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maregred's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Bullying, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, and Colonisation
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Suicide attempt, and Suicide
bookreviewsgr's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Αν σας αρέσει η δράση, η περιπέτεια και οι ταινίες και σειρές με vigilaties που κυνηγούν εμπόρους ναρκωτικών, τότε θέλετε να το διαβάσετε αυτό!!! Προσωπικά, κόλλησα από τις πρώτες σελίδες κι ας μην είναι από τις αγαπημένες μου θεματολογίες.
Αυτό που με κράτησε στο βιβλίο είναι ότι λείπουν οι κινηματιγραφικές υπερβολές ενώ οι χαρακτήρες είναι καλογραμμένοι και οι κινήσεις τους δικαιολογημένες. Επιπλέον, πέρα από τη δράση, βλέπουμε την καθημερινότητα Ιθαγενών της Αμερικής που ζουν σε ένα reservation, κάτι εντελώς άγνωστο σε αναγνώστες που δε ζουν στις ΗΠΑ ή τον Καναδά.
Ο συγγραφέας περιγράφει με λεπτομέρειες το πως είναι τα reservations και τι δυσκολίες αντιμετωπίζουν. Την αδιαφορία των αστυνομικών αρχών των ΗΠΑ, την αδυναμία των τοπικών αρχών να αντιμετωπίσουν όλα τα εγκλήματα, την έλλειψη χρημάτων και φαγητού, την ελλειμματική παιδεία και υγεία και το πόσο εύκολο είναι, υπό αυτές τις συνθήκες να διαφεύγουν όλο και περισσότεροι άνθρωποι στα ναρκωτικά,
Ταυτόχρονα, δείχνει και την όμορφη πλευρά. Την πλούσια κουλτούρα των Lakota, το πνεύμα και το χιούμορ τους και τον τρόπο ζωής των σύγχρονων Ιθαγενών της Αμερικής.
Το βιβλίο είναι slow-burn και βασίζεται κυρίως στους χαρακτήρες και δευτερευόντως στην πλοκή. Παρόλα αυτά, η δράση δε λείπει και δεν υπάρχουν κενά στην πλοκή, σε αντίθεση με άλλες ιστορίες του είδους.
Αυτό είναι μόλις το δεύτερο βιβλίο του συγγραφέα και το πρώτο λογοτεχνικό. Ανυπομονώ για το τι θα μας προσφέρει στο μέλλον, ειδικά από τη στιγμή που διάβασα ότι ετοιμάζει και δεύτερο βιβλίο με πρωταγωνιστή τον Virgil.
Αυτό που με κράτησε στο βιβλίο είναι ότι λείπουν οι κινηματιγραφικές υπερβολές ενώ οι χαρακτήρες είναι καλογραμμένοι και οι κινήσεις τους δικαιολογημένες. Επιπλέον, πέρα από τη δράση, βλέπουμε την καθημερινότητα Ιθαγενών της Αμερικής που ζουν σε ένα reservation, κάτι εντελώς άγνωστο σε αναγνώστες που δε ζουν στις ΗΠΑ ή τον Καναδά.
Ο συγγραφέας περιγράφει με λεπτομέρειες το πως είναι τα reservations και τι δυσκολίες αντιμετωπίζουν. Την αδιαφορία των αστυνομικών αρχών των ΗΠΑ, την αδυναμία των τοπικών αρχών να αντιμετωπίσουν όλα τα εγκλήματα, την έλλειψη χρημάτων και φαγητού, την ελλειμματική παιδεία και υγεία και το πόσο εύκολο είναι, υπό αυτές τις συνθήκες να διαφεύγουν όλο και περισσότεροι άνθρωποι στα ναρκωτικά,
Ταυτόχρονα, δείχνει και την όμορφη πλευρά. Την πλούσια κουλτούρα των Lakota, το πνεύμα και το χιούμορ τους και τον τρόπο ζωής των σύγχρονων Ιθαγενών της Αμερικής.
Το βιβλίο είναι slow-burn και βασίζεται κυρίως στους χαρακτήρες και δευτερευόντως στην πλοκή. Παρόλα αυτά, η δράση δε λείπει και δεν υπάρχουν κενά στην πλοκή, σε αντίθεση με άλλες ιστορίες του είδους.
Αυτό είναι μόλις το δεύτερο βιβλίο του συγγραφέα και το πρώτο λογοτεχνικό. Ανυπομονώ για το τι θα μας προσφέρει στο μέλλον, ειδικά από τη στιγμή που διάβασα ότι ετοιμάζει και δεύτερο βιβλίο με πρωταγωνιστή τον Virgil.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Drug use
Minor: Suicide
davidbythebay's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have a hard time with mystery and thriller books. Often I find them predictable and slow. Not here. Yes, I did guess a few twists but not anything major. That alone impressed me. But further than that, I found the writing accessible and clear. I struggled with some of the Lakota words and would have liked a pronunciation guide and glossary, but that’s me. They were defined either directly or contextually which was enough to know what was going on.
The writing was fast paced and flowed so beautifully. It was rich and I could see and smell and taste and hear everything Virgil Wounded Horse and the other characters experienced. It was so beautifully done.
I would like to see the author write more in this world with these characters. (Prequels? Sequels? Just tangential loosely related novels? Whatever.) The ending is open for further stories just enough to be enticed. And the definitive fates of certain characters are not known and I would like to see what happened there, but I am sufficiently happy with how it was all handled. Not every string needs a bow, just a loose knot is enough.
I am always interested in the spiritual aspects of different cultures and religions. This had such a beautiful amount of spiritual events that I will absolutely be reading more about these and other Indigenous peoples. I thought it was not only a wonderful look into a culture that is generally glossed over in white American schools, but also a history that is seldom told. I learned about the Battle of Little Big Horn in school and that there were numerous casualties with the Indigenous population suffering great losses. I never heard the perspective of it being a genocidal slaughter like it is expressed here. I had my hunches, but never knew about these events enough. I’ve always wanted to read more Indigenous history and culture and now I am excited to begin soon.
I highly recommend reading this is you love mysteries, thrillers, family dramas, and even justice and philosophical texts as there is enough to discuss and explore more. And that feeling of joy and wanting to explore topics more is the highest praise I think a book can ever be given. Five stars.
The writing was fast paced and flowed so beautifully. It was rich and I could see and smell and taste and hear everything Virgil Wounded Horse and the other characters experienced. It was so beautifully done.
I would like to see the author write more in this world with these characters. (Prequels? Sequels? Just tangential loosely related novels? Whatever.) The ending is open for further stories just enough to be enticed. And the definitive fates of certain characters are not known and I would like to see what happened there, but I am sufficiently happy with how it was all handled. Not every string needs a bow, just a loose knot is enough.
I am always interested in the spiritual aspects of different cultures and religions. This had such a beautiful amount of spiritual events that I will absolutely be reading more about these and other Indigenous peoples. I thought it was not only a wonderful look into a culture that is generally glossed over in white American schools, but also a history that is seldom told. I learned about the Battle of Little Big Horn in school and that there were numerous casualties with the Indigenous population suffering great losses. I never heard the perspective of it being a genocidal slaughter like it is expressed here. I had my hunches, but never knew about these events enough. I’ve always wanted to read more Indigenous history and culture and now I am excited to begin soon.
I highly recommend reading this is you love mysteries, thrillers, family dramas, and even justice and philosophical texts as there is enough to discuss and explore more. And that feeling of joy and wanting to explore topics more is the highest praise I think a book can ever be given. Five stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Gun violence
Minor: Death of parent, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
krisrow's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Drug use, and Torture
Minor: Suicide
ftd318's review
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Suicide and Addiction
kerrygetsliterary's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Suicide, Torture, and Violence
jourdanicus's review
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was everything I want in a crime thriller, without any of the tired tropes that make me end up avoiding crime thrillers even though I tend to want to read them. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes a medium to fast paced crime drama - if you can stomach descriptions of violence and fighting, I think it's worth it because this story involves bad guys coming to justice in really satisfying ways. As a final note I really appreciated the author's writing of the characters overall - they were believable and sympathetic - but especially the women characters. I typically avoid fiction written by men because of too many bad experiences with the way women characters were written, but Weiden's female characters were fully developed, not just accessories to the vigilante male protagonist. Much respect to this author and I look forward to future works by him.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Cancer, Car accident, and Grief
opinionsofawolf's review
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Suicide, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, Blood, Alcoholism, and Addiction
Moderate: Pedophilia
abigailp's review
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Death, Drug use, Drug abuse, Child abuse, and Child death
Minor: Suicide
lklitup's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden is an epic crime adventure following Virgil Wounded Horse of the Lakota Rosebud Reservation. As a “hired thug,” he enacts violent justice amongst wrongdoers who have been let go or ignored by the tribal police and/or federal authorities. His nephew, Nathan, becomes immeshed with one of Virgil’s targets, and Virgil comes to learn the dangerous, underhanded world of drugs and reservation politics.
The story in this book was absolutely enthralling, and I anxiously read through each new turn of events. I became invested in the well-being of the reservation, and I credit that to Marie’s character and the cultural information woven throughout. I wish there had been more, although the author gives some insight as to that decision in the acknowledgements. Virgil is a prototypical anti-hero whose decision to shirk his culture is belief by the sense of duty to his neighbors (albeit for his financial gain). His love for Nathan and his desire to do right made me root for him along his way.
My main gripe with this novel is its swift resolution within the last 15-20 pages. So much information is discovered, so many loose ends are quickly tied. The rest of the book was a well-built, well-maintained slow burn, so I thought the end had come too quickly. Additionally, some of the violence, while central to Virgil, was graphic to the point I needed to skim.
The story in this book was absolutely enthralling, and I anxiously read through each new turn of events. I became invested in the well-being of the reservation, and I credit that to Marie’s character and the cultural information woven throughout. I wish there had been more, although the author gives some insight as to that decision in the acknowledgements. Virgil is a prototypical anti-hero whose decision to shirk his culture is belief by the sense of duty to his neighbors (albeit for his financial gain). His love for Nathan and his desire to do right made me root for him along his way.
My main gripe with this novel is its swift resolution within the last 15-20 pages. So much information is discovered, so many loose ends are quickly tied. The rest of the book was a well-built, well-maintained slow burn, so I thought the end had come too quickly. Additionally, some of the violence, while central to Virgil, was graphic to the point I needed to skim.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Pedophilia, Rape, Racial slurs, and Suicide