What do you think?
Rate this book
Winter Town
Every winter, straight-laced, Ivy League bound Evan looks forward to a visit from Lucy, a childhood pal who moved away after her parent's divorce. But when Lucy arrives this year, she's changed. The former "girl next door" now has chopped dyed black hair, a nose stud, and a scowl. But Evan knows that somewhere beneath the Goth, "Old Lucy" still exists, and he's determined to find her... even if it means pissing her off.
Garden State meets Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist in this funny and poignant illustrated novel about opposites who fall in love.
Garden State meets Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist in this funny and poignant illustrated novel about opposites who fall in love.
331 pages, Hardcover
First published December 5, 2011
About the author
Stephen Emond
10 books155 followersHello, my name is Stephen Emond, or just Steve if you prefer. There isn’t much about that me isn’t be said in this excerpt from the HAPPYFACE page on amazon.com:
About the Author
Steve Emond does not have any superhuman powers, neat tricks, or famous relatives, but he’s a pretty cool guy who can draw. He is the creator of Emo Boy, which ran for 12 issues and two collections, and the comic strip, Steverino. He grew up in Connecticut, where he wrote and directed a public access sketch comedy show that only his grandmother watched.
I’m pretty sure my editor on the book wrote this to mimic my sometimes self-deprecating manner because I don’t remember writing it myself.
Anyway, I’m a creator, I guess you can say. I focused solely on drawing in my youth, wanting to be a comics artist. Not so much the kind I became, I was more interested in superheroes. Starting with Spiderman, which led to the New Warriors, which led me to following Todd McFarlane, Jim Lee, the guys that wound up at Image. I was a huge Image fan until a girlfriend turned me on to indie comics, which read more like the things that went on in my head.
Another thing I drew, that fed into my later love of writing, was a comic strip called STEVERINO. I did STEVERINO from my senior year of highschool, and for about six years after. Even after that, I returned to the strip off and on, the last stretch in ‘06. You can read those comics by clicking the Steverino box at the top of Stephenemond.com. I think STEVERINO really helped me develop as both an artist and a writer. The comic strip is a great way to learn writing, because every strip has a beginning, middle and end to it. It’s short, but you learn a lot in what’s interesting and how to set up and close an idea. I did twenty-five page books every month, three cartoons per page, and sent them to never more than thirty people. I worked through a lot of my own neuroses in those years, but it was a lot of fun.
Feedback for Steverino was generally positive. I won a national contest, Andrew-McMeels/Follett College Store’s STRIP SEARCH: DISCOVERING TOMORROW’S TOP CARTOONISTS TODAY and had my comic printed in a book of the same name. I had three or four local newspaper articles and ongoing dialogues with a few syndicate editors. There wasn’t really any hook, though. It was just me and my thoughts. They liked the art, they liked the writing, they thought it was charming, but you couldn’t sell it.
Eventually I had the idea for EMO BOY, which was “what if this emo kid had superpowers, but they were completely destructive and he was too emo to use them anyway?” It was a joke at first but my girlfriend at the time urged me to go on with it. I did a mini comic, ashcan style – 8 1/2X11 pages folded down the middle and xeroxed. In it, Emo Boy joins a garage band, falls for a pretty girl, kisses her and explodes her head in a fit of emo-nerves. The band is ready to beat him down when he comes up with a hit emo song about the experience.
I sent the comic to SLG Publishing, because honestly, who the heck else would publish it? In the meantime, I had so much fun with it that I kept making the books. I did four more issues, without the emo powers, just as a comedy comic about an emo kid and his happy-go-lucky friend Maxine. About eight months after I mailed the book to SLG, I got an email from Dan Vado asking if I was still looking for a publisher. Indeed, I was! I sent him the new issues to show how the art and writing had improved, although Dan did recommend giving him the powers back, as it lent the series a feeling of suspense, not knowing what was going to happen next.
EMO BOY ran for twelve issues. It started strong, but as is the case with most indie comics, sales slipped to a point that it wasn’t cost-effective to continue printing each issue. I was left with the option to do it as a digital comic, or to do a series of graphic novels. I decided to take some time off.
Durin
About the Author
Steve Emond does not have any superhuman powers, neat tricks, or famous relatives, but he’s a pretty cool guy who can draw. He is the creator of Emo Boy, which ran for 12 issues and two collections, and the comic strip, Steverino. He grew up in Connecticut, where he wrote and directed a public access sketch comedy show that only his grandmother watched.
I’m pretty sure my editor on the book wrote this to mimic my sometimes self-deprecating manner because I don’t remember writing it myself.
Anyway, I’m a creator, I guess you can say. I focused solely on drawing in my youth, wanting to be a comics artist. Not so much the kind I became, I was more interested in superheroes. Starting with Spiderman, which led to the New Warriors, which led me to following Todd McFarlane, Jim Lee, the guys that wound up at Image. I was a huge Image fan until a girlfriend turned me on to indie comics, which read more like the things that went on in my head.
Another thing I drew, that fed into my later love of writing, was a comic strip called STEVERINO. I did STEVERINO from my senior year of highschool, and for about six years after. Even after that, I returned to the strip off and on, the last stretch in ‘06. You can read those comics by clicking the Steverino box at the top of Stephenemond.com. I think STEVERINO really helped me develop as both an artist and a writer. The comic strip is a great way to learn writing, because every strip has a beginning, middle and end to it. It’s short, but you learn a lot in what’s interesting and how to set up and close an idea. I did twenty-five page books every month, three cartoons per page, and sent them to never more than thirty people. I worked through a lot of my own neuroses in those years, but it was a lot of fun.
Feedback for Steverino was generally positive. I won a national contest, Andrew-McMeels/Follett College Store’s STRIP SEARCH: DISCOVERING TOMORROW’S TOP CARTOONISTS TODAY and had my comic printed in a book of the same name. I had three or four local newspaper articles and ongoing dialogues with a few syndicate editors. There wasn’t really any hook, though. It was just me and my thoughts. They liked the art, they liked the writing, they thought it was charming, but you couldn’t sell it.
Eventually I had the idea for EMO BOY, which was “what if this emo kid had superpowers, but they were completely destructive and he was too emo to use them anyway?” It was a joke at first but my girlfriend at the time urged me to go on with it. I did a mini comic, ashcan style – 8 1/2X11 pages folded down the middle and xeroxed. In it, Emo Boy joins a garage band, falls for a pretty girl, kisses her and explodes her head in a fit of emo-nerves. The band is ready to beat him down when he comes up with a hit emo song about the experience.
I sent the comic to SLG Publishing, because honestly, who the heck else would publish it? In the meantime, I had so much fun with it that I kept making the books. I did four more issues, without the emo powers, just as a comedy comic about an emo kid and his happy-go-lucky friend Maxine. About eight months after I mailed the book to SLG, I got an email from Dan Vado asking if I was still looking for a publisher. Indeed, I was! I sent him the new issues to show how the art and writing had improved, although Dan did recommend giving him the powers back, as it lent the series a feeling of suspense, not knowing what was going to happen next.
EMO BOY ran for twelve issues. It started strong, but as is the case with most indie comics, sales slipped to a point that it wasn’t cost-effective to continue printing each issue. I was left with the option to do it as a digital comic, or to do a series of graphic novels. I decided to take some time off.
Durin
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 523 reviews
January 22, 2012
There are these certain books that are written only to fall in the cracks, to be trampled on and overshadowed by more hyped, outrageously popular books which oftentimes end up being a huge let down. It is my hope that Winter Town doesn't end up falling into this category.
Winter Town is Stephen Emond's sophomore novel, and it centers around the friendship of two teenagers named Evan and Lucy. They grew up together, did everything together: drew comic slides; read fantasy tombs until their eyes hurt; made up life stories for the graves' occupants in the neighborhood cemetery; and walked the streets endlessly, just talking of anything and everything. As youngsters, they were inseparable. That is until Lucy's parents split up and Lucy had to move from New England to Atlanta with her mother. Now Evan and Lucy only see each other during winter break. And this year, when Lucy arrives back in town, she's doesn't look — nor act — anything like Evan remembers. At first, Evan and Lucy get off to a bad start; but soon after they're right back to their old banter and games. Except for those few moments when Lucy seems to fold in on herself, hide under her new exterier and act like New Lucy™. So what, exactly, is Lucy hiding? What happened to her over the last year that could potentially break her and Evan apart?
I can't even begin to express the utter joy, devotion, and love I have for this little gem. I feel like when I was twelve and snuck into my kitchen and poured myself three cups of coffee in a row from my parents new coffee marker. In other words, seriously, seriously hyperactive. I've been on a strange yet unsettlingly pleasant cloud since finishing Winter Town. Although I sometimes betray myself and think that perhaps another genre is where I'm happiest, most of my brain knows that the realistic genre is my favorite. It (almost) always has the most engaging and authentic characters in young adult literature.
Winter Town is realistic fiction at its best: it's not fluffy, candy-cane-coated chick lit nor is it angsty, melodramatic soap; it the the perfect balance. The characters have their issues, their family drama, their secrets — they are teenagers. But there's never a gorge of anything sugary or depressing. Emond knows how to showcase a teenager's life without making it overly done on either side of the spectrum.
Emond's characters are at once endearing and exhausting, fun and frustrating. On the surface, Evan seems simple and and almost mundane — but if you look closely he comes to life and you see a whole other side to his character. He flourishes with the turn of each page.
And Lucy! What a wonderfully infuriating character! She takes a little getting used to, but I ended up truly appreciating her originality and quirkiness. She is as different from Evan as spaghetti is from hydrogen, but they balance each other out. Their friendship is startlingly real and whimsical. I loved it.
On that note, I'm sure most people who are thinking of reading this are wondering whether Evan and Lucy end up becoming . . . more than friends.I'll never tell . . . You'll just have to read it to find out.
Stephen Emond isn't just a fantastic writer; he also does the illustrations for Winter Town, and they really add flare to the story.
(This photo has been borrowed from the author's website. No copyright infringement is intended.)
Lastly, I'm unsure as to how many people will enjoy Winter Town to the degree that I did. But if I can help even one person choose to read this book and have it turn out much the same for them as it did for me, I've done my job.
As for me, I'm sure Winter Town will stay with me for a very long time. 4.5 stars
Winter Town is Stephen Emond's sophomore novel, and it centers around the friendship of two teenagers named Evan and Lucy. They grew up together, did everything together: drew comic slides; read fantasy tombs until their eyes hurt; made up life stories for the graves' occupants in the neighborhood cemetery; and walked the streets endlessly, just talking of anything and everything. As youngsters, they were inseparable. That is until Lucy's parents split up and Lucy had to move from New England to Atlanta with her mother. Now Evan and Lucy only see each other during winter break. And this year, when Lucy arrives back in town, she's doesn't look — nor act — anything like Evan remembers. At first, Evan and Lucy get off to a bad start; but soon after they're right back to their old banter and games. Except for those few moments when Lucy seems to fold in on herself, hide under her new exterier and act like New Lucy™. So what, exactly, is Lucy hiding? What happened to her over the last year that could potentially break her and Evan apart?
I can't even begin to express the utter joy, devotion, and love I have for this little gem. I feel like when I was twelve and snuck into my kitchen and poured myself three cups of coffee in a row from my parents new coffee marker. In other words, seriously, seriously hyperactive. I've been on a strange yet unsettlingly pleasant cloud since finishing Winter Town. Although I sometimes betray myself and think that perhaps another genre is where I'm happiest, most of my brain knows that the realistic genre is my favorite. It (almost) always has the most engaging and authentic characters in young adult literature.
Winter Town is realistic fiction at its best: it's not fluffy, candy-cane-coated chick lit nor is it angsty, melodramatic soap; it the the perfect balance. The characters have their issues, their family drama, their secrets — they are teenagers. But there's never a gorge of anything sugary or depressing. Emond knows how to showcase a teenager's life without making it overly done on either side of the spectrum.
Emond's characters are at once endearing and exhausting, fun and frustrating. On the surface, Evan seems simple and and almost mundane — but if you look closely he comes to life and you see a whole other side to his character. He flourishes with the turn of each page.
And Lucy! What a wonderfully infuriating character! She takes a little getting used to, but I ended up truly appreciating her originality and quirkiness. She is as different from Evan as spaghetti is from hydrogen, but they balance each other out. Their friendship is startlingly real and whimsical. I loved it.
On that note, I'm sure most people who are thinking of reading this are wondering whether Evan and Lucy end up becoming . . . more than friends.
Stephen Emond isn't just a fantastic writer; he also does the illustrations for Winter Town, and they really add flare to the story.
(This photo has been borrowed from the author's website. No copyright infringement is intended.)
Lastly, I'm unsure as to how many people will enjoy Winter Town to the degree that I did. But if I can help even one person choose to read this book and have it turn out much the same for them as it did for me, I've done my job.
As for me, I'm sure Winter Town will stay with me for a very long time. 4.5 stars
July 14, 2013
Winter Town.. An upcoming indie film starring Michael Cera! .. Well, not really, but it should be! I really enjoyed this book, and I'm a little surprised that I've literally never heard of it before.. More people should read this!
With a mixture of prose, art, and comics, this book tells the awesome story of two people coming together, realizing their faults, breaking apart to become better, and then coming together again more complete than ever before. It reminds me o much of the vibe I got from watching Nick&Norah, or from reading Dash&Lily.
I loved the artwork and comics mixed in with the story: it added a fun and quirk level. I also really liked the story itself.. It wasn't over dramatic, or angsty, it was just a realistic portrayal of two teenagers. It's the kind of story with not too much plot, but a lot of character development.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good contemporary, with the added bonus of awesome artwork! My only warning is that it felt slightly strange reading a Christmas story set in cold, snowy New England in the middle of hot July weather!
With a mixture of prose, art, and comics, this book tells the awesome story of two people coming together, realizing their faults, breaking apart to become better, and then coming together again more complete than ever before. It reminds me o much of the vibe I got from watching Nick&Norah, or from reading Dash&Lily.
I loved the artwork and comics mixed in with the story: it added a fun and quirk level. I also really liked the story itself.. It wasn't over dramatic, or angsty, it was just a realistic portrayal of two teenagers. It's the kind of story with not too much plot, but a lot of character development.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good contemporary, with the added bonus of awesome artwork! My only warning is that it felt slightly strange reading a Christmas story set in cold, snowy New England in the middle of hot July weather!
December 10, 2011
Wintertown was a well done book. I don't think I've ever read one that combined graphic art and while I thought it might be distracting ended up complimenting the story instead. It was an extended expression of Evan and Lucy and what's really going on behind the emotions and I thought it was a really cool and funny way to do this.
This is a story about not knowing all the answers and finding yourself. It's a story about being young and wanting to be young when you know you can't always be and it's also a story about friendship, family, a connection and love.
Really good stuff!
This is a story about not knowing all the answers and finding yourself. It's a story about being young and wanting to be young when you know you can't always be and it's also a story about friendship, family, a connection and love.
Really good stuff!
March 15, 2012
Quitting while I'm ahead.
As I read, I couldn't shake the feeling that the author of this book is not a reader. I can't explain this suspicion, it's just a hunch I get sometimes when I'm not enjoying a book, when it just doesn't seem to hang together quite right. I'm trying to believe that Edmond has in fact read more than the two books posted on his Goodreads page, but, actually, I can believe that this author is the kind of Catcher in the Rye fan that Frank Portman described in King Dork.
Then came the creeping suspicion that STEPHEN and EVAN might in fact be more or less the same person. This feeling became near-certainty when I saw the photograph of the author on the dust jacket. Gary Stu-style fictionalized autobiographies are a real problem for me. Only Jeff Kinney is allowed to do this, and ONLY because he knows he was a selfish little jerk when he was a kid.
I also found myself questioning a number of the author's comma placement decisions.
The thing I probably thought about the least while reading this story was, in fact, the story. That said, I do think a real live teenager might like this one.
The illustrations were okay. I LOVE the cover.
As I read, I couldn't shake the feeling that the author of this book is not a reader. I can't explain this suspicion, it's just a hunch I get sometimes when I'm not enjoying a book, when it just doesn't seem to hang together quite right. I'm trying to believe that Edmond has in fact read more than the two books posted on his Goodreads page, but, actually, I can believe that this author is the kind of Catcher in the Rye fan that Frank Portman described in King Dork.
Then came the creeping suspicion that STEPHEN and EVAN might in fact be more or less the same person. This feeling became near-certainty when I saw the photograph of the author on the dust jacket. Gary Stu-style fictionalized autobiographies are a real problem for me. Only Jeff Kinney is allowed to do this, and ONLY because he knows he was a selfish little jerk when he was a kid.
I also found myself questioning a number of the author's comma placement decisions.
The thing I probably thought about the least while reading this story was, in fact, the story. That said, I do think a real live teenager might like this one.
The illustrations were okay. I LOVE the cover.
December 29, 2011
Original post One More Page
Winter Town is one of my most anticipated reads of 2011, mostly because I loved Stephen Emond's other novel, Happyface. It was one of my favorite contemporary novels in 2010, with drawings to boot! So I was really very excited when my copy finally arrived, and just in time for Christmas. Don't you think the cover makes this book fitting for December? (Of course, I forgot the book in the office during Christmas weekend, so I didn't finish this until after Christmas.)
Evan and Lucy are childhood best friends. Evan is this straight-A, all-around good guy who has a seemingly perfect family even if his dad is pretty demanding and has too many high expectations with him. Lucy, on the other hand, is this confident girl who’s not afraid to say what she thinks and the brains behind all her and Evan’s crazy antics during their childhood. Lucy moves away one winter after her parents’ divorce, and they barely kept in touch, until Lucy tells Evan that he’s visiting. Evan’s world practically stops and he drops everything to be with Lucy, even with the risk of his dad’s wrath. But Lucy is not the same confident brown-haired girl that he’s known now. Lucy is now dressed as a Goth, is quiet, and swings from one mood to the other. Evan is confused, but he’s determined to make the Old Lucy come out, even if it means going to extreme measures. But the thing is, does New Lucy want Old Lucy back? Or maybe it’s all just Evan?
Winter Town is the kind of book that quietly creeps up on you because it's so...normal. I mean, it is meant to be normal because it's contemporary, but there are no too many flashy things about it save for the illustrations. There's no love at first sight, or magic, or ya jock and an unpopular girl or a popular girl and a geek getting together. It's just about...best friends. Who secretly pine for each other. But first they had to deal with the changes and issues between them that they do not want to deal with first in fear of rocking the boat. This story set in winter time in a New England town was just so shockingly normal that it feels like it's a breath of fresh air.
If you'd allow me to digress a bit. In my Catholic community, I often heard people share about their life, and how God changed it. More often than not, the sharing usually comes from people whose life was in total disarray until they find God and then things start to get better because they get a different perspective. The people with more or less normal lives, the ones who do not come from as dark of a past as the others, often listen rather than share, because let's face it: people who had to go through bigger things often have a bigger lesson to share compared to those whose lives are normal and okay. Reading Winter Town and getting to know the two main characters reminded me of that. The book is told in two perspectives, which I was pleasantly surprised to find out later in the book. On the normal side, there's Evan -- and when I say normal, I mean absolutely normal. Save for the fact that his dad gives him a bit too much pressure in school, and despite his grades, he has no idea where to go or what to do or what he wants to be in the future. He's perfectly okay going with the flow because it's easier than swimming against the current. And oh, how I related to Evan so much because I pretty much had the same life. Not that I'm complaining now, because I sort of know better now that I'm older, but my dear Evan, I know how it feels to be so lost in the normalcy. Lucy, on the other hand, is on the other side of the spectrum, at least when she shows up a year after she left. It's been a bad year for Lucy and all she wants is to forget, but she makes a mistake of relying too much on the stability of her best friend so her own world would be stable. I couldn't relate to Lucy but I wanted to hug her and tell her it will be better because she just seemed so sad. And when her problems were finally revealed, it really made me feel sorry for her, not because it was particularly earth shattering, but it's just something that anyone should experience, especially with how I've gotten to know her with how Evan described Lucy. The differences of these two main characters make Winter Town easy to relate to, because I'm pretty sure we are all Evans and Lucys at some point in our lives (and maybe until now).
Like I said, the story was pretty normal but that doesn't mean it's too ordinary not to warrant enough attention. I liked how the author tackled some questions about being up front with your past and dealing with your problems rather than running away from them, finding out what you really want and going after them even if it means not doing what other people expects of you and of course, friendship and romance and the thin line between that. It's about time someone deals with that, and I think Stephen Emond manages to do that quite realistically.
But the real highlight of Winter Town is really the illustrations. I wouldn't expect anything less from someone who made me a fan of his work with just one book (and someone who generously drew me a picture of myself with a sunflower and books -- look up at the banner!). I had to admit, I was expecting the book to be a little like Happyface, you know, sort of like a scrapbook/journal type of thing, so I was kind of surprised to see that it's a prose with illustrations on the side. Which isn't bad, of course. The illustrations were amazing, as expected, and they were a good complement to the text, especially because there were some times when I felt a little bit disengaged with the story. I guess I was kind of expecting an atmospheric read, something that would make me really feel winter as I read it (Especially since it never snows here!), but sometimes it didn't really feel that way. There were times when I felt a little bit disconnected with the text, like I wish there would be a bit more description of the things happening and the places and the events, but then the illustrations would pull me back into the story. It makes me wonder now how the reading experience with the book be if the illustrations were removed. While I think the story will still be able to stand on its own, I bet it wouldn't be as entertaining. Then again, removing the illustrations is pointless because Winter Town was made to be with illustrations. So...maybe I should stop nitpicking and just need to read more novels with pictures.
But enough blather. Overall, I liked Winter Town. While I wasn't really as enamored with this as I was with Happyface, I still think Winter Town was still a very good read. It kind of breaks the mold of contemporary YA by...not really breaking it, if you get what I mean. I think that everyone will be able to find something to relate to in this book, whether you're an Evan or a Lucy. The lessons of the story were pretty solid, and I really liked the ending: sweet, hopeful and open ended -- just the way I like it. :)
Winter Town is one of my most anticipated reads of 2011, mostly because I loved Stephen Emond's other novel, Happyface. It was one of my favorite contemporary novels in 2010, with drawings to boot! So I was really very excited when my copy finally arrived, and just in time for Christmas. Don't you think the cover makes this book fitting for December? (Of course, I forgot the book in the office during Christmas weekend, so I didn't finish this until after Christmas.)
Evan and Lucy are childhood best friends. Evan is this straight-A, all-around good guy who has a seemingly perfect family even if his dad is pretty demanding and has too many high expectations with him. Lucy, on the other hand, is this confident girl who’s not afraid to say what she thinks and the brains behind all her and Evan’s crazy antics during their childhood. Lucy moves away one winter after her parents’ divorce, and they barely kept in touch, until Lucy tells Evan that he’s visiting. Evan’s world practically stops and he drops everything to be with Lucy, even with the risk of his dad’s wrath. But Lucy is not the same confident brown-haired girl that he’s known now. Lucy is now dressed as a Goth, is quiet, and swings from one mood to the other. Evan is confused, but he’s determined to make the Old Lucy come out, even if it means going to extreme measures. But the thing is, does New Lucy want Old Lucy back? Or maybe it’s all just Evan?
Winter Town is the kind of book that quietly creeps up on you because it's so...normal. I mean, it is meant to be normal because it's contemporary, but there are no too many flashy things about it save for the illustrations. There's no love at first sight, or magic, or ya jock and an unpopular girl or a popular girl and a geek getting together. It's just about...best friends. Who secretly pine for each other. But first they had to deal with the changes and issues between them that they do not want to deal with first in fear of rocking the boat. This story set in winter time in a New England town was just so shockingly normal that it feels like it's a breath of fresh air.
If you'd allow me to digress a bit. In my Catholic community, I often heard people share about their life, and how God changed it. More often than not, the sharing usually comes from people whose life was in total disarray until they find God and then things start to get better because they get a different perspective. The people with more or less normal lives, the ones who do not come from as dark of a past as the others, often listen rather than share, because let's face it: people who had to go through bigger things often have a bigger lesson to share compared to those whose lives are normal and okay. Reading Winter Town and getting to know the two main characters reminded me of that. The book is told in two perspectives, which I was pleasantly surprised to find out later in the book. On the normal side, there's Evan -- and when I say normal, I mean absolutely normal. Save for the fact that his dad gives him a bit too much pressure in school, and despite his grades, he has no idea where to go or what to do or what he wants to be in the future. He's perfectly okay going with the flow because it's easier than swimming against the current. And oh, how I related to Evan so much because I pretty much had the same life. Not that I'm complaining now, because I sort of know better now that I'm older, but my dear Evan, I know how it feels to be so lost in the normalcy. Lucy, on the other hand, is on the other side of the spectrum, at least when she shows up a year after she left. It's been a bad year for Lucy and all she wants is to forget, but she makes a mistake of relying too much on the stability of her best friend so her own world would be stable. I couldn't relate to Lucy but I wanted to hug her and tell her it will be better because she just seemed so sad. And when her problems were finally revealed, it really made me feel sorry for her, not because it was particularly earth shattering, but it's just something that anyone should experience, especially with how I've gotten to know her with how Evan described Lucy. The differences of these two main characters make Winter Town easy to relate to, because I'm pretty sure we are all Evans and Lucys at some point in our lives (and maybe until now).
Like I said, the story was pretty normal but that doesn't mean it's too ordinary not to warrant enough attention. I liked how the author tackled some questions about being up front with your past and dealing with your problems rather than running away from them, finding out what you really want and going after them even if it means not doing what other people expects of you and of course, friendship and romance and the thin line between that. It's about time someone deals with that, and I think Stephen Emond manages to do that quite realistically.
But the real highlight of Winter Town is really the illustrations. I wouldn't expect anything less from someone who made me a fan of his work with just one book (and someone who generously drew me a picture of myself with a sunflower and books -- look up at the banner!). I had to admit, I was expecting the book to be a little like Happyface, you know, sort of like a scrapbook/journal type of thing, so I was kind of surprised to see that it's a prose with illustrations on the side. Which isn't bad, of course. The illustrations were amazing, as expected, and they were a good complement to the text, especially because there were some times when I felt a little bit disengaged with the story. I guess I was kind of expecting an atmospheric read, something that would make me really feel winter as I read it (Especially since it never snows here!), but sometimes it didn't really feel that way. There were times when I felt a little bit disconnected with the text, like I wish there would be a bit more description of the things happening and the places and the events, but then the illustrations would pull me back into the story. It makes me wonder now how the reading experience with the book be if the illustrations were removed. While I think the story will still be able to stand on its own, I bet it wouldn't be as entertaining. Then again, removing the illustrations is pointless because Winter Town was made to be with illustrations. So...maybe I should stop nitpicking and just need to read more novels with pictures.
But enough blather. Overall, I liked Winter Town. While I wasn't really as enamored with this as I was with Happyface, I still think Winter Town was still a very good read. It kind of breaks the mold of contemporary YA by...not really breaking it, if you get what I mean. I think that everyone will be able to find something to relate to in this book, whether you're an Evan or a Lucy. The lessons of the story were pretty solid, and I really liked the ending: sweet, hopeful and open ended -- just the way I like it. :)
April 8, 2014
The less histrionic flipside to Rainbow Rowell's excellent Young Adult novel Eleanor & Park, Winter Town quietly and sensitively explores a teenage relationship not from the standpoint of the meet-cute and the hormonal rush of first love, but from the more complicated angle of what happens when two lifelong friends realize A) they might be meant for each other, and B) that could ruin everything. That's the situation for Evan and Lucy, friends since they were six but who, for the last several years and thanks to Lucy's parents' divorce, see each other only for two weeks at Christmas when Lucy returns to New England from Georgia to visit her dad. They always pick up right where they left off – as best friends do – but this year Lucy is sullen and withdrawn, her hair hacked off, her nose pierced, and with a cigarette always at the ready. Evan sets out to save her from herself.
This is no paternalistic story of reclamation, though, and that's what I think I admired most about Winter Town. While Evan makes it his business to try and rescue Lucy, Lucy has some rescuing of her own to do. She realizes that she's attracted to Evan due to his constant stability – he's even-tempered, diligent, and Ivy-League bound – but his father's domineering, take-no-prisoners attitude about college has robbed Evan of his own personality, most specifically the drive to turn his talent for cartooning (which Lucy shares) into something real. Lucy knows Evan needs to wriggle free of his father's influence, even if – and maybe especially because – it means stumbling and falling. Growth often comes from our reaction to adversity, and Lucy knows that Evan's stable home life has stunted him in this respect. So it's a two-way street as they try to navigate what this all means for their future together.
It all sounds kinda trite when I try to lay it out this way, but author Stephen Edmond has drawn Evan and Lucy thoughtfully, and it felt natural to get caught up in their developing romance. The real triumph, though, is the way Edmond has capitalized on their love for comic books and cartooning and sprinkled illustrations and Evan-created comic strips throughout the book, giving it an extra visual dimension. It doesn't all work – the dialogue (as is often the case with YA Lit) clangs falsely from time to time – but Winter Town is one of the more convincing stories of young love I've encountered.
This is no paternalistic story of reclamation, though, and that's what I think I admired most about Winter Town. While Evan makes it his business to try and rescue Lucy, Lucy has some rescuing of her own to do. She realizes that she's attracted to Evan due to his constant stability – he's even-tempered, diligent, and Ivy-League bound – but his father's domineering, take-no-prisoners attitude about college has robbed Evan of his own personality, most specifically the drive to turn his talent for cartooning (which Lucy shares) into something real. Lucy knows Evan needs to wriggle free of his father's influence, even if – and maybe especially because – it means stumbling and falling. Growth often comes from our reaction to adversity, and Lucy knows that Evan's stable home life has stunted him in this respect. So it's a two-way street as they try to navigate what this all means for their future together.
It all sounds kinda trite when I try to lay it out this way, but author Stephen Edmond has drawn Evan and Lucy thoughtfully, and it felt natural to get caught up in their developing romance. The real triumph, though, is the way Edmond has capitalized on their love for comic books and cartooning and sprinkled illustrations and Evan-created comic strips throughout the book, giving it an extra visual dimension. It doesn't all work – the dialogue (as is often the case with YA Lit) clangs falsely from time to time – but Winter Town is one of the more convincing stories of young love I've encountered.
November 9, 2014
Winter Town by Stephen Emond is about two old friends called Evan and Lucy who only get to see each other during winter break since she moved away. When she comes back this year, she is a different person, which puts a strain on their relationship and forces both to re-evaluate everything they have, up to now, taken for granted about each other.
I picked it up as something light to read in the middle of all the heavier stuff I was going to be attempting this summer. I finished it in two days. That isn’t necessarily a good thing, however, because the reason I was racing to the end was because I wanted something to happen already. Evan and Lucy were both relatable characters and I was invested in what would happen to them. There were times, such as when she was talking about being afraid of reality and using books as an escape, that I felt like I was Lucy. Evan’s situation and family is very similar to mine as well. In a way, I was reading about two aspects of myself personified, which was cool.
But, the book itself was really slow and gimmicky at times. So much seemed to be happening and yet there really wasn’t enough thought or development. I soon came to see it as a movie, because it felt very much like it was being relayed scene by scene, complete with background, effects and something to occupy the characters while the viewers paid attention to their conversation, which was where everything came out. This makes sense, since the writer is also a comic book artist.
I liked the ending a lot. It’s always wonderful when characters who are romantically involved manage to bring about their own changes more or less through some time apart. I especially appreciated this because it let them be free later on to continue their relationship as whole, separate people, not as ‘two halves of a whole’.
I also loved Tim and Marshall. A lot of the scenes that included them felt real and were very funny, almost as if the author took them from real life.
full version
I picked it up as something light to read in the middle of all the heavier stuff I was going to be attempting this summer. I finished it in two days. That isn’t necessarily a good thing, however, because the reason I was racing to the end was because I wanted something to happen already. Evan and Lucy were both relatable characters and I was invested in what would happen to them. There were times, such as when she was talking about being afraid of reality and using books as an escape, that I felt like I was Lucy. Evan’s situation and family is very similar to mine as well. In a way, I was reading about two aspects of myself personified, which was cool.
But, the book itself was really slow and gimmicky at times. So much seemed to be happening and yet there really wasn’t enough thought or development. I soon came to see it as a movie, because it felt very much like it was being relayed scene by scene, complete with background, effects and something to occupy the characters while the viewers paid attention to their conversation, which was where everything came out. This makes sense, since the writer is also a comic book artist.
I liked the ending a lot. It’s always wonderful when characters who are romantically involved manage to bring about their own changes more or less through some time apart. I especially appreciated this because it let them be free later on to continue their relationship as whole, separate people, not as ‘two halves of a whole’.
I also loved Tim and Marshall. A lot of the scenes that included them felt real and were very funny, almost as if the author took them from real life.
full version
January 16, 2016
DNF
I stopped at page 85. I couldn't really get into the story, but maybe I'll pick it back up some other time.
I stopped at page 85. I couldn't really get into the story, but maybe I'll pick it back up some other time.
August 22, 2011
3.5 stars
First of all, I would *not* say this is Garden State meets Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist like the synopsis states. However, this is probably because I don't like either of those movies and I did enjoy this book.
What ho! A YA contemporary novel that I pretty much liked! But why only 3.5 stars? Well, it just wasn't as pizazz-y as I was anticipating. When I found out this was going to be a BEA book, I was so excited. Despite the stupid-movie dropping, the synopsis seemed really intriguing.
And while this book was still pretty enjoyable, it didn't deliver on the "oomph" or the "pizazz" that I expected. The characters never really made much of an impression on me, and sorry to say, Lucy didn't come across as misunderstood/morose/identity-seeking so much as immature and annoying. I loved Evan, though. Maybe I liked him too much, haha, because I thought the poor guy put up with way more than he should have! But I never really connected with the overall story and though I read it in a few hours, it was the kind that I just seemed to breeze through, with not a lot of commentary or thought or anything. I did love the drawings because they gave Wintertown an edge of uniqueness. However, the book was too long for the actual story, so it felt like most of the pages were little more than fillers.
And...I didn't really like the ending segments.
However, I always do the happy dance when I encounter relatively clean books. Lucy's done some stupid things in the past, but the references are really vague and the whole point is about her attempting to grow up and stuff.
So while Wintertown left me feeling a little lukewarm, it's still a book I can recommend to others. The drawings add an extra likability to an otherwise routine story, and I'm sure that others will be enchanted by Evan's story :)
First of all, I would *not* say this is Garden State meets Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist like the synopsis states. However, this is probably because I don't like either of those movies and I did enjoy this book.
What ho! A YA contemporary novel that I pretty much liked! But why only 3.5 stars? Well, it just wasn't as pizazz-y as I was anticipating. When I found out this was going to be a BEA book, I was so excited. Despite the stupid-movie dropping, the synopsis seemed really intriguing.
And while this book was still pretty enjoyable, it didn't deliver on the "oomph" or the "pizazz" that I expected. The characters never really made much of an impression on me, and sorry to say, Lucy didn't come across as misunderstood/morose/identity-seeking so much as immature and annoying. I loved Evan, though. Maybe I liked him too much, haha, because I thought the poor guy put up with way more than he should have! But I never really connected with the overall story and though I read it in a few hours, it was the kind that I just seemed to breeze through, with not a lot of commentary or thought or anything. I did love the drawings because they gave Wintertown an edge of uniqueness. However, the book was too long for the actual story, so it felt like most of the pages were little more than fillers.
And...I didn't really like the ending segments.
However, I always do the happy dance when I encounter relatively clean books. Lucy's done some stupid things in the past, but the references are really vague and the whole point is about her attempting to grow up and stuff.
So while Wintertown left me feeling a little lukewarm, it's still a book I can recommend to others. The drawings add an extra likability to an otherwise routine story, and I'm sure that others will be enchanted by Evan's story :)
December 19, 2017
Meh.
I mean, just meh. The mehest book of all year. Not bad, not good, just meh.
I mean, just meh. The mehest book of all year. Not bad, not good, just meh.
March 16, 2017
First Read: December 1-3, 2012
Re-read: December 7-8, 2016
4.25 Stars
It's been about four years since I've read this novel. I remember how much I enjoyed it and sped past it, and I knew that I would re-read this one day, hoping I would still like it. Now, no longer a teenager, I don't have that teenage spirit, BUT, I do have that nostalgia of having one. And it's nostalgia that plays a very important role in this story.
First off, the characters. I could not think of any character that I relate SO closely to, than Evan Owens: A shy, awkward boy with an always smiling mother and a micromanaging, obsessive father who wants Evan to go to Brown, with a "do this" and "do that" and "you can be young after college" mindset. Not to mention an awesome grandmother. Evan feels comfortable in his drawings and books(like me) and KNOWS that is his future, but does not want to feel like a disappointment to his family. Even the drawing of Evan, which Stephen Emond did himself, as well as a plethora more throughout the novel, looks EXACTLY like a seventeen year old me.
Then you have Lucy, the observantly quiet, slightly bitchy teen girl who comes and disrupts Evan's live, once a year, around Christmas. But for the better...in her opinion.
What I really love about this book is how honest the story is. It reads like how "Juno" plays: Just a couple of teenagers, with honesty and quirky humor, who feel stuck in life and want a change in their own lives, even if it means bringing a little chaos. The dialogue between all the characters, even the more minor ones, made me feel like I was in the room with them. As one of their friends.
Re-read: December 7-8, 2016
4.25 Stars
It's been about four years since I've read this novel. I remember how much I enjoyed it and sped past it, and I knew that I would re-read this one day, hoping I would still like it. Now, no longer a teenager, I don't have that teenage spirit, BUT, I do have that nostalgia of having one. And it's nostalgia that plays a very important role in this story.
First off, the characters. I could not think of any character that I relate SO closely to, than Evan Owens: A shy, awkward boy with an always smiling mother and a micromanaging, obsessive father who wants Evan to go to Brown, with a "do this" and "do that" and "you can be young after college" mindset. Not to mention an awesome grandmother. Evan feels comfortable in his drawings and books(like me) and KNOWS that is his future, but does not want to feel like a disappointment to his family. Even the drawing of Evan, which Stephen Emond did himself, as well as a plethora more throughout the novel, looks EXACTLY like a seventeen year old me.
Then you have Lucy, the observantly quiet, slightly bitchy teen girl who comes and disrupts Evan's live, once a year, around Christmas. But for the better...in her opinion.
What I really love about this book is how honest the story is. It reads like how "Juno" plays: Just a couple of teenagers, with honesty and quirky humor, who feel stuck in life and want a change in their own lives, even if it means bringing a little chaos. The dialogue between all the characters, even the more minor ones, made me feel like I was in the room with them. As one of their friends.
June 11, 2015
This was okay. I liked all the illustrations. The story seemed interesting, but I just didn't connect to the characters or feel anything
May 17, 2018
3.5 stars. I could relate to Evan but then at the same time not. I felt a bit meh reading this book because there was a lot of angst and I kind of tried to push past all of it, though I found it really interesting to know the behind the scenes to Lucy's life. Yet once again, towards the end her journey is blocked out!
Maybe it was all about Evan, but Evan was all about Lucy, and I just felt this looping of I care about her but I don't know what she's about, and lady cares about him but can't be honest about what she's going through- ugh, classic angst fest.
I guess I don't feel like the story covered all the bases for me.
Maybe it was all about Evan, but Evan was all about Lucy, and I just felt this looping of I care about her but I don't know what she's about, and lady cares about him but can't be honest about what she's going through- ugh, classic angst fest.
I guess I don't feel like the story covered all the bases for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2013
Talk about a manic pixie dream girl (MPDG)! Dang! Lucy goes from a goodie girl to a "goth" and Evan is still trying to view her as her past self, before her parents were divorced and all of the crazy happened in her life that Evan does not know about. And that she's hesitant to reveal.
What's neat about this novel is that you don't just get Evan's perspective, you also get Lucy's perspective. It is in third person, so the change from focusing on Evan to focusing on Lucy was a bit confusing for me. I kind of wish that it was solely focused on Evan's storyline, but it was still interesting to see from Lucy's way. Get into the brain of a MPDG. And boy is she manic!
I did enjoy the incorporation of the drawings and comics. It was an interesting way for the author to SHOW what was going on as far as Evan's journey.
This novel is described as "Garden State meets Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist." I didn't necessarily get that feeling. Yeah, it did have a touch of N&N, but it didn't always face the issues. Things would get heated between Lucy and Evan, but they wouldn't fully confront one another. It was like they got to a certain point and chickened out. I almost wanted to say, "Hey, you too, get in the ring and punch this one out!"
I did like how Evan ended up. It made me so happy for him! It was different for a book involving a manic pixie dream girl. I feel like usually the guy learns a lesson, but he doesn't necessarily find the personal satisfaction that Evan did.
I would recommend this to:
I would still recommend this to people who liked Nick and Norah. Also, if you liked Paper Towns. It just has that journey-feel for the main character that Quentin went through.
What's neat about this novel is that you don't just get Evan's perspective, you also get Lucy's perspective. It is in third person, so the change from focusing on Evan to focusing on Lucy was a bit confusing for me. I kind of wish that it was solely focused on Evan's storyline, but it was still interesting to see from Lucy's way. Get into the brain of a MPDG. And boy is she manic!
I did enjoy the incorporation of the drawings and comics. It was an interesting way for the author to SHOW what was going on as far as Evan's journey.
This novel is described as "Garden State meets Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist." I didn't necessarily get that feeling. Yeah, it did have a touch of N&N, but it didn't always face the issues. Things would get heated between Lucy and Evan, but they wouldn't fully confront one another. It was like they got to a certain point and chickened out. I almost wanted to say, "Hey, you too, get in the ring and punch this one out!"
I did like how Evan ended up. It made me so happy for him! It was different for a book involving a manic pixie dream girl. I feel like usually the guy learns a lesson, but he doesn't necessarily find the personal satisfaction that Evan did.
I would recommend this to:
I would still recommend this to people who liked Nick and Norah. Also, if you liked Paper Towns. It just has that journey-feel for the main character that Quentin went through.
August 10, 2017
This book was definitely an interesting read. It was very slow-going and delved into issues with growing up and families, however something was lacking for me for the entire book.
The writing in this book felt very plain and wasn’t very interesting at all. It also awkwardly switched which character it was following towards the end which was very confusing and unnecessary. I really liked the added features of graphics and drawings done buy the author, and the way it was set out really added something special and different to the story.
The characters felt very developed and I their interactions were realistic. Evan was a little boring but I liked his easy-going personality and his reflections. Lucy was the complete opposite and was very real and vibrant, and she was interesting in a moody/angsty way. I enjoyed her voice throughout the story and how much her character revealed certain aspects of the plot. At first these two friends felt very distant but then they made up over time and I liked the way that developed.
I was very annoyed with the fact that it took me so long to get through the book. The start just wasn’t very interesting, and I found that all the development happened towards the end. And even then, the development wasn’t shared with the two main characters but mainly only Lucy.
I don’t recommend this book to be honest, but if you like graphic display and added visuals then maybe check this book out.
Buy it here! The Book Depository ships free internationally!
The writing in this book felt very plain and wasn’t very interesting at all. It also awkwardly switched which character it was following towards the end which was very confusing and unnecessary. I really liked the added features of graphics and drawings done buy the author, and the way it was set out really added something special and different to the story.
The characters felt very developed and I their interactions were realistic. Evan was a little boring but I liked his easy-going personality and his reflections. Lucy was the complete opposite and was very real and vibrant, and she was interesting in a moody/angsty way. I enjoyed her voice throughout the story and how much her character revealed certain aspects of the plot. At first these two friends felt very distant but then they made up over time and I liked the way that developed.
I was very annoyed with the fact that it took me so long to get through the book. The start just wasn’t very interesting, and I found that all the development happened towards the end. And even then, the development wasn’t shared with the two main characters but mainly only Lucy.
I don’t recommend this book to be honest, but if you like graphic display and added visuals then maybe check this book out.
Buy it here! The Book Depository ships free internationally!
December 13, 2011
Ok so this is more like 2.5 stars so I just slapped a two on it. I really wish you could give half stars on here.
Anyways...
This book just didn't turn out quite how I expected it. I mean when I read the premise I was so excited to be offered and ARC from Little Brown Books for review. Straight laced boy meets up with an old childhood friend that happens to be heavy on the black hair dye, and and she's even got a nose ring? Yes Please!
Unfortunately that's about where it stopped for me. I really wanted to like this book. So much so that I stuck by it and read it until the very end hoping that there would be this big Ta Da moment, but that never came. I think the worst part for me was that the story itself wasn't bad...it had potential to be really good, but it was the writing style. It just felt bland and choppy and slow and dry.
Did you notice how many times I use AND in that sentence? Yea that's how this book it written. That alone drove me bananas. The run-on sentences was a big part of the bland. I kept imagining a very monotone voice the entire time. Still I couldn't help but keep reading, waiting for it to all turn around...and while it did get slightly better there towards the end it flat lined again. It had a very Dear John kind of ending which drove me nuts.
So sadly I have to say this book wasn't for me:(
Anyways...
This book just didn't turn out quite how I expected it. I mean when I read the premise I was so excited to be offered and ARC from Little Brown Books for review. Straight laced boy meets up with an old childhood friend that happens to be heavy on the black hair dye, and and she's even got a nose ring? Yes Please!
Unfortunately that's about where it stopped for me. I really wanted to like this book. So much so that I stuck by it and read it until the very end hoping that there would be this big Ta Da moment, but that never came. I think the worst part for me was that the story itself wasn't bad...it had potential to be really good, but it was the writing style. It just felt bland and choppy and slow and dry.
Did you notice how many times I use AND in that sentence? Yea that's how this book it written. That alone drove me bananas. The run-on sentences was a big part of the bland. I kept imagining a very monotone voice the entire time. Still I couldn't help but keep reading, waiting for it to all turn around...and while it did get slightly better there towards the end it flat lined again. It had a very Dear John kind of ending which drove me nuts.
So sadly I have to say this book wasn't for me:(
July 28, 2011
Wow. I almost passed over this book when the ARC was offered to me at ALA. The cover didn't grab me, and the PR person's description (a boy trying to reconnect with his childhood friend) didn't exactly make me say, Wow!
Boy. Was I wrong.
This book could actually be called A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Told not only through Emond's taut prose, but also through illustrations and comic strips, the book takes place over the course of a cold, snowy Christmas break as budding artist Evan discovers that his childhood friend Lucy has drastically changed and is clearly troubled . . . but will not talk to him about it. They have only two weeks a year to be together, since Lucy's parents divorced when they were in middle school, and now Evan feels the pressure to make those two weeks count: he has to fix Lucy, fix their relationship, finish his history report, and decide what he wants to do with his life as the pile of college applications in his room continue to haunt him.
A wonderful, wonderful book that will (appropriately) be out in December.
Boy. Was I wrong.
This book could actually be called A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. Told not only through Emond's taut prose, but also through illustrations and comic strips, the book takes place over the course of a cold, snowy Christmas break as budding artist Evan discovers that his childhood friend Lucy has drastically changed and is clearly troubled . . . but will not talk to him about it. They have only two weeks a year to be together, since Lucy's parents divorced when they were in middle school, and now Evan feels the pressure to make those two weeks count: he has to fix Lucy, fix their relationship, finish his history report, and decide what he wants to do with his life as the pile of college applications in his room continue to haunt him.
A wonderful, wonderful book that will (appropriately) be out in December.
December 31, 2014
Was enjoying this for the most part (nothing too extraordinary, but a quick read), until I got to the sketch in the extras that is labelled "Adam's apple = tr*nny". Except without the censoring, obviously. Just needless hateful transmisogyny. It soured the whole book for me. There were other parts that I thought were questionable, like Lucy calling Evan's gay friends her "gay boyfriends", but I was giving them the benefit of the doubt. Now I'm just annoyed that this was my last read of the year.
February 11, 2015
4.75 stars
December 2, 2015
I just found this book mostly boring and ended up skimming through the second half only :(
January 12, 2023
A true time capsule of the early 2000s but trying to hard the characters & their stories work.
December 5, 2011
Read this review on my blog! --> Wintertown by Stephen Emond
Evan is a kid who believes he knows what he wants from life. He has a close-knit family, with supportive, if not slightly over-bearing parents. Lucy’s family life is the complete opposite, but it has never really affected her as much as this past year. The mystery behind her change isn’t revealed until halfway through, at which point the perspective changes from Evan’s to Lucy’s. I loved the times when they would just get lost in their banter, and also hearing about all the mischievous things they did as kids.
Throughout the book there are comic strips created by Evan’s character where he tells an adventure, alternate reality world with Evan and Lucy as the main characters. It is sweet and the art is really great.
I completely fell in love with Evan’s family and friends. I mean, his Gram?! LOVED her!! And I wish his friends, Tim and Marshall, were my friends. Even his mom and dad, as intense as he is, were great together.
It did take me a little while to connect with the characters and the story though, but once I did, I read it without stopping. While Evan and Lucy’s story is told lightheartedly, I felt it had many layers. It was a story about changing and growing up, about discovering what is going to make you happy in your life, even if it means letting everyone down, about taking charge of your life and wanting to make it better, about knowing who you want to be with but recognizing when the timing is just not right. Really, everything you want in a coming of age story.
Evan is a kid who believes he knows what he wants from life. He has a close-knit family, with supportive, if not slightly over-bearing parents. Lucy’s family life is the complete opposite, but it has never really affected her as much as this past year. The mystery behind her change isn’t revealed until halfway through, at which point the perspective changes from Evan’s to Lucy’s. I loved the times when they would just get lost in their banter, and also hearing about all the mischievous things they did as kids.
Throughout the book there are comic strips created by Evan’s character where he tells an adventure, alternate reality world with Evan and Lucy as the main characters. It is sweet and the art is really great.
I completely fell in love with Evan’s family and friends. I mean, his Gram?! LOVED her!! And I wish his friends, Tim and Marshall, were my friends. Even his mom and dad, as intense as he is, were great together.
It did take me a little while to connect with the characters and the story though, but once I did, I read it without stopping. While Evan and Lucy’s story is told lightheartedly, I felt it had many layers. It was a story about changing and growing up, about discovering what is going to make you happy in your life, even if it means letting everyone down, about taking charge of your life and wanting to make it better, about knowing who you want to be with but recognizing when the timing is just not right. Really, everything you want in a coming of age story.
December 27, 2011
**somewhat spoilerish, so tread carefully. :)
I noticed today that I give books 3 stars a lot. I think there are, in my mind, about 5 different levels of 3-star-books. This was on a higher level of 3 stars. Maybe level 2 (with level 1 being the highest level of 3-star-books, and level 5 being the lowest. My mind is a very jumbled place. Ha.)
Anyway. I liked Wintertown. It was far from being a favorite, but it was an enjoyable story. The two main characters were great, together. I love the idea of best friends since childhood. I guess because that's not something I ever had. Separately, I identified more with Evan, and Lucy mostly annoyed the heck outta me. :) But they were very well-written characters & very convincingly angsty teenagers.
What held me back from completely loving the book, is that I resented the implication that Evan was too "perfect" and he had it too good, or that he was too focused on academics and getting into college. I know you learn lots of life lessons by making mistakes, but Evan was making all kinds of mistakes, just not the ones that Lucy thought he should be making.
I guess that was part of the point, though, that Lucy and Evan both had unrealistic expectations of each other. They were both in a weird place, and they needed the time apart to make their own choices & mistakes before they could work together, as best friends or otherwise. In that sense, I liked the ending, although I like to think that Evan eventually ended up going to college, maybe at NYU. But that's my nerdy, I-love-school side coming out. I can't stand that idea of someone like him not going to college.
I noticed today that I give books 3 stars a lot. I think there are, in my mind, about 5 different levels of 3-star-books. This was on a higher level of 3 stars. Maybe level 2 (with level 1 being the highest level of 3-star-books, and level 5 being the lowest. My mind is a very jumbled place. Ha.)
Anyway. I liked Wintertown. It was far from being a favorite, but it was an enjoyable story. The two main characters were great, together. I love the idea of best friends since childhood. I guess because that's not something I ever had. Separately, I identified more with Evan, and Lucy mostly annoyed the heck outta me. :) But they were very well-written characters & very convincingly angsty teenagers.
What held me back from completely loving the book, is that I resented the implication that Evan was too "perfect" and he had it too good, or that he was too focused on academics and getting into college. I know you learn lots of life lessons by making mistakes, but Evan was making all kinds of mistakes, just not the ones that Lucy thought he should be making.
I guess that was part of the point, though, that Lucy and Evan both had unrealistic expectations of each other. They were both in a weird place, and they needed the time apart to make their own choices & mistakes before they could work together, as best friends or otherwise. In that sense, I liked the ending, although I like to think that Evan eventually ended up going to college, maybe at NYU. But that's my nerdy, I-love-school side coming out. I can't stand that idea of someone like him not going to college.
May 23, 2018
This was an enjoyable little story about 2 best friends who grew up together since childhood.
I enjoyed the art, as well as the message to follow your own heart.
Evans dad really wants him to get into a good college and is all over him about it. Long story short he gets into Brown but decides not to go. I’m a little unclear about what he ends up doing but I know he goes to New York with his 2 friends and really focuses on drawing his comics.
I was not expecting the ending and it made my heart happy. Evans is looking up at a girl who’s face is buried in a book and he decides she’s someone he could like. Low and behold it’s Lucy.
I would’ve liked to know what happens to Lucy after she goes home. We’re left off with her knocking on the door to her moms house, not knowing what’s going to happen since she was previously kicked out.
I enjoyed the art, as well as the message to follow your own heart.
Evans dad really wants him to get into a good college and is all over him about it. Long story short he gets into Brown but decides not to go. I’m a little unclear about what he ends up doing but I know he goes to New York with his 2 friends and really focuses on drawing his comics.
I was not expecting the ending and it made my heart happy. Evans is looking up at a girl who’s face is buried in a book and he decides she’s someone he could like. Low and behold it’s Lucy.
I would’ve liked to know what happens to Lucy after she goes home. We’re left off with her knocking on the door to her moms house, not knowing what’s going to happen since she was previously kicked out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2017
I absolutely loved this book!
I liked the idea of the make believe world that Evan and Lucy had made up when they were kids. And how Evan had 'tasked' himself with turning 'new Lucy' back into 'old Lucy'. Although i think that Evan should have let Lucy move on - if she wanted short black hair and was in a bad mood, he should have let her have short black hair without mentioning it - but he managed to help her (sort of).
I loved the cartoon illustrations throughout the book. They brought the story to life, as i imagined that it was Evan who was drawing them.
I Highly Recommend this book!
I liked the idea of the make believe world that Evan and Lucy had made up when they were kids. And how Evan had 'tasked' himself with turning 'new Lucy' back into 'old Lucy'. Although i think that Evan should have let Lucy move on - if she wanted short black hair and was in a bad mood, he should have let her have short black hair without mentioning it - but he managed to help her (sort of).
I loved the cartoon illustrations throughout the book. They brought the story to life, as i imagined that it was Evan who was drawing them.
I Highly Recommend this book!
July 14, 2020
Rating: 3 stars
Evan and Lucy are best friends and have been since childhood. Lucy and Evan only see each other once a year for two weeks during Christmas. This year, when Lucy comes, Evan finds her completely changed. She's moody, depressed, wears dark clothes, chopped her hair short and dyed it black, and has a lip ring. Basically, Lucy turned Goth. Evan doesn't like the New Lucy, so he develops a plan to bring the Old Lucy back.
Very cute story. Winter Town is told in third person with an omniscient narrator describing Evan and Lucy. It's told in two parts, and the narrator takes a view on both Evan and Lucy. The narrator gives us a borderline description of Evan and Lucy's feelings on their surroundings, and we don't exactly know how Evan and Lucy really feel besides what the narrator tells us. I feel like Winter Town would've been better if it had been told in first person because the third person view made the story very dull. I felt like I couldn't connect to the characters and their problems. Winter Town was very underwhelming. I understand now why I couldn't find this novel anywhere, and why it was so cheap on Amazon. Still, I liked the basis of the story and the pictures and comics in between each chapter. It added to the story. Winter Town could've been better, though.
Winter Town would be a good read during the Christmastime season or in the winter. It would add to the story if you could feel the chill in the air, instead of reading it in July in 97 degree heat. I would recommend Winter Town for readers who are newly introduced in the YA genre. It's an easy, quick, and cute read.
Happy reading!
Evan and Lucy are best friends and have been since childhood. Lucy and Evan only see each other once a year for two weeks during Christmas. This year, when Lucy comes, Evan finds her completely changed. She's moody, depressed, wears dark clothes, chopped her hair short and dyed it black, and has a lip ring. Basically, Lucy turned Goth. Evan doesn't like the New Lucy, so he develops a plan to bring the Old Lucy back.
Very cute story. Winter Town is told in third person with an omniscient narrator describing Evan and Lucy. It's told in two parts, and the narrator takes a view on both Evan and Lucy. The narrator gives us a borderline description of Evan and Lucy's feelings on their surroundings, and we don't exactly know how Evan and Lucy really feel besides what the narrator tells us. I feel like Winter Town would've been better if it had been told in first person because the third person view made the story very dull. I felt like I couldn't connect to the characters and their problems. Winter Town was very underwhelming. I understand now why I couldn't find this novel anywhere, and why it was so cheap on Amazon. Still, I liked the basis of the story and the pictures and comics in between each chapter. It added to the story. Winter Town could've been better, though.
Winter Town would be a good read during the Christmastime season or in the winter. It would add to the story if you could feel the chill in the air, instead of reading it in July in 97 degree heat. I would recommend Winter Town for readers who are newly introduced in the YA genre. It's an easy, quick, and cute read.
Happy reading!
Shelved as 'dnf'
August 17, 2018I think maybe if I'd read this back in 2011, I would have liked it, but the Christina of 2018 doesn't have patience anymore for MPDG stories that aren't trying to do something more with that trope. Evan's obsessed with his mysteriously-changed female friend, and I'm just so bored by it. The writing seems fairly good, but the story does just feel dated, and I also don't feel like the comics are as well-integrated to the actual story as they could be.
Not a bad book but very much not one for me. If you're into old school John Green but want less of the quirkiness, Winter Town might be your jam.
Not a bad book but very much not one for me. If you're into old school John Green but want less of the quirkiness, Winter Town might be your jam.
December 6, 2019
2.5 stars
This was told in such a unique way and I thought the art was cute, but the tone of the book was very somber. It reminded me of Eleanor and Park (with the somewhat unlikely couple from very different backgrounds) or Perks of Being a Wallflower (with the coming of age aspect and Lucy’s background). I didn’t like Lucy all that much as a character, but I did like that she helped Evan to realize that he needed to follow his own dreams - not the dreams his family chose for him. I loved Grams.
This was told in such a unique way and I thought the art was cute, but the tone of the book was very somber. It reminded me of Eleanor and Park (with the somewhat unlikely couple from very different backgrounds) or Perks of Being a Wallflower (with the coming of age aspect and Lucy’s background). I didn’t like Lucy all that much as a character, but I did like that she helped Evan to realize that he needed to follow his own dreams - not the dreams his family chose for him. I loved Grams.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2020
I didn't like it that much. It started out as a kind of wholesome book but when Evan and Lucy got together it just wasn't good anymore. It just felt like the characters weren't very fleshed out and they were kind of bland. Also how Lucy was cheating on Evan was pretty messed up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 523 reviews