice is gratefully accepted. Sophie really is quite hopeless with Michael, and Olga’s competence and efficiency is sorely needed. Sophie is, frankly, a bit of a wallower: she likes being depressed.
But even when Lara is freely available to attend to Sophie’s every demand, Olga is still filling a desperate need: Lara is so stressed and overworked, she needs Olga to care for her, and to vet the stream of inconsiderate visitors who claim to be Sophie’s closest friends, coming around for trivial purposes when Michael should be sleeping and Sophie should be resting. That, at least, is what Olga repeatedly tells herself.
This clear need doesn’t end when Sophie believes her depression is lifting: anyone can see she’s just one tiny incident away from a relapse. Nor does she have a clue about what is good for Michael, or the pressure she’s putting on Lara. Olga has to keep stepping in, for everyone’s good…
From Olga’s first-person narrative, the reader is immediately aware that she is unhinged: her heroine complex, her sense of entitlement, and especially her stalking behaviour, all build a sense of foreboding.
Olga builds a story around perceived slights, reads unintended meaning into casual remarks and deeds, and manipulates the facts, both past and present, to reassure herself. She brims with unvoiced criticism of Sophie, her friends and Lara’s friends while, fixated as she is on Lara, any doubts about Lara’s behaviour that arise she quickly and neatly rationalises away. Until, finally, she doesn’t.
Sporadic, selective glimpses of her childhood and early adult life, as shared with Lara, give the reader only a vague idea of why she is so mentally deranged. That Olga is an unreliable narrator is quickly apparent, so the reader may begin to draw conclusions about her real relationship with her mother, at which we are left guessing. More of a resolution would have been appreciated.
As Olga seems to increasingly lose touch with reality, the story builds to an apparent climax before a shock twist. Sadly, this excellent psychological thriller loses half a star for that irritating editorial affliction of omitting quote marks for speech.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Text Publishing
Having made a casual acquaintance over Olga’s green fingers and Lara’s pot-plant failures, Sophie’s crisis unites them: Olga’s generous offer to care for Sophie and Michael until Lara can work her job’s two-week notice is gratefully accepted. Sophie really is quite hopeless with Michael, and Olga’s competence and efficiency is sorely needed. Sophie is, frankly, a bit of a wallower: she likes being depressed.
But even when Lara is freely available to attend to Sophie’s every demand, Olga is still filling a desperate need: Lara is so stressed and overworked, she needs Olga to care for her, and to vet the stream of inconsiderate visitors who claim to be Sophie’s closest friends, coming around for trivial purposes when Michael should be sleeping and Sophie should be resting. That, at least, is what Olga repeatedly tells herself.
This clear need doesn’t end when Sophie believes her depression is lifting: anyone can see she’s just one tiny incident away from a relapse. Nor does she have a clue about what is good for Michael, or the pressure she’s putting on Lara. Olga has to keep stepping in, for everyone’s good…
From Olga’s first-person narrative, the reader is immediately aware that she is unhinged: her heroine complex, her sense of entitlement, and especially her stalking behaviour, all build a sense of foreboding.
Olga builds a story around perceived slights, reads unintended meaning into casual remarks and deeds, and manipulates the facts, both past and present, to reassure herself. She brims with unvoiced criticism of Sophie, her friends and Lara’s friends while, fixated as she is on Lara, any doubts about Lara’s behaviour that arise she quickly and neatly rationalises away. Until, finally, she doesn’t.
Sporadic, selective glimpses of her childhood and early adult life, as shared with Lara, give the reader only a vague idea of why she is so mentally deranged. That Olga is an unreliable narrator is quickly apparent, so the reader may begin to draw conclusions about her real relationship with her mother, at which we are left guessing. More of a resolution would have been appreciated.
As Olga seems to increasingly lose touch with reality, the story builds to an apparent climax before a shock twist. Sadly, this excellent psychological thriller loses half a star for that irritating editorial affliction of omitting quote marks for speech.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Text Publishing
January 9, 2022
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Wow A Good Winter by Gigi Fenster is a remarkably written psychological thriller, rich in detail and emotional depth. As much as it was disturbing I couldn’t put it down.
The memory of reading this book is still lingering in my brain days later, it’s so unique! Don’t let the pretty book cover fool you, this story will leave you horrified. It is chilling and unhinged, Olga is a character like never before.
Our unconventional protagonist Olga helps out when her friend Lara becomes a grandmother. Lara’s daughter Sophie won’t leave her bed and needs some support to look after her new baby. The baby’s father has recently died and Sophie as a new mum is not coping.
I don’t want to say too much more about the plot or it will spoil it…..
A skilfully written character study into the mind of a jealous, obsessive and troubled individual.
Congratulations to NZ author Gigi Fenster for winning the Michael Gifkins prize, New Zealand for A Good Winter!
Publication date 14 September 2021
Publisher Text Publishing
I'm so grateful for a copy of the book to read from the wonderful team at Text Publishing.
Wow A Good Winter by Gigi Fenster is a remarkably written psychological thriller, rich in detail and emotional depth. As much as it was disturbing I couldn’t put it down.
The memory of reading this book is still lingering in my brain days later, it’s so unique! Don’t let the pretty book cover fool you, this story will leave you horrified. It is chilling and unhinged, Olga is a character like never before.
Our unconventional protagonist Olga helps out when her friend Lara becomes a grandmother. Lara’s daughter Sophie won’t leave her bed and needs some support to look after her new baby. The baby’s father has recently died and Sophie as a new mum is not coping.
I don’t want to say too much more about the plot or it will spoil it…..
A skilfully written character study into the mind of a jealous, obsessive and troubled individual.
Congratulations to NZ author Gigi Fenster for winning the Michael Gifkins prize, New Zealand for A Good Winter!
Publication date 14 September 2021
Publisher Text Publishing
I'm so grateful for a copy of the book to read from the wonderful team at Text Publishing.
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June 10, 2022The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of A Good Winter
‘A gripping portrait of obsession and jealousy.’
Listener (Best books of 2021)
‘This tense and menacing thriller lives up to the hype…Fenster neatly and skilfully twists [the plot] away from easy predictability: precise language and short, sharp, prickling sentences ratchet the tension as high as it can go…The savagery—and brilliance—of A Good Winter is how the inevitable still feels like a shock.’
NZ Listener
‘A powerful psychological thriller. Horrifying, relentless, masterful. Nothing will prepare you for the end.’
Loraine Peck
'A Good Winter is both a terrifying thriller and an intricate portrait of an obsessed and troubled mind. With great insight and empathy, Gigi Fenster demonstrates how the most monstrous obsessions begin with trauma and repression, and how broken hearts have the power to break lives apart. Complex, confronting, and utterly compelling. I couldn't put it down.'
Suzanne McCourt
'Fenster creates a chilling character in Olga. She will set up camp and loiter in your mind for days to come...A Good Winter has made me want to upgrade my health fund to include therapy after this wild ride.’
Good Reading
'Superbly executed…Brilliantly constructed.’
NZ Booklovers
‘Well-paced and beautifully written.’
Canberra Times
‘Confident, suspenseful and ultimately extremely satisfying.’
North & South
'A Good Winter is a character study, a deep dive into a particular, warped perspective and an exploration of some of the drivers of that perspective. It is not comfortable, but it is also hard to look away.’
Pile by the Bed
‘Beautifully disturbing... I highly recommend this as a must-read from 2021, and I can’t wait to see what Gigi has to offer next.’
Cheerful Worrier
‘An exceptional psychological thriller that places you in the mind of a delusional, obsessive woman.’
Cheryl Akle, Australian
'A Good Winter arrived in the post. During the afternoon, I gave it a bit of a look-through. At 3:30am I was reading the final pages...A Good Winter draws us into a disturbed and damaged mind and carries us relentlessly through the seasons.’
Paddy Richardson, Newsroom
'This is a story of an unsettled mind, of tragedy and abandon, one which is riveting and thrilling, one which doesn’t shy from a building sense of alarm while also gently taking us along, allowing us glimpses into Olga’s past, her desires and sadness. The pace is pitch-perfect, the language, with its cleverly constructed conversations and staccato memory snippets, successfully reflects a troubled mind.’
Volume NZ
‘A short, powerful portrait of a mind on the edge.’
Canvas (NZ Herald)
'That Fenster never slackens the pace or signposts exactly who will pay the price for her narrator’s deranged thinking is a credit to the author’s hold on the storyline and an indication of her unflagging allegiance to the manipulative, delusional and utterly awful nature of her main character...Fenster builds a knife-edge tension that is as compulsive as it is alarming.’
Sally Blundell, Landfall Review
‘A gripping portrait of obsession and jealousy.’
Listener (Best books of 2021)
‘This tense and menacing thriller lives up to the hype…Fenster neatly and skilfully twists [the plot] away from easy predictability: precise language and short, sharp, prickling sentences ratchet the tension as high as it can go…The savagery—and brilliance—of A Good Winter is how the inevitable still feels like a shock.’
NZ Listener
‘A powerful psychological thriller. Horrifying, relentless, masterful. Nothing will prepare you for the end.’
Loraine Peck
'A Good Winter is both a terrifying thriller and an intricate portrait of an obsessed and troubled mind. With great insight and empathy, Gigi Fenster demonstrates how the most monstrous obsessions begin with trauma and repression, and how broken hearts have the power to break lives apart. Complex, confronting, and utterly compelling. I couldn't put it down.'
Suzanne McCourt
'Fenster creates a chilling character in Olga. She will set up camp and loiter in your mind for days to come...A Good Winter has made me want to upgrade my health fund to include therapy after this wild ride.’
Good Reading
'Superbly executed…Brilliantly constructed.’
NZ Booklovers
‘Well-paced and beautifully written.’
Canberra Times
‘Confident, suspenseful and ultimately extremely satisfying.’
North & South
'A Good Winter is a character study, a deep dive into a particular, warped perspective and an exploration of some of the drivers of that perspective. It is not comfortable, but it is also hard to look away.’
Pile by the Bed
‘Beautifully disturbing... I highly recommend this as a must-read from 2021, and I can’t wait to see what Gigi has to offer next.’
Cheerful Worrier
‘An exceptional psychological thriller that places you in the mind of a delusional, obsessive woman.’
Cheryl Akle, Australian
'A Good Winter arrived in the post. During the afternoon, I gave it a bit of a look-through. At 3:30am I was reading the final pages...A Good Winter draws us into a disturbed and damaged mind and carries us relentlessly through the seasons.’
Paddy Richardson, Newsroom
'This is a story of an unsettled mind, of tragedy and abandon, one which is riveting and thrilling, one which doesn’t shy from a building sense of alarm while also gently taking us along, allowing us glimpses into Olga’s past, her desires and sadness. The pace is pitch-perfect, the language, with its cleverly constructed conversations and staccato memory snippets, successfully reflects a troubled mind.’
Volume NZ
‘A short, powerful portrait of a mind on the edge.’
Canvas (NZ Herald)
'That Fenster never slackens the pace or signposts exactly who will pay the price for her narrator’s deranged thinking is a credit to the author’s hold on the storyline and an indication of her unflagging allegiance to the manipulative, delusional and utterly awful nature of her main character...Fenster builds a knife-edge tension that is as compulsive as it is alarming.’
Sally Blundell, Landfall Review
January 5, 2022
Wow… I finished reading this book very late last night and went to sleep feeling… stunned… what a masterpiece this is!
The writing style of this incredible book is so unique! The reader is literally inside the mind of the main character, Olga, and it was compelling, disturbing, sad… and unputdownable. It explores the complexities of obsession and a troubled mind, and it is so well done!
I did not see that ending coming, I knew something was going to happen, but that? It stunned me, it was devastatingly, shockingly, unforeseen sad. I can’t stop thinking about this book. About how sad I feel for the disturbed mind of Olga, her condition obviously gone unnoticed and therefore untreated, and her actions devastatingly impacting others. What a read this is!
Wow! I just LOVED this unique book and I cannot wait to read more of Gigi Fenster’s work, what a talent. I can’t recommend this enough. It’s being added to my favourites list!
The writing style of this incredible book is so unique! The reader is literally inside the mind of the main character, Olga, and it was compelling, disturbing, sad… and unputdownable. It explores the complexities of obsession and a troubled mind, and it is so well done!
I did not see that ending coming, I knew something was going to happen, but that? It stunned me, it was devastatingly, shockingly, unforeseen sad. I can’t stop thinking about this book. About how sad I feel for the disturbed mind of Olga, her condition obviously gone unnoticed and therefore untreated, and her actions devastatingly impacting others. What a read this is!
Wow! I just LOVED this unique book and I cannot wait to read more of Gigi Fenster’s work, what a talent. I can’t recommend this enough. It’s being added to my favourites list!
October 6, 2021
This book may look innocent💕
With its pale pink cover and Mabel Lucie Attwell-esque child on the front, but it’s one of the most chilling psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long time
Olga lives in the flat beneath Lara and listens to the pattern of her footsteps and the routines of her morning. With no family of her own nearby, when Lara needs help looking after her daughter, who has postpartum depression, and her new grandchild, Olga makes herself indispensable
A friendship blossoms between the two women. Lara opens her life to Olga who willing steps in and, like some sort of psychopathic cuckoo, starts to makes herself at home in the nest of Lara’s family. I couldn’t put A Good Winter down and read it in one sitting as Olga’s growing love for Lara tips into obsession and then rage
The ending I found so shocking as to be jarring, but what worked so well for me was Olga’s first person narrative. She was full of vitriol and spite, manipulating memories and events to suit her own skewed narrative. As the reader I was fully aware of how dangerous a friendship this was becoming for Lara, but could only read on, powerless to intervene
With thanks to the publisher for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review
With its pale pink cover and Mabel Lucie Attwell-esque child on the front, but it’s one of the most chilling psychological thrillers I’ve read in a long time
Olga lives in the flat beneath Lara and listens to the pattern of her footsteps and the routines of her morning. With no family of her own nearby, when Lara needs help looking after her daughter, who has postpartum depression, and her new grandchild, Olga makes herself indispensable
A friendship blossoms between the two women. Lara opens her life to Olga who willing steps in and, like some sort of psychopathic cuckoo, starts to makes herself at home in the nest of Lara’s family. I couldn’t put A Good Winter down and read it in one sitting as Olga’s growing love for Lara tips into obsession and then rage
The ending I found so shocking as to be jarring, but what worked so well for me was Olga’s first person narrative. She was full of vitriol and spite, manipulating memories and events to suit her own skewed narrative. As the reader I was fully aware of how dangerous a friendship this was becoming for Lara, but could only read on, powerless to intervene
With thanks to the publisher for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review
March 11, 2022
3.5 rounded down.
Olga’s friend Lara has just become a grandmother and Olga steps in to help out as the baby’s mother, Sophie, struggles to cope with the recent death of her partner, the babies father.
The book is described by the publishers as “an enthralling psychological thriller, a dark and complex portrait of a troubled mind.” To me this book crosses genres and does not sit comfortably in any. From page one the reader is completely encased in Olga’s mind and the novel is told only from her perspective in the form of a monologue. It is difficult to read, the repetition of words and sentences is so effective and yet somewhat maddening, especially in the beginning, but you do get into the rhythm.
"I guess I was so tied up protecting Sophie from the psychologist that I didn't think through all the implications of the improvement. I underestimated how readily Lara would rely on Sophie's improvement, how a little improvement could mean a lot of change.
That little improvement meant a lot of change. No sooner did Sophie start dressing herself in the mornings and putting Michael to bed on her own. No sooner did she start doing that than Lara told me she wouldn't be going to Sophie's for a whole weekend ..."
This is quite a claustrophobic novel, relentless, and yet strangely compelling. Olga is a controlling, obsessive and troubled woman and her character will stay with me for a long time.
Olga’s friend Lara has just become a grandmother and Olga steps in to help out as the baby’s mother, Sophie, struggles to cope with the recent death of her partner, the babies father.
The book is described by the publishers as “an enthralling psychological thriller, a dark and complex portrait of a troubled mind.” To me this book crosses genres and does not sit comfortably in any. From page one the reader is completely encased in Olga’s mind and the novel is told only from her perspective in the form of a monologue. It is difficult to read, the repetition of words and sentences is so effective and yet somewhat maddening, especially in the beginning, but you do get into the rhythm.
"I guess I was so tied up protecting Sophie from the psychologist that I didn't think through all the implications of the improvement. I underestimated how readily Lara would rely on Sophie's improvement, how a little improvement could mean a lot of change.
That little improvement meant a lot of change. No sooner did Sophie start dressing herself in the mornings and putting Michael to bed on her own. No sooner did she start doing that than Lara told me she wouldn't be going to Sophie's for a whole weekend ..."
This is quite a claustrophobic novel, relentless, and yet strangely compelling. Olga is a controlling, obsessive and troubled woman and her character will stay with me for a long time.
August 11, 2021
Alright everyone hold on to your hats for this one! A Good Winter is a book that I will never forget. Ever. It is the most horrifying, creepiest and heartbreaking book I've ever read and a solid 5☆ from me. Even though I feel like I need extensive therapy after finishing it!
This psychological thriller is not an exciting page turning story. I wouldn't even say it's "thrilling". It is complex. Horrifying. And it will have a profound effect on your emotions. My heart was racing for hours afterwards and my mind reeling for days. A Good Winter is devastating and will fill you with grief by the end.
A Good Winter is Olgas story. It follows her inner monologue and right from the beginning you realise that she is troubled. Obsessive.
Friendship, family, love and jealousy is all explored in this complex book.
I can't say much more because of spoilers, but I will say that it is stunningly written.
I was left speechless. If you read this book, I recommend you lock in some time afterward for a bit of self care.
Thank you Gigi Fenster for writing this, I will be reading everything that you write!
Thank you to Text Publishing for sending me a review copy in exchange for review
This psychological thriller is not an exciting page turning story. I wouldn't even say it's "thrilling". It is complex. Horrifying. And it will have a profound effect on your emotions. My heart was racing for hours afterwards and my mind reeling for days. A Good Winter is devastating and will fill you with grief by the end.
A Good Winter is Olgas story. It follows her inner monologue and right from the beginning you realise that she is troubled. Obsessive.
Friendship, family, love and jealousy is all explored in this complex book.
I can't say much more because of spoilers, but I will say that it is stunningly written.
I was left speechless. If you read this book, I recommend you lock in some time afterward for a bit of self care.
Thank you Gigi Fenster for writing this, I will be reading everything that you write!
Thank you to Text Publishing for sending me a review copy in exchange for review
May 12, 2022
A Good Winter is an unsettling read, albeit not quite as thrillery as the blurb would like you to believe. Told solely from the perspective of Olga, the novel follows her relationship with Lara, a woman who's recently moved into Olga's apartment building. Together, the women support Lara's newly widowed daughter in caring for her young son Michael.
Olga is obsessive and becomes increasingly unhinged. Her perceptions of the world and her relationship seem off, yet as a reader you're kept at a distance from reality because we're never privy to other perspectives. This makes for an unsettling reading experience, but to me it leans more towards dark-Eleanor-Oliphant than horrifying-psychological-thriller? It's cleverly crafted and well-written, I just wonder if it may fall flat with readers who are expecting something more... frightening.
Olga is obsessive and becomes increasingly unhinged. Her perceptions of the world and her relationship seem off, yet as a reader you're kept at a distance from reality because we're never privy to other perspectives. This makes for an unsettling reading experience, but to me it leans more towards dark-Eleanor-Oliphant than horrifying-psychological-thriller? It's cleverly crafted and well-written, I just wonder if it may fall flat with readers who are expecting something more... frightening.
April 27, 2022
This chilling novel is by a New Zealand author and it has similarities to The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud or Notes on a Scandal by Zoe Heller.
It’s narrated by Olga, an older woman who is very invested in her friendship with one of her neighbours, Lara. Lara is a new grandmother and Olga gets heavily involved with helping to care for baby Michael. At first her help is gratefully received, but as Michael’s mother grows more confident in her role you can tell that Olga is being gently rebuffed, although she resists it.
Olga is an unpleasant character and the book’s central flaw is that I actively disliked spending time in her head. Having said that, there’s the sickening feeling of watching a slow motion car crash as you can see where her distorted thinking is taking her and get a sense that she’s going to do something irrational. The ending is powerful and shocking. Not a book you like necessarily, but one that you won’t forget easily.
It’s narrated by Olga, an older woman who is very invested in her friendship with one of her neighbours, Lara. Lara is a new grandmother and Olga gets heavily involved with helping to care for baby Michael. At first her help is gratefully received, but as Michael’s mother grows more confident in her role you can tell that Olga is being gently rebuffed, although she resists it.
Olga is an unpleasant character and the book’s central flaw is that I actively disliked spending time in her head. Having said that, there’s the sickening feeling of watching a slow motion car crash as you can see where her distorted thinking is taking her and get a sense that she’s going to do something irrational. The ending is powerful and shocking. Not a book you like necessarily, but one that you won’t forget easily.
October 7, 2021
This was not an easy book to read, or to rate- the more I sit with it, the more I think this is closer to a 4.5 star read.
Our main character, Olga, is not an easy character to be in the head of. I had to read this one a bit slower than I normally would because I truely needed a break from her way of thinking- which is a sign to me that the author absolutely nailed the creation of this character! However, the last 50 pages or so I read so fast because I just had to know what was going to happen- the sense of unease was so intense, and the actual conclusion was so gut wrenching, but so true to the story that it took me awhile to really get my thoughts in order.
This book is much MUCH darker than I would it would be, based on the synopsis, but it was done remarkably well, slowly ramping up the atmosphere, tension, and unease.
I would highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a slow burn psychological thriller than will linger with them for a good long while after reading the final page! I will definitely be picking up more from this author in the future.
A huge thank you to Text Publishing for the review copy!
Our main character, Olga, is not an easy character to be in the head of. I had to read this one a bit slower than I normally would because I truely needed a break from her way of thinking- which is a sign to me that the author absolutely nailed the creation of this character! However, the last 50 pages or so I read so fast because I just had to know what was going to happen- the sense of unease was so intense, and the actual conclusion was so gut wrenching, but so true to the story that it took me awhile to really get my thoughts in order.
This book is much MUCH darker than I would it would be, based on the synopsis, but it was done remarkably well, slowly ramping up the atmosphere, tension, and unease.
I would highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a slow burn psychological thriller than will linger with them for a good long while after reading the final page! I will definitely be picking up more from this author in the future.
A huge thank you to Text Publishing for the review copy!
November 5, 2021
We all know an Olga - a woman of unending helpfulness, of judgemental looks, of unquestionable decorum, but one who also exudes a faint aura of uncomfortableness. But as A Good Winter develops, our insight into Olga grows, and so does our unease.
From Olga's position on the Body Corporate of her building, to her memories of her childhood on the farm, we begin to understand and know a woman slighted by a disparate group on the outskirts of her life. You can't help but feel sorrow for a lonely old woman seeking friendship where she can. And that's the magic of A Good Winter.
With the turn of every page, fear begins to trickle through, slowly at first, like a melting icicle, until that unease grows to a torrent, a flash flood of misinterpretation.
A Good Winter is an intensely clever book, told from the viewpoint of an entirely unreliable narrator. A book where you can't help but scream a warning to the characters bound within the covers. Watch out.
From Olga's position on the Body Corporate of her building, to her memories of her childhood on the farm, we begin to understand and know a woman slighted by a disparate group on the outskirts of her life. You can't help but feel sorrow for a lonely old woman seeking friendship where she can. And that's the magic of A Good Winter.
With the turn of every page, fear begins to trickle through, slowly at first, like a melting icicle, until that unease grows to a torrent, a flash flood of misinterpretation.
A Good Winter is an intensely clever book, told from the viewpoint of an entirely unreliable narrator. A book where you can't help but scream a warning to the characters bound within the covers. Watch out.
October 21, 2021
What the f*ck did I just read?!?!
A GOOD WINTER will have you fooled with it’s cutesy pink cover and beautiful blue-eyed cherub staring lovingly at you.
Do not be fooled.
By Michael Gifkins Prize winning New Zealand author, this is a relentless and enthralling physiological thriller that you make you so uncomfortable.
Olga makes herself indispensable to Lara, Olga weaves her way into Lara’s life, Olga manipulates her memories.
Olga is a character like never before. She is written very methodically! You’re just waiting for something to happen, but what will it be and how will it all come together…?
Olga creeped me the f out.
A GOOD WINTER is one you have to read for yourself. You will be left jarred and scarred at the ending.
A GOOD WINTER will have you fooled with it’s cutesy pink cover and beautiful blue-eyed cherub staring lovingly at you.
Do not be fooled.
By Michael Gifkins Prize winning New Zealand author, this is a relentless and enthralling physiological thriller that you make you so uncomfortable.
Olga makes herself indispensable to Lara, Olga weaves her way into Lara’s life, Olga manipulates her memories.
Olga is a character like never before. She is written very methodically! You’re just waiting for something to happen, but what will it be and how will it all come together…?
Olga creeped me the f out.
A GOOD WINTER is one you have to read for yourself. You will be left jarred and scarred at the ending.
June 25, 2022
Thank you Text Publishing for sending us a copy to read and review.
Described as a physiological thriller I was keen to read this but soon discovered it was more a character study.
The in-depth detail on Olga was perfect to set a physiological scene, she was possessive, jealous and manipulative.
Nothing thrilling happened at all.
Olga is besotted and in love with her friend Lara.
An opportunity to help Lara was the perfect opportunity to control, manipulate and indulge in Lara’s company and become central to her life.
She was protective and caring but obsessed.
Olga is a complicated woman, her compulsive demeanour combined with a strange upbringing and weird relationship with her brother shaped her mindset.
Lara was a devoted mother and doting grandmother and just wanted to help her grieving daughter find her path again.
Any positive enhancements with her daughter she greeted enthusiastically, in contrast Olga saw doom and gloom.
Olga needed Lara to need her.
The final straw surfaced when Lara found happiness, oblivious to the darkness that was to unleash.
Overall it was well written and the profile created for Olga was clever.
Placing this protagonist in the setting she was in had so much potential but did fall flat for me.
If placed in more appropriate genre my expectations wouldn’t have been dashed.
Described as a physiological thriller I was keen to read this but soon discovered it was more a character study.
The in-depth detail on Olga was perfect to set a physiological scene, she was possessive, jealous and manipulative.
Nothing thrilling happened at all.
Olga is besotted and in love with her friend Lara.
An opportunity to help Lara was the perfect opportunity to control, manipulate and indulge in Lara’s company and become central to her life.
She was protective and caring but obsessed.
Olga is a complicated woman, her compulsive demeanour combined with a strange upbringing and weird relationship with her brother shaped her mindset.
Lara was a devoted mother and doting grandmother and just wanted to help her grieving daughter find her path again.
Any positive enhancements with her daughter she greeted enthusiastically, in contrast Olga saw doom and gloom.
Olga needed Lara to need her.
The final straw surfaced when Lara found happiness, oblivious to the darkness that was to unleash.
Overall it was well written and the profile created for Olga was clever.
Placing this protagonist in the setting she was in had so much potential but did fall flat for me.
If placed in more appropriate genre my expectations wouldn’t have been dashed.
October 6, 2021
✍️This dazzling psychological thriller tells the story of Olga and is told in her perspective. Olga is a very maniacal person upon first learning and whom becomes very possessive and needy towards her neighbour and new friend Lara. From here we delve into Olga's neurotic, suspicious, presumable psyche and slowly become conscious that there may not be a happy finale.
WOW! One word to describe this book is MASTERPIECE! This story gave me all the feels and I unquestionably adored it. Just as I commenced it I knew immediately that I was going to be enraptured and I devoured it to the end. The storytelling was sincerely preeminent. The vocabulary and narrative was simply eloquent and methodical and full of jest and inquisitiveness and I liked that the story was told purely in Olga's monologue. I was kept captivated to the end. I also liked that the chapters were essentially short.I found the character of Olga to be absolutely scintillating especially her manic, bizarre and compulsive personality. Highly urge everyone to go out and get yourself a copy of this brilliant book pronto!!
WOW! One word to describe this book is MASTERPIECE! This story gave me all the feels and I unquestionably adored it. Just as I commenced it I knew immediately that I was going to be enraptured and I devoured it to the end. The storytelling was sincerely preeminent. The vocabulary and narrative was simply eloquent and methodical and full of jest and inquisitiveness and I liked that the story was told purely in Olga's monologue. I was kept captivated to the end. I also liked that the chapters were essentially short.I found the character of Olga to be absolutely scintillating especially her manic, bizarre and compulsive personality. Highly urge everyone to go out and get yourself a copy of this brilliant book pronto!!
October 1, 2021
From the first page of A Good Winter, readers can tell that Olga is a bit off. She’s delusional, entitled, judgmental, obsessive, and weird. When Olga befriends her upstairs neighbor Lara, she learns that her daughter is suffering from postpartum depression following the death of her husband.
Lara quits her job to help Sophia, incapacitated by grief and depression and unable to care for her newborn son Michael. Olga offers her constant daily help as she becomes more obsessed with Lara.
The entire novel is from Olga’s perspective, though it’s obvious that the other characters are confused and unsettled by her behavior. Being inside of her head is fascinating.
She constantly misinterprets the words and actions of those around her, makes wild assumptions, and is extremely pushy. Through her twisted logic and caustic observations, it is obvious that something truly awful is coming.
The ending, though very rushed, is powerful. This is a stunning character study and an addictive read.
The cons: I wish it could have gone on longer. Also, Olga’s style of thinking is repetitive and this can get a little tedious, but it makes sense in the context of her character. Finally, there are also no quotation marks. This is a stylistic choice but I always dislike it.
Lara quits her job to help Sophia, incapacitated by grief and depression and unable to care for her newborn son Michael. Olga offers her constant daily help as she becomes more obsessed with Lara.
The entire novel is from Olga’s perspective, though it’s obvious that the other characters are confused and unsettled by her behavior. Being inside of her head is fascinating.
She constantly misinterprets the words and actions of those around her, makes wild assumptions, and is extremely pushy. Through her twisted logic and caustic observations, it is obvious that something truly awful is coming.
The ending, though very rushed, is powerful. This is a stunning character study and an addictive read.
The cons: I wish it could have gone on longer. Also, Olga’s style of thinking is repetitive and this can get a little tedious, but it makes sense in the context of her character. Finally, there are also no quotation marks. This is a stylistic choice but I always dislike it.
January 5, 2022
This was an interesting read - a definitely very character-driven plot with a character so manipulative it was strange to be in her head. I often found myself telling my mum (😂) about all the things she was thinking and saying and shocked with how twisted her thoughts were. I think where this one fell short for me was that I got a bit lost in the middle as I felt like nothing was really happening. I think for me I would have preferred it to be shorter and a faster pace rather than the slow study this was but that’s just my personal taste! I read this one very slowly over a week or so and I think I would recommend reading it instead all in one go as I felt like that would have made a bigger impact on me.
January 13, 2022
I was waiting for some profound insight into Olga’s psyche, i.e. what made her the way she is, what experiences led her to present self — there was almost nothing substantial. As someone who had experienced a lot of trauma in her life, someone who was in fact separated from her own mother at 7 years of age—I just don’t see it. The only explanation is that she is just mentally ill and she was born this way?
Olga’s voice was enigmatic but also so annoyingly repetitive. It felt novel and refreshing in the first third of the book, then stale, monotone.
Interesting concept, execution… not so much.
In summary, it’s a character-driven plotless book. If you like meandering narratives, it might be a nice story.
My overall enjoyment reading this book: 3 ⭐️
Olga’s voice was enigmatic but also so annoyingly repetitive. It felt novel and refreshing in the first third of the book, then stale, monotone.
Interesting concept, execution… not so much.
In summary, it’s a character-driven plotless book. If you like meandering narratives, it might be a nice story.
My overall enjoyment reading this book: 3 ⭐️
May 9, 2022
Don't be fooled by that cute cover, this book is chilling! A psychological thriller, totally disturbing. Stomach turning, and shocking right to the end.
Told from Olga's inner monologue as she inserts herself into the life of her upstairs neighbour, who is a recent grandmother, supporting her widowed daughter through grief and post-natal depression.
Helping, Olga is - getting up every morning in time to hear Lara moving around upstairs, in time to call her to offer to join her in going to look after baby and daughter at day break. Being there. All the time.
A great support, that has an obsessive thread behind it as we know Olga's thoughts on everything from her take on the daughter's condition, to opinions on why it would be better if baby was bottle fed.
Unsettling intrusions, manipulations, and obsessive actions. A compelling, uncomfortable read.
Told from Olga's inner monologue as she inserts herself into the life of her upstairs neighbour, who is a recent grandmother, supporting her widowed daughter through grief and post-natal depression.
Helping, Olga is - getting up every morning in time to hear Lara moving around upstairs, in time to call her to offer to join her in going to look after baby and daughter at day break. Being there. All the time.
A great support, that has an obsessive thread behind it as we know Olga's thoughts on everything from her take on the daughter's condition, to opinions on why it would be better if baby was bottle fed.
Unsettling intrusions, manipulations, and obsessive actions. A compelling, uncomfortable read.
September 3, 2022
A great book to listen to 3.5 stars.
Recommend
Recommend
October 12, 2022
Find this book totally miserable.
October 24, 2021
Wow.
Captivating and creepy and beautifully written. A masterpiece. I highly recommend it. Brilliant story telling that leaves you thinking long after you finish reading.
Captivating and creepy and beautifully written. A masterpiece. I highly recommend it. Brilliant story telling that leaves you thinking long after you finish reading.
September 19, 2021
A Good Winter by Gigi Fenster is one of the most tense books I’ve ever read. I would categorise it as a psychological thriller, even though it’s different from any other book in this genre that I’ve read. The suspense is a slow burn, building constantly through the story as the reader sees the world through the dark and twisted mind of Olga.
Fiercely defensive and protective of her new friend Lara, Olga increasingly appears to lose touch with reality, consistently misreading situations and people. She believes the world is out to get her, and responds in kind.
A Good Winter is difficult to read at times - it is seriously intense and very uncomfortable. It’s darker than the synopsis would have you believe, but the writing is exquisite and perfectly structured. I flew through reading because it was so difficult to put down.
I’d recommend this book for fans of The Push by Ashley Audrain. The unreliable narration and unusual perspective reminded me of The Push, and I felt a similar feeling of unease while reading both. A disturbing and masterfully written story.
4 ⭐️
Thank you to Text Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy.
Fiercely defensive and protective of her new friend Lara, Olga increasingly appears to lose touch with reality, consistently misreading situations and people. She believes the world is out to get her, and responds in kind.
A Good Winter is difficult to read at times - it is seriously intense and very uncomfortable. It’s darker than the synopsis would have you believe, but the writing is exquisite and perfectly structured. I flew through reading because it was so difficult to put down.
I’d recommend this book for fans of The Push by Ashley Audrain. The unreliable narration and unusual perspective reminded me of The Push, and I felt a similar feeling of unease while reading both. A disturbing and masterfully written story.
4 ⭐️
Thank you to Text Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy.
May 5, 2022
This was hard to rate, it was an easy read in the sense it didn't take me long, but a hard read as the characters were so unlikeable. I didn't enjoy the repetitive style of writing, and the ending was just random.
November 27, 2021
The Good Winter is by New Zealand author Gigi Fenster. It centres on Olga who befriends Lara when she moves in upstairs at Olga’s apartment block. Lara is widowed and has downsized to be closer to her daughter Sophie who is also recently widowed and pregnant with her first child.
Once Sophie gives birth to Michael post-natal depression kicks in and Lara must help. Except she has to give two weeks’ notice to quit her job and Olga volunteers to help take care of Sophie and Michael in the meantime. Olga soon becomes a vital part of the household, sensibly helping out and providing support to a seemingly ungrateful Sophie as well as being a good and supportive friend to Lara.
This arrangement goes on throughout the whole winter. When the weather warms up things begin to change as Lara goes back to work and Sophie starts to feel a lot better. Olga cannot shake the belief that Sophie isn’t better and she still needs to insert herself in order to make sure Michael is safe.
Well if you like a taut psychological thriller then you may very well enjoy this book. You spend the entire novel in the head of Olga and it is through this perspective that you quickly realise Olga is just a little bit unhinged. She is jealous of anyone that gets in the way of her friendship with Lara and she denigrates anyone who doesn’t approach caring for Michael in the way she thinks is “right”. She believes she is the saviour here and that she is entitled to insert herself into this family. Through glimpses of her childhood an understanding about why Olga is so troubled emerges.
Olga’s disturbed thinking increases and she rationalises her behaviour. The manipulation and stalking builds and builds leaving the reader uneasy and full of foreboding. Olga seems capable of anything and by the end you are so sure of the climax until well you are not. And that final page will just knock the wind out of you and leave you completely gobsmacked!
A huge thanks to @text_publishing for sending this book my way. I thought it was an excellent example of a psychological unpacking of a very unstable character.
Once Sophie gives birth to Michael post-natal depression kicks in and Lara must help. Except she has to give two weeks’ notice to quit her job and Olga volunteers to help take care of Sophie and Michael in the meantime. Olga soon becomes a vital part of the household, sensibly helping out and providing support to a seemingly ungrateful Sophie as well as being a good and supportive friend to Lara.
This arrangement goes on throughout the whole winter. When the weather warms up things begin to change as Lara goes back to work and Sophie starts to feel a lot better. Olga cannot shake the belief that Sophie isn’t better and she still needs to insert herself in order to make sure Michael is safe.
Well if you like a taut psychological thriller then you may very well enjoy this book. You spend the entire novel in the head of Olga and it is through this perspective that you quickly realise Olga is just a little bit unhinged. She is jealous of anyone that gets in the way of her friendship with Lara and she denigrates anyone who doesn’t approach caring for Michael in the way she thinks is “right”. She believes she is the saviour here and that she is entitled to insert herself into this family. Through glimpses of her childhood an understanding about why Olga is so troubled emerges.
Olga’s disturbed thinking increases and she rationalises her behaviour. The manipulation and stalking builds and builds leaving the reader uneasy and full of foreboding. Olga seems capable of anything and by the end you are so sure of the climax until well you are not. And that final page will just knock the wind out of you and leave you completely gobsmacked!
A huge thanks to @text_publishing for sending this book my way. I thought it was an excellent example of a psychological unpacking of a very unstable character.
June 13, 2022
A psychological tale told from the perspective of a woman haunted with obsessions, neuroses and unresolved memories. As she her relationship with her neighbour becomes manipulative and jealous, she pushes her family beyond the point of no return.
Olga's voice is distinctive, filled with idiosyncracies ('sheep shit', 'no-tits', 'gallivanting') and the fragments of past traumas. Her worldview (obsessed with her neighbour Lara, seeing the absolute worst in everyone else) confronts the reader and for the first few chapters I enjoyed trying to wrestle with the bizarre twists of her mind.
Unfortunately Fenster did not develop this story quickly enough (the dreamlike unreality of the final chapter came far too late). I soon felt that I knew and was bored of the parameters of Olga's mind (recogonising elements of my own, worryingly) and indeed anticipated the grizzly ending quite early on. Her voice quickly moved from distinctive through boring to annoying (swipe for example). There was just so much repetition and circular reasoning.
I also thought the unreliable narrator was a missed opportunity. Although we only hear Olga's opinions about people and events, there is little doubt about the reality of the events she narrates. She convinces herself that her neighbour stole the bottle of wine, but only after narrating her hiding it in her wardrobe. It would have been exciting to have the narrative disintegrate with Olga's mind, before the reader's eyes, and would have opened up the possibilities of this story.
Loved the concept but think it didn't have the development to warrant the novel length. Would've made a cracking short story.
Olga's voice is distinctive, filled with idiosyncracies ('sheep shit', 'no-tits', 'gallivanting') and the fragments of past traumas. Her worldview (obsessed with her neighbour Lara, seeing the absolute worst in everyone else) confronts the reader and for the first few chapters I enjoyed trying to wrestle with the bizarre twists of her mind.
Unfortunately Fenster did not develop this story quickly enough (the dreamlike unreality of the final chapter came far too late). I soon felt that I knew and was bored of the parameters of Olga's mind (recogonising elements of my own, worryingly) and indeed anticipated the grizzly ending quite early on. Her voice quickly moved from distinctive through boring to annoying (swipe for example). There was just so much repetition and circular reasoning.
I also thought the unreliable narrator was a missed opportunity. Although we only hear Olga's opinions about people and events, there is little doubt about the reality of the events she narrates. She convinces herself that her neighbour stole the bottle of wine, but only after narrating her hiding it in her wardrobe. It would have been exciting to have the narrative disintegrate with Olga's mind, before the reader's eyes, and would have opened up the possibilities of this story.
Loved the concept but think it didn't have the development to warrant the novel length. Would've made a cracking short story.
October 13, 2022
I read this in one day and holy shit. Holy fucking shit.
I had no idea what I was getting into and only read the excerpt half way through the book and thought, “This isn’t even the half of it.” Fenster’s ability to really get into the mind of Olga was wonderful, but her ability to get ME into Olga’s mind was something else entirely, and now I’m mildly concerned for my mental health. I could tell from the beginning that Olga was a little off—to put it lightly—but the ending was something so far from what I thought possible, that it took me 5 minutes after finishing to finally close my gaping mouth.
I highly recommend this to anyone that wants to get lost in a book because this one had me hooked the whole way through. Breathtaking.
I had no idea what I was getting into and only read the excerpt half way through the book and thought, “This isn’t even the half of it.” Fenster’s ability to really get into the mind of Olga was wonderful, but her ability to get ME into Olga’s mind was something else entirely, and now I’m mildly concerned for my mental health. I could tell from the beginning that Olga was a little off—to put it lightly—but the ending was something so far from what I thought possible, that it took me 5 minutes after finishing to finally close my gaping mouth.
I highly recommend this to anyone that wants to get lost in a book because this one had me hooked the whole way through. Breathtaking.
November 18, 2022
The second non-fiction book from New Zealand writer, Gigi Fenster, A GOOD WINTER is a story of a group of women, after Lara moves to the city to be near her widowed, pregnant daughter. Sophie really starts to struggle after Michael is born, her grief compounded by post-natal depression. The city apartment block Lara has moved to was already home to Olga, and their friendship commences with the simplest of things - Olga's green fingers and Lara's uncanny ability to kill all sorts of pot plants, moving quickly to something closer when Sophie's crisis draws them together, as Olga steps in to care for Sophie and Michael when Lara can't.
But Sophie is increasingly hopeless with Michael, and to be honest, seems like more than a bit of attention soak, so Olga's calm competence seems to be exactly what Lara and Sophie need - to keep their own sanity and their relationship on an even keel. What mother and daughter don't seem to notice is that Olga is deeply jealous of Sophie and Michael's place in her new friend's life. The reader, on the other hand, is acutely aware of Olga's viewpoint - she takes the place of the first-person narrator of A GOOD WINTER which makes for a very discomforting experience. Olga's unhinged, Sophie is somebody that enjoys hopelessness too much, and Lara's simply not able to set the sort of boundaries her daughter (and Olga for that matter) desperately need.
Claustrophobic and very disconcerting, A GOOD WINTER seems to be pitched at maximum discomfort level, with all sorts of perceived slights, unintended meanings and over-reactions designed to conflate Olga's position in her own mind. She's obviously an unreliable narrator, but it's also pretty clear she's dangerous as well. Sophie is, not to put too fine a point on it, a drama queen of the highest order, and despite the reader seeing everything from Olga's skewed viewpoint, somebody that it was really easy to dislike intensely. Meanwhile Lara seems like a victim walking right from the start - before Olga starts to become increasingly fixated, before Olga works up a head of steam about her and Sophie's friends, before the inevitable happens.
A couple of things on form - for reasons which are never clear to me, this is another one of those novels that forgoes quote marks for speech. It also use repetition as a narrative technique. The former for reasons that escaped this reader, the latter adding to the overwhelming sense of claustrophobia, creating an odd feeling of flight or fight as Olga's obsession and weirdness got more and more pronounced. A reaction supported by the fact that these are all deeply unpleasant people, making a connection tricky for a reader, who is instantly caught up in a game of "who's worse" which spins around at a truly breathtaking pace.
A GOOD WINTER is an intense, discomforting, uncomfortable novel (on purpose), and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see readers reacting with praise or repulsion and not a lot in the middle-ground.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
But Sophie is increasingly hopeless with Michael, and to be honest, seems like more than a bit of attention soak, so Olga's calm competence seems to be exactly what Lara and Sophie need - to keep their own sanity and their relationship on an even keel. What mother and daughter don't seem to notice is that Olga is deeply jealous of Sophie and Michael's place in her new friend's life. The reader, on the other hand, is acutely aware of Olga's viewpoint - she takes the place of the first-person narrator of A GOOD WINTER which makes for a very discomforting experience. Olga's unhinged, Sophie is somebody that enjoys hopelessness too much, and Lara's simply not able to set the sort of boundaries her daughter (and Olga for that matter) desperately need.
Claustrophobic and very disconcerting, A GOOD WINTER seems to be pitched at maximum discomfort level, with all sorts of perceived slights, unintended meanings and over-reactions designed to conflate Olga's position in her own mind. She's obviously an unreliable narrator, but it's also pretty clear she's dangerous as well. Sophie is, not to put too fine a point on it, a drama queen of the highest order, and despite the reader seeing everything from Olga's skewed viewpoint, somebody that it was really easy to dislike intensely. Meanwhile Lara seems like a victim walking right from the start - before Olga starts to become increasingly fixated, before Olga works up a head of steam about her and Sophie's friends, before the inevitable happens.
A couple of things on form - for reasons which are never clear to me, this is another one of those novels that forgoes quote marks for speech. It also use repetition as a narrative technique. The former for reasons that escaped this reader, the latter adding to the overwhelming sense of claustrophobia, creating an odd feeling of flight or fight as Olga's obsession and weirdness got more and more pronounced. A reaction supported by the fact that these are all deeply unpleasant people, making a connection tricky for a reader, who is instantly caught up in a game of "who's worse" which spins around at a truly breathtaking pace.
A GOOD WINTER is an intense, discomforting, uncomfortable novel (on purpose), and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see readers reacting with praise or repulsion and not a lot in the middle-ground.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
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