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The Winter King
A village trapped in winter, a tyrannical god, and a girl who will do anything to keep her family alive... Ever since Cora's father disappeared through the ice, whispers about her family's "curse" have grown increasingly louder. Desperate to help her mother and siblings survive another bleak season in the Winter King's frozen grasp, Cora begins to bend (and even break) the rules she has kept since she was a little girl. But when she discovers a secret that's much bigger than herself, she realizes too late that she has put herself--and those she loves--in even greater peril.
360 pages, Hardcover
First published November 19, 2019
About the author
Christine Cohen
2 books413 followersBorn and raised in the Pacific Northwest and currently living in one of its more rural pockets where the chances of uncovering portals are quite high.
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October 19, 2022I'm particularly fond of this book since it's my debut, but here are three reasons I think you, too, might enjoy it:
1. It's set in a Nordic world shaped by the myth of Hades and Persephone, but with TWISTS. This is 2019, after all.
2. The wolves know more than they should.
3. When I think about this book, I think first about the setting because I worked hard to make Cora's world immersive: wintry and dangerous, yes, but also hauntingly lovely like the true North is. Deeper than the setting, this is a story about broken people made whole and wrongs put right and betrayal and forgiveness and hope.
4. Okay this is a bonus reason: recently someone who acquired an ARC said she stayed up until midnight to find out what happens, which makes this whole writing gig worth it.
1. It's set in a Nordic world shaped by the myth of Hades and Persephone, but with TWISTS. This is 2019, after all.
2. The wolves know more than they should.
3. When I think about this book, I think first about the setting because I worked hard to make Cora's world immersive: wintry and dangerous, yes, but also hauntingly lovely like the true North is. Deeper than the setting, this is a story about broken people made whole and wrongs put right and betrayal and forgiveness and hope.
4. Okay this is a bonus reason: recently someone who acquired an ARC said she stayed up until midnight to find out what happens, which makes this whole writing gig worth it.
November 17, 2019
This is a snowy book, an icy book, a book of wolves and Nordic villages and empty temples dominated by silent gods. Think Frozen meets Till We Have Faces for teens, featuring an Antichrist villain and underpinned by a eucatastrophic spin on the Orpheus myth. Yes, it's as enchanting as it sounds.
Cora hates the Winter King (the deity and center of her world) for his seeming injustice against her family. There’s no personal relationship with this god: it’s all bloody sacrifices, thick mystery, unrelenting judgment, and awful silence. She and her family are social pariahs with no way out. Besides struggling to keep her family alive (her most admirable quality), Cora sets out to expose the Winter King as a cruel and unjust god. In the end, she discovers the shocking truth about the real Winter King...but she also discovers a much less pleasant picture: herself. Her obsession with putting her god on trial ends up revealing the real Cora: a bitter, self-pitying, self-righteous girl who has much to learn about gratitude, joy, and self-sacrifice.
Undoubtedly the book's trickiest element is this last feature, the heroine. Christine Cohen has made Cora at times deeply objectionable (I won’t say “unlikeable,” because I liked her very much even while yelling at her), yet encourages us to stick with her anyway—quite successfully. I was simultaneously ashamed of Cora during her darkest moments and yet very willing to keep reading. After all, Cora is so much like us; we understand her dilemma; who wouldn’t be tempted to hate a god who cursed your family and offered no penance or cross whereby you could appease his wrath? So we root for Cora from the get-go. (Her love for her family and her exemplary work ethic are also hugely appealing.)
Cohen's prose is the easiest thing in the world. From page 1 to page 360, the words feel exhaled onto the page in one clean breath, not as quotable as they are clear; clarity is Cohen's chief eloquence. She also does a fantastic job building a world, setting a scene, creating vivid and realistic characters (I felt like I instantly knew everyone), and perhaps the hardest job in the world: crafting a romance that doesn’t make me gag. I think I shall have to marry Peder myself.
So curl up with your new fireside favorite, and step into a world that will change you...
Cora hates the Winter King (the deity and center of her world) for his seeming injustice against her family. There’s no personal relationship with this god: it’s all bloody sacrifices, thick mystery, unrelenting judgment, and awful silence. She and her family are social pariahs with no way out. Besides struggling to keep her family alive (her most admirable quality), Cora sets out to expose the Winter King as a cruel and unjust god. In the end, she discovers the shocking truth about the real Winter King...but she also discovers a much less pleasant picture: herself. Her obsession with putting her god on trial ends up revealing the real Cora: a bitter, self-pitying, self-righteous girl who has much to learn about gratitude, joy, and self-sacrifice.
Undoubtedly the book's trickiest element is this last feature, the heroine. Christine Cohen has made Cora at times deeply objectionable (I won’t say “unlikeable,” because I liked her very much even while yelling at her), yet encourages us to stick with her anyway—quite successfully. I was simultaneously ashamed of Cora during her darkest moments and yet very willing to keep reading. After all, Cora is so much like us; we understand her dilemma; who wouldn’t be tempted to hate a god who cursed your family and offered no penance or cross whereby you could appease his wrath? So we root for Cora from the get-go. (Her love for her family and her exemplary work ethic are also hugely appealing.)
Cohen's prose is the easiest thing in the world. From page 1 to page 360, the words feel exhaled onto the page in one clean breath, not as quotable as they are clear; clarity is Cohen's chief eloquence. She also does a fantastic job building a world, setting a scene, creating vivid and realistic characters (I felt like I instantly knew everyone), and perhaps the hardest job in the world: crafting a romance that doesn’t make me gag. I think I shall have to marry Peder myself.
So curl up with your new fireside favorite, and step into a world that will change you...
October 29, 2019
I loved this book! I didn’t want to put it down. A really great, rather chilling winter read; in fact, I finished it curled up with a mug of cocoa while it snowed outside and that was about perfect.
November 20, 2020
More people need to know about this magical book. It has that whimsical, cozy feel that I'm a sucker for this time of year. It's a touching story of a young girl trying to save her family against all odds. It is warming, with a touch of sadness. Perfect for winter.
March 25, 2021
Wow. This book hit me a lot harder than I was expecting. I went into it thinking, "Okay, a fantasy winter story for early teens could be fun" and came out thinking, "That was so intense and illuminating!"
This book started a little slowly, but it built steadily until I was totally gripped by Cora's fight to find a way to save her family and understand her god. It can be read as an allegory for the Protestant Reformation, with sacred texts and the truth they hold being withheld from the common people, but also as simply a coming-of-age story of a determined young woman trying to make sense of her world with too little guidance. I'm labeling it as Christian fiction, but it's not overtly Christian, only allegorically so.
Oh, and before you start comparing the "coughing sickness" to Covid-19 too strongly -- this book was published in 2019, before the virus was in our public consciousness here in the US. So that's totally a coincidence.
This book started a little slowly, but it built steadily until I was totally gripped by Cora's fight to find a way to save her family and understand her god. It can be read as an allegory for the Protestant Reformation, with sacred texts and the truth they hold being withheld from the common people, but also as simply a coming-of-age story of a determined young woman trying to make sense of her world with too little guidance. I'm labeling it as Christian fiction, but it's not overtly Christian, only allegorically so.
Oh, and before you start comparing the "coughing sickness" to Covid-19 too strongly -- this book was published in 2019, before the virus was in our public consciousness here in the US. So that's totally a coincidence.
March 4, 2023
This was absolutely beautiful! Well written and easy to read, and the story is just so beautiful and hopeful.
Yes, there is sadness and I almost cried at moments. But there is also hope and truth that triumphs over evil and lies and darkness.
The characters were well done and I fell in love with several of them.
I don't really know how to review fantasy, but if you love good stories full of the gospel and hope, and where truth is spoken, and good triumphs over evil, then I recommend this book.
Yes, there is sadness and I almost cried at moments. But there is also hope and truth that triumphs over evil and lies and darkness.
The characters were well done and I fell in love with several of them.
I don't really know how to review fantasy, but if you love good stories full of the gospel and hope, and where truth is spoken, and good triumphs over evil, then I recommend this book.
December 3, 2020
“I have dedicated my life to the service of the King, not to a mortal man who hides the truth where only he can reach it.”
This is an excellent debut novel. The winter world and well-crafted characters drew me in so that I was quite sad to reach the story's final pages and say goodbye. I particularly admire Cohen's handling of the main character, Cora, who is as dynamic (in a literary sense) as they come. Readers will find themselves frequently frustrated by Cora’s wrong thinking and wrong decisions yet simultaneously admiring her perseverance and devotion to her family.
Although we might prefer Cora to be less infuriating, the story depends on her shortcomings to work well. This is a novel about transformation, both personal and communal. It is full of rich spiritual meaning and follows in the literary tradition of books like Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings—synthesizing fantasy, mythology, and spiritual realities in a powerful way. Another Goodreads reviewer also made connections to Till We Haves Faces. I think that’s excellent. Cora and Orual definitely have similarities.
Many themes weave their way through this novel, but perhaps the strongest of them all is "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." Freedom is a long time coming, so be prepared to endure a lot of darkness on the journey. But seeing truth finally shine bright and shatter all the lies is more than worth it.
I hope Cohen has many more stories yet to tell, because this is a wonderful start.
This is an excellent debut novel. The winter world and well-crafted characters drew me in so that I was quite sad to reach the story's final pages and say goodbye. I particularly admire Cohen's handling of the main character, Cora, who is as dynamic (in a literary sense) as they come. Readers will find themselves frequently frustrated by Cora’s wrong thinking and wrong decisions yet simultaneously admiring her perseverance and devotion to her family.
Although we might prefer Cora to be less infuriating, the story depends on her shortcomings to work well. This is a novel about transformation, both personal and communal. It is full of rich spiritual meaning and follows in the literary tradition of books like Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings—synthesizing fantasy, mythology, and spiritual realities in a powerful way. Another Goodreads reviewer also made connections to Till We Haves Faces. I think that’s excellent. Cora and Orual definitely have similarities.
Many themes weave their way through this novel, but perhaps the strongest of them all is "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." Freedom is a long time coming, so be prepared to endure a lot of darkness on the journey. But seeing truth finally shine bright and shatter all the lies is more than worth it.
I hope Cohen has many more stories yet to tell, because this is a wonderful start.
January 17, 2020
I am not normally a fan of YA lit, but I LOVED this book! It felt both historical and dystopian, and wondrously mythical. As I read, it reminded me of Till We Have Faces, blended with a bit of something like several of the dystopian books I’ve read with corruption and deception in the government and leadership, and a heroine discovering the secret (Hunger Games, Divergent, Station Eleven, the movie the Village). Loved it!
July 1, 2021
The Winter King is the YA novel I have been trying to find for a long time. Christine Cohen created an original, captivating story I couldn’t put down. I loved the thought-provoking themes and multilayered story that becomes deeper the longer you read. I hope Christine Cohen keeps writing books—I will be first in line to buy them! :)
January 12, 2023
This is a beautiful tale of freedom, love, and truth. Reminiscent of Till We Have Faces, Cohen uses myth and fantasy to tell a beautiful story of hope. This book is so well done. While it is advertised as a young adult novel, I think it is great for children and adults as well. I read this book two years ago and I’m still thinking about it! I hope Cohen has many more stories to tell because I’ll be a reader for life!
May 31, 2022
just came back to this and read my old review *cringes* it was bad - planning on rereading this and rewriting my review soonish; until then I shall merely say that this is excellent MG/YA and it comes with my sincere recommendation.
January 15, 2024
What a great first book to start 2024 with. Just as the weather turned wintery here in Wisconsin, I made my way through the second half of The Winter King. Well-paced and well-plotted, this is a great page-turning teen fantasy.
May 16, 2021
This book had promise. Nordic spin on Hades and Persephone. What we don't get: a Nordic world, Norse Mythology, or Hades and Persephone. What we do get is an attempt to turn a pagan myth into some sort of Christian alagory. The author hits you over the head with her themes concerning bitterness, corruption in religious institutions, poverty, and the problem of pain. The characters are flawed but the growth doesn't feel organic. The world is generic, the prose dull. While it is boring and forgettable, the book gets one star because I can't tell what its supposed to be critiquing. Is it supposed to be a criticism of the Medieval Roman Catholic Church but in a pre-Christ mythology? If so, badly done Cohen, badly done. There are justifiable criticisms, but this book doesn't really touch on them or do it well if it was trying to critique the Roman Catholic Church. Is it simply a criticism of how religion can be twisted into something terrible? Is it supposed to be a story about coming to true faith? I don't know. The conclusion is some disconcertingly fuzzy universalist view of salvation crap. Some of the imagery is reminiscent of the Old Testament as well which also muddied what this book is trying to say or critique. The book leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Consider this Presbyterian nun unimpressed. This book simply serves as a reminder for why I so rarely pick up modern day Christian authors when it comes to works of fiction.
January 31, 2020
Brilliantly written. Intense subject matters but my kids absolutely ate the book up and were thoroughly engaged with the tale. My only regret is that I'll never again be able to read the story for the first time, so that I can re-live the feelings of nervous suspense in wondering how everything would unfold in the end.
If Goodreads allowed a 10 star review, I'd give them all to this book and more besides! Read it.
If Goodreads allowed a 10 star review, I'd give them all to this book and more besides! Read it.
January 11, 2021
I had to rush through this to finish it before book group. Looking forward to savoring it more thoroughly when the audiobook comes out. I'm afraid I identified a bit too much with Cora's bitterness. Sometimes false gods take the true God's name in vain. Neither blind submission nor bitter resentment is the right response. Only the truth will provide freedom and peace and hope.
March 22, 2020
My one sentence review: If I had a physical copy of this book, I would use this before opening a new thing of toilet paper.
Never in my life have I been so deceived by a blurb. I'm the idiot. I am the one who is at fault. I'm the one who wasted 2 hours on this trash. I believed the author and bought into the cool sounding blurb. This book has absolutely no "Hades/Persephone" vibe to it. That claim is embarrassing. A straight up lie.
By the time I hit 40% of the book, two very important things have come to light -
1. I paid $8.99 plus tax on this book and there is no refund
2.
First of all, there was no plot, just a subject and a verb. Specifically Cora doing SOMETHING.
Examples: Cora ran, Cora sighed..., Cora sprinted..., Cora leaned..., Cora opened..., Cora smiled.... If you took a shot every single time these particular phrases appeared, you would have died of alcohol poisoning 30% or so in the book.
This leads to the second problem: cardboard characters. All of them.
Winter King: pretty much nonexistent??
Marten: psychopathic POS
Cora: selfish brat
I don't really remember the rest because they weren't even that important in the novel. Did they die? Yes. Do I care? No.
NOTHING happened up until the last chapter of the book. The entire plot is Cora running around, cooking, cleaning, kind of learning how to read, running back to her house, running to do chores, lying to every single person in the name of goodness and saving the town, running back to her house, oh no all of the sudden the coughing sickness (CORONA) is back and everyone is dying, running into the woods....
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Lastly... nothing is fleshed out in this book. Nothing.
The entire time I was "reading"skimming, I was waiting, HOPING that there would be answers and possibly more information on what the fuck was happening.
Just a few questions that I had:
-Why the book?
-Why Cora?
-When is she going to stop running across town every other page?
-Why was the wolf killed?
-Who is the Winter King?
-Why is he not there?
-Why did the Winter King leave the book?
-Why couldn't the book be destroyed?
-What was the point of all of this lying?
-What was the point of Marten?
-WHY ARE THERE RANDOM WOLVES?????????? Is one supposed to be the Winter King?
Honestly, I am still pissed at my own stupidity. Am I really that bored at this point? Has the quarantine gotten to me? Lowered my standards? Killed a few of my brain cells?
I don't have an excuse at this point.
Never in my life have I been so deceived by a blurb. I'm the idiot. I am the one who is at fault. I'm the one who wasted 2 hours on this trash. I believed the author and bought into the cool sounding blurb. This book has absolutely no "Hades/Persephone" vibe to it. That claim is embarrassing. A straight up lie.
By the time I hit 40% of the book, two very important things have come to light -
1. I paid $8.99 plus tax on this book and there is no refund
2.
First of all, there was no plot, just a subject and a verb. Specifically Cora doing SOMETHING.
Examples: Cora ran, Cora sighed..., Cora sprinted..., Cora leaned..., Cora opened..., Cora smiled.... If you took a shot every single time these particular phrases appeared, you would have died of alcohol poisoning 30% or so in the book.
This leads to the second problem: cardboard characters. All of them.
Winter King: pretty much nonexistent??
Marten: psychopathic POS
Cora: selfish brat
I don't really remember the rest because they weren't even that important in the novel. Did they die? Yes. Do I care? No.
NOTHING happened up until the last chapter of the book. The entire plot is Cora running around, cooking, cleaning, kind of learning how to read, running back to her house, running to do chores, lying to every single person in the name of goodness and saving the town, running back to her house, oh no all of the sudden the coughing sickness (
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Lastly... nothing is fleshed out in this book. Nothing.
The entire time I was "reading"
Just a few questions that I had:
-Why the book?
-Why Cora?
-When is she going to stop running across town every other page?
-Why was the wolf killed?
-Who is the Winter King?
-Why is he not there?
-Why did the Winter King leave the book?
-Why couldn't the book be destroyed?
-What was the point of all of this lying?
-What was the point of Marten?
-WHY ARE THERE RANDOM WOLVES?????????? Is one supposed to be the Winter King?
Honestly, I am still pissed at my own stupidity. Am I really that bored at this point? Has the quarantine gotten to me? Lowered my standards? Killed a few of my brain cells?
I don't have an excuse at this point.
March 2, 2023
What an atmospheric, gripping, thrilling, dark at times, upper MG with so many amazing messages at the core. Loved this! The author describes the setting as: "set in a Nordic world shaped by the myth of Hades & Persephone, but with twists", & I loved it. Such a cold & dangerous world full of many hardships, but at the same time, you can see so much beauty as well. I loved the mystery of the wolves also, they're my favorite animal. I saw a review mentioning a wolf dying, & I researched but never saw anyone else mention it. I almost let that stop me from reading, & l'm so glad I didn't-because it wasn't even true. This has terrific world/story building. I was so fascinated by the backstory of the God/leaders & this world, & the apparent parallels to our own. Cora is a feisty, brave, strong willed MC, who would do anything to protect her family. Like many people have in our own world, she defies a God who would let awful things happen to her & her family. That's part of any journey in one's faith usually. As well as the many problems with the flesh & blood people in charge of teaching Gods word in each faith. I didn't know if I would enjoy the faith aspects & how Cora was acting, but I'm so glad I read this, because when it all came together....everything she rebelled against, & went through to get to the truth..beautiful. Emotional in the very best of ways. Every detail of this story was brilliantly done. I don't want to spoil, but everything that comes to light, & even how we can compare it to parts of our own world were amazingly done. Very atmospheric winter read full of danger, suspense, family, friendship, bravery, loyalty, great messages, & faith. HIGHLY recommend. BEAUTIFUL cover by Meg Antkowiak too.💜
February 12, 2024
2024
Read again in preparation for the Fiction Festival. What a really solidly good book. I recommend it to everyone.
2020
Norse myths and culture meets the reformation, meets Till We Have Faces, creating a delightful pre-baptism of the imagination! I didn’t really know what to expect when I picked this one up, but I’m glad I did! (Also, Canon Press did really good with the classy silver/white cover underneath the dust jacket).
Read again in preparation for the Fiction Festival. What a really solidly good book. I recommend it to everyone.
2020
Norse myths and culture meets the reformation, meets Till We Have Faces, creating a delightful pre-baptism of the imagination! I didn’t really know what to expect when I picked this one up, but I’m glad I did! (Also, Canon Press did really good with the classy silver/white cover underneath the dust jacket).
December 24, 2019
Beautiful story! Read it in a single sitting just previewing for my kids. I loved it.
March 8, 2021
Absolutely wonderful, I enjoyed every second of it! A perfect winter read.
January 18, 2022
This was my second time reading this book and it was so amazing! I loved the storyline and everything. I read this in just two days and enjoyed it just as much as the first time I read it.
December 4, 2021
Note: I listened to this on audio. Please excuse misspellings of names and the like.
This book first came on my radar when an author I follow reviewed it on her blog. It sounded intriguing so I got it on audio almost immediately (even if it did take me a while to actually get around to listening to it, LOL.)
By the time I did get around to listening to it, I'd actually forgotten exactly what it was about, but it grabbed me and held on to the very end. So much drama and mystery! So many secrets! I connected with Cora and her family quickly. They cared so much for each other and I appreciate how her desire to protect them drove so many of her actions.
What I feel the need to discuss now may touch on spoilers for some, so heads up for that in the following paragraphs.
Something that surprised me in a good way was the truth that Cora discovered when she got past all the lies and secrets that were trying to hide it. I thought I knew what the truth was, and I was half right, but there were more surprises beyond that.
While this book is not explicitly Christian fiction, and I don't know if the author is a Christian or not (her author bio and website make no particular statements of faith), there were quite a few elements that were reminiscent of times in history when corrupt leaders, even people who claim to speak for God, have tried to lead people astray by lying about who God is and what His word says in order to keep the people in bondage. In this case, the leaders of Cora's village made it seem like the "Winter King" (the god whom the people worship) was legalistic, cruel, and vindictive, when SPOILER ALERT that wasn't actually the case.
Cora discovered that the leaders had twisted the story of the Winter King to say what they wanted and that the leaders never actually communicated with him at all. And when she finally discovered the Winter King's real story, it turned out that the King was good and caring. While there were natural consequences for certain things that had happened, he'd lovingly made provisions for his people to get through it. Provisions that the village leaders were cruelly withholding from the people with their lies.
I mean, even the uncorrupted legend of the Winter King himself felt indirectly allegorical. He had a bride who was seduced away by the "god below," but the Winter King loved her enough to sacrifice himself in order to redeem her and bring her back home. Sound familiar to anyone?
If this allegory was intentional I thought it was well handled in its subtlety. It flavors the story rather than taking it over. Even if it's not an intentional allegory the story stands as a well crafted story with an uplifting and hopeful ending. But if it is intentional then that makes it extra special for those who will recognize and appreciate it.
I will say that I went into this thinking that someone had said it was a middle grade, but I personally felt it leaned a little more toward lower YA. Some of the violence and hints of romance/marriage proposals just felt more appropriate for 13-16 years olds than say, 8-12 year olds, in my personal opinion. But I only say that to help younger readers and parents figure out if it's appropriate for them. (See my content advisory for more spefic details.) I personally can't think of anything negative to say about the story.
Overall, I thought this story was engaging and well written. I was never once bored. While the world in which this story is set is a darker one, I never felt that any descriptions went overboard to the point of being inappropriate or yucky, and everything worked together for the positive ending. I'll also note that the author narrates her own audiobook and did an excellent job of it.
I will definitely keep an eye on this author and her future works.
Content Advisory:
Spiritual:
The "Winter King" is a god and, in this world there is also a "god below". There is little in the way of direct interaction between the gods and the humans, but legends are told about them.
A few times, Cora sees what seem to be the "ghosts" of two deceased loved ones, but rather than creepy ghosts who are "stuck" on earth somehow, they are not creepy in any way, nor are they stuck. It seems more like they're temporarily being allowed to come back to earth to help guide Cora to the truth. She is able to ask one of them if he's gone to the place where her people believe dead people go, but he cheerfully says, "no, it's someplace much better."
Violence:
Mention that Cora's father drowned in a fishing accident.
Lots of threat of death from freezing to death, being attacked by wolves, and being hung for "misdeeds".
In a moment of fear, Cora imagines herself being hung in punishment, but this is not described graphically.
Someone beats Cora with a whip. Pain and blood are described, though not excessively. One cut on her arm is briefly described.
An older boy squeezes Cora's arms hard enough to be painful at one point, and pushes her against a wall.
An older man is questioned via torture. Cora doesn't see the torture happen, but she does see the man who was tortured and that he is weak and ill.
Talk of the ceremonial sacrifice of an elk. Cora remembers witnessing the ceremony once and there is mention of the elk's blood being spilled, though the actual killing isn't described in detail, and stains on steps from past sacrifices.
At one point, a lying authority figure claims that the winter king has decided he wants a maiden from the village to be the sacrifice instead of the elk. There is a big physical struggle where some people get hurt (bloody wounds briefly mentioned,) but
A wolf kills a man, but this is barely described.
Sexual/Romance:
Some mild attraction between a few characters. A couple of marriage proposals, two brief kisses on the mouth, and a few cheek kisses.
One boy is pushy in his affections for Cora. (She never likes him back.)
An extremely vague hint that Cora may have witnessed an illicit affair between a man and a married woman when when she was small. It is only stated, however, that she doesn't really remember what she saw, but that she knew at the time that it wasn't supposed to be happening. She uses this knowledge to force an unfair employer to give her a better job.
Other:
Cora lies a lot during the story. This begins to weigh on her conscience and does backfire on her a few times, but she is forced to continue in order to rebel against corrupt authority figures who are also lying and harming their people.
A highly contagious coughing sickness kills many villagers quickly. Generally, little about the symptoms are described, but there is mention of one dying man coughing up blood.
This story is a fantasy because it's set in a world that is not our own, but magic is not used or present at any point.
This book first came on my radar when an author I follow reviewed it on her blog. It sounded intriguing so I got it on audio almost immediately (even if it did take me a while to actually get around to listening to it, LOL.)
By the time I did get around to listening to it, I'd actually forgotten exactly what it was about, but it grabbed me and held on to the very end. So much drama and mystery! So many secrets! I connected with Cora and her family quickly. They cared so much for each other and I appreciate how her desire to protect them drove so many of her actions.
What I feel the need to discuss now may touch on spoilers for some, so heads up for that in the following paragraphs.
Something that surprised me in a good way was the truth that Cora discovered when she got past all the lies and secrets that were trying to hide it. I thought I knew what the truth was, and I was half right, but there were more surprises beyond that.
While this book is not explicitly Christian fiction, and I don't know if the author is a Christian or not (her author bio and website make no particular statements of faith), there were quite a few elements that were reminiscent of times in history when corrupt leaders, even people who claim to speak for God, have tried to lead people astray by lying about who God is and what His word says in order to keep the people in bondage. In this case, the leaders of Cora's village made it seem like the "Winter King" (the god whom the people worship) was legalistic, cruel, and vindictive, when SPOILER ALERT that wasn't actually the case.
Cora discovered that the leaders had twisted the story of the Winter King to say what they wanted and that the leaders never actually communicated with him at all. And when she finally discovered the Winter King's real story, it turned out that the King was good and caring. While there were natural consequences for certain things that had happened, he'd lovingly made provisions for his people to get through it. Provisions that the village leaders were cruelly withholding from the people with their lies.
I mean, even the uncorrupted legend of the Winter King himself felt indirectly allegorical. He had a bride who was seduced away by the "god below," but the Winter King loved her enough to sacrifice himself in order to redeem her and bring her back home. Sound familiar to anyone?
If this allegory was intentional I thought it was well handled in its subtlety. It flavors the story rather than taking it over. Even if it's not an intentional allegory the story stands as a well crafted story with an uplifting and hopeful ending. But if it is intentional then that makes it extra special for those who will recognize and appreciate it.
I will say that I went into this thinking that someone had said it was a middle grade, but I personally felt it leaned a little more toward lower YA. Some of the violence and hints of romance/marriage proposals just felt more appropriate for 13-16 years olds than say, 8-12 year olds, in my personal opinion. But I only say that to help younger readers and parents figure out if it's appropriate for them. (See my content advisory for more spefic details.) I personally can't think of anything negative to say about the story.
Overall, I thought this story was engaging and well written. I was never once bored. While the world in which this story is set is a darker one, I never felt that any descriptions went overboard to the point of being inappropriate or yucky, and everything worked together for the positive ending. I'll also note that the author narrates her own audiobook and did an excellent job of it.
I will definitely keep an eye on this author and her future works.
Content Advisory:
Spiritual:
The "Winter King" is a god and, in this world there is also a "god below". There is little in the way of direct interaction between the gods and the humans, but legends are told about them.
A few times, Cora sees what seem to be the "ghosts" of two deceased loved ones, but rather than creepy ghosts who are "stuck" on earth somehow, they are not creepy in any way, nor are they stuck. It seems more like they're temporarily being allowed to come back to earth to help guide Cora to the truth. She is able to ask one of them if he's gone to the place where her people believe dead people go, but he cheerfully says, "no, it's someplace much better."
Violence:
Mention that Cora's father drowned in a fishing accident.
Lots of threat of death from freezing to death, being attacked by wolves, and being hung for "misdeeds".
In a moment of fear, Cora imagines herself being hung in punishment, but this is not described graphically.
Someone beats Cora with a whip. Pain and blood are described, though not excessively. One cut on her arm is briefly described.
An older boy squeezes Cora's arms hard enough to be painful at one point, and pushes her against a wall.
An older man is questioned via torture. Cora doesn't see the torture happen, but she does see the man who was tortured and that he is weak and ill.
Talk of the ceremonial sacrifice of an elk. Cora remembers witnessing the ceremony once and there is mention of the elk's blood being spilled, though the actual killing isn't described in detail, and stains on steps from past sacrifices.
At one point, a lying authority figure claims that the winter king has decided he wants a maiden from the village to be the sacrifice instead of the elk. There is a big physical struggle where some people get hurt (bloody wounds briefly mentioned,) but
A wolf kills a man, but this is barely described.
Sexual/Romance:
Some mild attraction between a few characters. A couple of marriage proposals, two brief kisses on the mouth, and a few cheek kisses.
One boy is pushy in his affections for Cora. (She never likes him back.)
An extremely vague hint that Cora may have witnessed an illicit affair between a man and a married woman when when she was small. It is only stated, however, that she doesn't really remember what she saw, but that she knew at the time that it wasn't supposed to be happening. She uses this knowledge to force an unfair employer to give her a better job.
Other:
Cora lies a lot during the story. This begins to weigh on her conscience and does backfire on her a few times, but she is forced to continue in order to rebel against corrupt authority figures who are also lying and harming their people.
A highly contagious coughing sickness kills many villagers quickly. Generally, little about the symptoms are described, but there is mention of one dying man coughing up blood.
This story is a fantasy because it's set in a world that is not our own, but magic is not used or present at any point.
July 17, 2023
A really fun and engaging story. Cohen does a great job getting you attached to her characters and driving you into the story. She did a really good job portraying the false worship and the wickedness and deception of the priests. She also has the story packed full with biblical inferences. This did, unfortunately, cause the story to be highly predictable. I liked the scapegoating at the end and the swaying of the crowd at the end, very Girardian. I also really appreciated how Cora never denied the existence of the gods. Just because she hated the Winter King didn't mean that he didn't exist. There's no room for atheism.
Lots of Til We Have Faces feels.
I do have a good bit of criticism for the book however. I think it's pretty clearly a "first book" and that she hasn't completely honed her craft yet, so the problems seem more due to overlooked implications of her story.
1) Cora doesn't face the consequences of her habitual lying. Sure she faces some stern consequences of a good number of her actions, but she gets to a point in the story where lying is easy because of how much she's been doing. I wish she'd have had a severe consequence for becoming a habitual liar. I personally would've had Peter lose interest in her completely as he sees not only her foolishness in her endeavors, but that she's also become a completely untrustworthy woman who would make for a poor wife.
2) Peter's abrupt change of views should've been explained better as an obvious transgression against the Winter King, rather than "when they came for those I loved I realized that they must be wrong". His character seemed rather out of place there. (Not in fighting the priests, but in his explanation of it)
3) At the climax, Cohen has Cora and Abby ascend the steps of the temple, throw the false priests down the steps and then Cora lifts up her voice and speaks to the people about the truth of the Winter King. The optics of this part of the story would give any feminist the jollies. I think Cohen intended it as a display of feminine courage in the face of tyrants, unfortunately she portrayed it in a way that suggested the toppling of the patriarchal priestly order by women. Cohen unfortunately set herself up for this, due to the society being on run by priest-kings. If she’d have set up a dual leadership she could’ve enjoyed the toppling of a wicked civil ruler and allowed for Mathias to be the one who reforms the priestly order. On the other hand, considering 1 Samuel 15:23 (For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft) it is a pretty amusing irony that the rebellion is lead by a girl who wants to brew up healing potions she learned from a divine book the priestly order was trying to destroy.
4) The turning point in Cora's story was abrupt and it vindicated her own wrongfulness more than rebuking her. She spends the whole story defying the Winter King and the priests. Setting out to depose the Winter King as the cruel and wicked god that he is, lying and scheming all the way through. Then she reads the book and discovers the truth of the Winter King and realizes that he's a good and righteous king and that the priests were deceiving the people in order to control them. She realizes that she's wrong, but only partially so. She doesn't repent of her webs of lies that she'd been spinning. The truth of the Winter King vindicated her lies rather than driving her to repentance.
Lots of Til We Have Faces feels.
I do have a good bit of criticism for the book however. I think it's pretty clearly a "first book" and that she hasn't completely honed her craft yet, so the problems seem more due to overlooked implications of her story.
1) Cora doesn't face the consequences of her habitual lying. Sure she faces some stern consequences of a good number of her actions, but she gets to a point in the story where lying is easy because of how much she's been doing. I wish she'd have had a severe consequence for becoming a habitual liar. I personally would've had Peter lose interest in her completely as he sees not only her foolishness in her endeavors, but that she's also become a completely untrustworthy woman who would make for a poor wife.
2) Peter's abrupt change of views should've been explained better as an obvious transgression against the Winter King, rather than "when they came for those I loved I realized that they must be wrong". His character seemed rather out of place there. (Not in fighting the priests, but in his explanation of it)
3) At the climax, Cohen has Cora and Abby ascend the steps of the temple, throw the false priests down the steps and then Cora lifts up her voice and speaks to the people about the truth of the Winter King. The optics of this part of the story would give any feminist the jollies. I think Cohen intended it as a display of feminine courage in the face of tyrants, unfortunately she portrayed it in a way that suggested the toppling of the patriarchal priestly order by women. Cohen unfortunately set herself up for this, due to the society being on run by priest-kings. If she’d have set up a dual leadership she could’ve enjoyed the toppling of a wicked civil ruler and allowed for Mathias to be the one who reforms the priestly order. On the other hand, considering 1 Samuel 15:23 (For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft) it is a pretty amusing irony that the rebellion is lead by a girl who wants to brew up healing potions she learned from a divine book the priestly order was trying to destroy.
4) The turning point in Cora's story was abrupt and it vindicated her own wrongfulness more than rebuking her. She spends the whole story defying the Winter King and the priests. Setting out to depose the Winter King as the cruel and wicked god that he is, lying and scheming all the way through. Then she reads the book and discovers the truth of the Winter King and realizes that he's a good and righteous king and that the priests were deceiving the people in order to control them. She realizes that she's wrong, but only partially so. She doesn't repent of her webs of lies that she'd been spinning. The truth of the Winter King vindicated her lies rather than driving her to repentance.
October 14, 2019
A page-turner I couldn't put down!
This book set in a medieval Nordic village has just the right amount (and the right kind) of creepy. Because the lead elder of their village has declared Cora and her family cursed by the local god, they have fallen into poverty with almost no friends to turn to. While working hard to provide for her family, Cora makes a complicated plan that she hopes will expose the wicked tyranny that is slowly strangling her village. But will she succeed in saving her family and village, or will she just get herself killed?
So many twists and nail-biting turns! A fun and gripping read!
This book set in a medieval Nordic village has just the right amount (and the right kind) of creepy. Because the lead elder of their village has declared Cora and her family cursed by the local god, they have fallen into poverty with almost no friends to turn to. While working hard to provide for her family, Cora makes a complicated plan that she hopes will expose the wicked tyranny that is slowly strangling her village. But will she succeed in saving her family and village, or will she just get herself killed?
So many twists and nail-biting turns! A fun and gripping read!
February 19, 2022
I really enjoyed this story. I listened to the audiobook on the Canon Press app, which was great, but I think it would have been even better read curled up by the Christmas tree on a wintery night, so now I need to find a hard copy. ☺️ Beautiful, well-crafted story threaded with myths, woven with just the right mix of mystery, excitement, and warmth, set in a breath-takingly cold, wintery world. Perfect choice for a Christmas holiday read. 🙂
2/18/22 Edit: Just finished reading a beautiful hardcover edition of this story and enjoyed it even more than the audiobook. I definitely stayed up until 1am finishing the book, and it was just as beautiful.
2/18/22 Edit: Just finished reading a beautiful hardcover edition of this story and enjoyed it even more than the audiobook. I definitely stayed up until 1am finishing the book, and it was just as beautiful.
December 30, 2019
Very fun book and kept me turning the last 50 pages! I enjoyed it very much.
March 31, 2020
This story takes a while to develop, and gets better as you begin to see where the story is going. The ending is a bit of a surprise and mostly satisfying.
My daughters really enjoyed this one.
My daughters really enjoyed this one.
June 25, 2020
I loved this book, it was super fun. I read it in one day! I would definitely recommend it to anyone.
February 11, 2021
Simply a really good book. Stories are Soul Food, and this proved a hearty meal.
December 18, 2022
4.5 stars
RTC (hopefully)
RTC (hopefully)
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