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Winter
For twelve years Winter has been haunted.
Her past, her memories, her feelings, will not leave her alone.
And now, at sixteen, the time has come for her to act.
She must head back to her old home, where a pair of family tragedies forever altered her life. What she discovers is powerful and shocking - but must be dealt with in order for life to go on.
Every journey begins with a single step. If Winter is first going to step into the future, she must first step into the past.
Her past, her memories, her feelings, will not leave her alone.
And now, at sixteen, the time has come for her to act.
She must head back to her old home, where a pair of family tragedies forever altered her life. What she discovers is powerful and shocking - but must be dealt with in order for life to go on.
Every journey begins with a single step. If Winter is first going to step into the future, she must first step into the past.
135 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
17 people are currently reading
560 people want to read
About the author
John Marsden
90 books1,954 followersThere is more than one author with this name in the database, see f.e. John Marsden.
John Marsden was an Australian writer and school principal. He wrote more than 40 books in his career and his books have been translated into many languages. He was especially known for his young adult novel Tomorrow, When the War Began, which began a series of seven books.
Marsden began writing for children while working as a teacher, and had his first book, So Much to Tell You, published in 1987. In 2006, he started an alternative school, Candlebark School, and reduced his writing to focus on teaching and running the school. In 2016, he opened the arts-focused secondary school, Alice Miller School. Both schools are in the Macedon Ranges.
John Marsden was an Australian writer and school principal. He wrote more than 40 books in his career and his books have been translated into many languages. He was especially known for his young adult novel Tomorrow, When the War Began, which began a series of seven books.
Marsden began writing for children while working as a teacher, and had his first book, So Much to Tell You, published in 1987. In 2006, he started an alternative school, Candlebark School, and reduced his writing to focus on teaching and running the school. In 2016, he opened the arts-focused secondary school, Alice Miller School. Both schools are in the Macedon Ranges.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
August 14, 2018
I read this many years ago, and suspect I was a little too young for it at the time. I recall enjoying it, and feeling smart for understanding it, but perhaps not entirely picking up on all the subtleties I know would have been there.
It was an enjoyable read, but I think it's more likely to be fully appreciated by older readers.
It was an enjoyable read, but I think it's more likely to be fully appreciated by older readers.
May 7, 2018
Winter the very short YA novel by John Marsden was a quick and easy to read novel and one I could easily imagine being enjoyed by early teens. Set in rural AustralIa, sixteen year old orphan Winter De Salis has left school and returned to the country estate she will inherit upon turning eighteen. She has many unanswered questions about the deaths of her parents twelve years earlier and she is determined to find the answers she seeks. Upon arrival she is shocked at the state of the homestead. She's also dissatisfied at some of the homestead managers behaviours. So she engages the estate trustee to remove them, and sets the wheels in motion for renovating and restoring the property to its former glory.
I enjoyed a number of aspects of the story including the descriptions of the Australian landscape, the flora and fauna. The plot held a twist which I had predicted but that didn't detract in any way. I liked the way Winter was an incredibly strong female character and made a decent role model for teen readers On the flipside some aspects did not seem true to life. I simply cannot imagine too many girls her age taking on adults and adult issues the way she did but I'm happy to concede that this was entertaining fiction.
I enjoyed a number of aspects of the story including the descriptions of the Australian landscape, the flora and fauna. The plot held a twist which I had predicted but that didn't detract in any way. I liked the way Winter was an incredibly strong female character and made a decent role model for teen readers On the flipside some aspects did not seem true to life. I simply cannot imagine too many girls her age taking on adults and adult issues the way she did but I'm happy to concede that this was entertaining fiction.
October 29, 2012
Winter was four years old when her mother and father died; drowned in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Now sixteen, Winter is coming home to Warriewood – it’s the first time she’s been back since becoming a ward of the state, cared for by her parent’s trust-fund and waiting to inherit the property when she turns eighteen.
In the meantime Warriewood is being managed by Ralph and Sylvia – a couple Winter doesn’t entirely trust, who have let her old homestead go to ruin while they suck the Warriewood property dry.
But upon her return home, Winter finds that the past is not quite ready to be put to rest. She has questions; about her mother’s death, the distant relatives she never knew she had and the shadowy memories that come flooding back.
‘Winter’ was the 2000 stand-alone novel from one of Australia’s most beloved young adult writers, John Marsden.
I've been feeling a bit nostalgic for the young adult novels of my actual young adulthood. I’m from a very lucky generation who grew up with the YA genre, so was never lacking in reading options throughout my teenage years. And as an Australian, I really had a superior reading list to choose from – among the first YA novels I read were those by Melina Marchetta, Nick Earls, Margo Lanagan, Jaclyn Moriarty and the wonderful John Marsden. It’s a testament to these fine Australian young adult writers that they’ve stood the test of time (teen-time, no less!) and are still widely read and published today. And being that I’m a complete bibliophile, I don’t throw books away – ever. So I have a few ‘vintage’ Aussie YA novels, if you will. I was perusing my bookcase and John Marsden’s ‘Winter’ stood out for me.
I remember reading ‘Winter’ when I was younger (about 12 or so) but the story was hazy for me. Whereas other Marsden books stick out prominently in my mind (‘Checkers’, in particular for that ohmygod curveball ending) ‘Winter’ was bringing up a bit of a blank, beyond remembering that I really loved it. So I thought it warranted a revisit and, honestly, I so enjoyed re-reading that I think I might have to do more retro re-reads of my favourite early YA books.
The book opens with a prickly introduction to Winter De Salis, as we meet her returning home after twelve years away. Winter is rude and combative to Sylvia and Ralph, the seemingly nice caretakers of her parent’s old estate. By her own admission, Winter doesn’t do well with impulse or anger control and we see that in the first few chapters. It’s an interesting introduction which instantly puts readers on the back-foot, thinking this is a nasty young woman with a chip on her shoulders. But, that’s part of the beauty of this novel in which nothing is as it seems.
As the story unravels we learn of Winter’s tragic past – an orphan by the age of four, living in boarding schools and waiting for the day she turns eighteen and can become her own woman and accept full responsibility for Warriewood. In the meantime, and at the age of sixteen, Winter is coming home to put persistent demons to rest – to know what really happened to her mother, and to confront the dark, unfocused memories of her childhood;
I didn’t want to look any more, didn’t want to see the terrible sight. I ran and ran and ran, down the long tormenting white drive of my memory, down the long black bitumen road of terror, and at last, as I reached Warriewood, between the stone gateposts of my childhood.
It’s only when Winter starts opening herself up to the past that she starts accepting the future and living in the present. She does so by crushing on Warriewood neighbour, Matthew Kennedy, and befriending local girl Jessica McGill.
‘Winter’ is a quiet novel, as many of Marsden’s books tend to be. Marsden really does excel at lulling readers, and writing sleight of hands that distract us from the monumental wallop we’re going to be dealt before the final page. This is also true of ‘Winter’, which has a dark climax and explanation for Winter’s haunting memories. That’s part of the beauty of a Marsden novel – he sneaks up on the reader and leaves you with big questions to mull over once all is said and done. I especially like that he does leave the reader with questions – he’s not a fan of writing definitive answers or wringing out character’s responses. Part of the fun and gravity is that he leaves readers to make up their own minds and decide what they’d do if put into a similar situation.
Again, as with most Marsden novels, ‘Winter’ is relatively short – a mere 135 pages. He doesn’t need much more than that though; Marsden always starts stories from the meatiest part – in ‘Winter’ he certainly could have started earlier, even with a prologue of Winter’s four-year-old self. But there’s something very satisfying about a book that starts at the highest point of action, when all the balls are in the air for the character and readers meet them at the most important moment of their lives.
‘Winter’ was as satisfying a read the second time round as it was the first. Thankfully for me, I forgot the sneaky curveball denouement and was given the opportunity to read the jaw-drop all over again. This book reminds me why Marsden is one of the Aussie greats, and makes me thankful that I had such a good young adult reading foundation growing up.
In the meantime Warriewood is being managed by Ralph and Sylvia – a couple Winter doesn’t entirely trust, who have let her old homestead go to ruin while they suck the Warriewood property dry.
But upon her return home, Winter finds that the past is not quite ready to be put to rest. She has questions; about her mother’s death, the distant relatives she never knew she had and the shadowy memories that come flooding back.
‘Winter’ was the 2000 stand-alone novel from one of Australia’s most beloved young adult writers, John Marsden.
I've been feeling a bit nostalgic for the young adult novels of my actual young adulthood. I’m from a very lucky generation who grew up with the YA genre, so was never lacking in reading options throughout my teenage years. And as an Australian, I really had a superior reading list to choose from – among the first YA novels I read were those by Melina Marchetta, Nick Earls, Margo Lanagan, Jaclyn Moriarty and the wonderful John Marsden. It’s a testament to these fine Australian young adult writers that they’ve stood the test of time (teen-time, no less!) and are still widely read and published today. And being that I’m a complete bibliophile, I don’t throw books away – ever. So I have a few ‘vintage’ Aussie YA novels, if you will. I was perusing my bookcase and John Marsden’s ‘Winter’ stood out for me.
I remember reading ‘Winter’ when I was younger (about 12 or so) but the story was hazy for me. Whereas other Marsden books stick out prominently in my mind (‘Checkers’, in particular for that ohmygod curveball ending) ‘Winter’ was bringing up a bit of a blank, beyond remembering that I really loved it. So I thought it warranted a revisit and, honestly, I so enjoyed re-reading that I think I might have to do more retro re-reads of my favourite early YA books.
The book opens with a prickly introduction to Winter De Salis, as we meet her returning home after twelve years away. Winter is rude and combative to Sylvia and Ralph, the seemingly nice caretakers of her parent’s old estate. By her own admission, Winter doesn’t do well with impulse or anger control and we see that in the first few chapters. It’s an interesting introduction which instantly puts readers on the back-foot, thinking this is a nasty young woman with a chip on her shoulders. But, that’s part of the beauty of this novel in which nothing is as it seems.
As the story unravels we learn of Winter’s tragic past – an orphan by the age of four, living in boarding schools and waiting for the day she turns eighteen and can become her own woman and accept full responsibility for Warriewood. In the meantime, and at the age of sixteen, Winter is coming home to put persistent demons to rest – to know what really happened to her mother, and to confront the dark, unfocused memories of her childhood;
I didn’t want to look any more, didn’t want to see the terrible sight. I ran and ran and ran, down the long tormenting white drive of my memory, down the long black bitumen road of terror, and at last, as I reached Warriewood, between the stone gateposts of my childhood.
It’s only when Winter starts opening herself up to the past that she starts accepting the future and living in the present. She does so by crushing on Warriewood neighbour, Matthew Kennedy, and befriending local girl Jessica McGill.
‘Winter’ is a quiet novel, as many of Marsden’s books tend to be. Marsden really does excel at lulling readers, and writing sleight of hands that distract us from the monumental wallop we’re going to be dealt before the final page. This is also true of ‘Winter’, which has a dark climax and explanation for Winter’s haunting memories. That’s part of the beauty of a Marsden novel – he sneaks up on the reader and leaves you with big questions to mull over once all is said and done. I especially like that he does leave the reader with questions – he’s not a fan of writing definitive answers or wringing out character’s responses. Part of the fun and gravity is that he leaves readers to make up their own minds and decide what they’d do if put into a similar situation.
Again, as with most Marsden novels, ‘Winter’ is relatively short – a mere 135 pages. He doesn’t need much more than that though; Marsden always starts stories from the meatiest part – in ‘Winter’ he certainly could have started earlier, even with a prologue of Winter’s four-year-old self. But there’s something very satisfying about a book that starts at the highest point of action, when all the balls are in the air for the character and readers meet them at the most important moment of their lives.
‘Winter’ was as satisfying a read the second time round as it was the first. Thankfully for me, I forgot the sneaky curveball denouement and was given the opportunity to read the jaw-drop all over again. This book reminds me why Marsden is one of the Aussie greats, and makes me thankful that I had such a good young adult reading foundation growing up.
June 14, 2014
Winter is a feisty 16 year old who has been living with elderly relatives since she lost her parents at the age of 4. Now she has decided the time has come for her to return to the family homestead and take charge of her life. When she goes to visit her parents graves she discovers that her mother died some six months after her father and there is a mystery surrounding the way in which she died.
I enjoyed this short novel about a teenage girl discovering who she is and taking control of her life. Winter is a strong character and the author does a great job getting into the head of a teenage girl who is both fearless but vulnerable.
I enjoyed this short novel about a teenage girl discovering who she is and taking control of her life. Winter is a strong character and the author does a great job getting into the head of a teenage girl who is both fearless but vulnerable.
December 19, 2022
A nice little book. John Marsden writes good books: interesting story, layered characters, some drama and some humour.
August 27, 2013
I haven’t picked up any John Marsden books since I finished reading the ‘Tomorrow’ series. I was aware he had written other YA books but had just not got around to them. I needed a book with ‘winter’ in the title for a reading challenge and this book fitted the criteria perfectly. The bonus was that I really enjoyed it and was sucked in from the very first page. Winter’s parent’s died when she was four. She always thought they had died together in a yacht race but it turns out that her mother died quite a few months later at their property Warriewood. Winter is now 16 and she has returned to the property to find that it is utterly run down and in the house the furniture is all gone. The property has caretakers who are being paid for out of Winter’s trust fund so Winter is angry to find out that they have not been taking care of the house and property. She is also angry at her aunt’s refusal to talk to her. Winter is an edgy but strong character; she is blunt, rude and totally focussed on finding out the truth. She has questions about her mother’s death and now has questions about her caretakers and aunt. The end throws a curveball that I was half expecting but not really thinking that it would turn out like that. WINTER is a short book so a quick read. The story is believable and also enjoyable because there is plenty of humour amongst the drama. I really liked Winter as a character and found that I empathised with her search for truth, and as with many of Marsden’s books it leaves you thinking “What would I do in the same situation?”
September 19, 2011
Sixteen year old Winter is returning to her family homestead after being shipped of to relatives following the tragic deaths of her parents when she was four years old. Spurred on by her unease and the desire to uncover a family secret, the prickly Winter seeks to lay claim to what is rightfully hers.
Being one of those English people, I am a relative newcomer to the works of Marsden. This is only the second book of his that I've read, the first being the rather brilliant, rather shocking 'Letters From the Inside'. With both, Marsden delivers an emotional heavyweight in a very slim volume.
Our narrator, Winter, is beautifully drawn. Her narkiness and stubbornness are given a sympathetic edge - I immediately got where she was coming from, why she was acting like she was and I forgave her for it.
The real winner here is the plot. A genuinely intriguing and intelligent mystery surrounding the deaths of her parents that kept my hands glued to the pages from start to finish. A few not-too-obvious red herrings are chucked in to keep us guessing, but the ending does not underestimate the intelligence of the reader. A satisfying romantic element is also there - a must for this reader! Can't really say much else about the book here without ruining it so I'll keep schtum.
Highly recommended. Short, but not-so-sweet. And all the better for it.
Being one of those English people, I am a relative newcomer to the works of Marsden. This is only the second book of his that I've read, the first being the rather brilliant, rather shocking 'Letters From the Inside'. With both, Marsden delivers an emotional heavyweight in a very slim volume.
Our narrator, Winter, is beautifully drawn. Her narkiness and stubbornness are given a sympathetic edge - I immediately got where she was coming from, why she was acting like she was and I forgave her for it.
The real winner here is the plot. A genuinely intriguing and intelligent mystery surrounding the deaths of her parents that kept my hands glued to the pages from start to finish. A few not-too-obvious red herrings are chucked in to keep us guessing, but the ending does not underestimate the intelligence of the reader. A satisfying romantic element is also there - a must for this reader! Can't really say much else about the book here without ruining it so I'll keep schtum.
Highly recommended. Short, but not-so-sweet. And all the better for it.
May 16, 2013
I’ve had Winter sitting on my bookshelves for years. I finally picked it up because I was doing a read-a-thon here on Goodreads and needed a book with a one-word title to complete my team’s mini-goal. As it was the last day by then, I naturally selected the shortest one, which brings us back to Winter.
It’s always fascinated me how well John Marsden can write the characters of teenage girls, considering he’s a 62-year-old man. Somehow he manages to pull it off flawlessly though, and his main character, Winter, feels just like a teenage girl should. I don’t think I could do the job half as well, and I’m a female who just turned twenty.
Winter is looking for answers and acceptance regarding the deaths of her parents twelve years ago. To do this she returns to her childhood home and grows into the role required of her. A lot of the things she does are quite stubborn and immature, but that’s to be expected for a girl of her age. In any case the journey she goes on brings her out the other end as a wiser, stronger person on the road to adulthood.
It was only quite a short book, as I said, but if it had have been any longer it would have involved unnecessarily dragging the story on. That’s another skill John Marsden has: he seems to be able to pinpoint when his stories need to end quite well.
It’s always fascinated me how well John Marsden can write the characters of teenage girls, considering he’s a 62-year-old man. Somehow he manages to pull it off flawlessly though, and his main character, Winter, feels just like a teenage girl should. I don’t think I could do the job half as well, and I’m a female who just turned twenty.
Winter is looking for answers and acceptance regarding the deaths of her parents twelve years ago. To do this she returns to her childhood home and grows into the role required of her. A lot of the things she does are quite stubborn and immature, but that’s to be expected for a girl of her age. In any case the journey she goes on brings her out the other end as a wiser, stronger person on the road to adulthood.
It was only quite a short book, as I said, but if it had have been any longer it would have involved unnecessarily dragging the story on. That’s another skill John Marsden has: he seems to be able to pinpoint when his stories need to end quite well.
June 30, 2013
Winter
I decided to read this book because I have enjoyed other books written by John Marsden and I thought it looked interesting.
This book completes the ‘written by a male author’ category on the bingo board. This is interesting because the author, John Marsden, also wrote the tomorrow series which I really enjoyed.
My favourite quote from this book was “Because Ralph had been so friendly at the station, I didn’t say what I wanted to: ‘Get out. I have to do this on my own.’ The best I could manage was ‘I’ll be OK on my own” because it shows that Winter is a strong minded, independent character but she can also show restraint.
Something that this book taught me was that you need to protect yourself against people that will take advantage of you, like Sylvia and Ralph when they were illegally selling protected timber off Winter’s land and she stood up to them and got the fired.
An interesting character from this book is Winter, because she is so strong minded and when Sylvia and Ralph were stealing the protected timber from her land she stood up for herself and fired them because she knew what they were doing was wrong and everyone in Warriwood were extremely happy to see those crooks go.
I decided to read this book because I have enjoyed other books written by John Marsden and I thought it looked interesting.
This book completes the ‘written by a male author’ category on the bingo board. This is interesting because the author, John Marsden, also wrote the tomorrow series which I really enjoyed.
My favourite quote from this book was “Because Ralph had been so friendly at the station, I didn’t say what I wanted to: ‘Get out. I have to do this on my own.’ The best I could manage was ‘I’ll be OK on my own” because it shows that Winter is a strong minded, independent character but she can also show restraint.
Something that this book taught me was that you need to protect yourself against people that will take advantage of you, like Sylvia and Ralph when they were illegally selling protected timber off Winter’s land and she stood up to them and got the fired.
An interesting character from this book is Winter, because she is so strong minded and when Sylvia and Ralph were stealing the protected timber from her land she stood up for herself and fired them because she knew what they were doing was wrong and everyone in Warriwood were extremely happy to see those crooks go.
December 4, 2013
John Marsden has done what I feel not many authors can do and delivered a standout novel in a tiny 130 or so pages. Bravo maestro! I am re-reading this for the first time since I was 12 and it is just as good as I remember! I love Winter-even when I don't like her very much. It's a coming-of-age story that everyone should read and one that I highly recommend.
March 8, 2014
What a great story! I don't know why I hadn't read this before now.
This is the sort of story I would have loved to read as a teenager and I would highly recommend it for YA and OA alike!
It is only a short book...135 pages...so no spoilers here, but it's very quick to read, and an absorbing short read it is from start to finish.
Intriguing. 5*s
September 25, 2015
John Marsden is one of our national treasures and my favourite young adult author. This book, about a young woman's journey back to her home to search for her identity and solve the mystery of her mother's death, is intriguing. He writes from a female, adolescent perspective with surprising insight and Winter's voice throughout the plot is authentic. This is a great read, no matter your age.
January 31, 2013
I'm a great Marsden fan and I think this is a great story but it felt a bit rushed. A lot of story in a short book left the characters a bit underdeveloped.
November 14, 2019
You'd need counselling after finding that out.
March 14, 2015
After twelve years of living with distant relatives, sixteen year old Winter had decided that it is time to return to her childhood home. Upon her return, questions concerning the events of her parent’s death are uncovered leaving Winter confused but determined for answers.
I applaud Marsden on writing such a fantastic and well written novel. Many novels that I read nowadays have excess and so many unnecessary words spat out onto the pages, but in Winter you can see that each word has a purpose and meaning stringing together wonderful paragraphs.
“I so wanted this moment to be profound. I wanted to stand at the gate and drink it all in, gazing at the stone pillars and the spaces for the coach lamps, at the long drive lined with rhododendrons and hydrangeas. I wanted to see what had been wisps in my mind, and bring the vague dreams and memories back to life.”
Winter was depicted perfectly as a moody, confused teenage girl. The climax was perhaps a little disappointing as I was expecting something bigger to happen but Marsden managed to keep the storyline fast paced and engaging. I will be definitely reading more of Marsden’s work.
I applaud Marsden on writing such a fantastic and well written novel. Many novels that I read nowadays have excess and so many unnecessary words spat out onto the pages, but in Winter you can see that each word has a purpose and meaning stringing together wonderful paragraphs.
“I so wanted this moment to be profound. I wanted to stand at the gate and drink it all in, gazing at the stone pillars and the spaces for the coach lamps, at the long drive lined with rhododendrons and hydrangeas. I wanted to see what had been wisps in my mind, and bring the vague dreams and memories back to life.”
Winter was depicted perfectly as a moody, confused teenage girl. The climax was perhaps a little disappointing as I was expecting something bigger to happen but Marsden managed to keep the storyline fast paced and engaging. I will be definitely reading more of Marsden’s work.
April 15, 2023
John Marsden is an Australian gem. While this is a short novel, the pace is set right from the start and the story line is woven elegantly.
For a young YA novel, I still enjoyed this in my 30s. I would have liked a bit more elaboration on the story line of the caretakers but it also leaves the outcome to the readers imagination.
For a young YA novel, I still enjoyed this in my 30s. I would have liked a bit more elaboration on the story line of the caretakers but it also leaves the outcome to the readers imagination.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2014
I chose to read this one as it was on the shelf in my library and, as it starred a 16-year old girl, I wanted to make sure that it was appropriate for primary aged children. In the end I am satisfied for grade 5/6 students to read this one. There is one 's' word dropped near the beginning, but other than that the story itself is quite harmless.
The book is short and to the point. There are some nice descriptions of the Australian countryside, but nothing in this book is done in great detail. I would've liked more closure at the end, what happened to the dodgy couple running the farm, how did the new college work out and how things progressed with Matthew. It was all glossed over rather quickly. But then, by the size of the book I didn't really expect anything else. It was an enjoyable read with a bit of a mystery running through as Winter searches for the real reason for her parents' deaths. The answer at the end is not shocking nor surprising. But then I'm not sure that it was meant to be.
A good story, but better suited to older readers.
The book is short and to the point. There are some nice descriptions of the Australian countryside, but nothing in this book is done in great detail. I would've liked more closure at the end, what happened to the dodgy couple running the farm, how did the new college work out and how things progressed with Matthew. It was all glossed over rather quickly. But then, by the size of the book I didn't really expect anything else. It was an enjoyable read with a bit of a mystery running through as Winter searches for the real reason for her parents' deaths. The answer at the end is not shocking nor surprising. But then I'm not sure that it was meant to be.
A good story, but better suited to older readers.
October 22, 2012
Winter is a young woman at the age of 16. She has been living with family since she was 4, when her parents died. When she finally comes home to Christie, on her homeland of Warriewood, she discovers her parents are barried there and she also finds out how her mother really died. All of her life she had been told that her mother died with her father, drowning. Upon finding out her mother actually died 6 months after that, she had to talk to all the people around town she could conjure up the courage to ask... including her great aunt Mrs. Harrison. The answer to how her mother died isn't exactly what Winter wanted to hear, but I think she knew it all along...
Very intriguing, but I must say very sad as well. Thus far, John Marsden's books have been pretty depressing. I'm not sure that I would want to read this again. It has a little language, but nothing big.
Very intriguing, but I must say very sad as well. Thus far, John Marsden's books have been pretty depressing. I'm not sure that I would want to read this again. It has a little language, but nothing big.
July 25, 2015
I'm not a huge fan of first person narratives but they do seem to pervade the realm of YA fiction. This is a VERY short book (really only a chapter in any other self-respecting tome) and for very good readers, the ending is very discernible.
Winter is certainly established as a sassy character. Not sure she's entirely credible, but will appeal to many teen readers. The plot has little action happening as the story is mostly about Winter's quest to find the truth about the death of her parents. Better books that cover similar ideas are Sue Monk Kidd's 'The Secret Life of Bees' and there's also a Jodi Picoult one, but I've forgotten the title.
We currently have this title in the Year 10 reading list, but I'm querying whether it should be moved further down he grades.
Winter is certainly established as a sassy character. Not sure she's entirely credible, but will appeal to many teen readers. The plot has little action happening as the story is mostly about Winter's quest to find the truth about the death of her parents. Better books that cover similar ideas are Sue Monk Kidd's 'The Secret Life of Bees' and there's also a Jodi Picoult one, but I've forgotten the title.
We currently have this title in the Year 10 reading list, but I'm querying whether it should be moved further down he grades.
December 31, 2011
It's a very short little book. I love the size of it. The story doesn't really suck you in right away but when you do it gets you. It's a nice story, and there's enough of a plot line going for 147 pages. I wish it was a tad longer, because I like hearing more details about what was happening, but that didn't happen. I think it was nicely wrapped up, and doesn't leave you wanting for more, (this is a good thing in this case) in this short novel. But it isn't an amazing story line. Just mildly interesting.
November 5, 2012
This has to be one of my favourite John Marsden books, John Marsden has a fantastic way of writing his books he does it in a way that you have no idea what comes next and this book is a perfect example of this. I loved this book so much that i'm considering buying this book. I still can't believe what happened and what she did when she was four years old. Winter is an amazing book which i think everyone should read. I am really glad that i read this book :) {i read this book in an afternoon}
March 23, 2013
Good, but not great. This is a very short story. It should take about two hours to read, except it took me longer. A book could have the best story ever written but if I don't like the protagonist there is going to be some problems. Winter annoyed the hell out of me. I've seen ten year old's mature than her. Almost every conversation she had with everyone ended up with a temper tantrum. Towards the end her character improved, which was a sigh of relief.
Not much to say. It felt rushed, and the ending was predictable.
Not much to say. It felt rushed, and the ending was predictable.
August 24, 2015
It was not until my own sister had picked this book up for school, did I remember reading this once. The most intriguing sequence found in the book was the mysterious aspect weaved within the words. Although, after two years, I have almost forgotten the entire story. When I rethink back to the time I once read it for school, I do remember how intriguingly worded the descriptions are in the book but also how much I dreaded reading it as it dragged on. What stayed with me though, was the way the author described things with their images implanted in my mind as a blurry distant memory.
June 17, 2012
Winter was a fantastic story about one girl quest for the truth. It was a little bit heart braking but the way that Winter took it in her stride was wonderful. My main complaint with this book was that it was too damn short!
I just love John Marsden. He has such good insight to teenagers emotion. After reading Winter and the Tomorrow series and seeing how fantastic they are, I am going to have to read some more of the books that he has written.
I just love John Marsden. He has such good insight to teenagers emotion. After reading Winter and the Tomorrow series and seeing how fantastic they are, I am going to have to read some more of the books that he has written.
April 1, 2015
Another 'can't put down' well written book by the amazing John Marsden. I really enjoy his style of writing and he has an amazing way of writing as a teenager would, their thoughts etc
Like all his books this is a page turner, trying to work out what will happen next - and always there is a surprise/shock around the corner.
A sad story really but saying that the main character Winter has such a positive an inspiration approach it is really a feel good end!
Like all his books this is a page turner, trying to work out what will happen next - and always there is a surprise/shock around the corner.
A sad story really but saying that the main character Winter has such a positive an inspiration approach it is really a feel good end!
September 24, 2012
I really quite enjoyed this. It was great to read another stand-alone John Marsden (and yes I was guilty of leaving it unread on my shelves for waaay too long). This book spans a very short space of time where Winter is trying to remember/work out what happened when she was younger. It's an often told tale, but told well it's definitely worth it. This was.
April 23, 2013
I really enjoyed this well written book, but it was too short, there was much more to Winter's story that could have been developed and worked with. Her character seemed to gather more goodwill from her neighbors than her abrasiveness warranted too, so sometimes the results she had were not entirely logical. However, a very good book, one of the better ones I have read in awhile.
November 23, 2015
A four star book. John Marsden has written a very intriguing story with one of the best heroines I've come across for years. Winter's tale is not too long but rich with detail, feelings and atmosphere.
Recommended to any Y9-13 who prefers their stories short, wants a good read and likes feisty girls! Worth it.
Recommended to any Y9-13 who prefers their stories short, wants a good read and likes feisty girls! Worth it.
July 18, 2012
One of the most powerful and moving books I read as an eleven year old and continue to reread every year. The story itself is just beautiful and the writing of Marsden really captures what is at the heart of the story
May 16, 2015
Very intriguing story that makes you want to keep reading just to find out what happens. Not sure if this lives up to the standards of some of Marsden's other works (i.e. The Tomorrow series) but was an excellent read nontheless
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