Beautifully Written!
5
By pegg12
Winter Solstice is an amazing and beautifully written novel, about living, loving, and weathering the storms that show up in life. The author draws the reader deep into the heart of the Quinn family, a healing, blended family from Nantucket. Kelly Quinn is dying from brain cancer. He is fortunate, though, to have a good relationship with his children, his current wife, Mitzi, and his ex-wife, Margaret. Although Margaret and Mitzi are cordial and work together now for the children and Kelly’s sake, that had not always been the case. Margaret’s children, Patrick, Kevin, and Ava have all lived under Mitzi and Kelly’s roof for years; along with Bart, Mitzi and Kelly’s only child. All of the children in this book are grown and struggle with some very adult issues.
The author’s writing is sharp and descriptive. She effortlessly places the reader deep into each character’s life. I came to know the characters intimately and cared for them all. I felt their pain, their struggles, and their joy. Because the author covers a wide range of topics and difficulties, readers will easily be able to identify with some of the character’s experiences; such as love and betrayal, choices and consequences, selfishness and sacrifice and forgiveness and acceptance. Nobody is perfect, and everyone must live with the consequences of their decisions. Pain is a part of life, but so is joy, acceptance, and love.
I had a hard time keeping the characters straight at first. But, once I did, I couldn’t put the book down. Winter Solstice is an in-depth, enjoyable, and well-written read.
Thank you, Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy.