Winterkill

Winterkill is by debut author Kate A. Boorman.

Emmeline knows she's not supposed to explore the woods outside her settlement. The enemy that wiped out half her people lurks there, attacking at night and keeping them isolated in an unfamiliar land with merciless winters.  Living with the shame of her grandmother's insubordination, Emmeline has learned to keep her head down and her quick tongue silent.

When the settlement leader asks for her hand in marriage, it's an opportunity for Emmeline to wash the family slate clean- even if she has eyes for another.  But before she's forced into an impossible decision, her dreams urge her into the woods, where she uncovers a path she can't help but follow.  The trail leads to a secret that someone in the village will kill to protect. Her grandmother followed the same path and paid the price. If Emmeline isn't careful, she will be next.

The Breakdown:
1. Boorman is a master of imagery. She does so well in vividly describing the world around Emmeline that is easy to picture both its beauty and the stark nature of the outpost.

2. The story itself had elements that reminded me both of the movie, The Village, and legends of the lost colony of Roanoke. The unseen threat of the malmaci, and the council that governs the post. Then there is the Lost People.  Boorman does an excellent job of keeping me guessing on what all the characters motives are.

3. I did really like Emmeline as a character. She is a girl weighed down by the sins of her family's past.  She tries so hard to hide her natural curiosity, and conforms to the way of society, but there are those who see her for who she really is.  Her biggest struggle is learning to follow her own heart and not worry about what others think of her.

4.  I loved Kane.  He was cute and funny, and sometimes a little awkward at times when he is talking to Emmeline. I probably fell in love with when he takes up for Emmeline with others their age, defending her against the accusations about her family.

5. Brother Stockham totally gave me the creeps. I love that Boorman was able to convey Emmelines aversion to him so well through her writing. I knew there was something off him from the moment he was introduced.  Plus the council itself, especially Brother Jameson, was very dis-likable. What kind of people really hold to the policy of the Sins of the Father.

To Read or Not to Read:
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