Since about mid-October 'it's not cold enough' has been a daily moan escaping my lips. I really dislike that inbetween weather where it deceives you into thinking it's chilly, but in reality it's mild as hell and I end up sticky in too many layers. The last week or so however, has seen a significant drop in temperature which has had me delightedly reaching for my bobble hat and blanket scarf. I just love to get cosy, to roll myself into a duvet cocoon with one hand poking out to hold a book. In celebration of the cold weather I've selected a few snowy reads that will have you reaching for the duvet in no time.
I read this last autumn and was thoroughly blown away by the dark and snowy Alaskan landscape, which provided the perfect setting for such a creepy tale.
The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
Another Alaskan setting, this time in the 1920s. Deeply rooted in folklore and fairytale, The Snow Child is a beautifully descriptive novel and perfect to curl up with.
December by Elizabeth H Winthrop
December explores a child's selective mutism and the impact it has on her family. It's an interesting read and the claustrophobia of the cold winter adds further tension to an already tense family.
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
A heartbreakingly tragic novel if there ever was one, but also very good.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Winter in The Road's post-apocalyptic landscape is particularly bleak, dangerous and harsh. It's an immersive novel (thanks to the punctuation, or lack of), and should certainly be accompanied by a large mug of something warming.
Can you recommend any wintry reads?
Can you recommend any wintry reads?
I've owned December for *years* and I had no idea that was what it was about! One to hunt down next time I have access to my full book collection.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't read Dark Matter by Michelle Paver, I absolutely recommend that! It's set in the Arctic and it's about an exploration mission and what might be lurking when the sun goes in for winter. I read it in a day when we were snowed in one year and it was *perfect*. Creepy but terrific!