Winterland: A Novel

Winterland: A Novel by Rae Meadows




Title:  Winterland: A Novel
Author:  Rae Meadows
Publisher:  Henry Holt & Company
Genre:  Women's Fiction
Format:  Kindle 
No. of Pages:  277
Date of US Publication:  29 November, 2022
My Rating:  5 Stars



My Thoughts

This was a five star tale for me.  I can usually talk about books to my family and friends but with this one, I’m finding it impossible to put into words how this novel moved me. 


The story here captured my attention from the get go - it unfolded seamlessly and without flaw. 


It wasn’t an easy read - there is so much pain in these pages, but it kept pulling at me and I read it over the span of 5 days. 


Winterland is one that I have thought about often after finishing it and I have a feeling I’ll be considering it for some time to come. I absolutely recommend this.




eARC kindly provided by Henry Holt & Co and NetGalley. Opinions shared are my own.




Description

Perfection has a cost . . . With transporting prose and meticulous detail, set in an era that remains shockingly relevant today, Winterland tells a story of glory, loss, hope, and determination, and of finding light where none exists.

Soviet Union, 1973: There is perhaps no greater honor for a young girl than to be chosen for the famed USSR gymnastics program. When eight-year-old Anya is selected, her family is thrilled. What is left of her family, that is. Years ago, her mother disappeared without a trace, leaving Anya’s father devastated and their lives dark and quiet in the bitter cold of Siberia. Anya’s only confidant is her neighbor, an older woman who survived unspeakable horrors during her ten years imprisoned in a Gulag camp—and who, unbeknownst to Anya, was also her mother’s confidant and might hold the key to her disappearance.

As Anya rises through the ranks of competitive gymnastics, and as other girls fall from grace, she soon comes to realize that there is very little margin of error for anyone and so much to lose.

Comments

Popular Posts