Reviews

Everything That Isn't Winter by Margaret Killjoy

alex2739's review

“I’m afraid. I’m afraid of you and I’m afraid of us and I’m afraid of this new world we’ve built, that one day soon it’ll be no place for me and everything I’ve done and everything I am. I’m afraid of everything that isn’t winter and I’m afraid of everything but dying.”

ymer's review

challenging dark reflective medium-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

4.0

pezski's review

4.0

This Tor best of collection continues to impress. Another author new to me, Killjoy tells an evocative, affecting and effective tale of a post-apocalypse township dealing with a threat, through the eyes of a young woman who is the de facto chief of military and tactical matters and is dealing with her own personal issues. The story is wonderfully told, grounded in superb characterisation and a strong sense of place.

xan_van_rooyen's review

5.0

Loved this! Just really wish I could read a whole novel set in this world!

pixieauthoress's review

5.0

Short but beautiful and extremely compelling. I love short stories that don't try to explain everything about a world or how the characters ended up where they are. I knew just enough to be intrigued to read more and to care about the protagonist. There’s a great balance of external and internal conflict and it's resolved enough for the conclusion to feel satisfying, but I didn’t get the sense that anything in Aiden's life would ever feel stable. If you're interested in dystopias, anarchy, tea, communes or just well-written short stories, check this out. It's currently free as part of a collection from Tor, but I'll probably buy a copy as I'm rapidly become a fan of everything Margaret Killjoy creates.

quynh23's review

hopeful 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? Yes

4.0

bookwomble's review

dark reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

earlgreybooks's review

4.0

Honestly, I only clicked on this because it mentioned the word ‘tea’. I stayed for the beautiful writing, and the interesting characters. It's honestly one of the best short stories I read.

thaiscarreiraafonso's review

4.0

Loved the prose. Really felt like transported and immersed in the world, despite it being so short. Now I feel like I need to read everything from Killjoy.

claire_luna's review

5.0

I read this book by genderqueer author Margaret Killjoy for @ladybookmad​‘s #readthemargin month.

This short story surprised me with it’s poignancy. A post-apocalyptic setting for a short-story of only 26 pages seemed ambitious at best, and yet the world building flowed seamlessly into the beautiful prose, the characters were remarkably fleshed out for a story of this length and, fitting this challenge, diverse and norm-challenging.

And what a story it is- dramatic, violent, thought-provoking and touching. The summary tells you a lot, but it only hints at how close to home the issues in this story hit. Because even if the world is changed utterly, humanity stills asks the same questions, and love is still not easy.

I recommend this to anyone wanting a brief, engaging and emotional attachment with powerful characters.