Winterset Hollow: A Novel
£12.40£14.50 (-14%)
Winterset Hollow follows a group of friends to the place that inspired their favorite book—a timeless tale about a tribe of animals preparing for their yearly end-of-summer festival. But after a series of shocking discoveries, they find that much of what the world believes to be fiction is actually fact, and that the truth behind their beloved story is darker and more dangerous than they ever imagined. It’s Barley Day . . . and you’re invited to the hunt.
Winterset Hollow is as thrilling as it is terrifying and as smart as it is surprising. A uniquely original story filled with properly unexpected twists and turns, Winterset Hollow delivers complex, indelible characters and pulse- pounding action as it storms toward an unforgettable climax that will leave you reeling. How do you celebrate Barley Day? You run, friend. You run.
Jonathan Edward Durham was born near Philadelphia in one of many rust-belt communities where he read voraciously throughout his youth. After attending the College of William & Mary, where he received a degree in neuroscience, Jonathan waded into the professional world before deciding he was better suited for more artistic pursuits. He now lives in California where he writes to bring a unique voice to the space between the timeless wonder of his favorite childhood stories and the pop sensibilities of his adolescent literary indulgences.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Credo House Publishers (1 Sept. 2021) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 286 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1625862083 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1625862082 |
| Dimensions | 15.24 x 1.65 x 22.86 cm |
by Ella Milnes
A dark and twisted fairy tale that makes one ponder the nature of human beings, and how nature might respond.
by Amazon Customer
I bought this novel based on reviews which praised its unusual ideas and gripping story development.
Trying not to give any spoilers, the storyline is ingenius and the twist in events comes after enough clues to make the reader dread what is obviously going to happen. Several of the characters have wonderful characterisation and dialogue which is witty and cuts against the unfolding events.
What l haven’t enjoyed is the author’s frquently florid word choice. Here’s some examples:
‘Neither Caroline nor Mark said a word, but the gravity hanging from their brows told Eamon that they understood.’ …. ‘Eamon didn’t even need to verbalize the fact that he didn’t know, because it was written on every pore.’ …. ‘ “Wait,” said Caroline, a light flickering behind her eyes’ [as in a realisation]… ‘Eamon’ s memory caught up with his instinct. ‘ The quotes are from one page of text. That’s the problem (for me); there’s just too much effort to constantly detail thoughts and actions in an unusual or unexpected way.
I also found the initial description of the landscape more like what you could see on a map than how it would be experienced walking in the place itself. However as l read on l did become completely drawn into the story’s world.
The poem, which is central to the story, is mostly spot on but l wish a good editor had helped iron out the odd wrinkles in syntax/rhythm. There’s an annoying typo on one page as well.
If my criticisms are too nit-picky for you then you’ll love the book. I just don’t like the current trend for hyping up a novel so much that reading it is almost inevitably a bit disappointing – the greatest writers don’t achieve perfection in every work. I’d quibble with some of the hyperbole l read about the book and l think it’s a shame that none of the reviews l read mentioned a) how apposite this story is to how we humans interact with the natural world and b) how deliciously witty it is in letting nature’s losers have their day. It’s well worth a read and if the film rights haven’t been snapped up yet, they will be – and the film will be a visual delight.
Hope l haven’t given too much away.
by lynne dutton
Enjoyed reading this book
by Dave
A+ absolutely loved this book. Hope the Author writes more soon.
by Andrea Robinson
I knew I loved this book from the very first page and by the last, I knew it had jumped right into my all-time favourite books list. I see many, many re-reads in the future.
by donna maria cann
Really great idea here of hunters becoming the hunted, marred only by the repeated overuse of the same adjectives and nouns.
by Kindle Customer
This is a clever story – an unusual concept, well written and paced. It can easily be seen as an allegory of how human beings interact with other species and races, and how terribly destructive we can be; always seeking to rule and dominate. There’s also a sense of a morality tale to it. The story is strongly suffused with great melancholy. I really admire the concept and the writing, but have to admit that I didn’t really enjoy it, reading to the end because I needed to find out what happened. So in that way I was invested in the beautifully drawn characters. 4 stars rather than 5 because SPOILER ALERT – Finn came back from the dead one too many times for credibility , to me. But this story is well worth a read.
by Chester
Followed the author online as I enjoyed his posts, eventually bought his novel…it’s been four decades since I last forgot to go to bed and read till I’d finished the book! (Husband was a bit surprised when he got up for work this morning to find me still reading!) Thank you, Jonathan, that was one hell of a ride!! 🙂