There is something about the season, perhaps it's seeing nature at its harshest or the darkening of the sky at such an early hour that brings out the primeval urge to huddle near the fire, seeking heat and companionship. It was probably in these darkest days of the year that storytelling began. So whether it's a winter love story to warm the heart, a winter ghost story to chill the bones, a winter adventure where man challenges the deadliest forces of the elements in order to survive, or a winter mystery to sharpen your wits, they're all here at the library. If you are looking for a reading suggestion you can find me in the book stacks, wearing a warm sweater, humming a calypso tune and waiting for spring.
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
Som
etimes the winter weather outside is reflected by a winter of the heart. On the death of their beloved father; sisters Meredith and Nina return home to the Pacific Northwest to care for their reserved mother, Anya, who seems to be suffering from the first signs of dementia. It is through the uncovering of their mother’s tragic past during WWII Leningrad that the girls reform the bonds within their family and learn to understand her and themselves.Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse
It is the
winter of 1928 and Freddie Watson, who lost both family and his sanity during the Great War, is travelling through the French Pyrenees mountains. When an unexpected snowstorm hits, his car spins off the mountain road, leaving him struggling through a wood in order to find help. Finding a small village, Freddie meets Fabrissa and by the time that dawn breaks, the two lost souls find the courage to survive a tragic mystery.Winter Solstice by Rosamund Pilcher
Pilche
r brings together characters in a heartwarming novel set in Scotland in the dead of winter, who each must learn to live with their losses in order to eventually find happiness. Former actress Elfrida Phipps is the hub of the story which includes tragic and penniless widower Oscar, who has been forced to return to his family home, Corrydale. Corrydale is now a hotel. Seeking asylum at the hotel for the Christmas season is Carrie Sutton, nursing a broken heart and her 14-year old niece Lucy. Lucy, a difficult child, was neglected by her mother and grandmother, and depends on Carrie’s loving care. An expected snowstorm strands handsome Sam Howard, a man hiding a secret, and the group forms a bond that changes each of them.Winter Haunting by Dan Simmons
It has
been 40 years since the tragic summer of his eleventh year, when Dale Stewart lost his best friend Duane. Suffering from the aftermath of a suicide attempt following the loss of his family and career, Dale is forced to return home during the darkest days of winter to the dilapidated family farm in Elm Haven, Illinois, where Duane was murdered. The story begins with a sense of unease and moves into spine-tingling terror as mysterious occurrences cause Dale and his neighbours to question his sanity. Dale must rely on them to confront an ancient evil that feeds and grows in Elm Haven.Winter Vault by Anne Michaels
Set in
Canada and Egypt, the Winter Vault is a love story about how the effects of humans on their physical world cause changes, sometimes subtle and sometimes profound, on who they are. Jean and Avery Escher met during the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway and spent the early life of their marriage on the Aswam dam project on the Nile. By the time they return to Toronto, the couple has grown apart. Avery has return to the world of academia and Jean to Lucjan, a Polish artist who fascinates her with haunting tales of occupied Warsaw.Lori Kauzlarick, Public Services Assistant
1 comment:
I agree that novels set in the darkest and coldest of seasons can be some of the best. To your reading list I’d like to add “Wintering: A Novel of Sylvia Plath” by Kate Moses -- an insightful, powerful and riveting read.
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