Megan Collins | THE WINTER SISTER

Plot (via Goodreads):

Sixteen years ago, Sylvie’s sister Persephone never came home. Out too late with the boyfriend she was forbidden to see, Persephone was missing for three days before her body was found—and years later, her murder remains unsolved.

In the present day, Sylvie returns home to care for her estranged mother, Annie, as she undergoes treatment for cancer. Prone to unexplained “Dark Days” even before Persephone’s death, Annie’s once-close bond with Sylvie dissolved in the weeks after their loss, making for an uncomfortable reunion all these years later. Worse, Persephone’s former boyfriend, Ben, is now a nurse at the cancer center where Annie is being treated. Sylvie’s always believed Ben was responsible for the murder—but she carries her own guilt about that night, guilt that traps her in the past while the world goes on around her.

As she navigates the complicated relationship with her mother, Sylvie begins to uncover the secrets that fill their house—and what really happened the night Persephone died. As it turns out, the truth really will set you free, once you can bear to look at it.

Review: 

UGH! My heart is still in a million pieces from this book. You know what? Megan Collins is a genius. For some reason (and I know this is bad), I actually read the introduction letter for a book by the publicist for the first time and it made me even more excited for this read. For starters, I was really nervous for this one as many people reached out to me to read it and it sounded so good, the cover was beautiful and it was all over Instagram. I really had a hard time toning down my excitement for this one as I didn't want to get my hopes up too much and be let down by praying for a masterpiece and ending up with something that was mediocre or just enjoyable. Well, I will say this - no matter how excited for this novel you are, prepare for Megan Collins to exceed your expectations. 

To say that Collins writing is lyrical and poetic is an understatement. This novel just really delivers page after page. It's a thriller plot, poetic prose, and  literary fictional characters that are so beautifully constructed that it almost is painful to reach the ending and say goodbye to them. I LOVE a good cold case and this one is just on point. A murdered girls family seeks comfort in one another while dealing with family secrets, some major drama, and of course some of the best imagery that I have yet to read in my life. You know when imagery is just really important to a scene? Like, it just helps it grow from something you're reading to something that you are living in your head because every detail is there? Well, in one scene I could see my fog on the window as a character ran through a flutter of snowflakes only to be never seen again. The way that these characters just carry this story combined with the way this story comforts these characters is not only breath-taking but a voyeuristic experience into a story that is so emotionally driven and spine-tingling all in the same time. I absolutely loved reading and getting to know every single character in this book, whether they were good or bad. 

Another thing I enjoyed with this story was that it is as much about the relationships between all of the characters and this main family as much as it is about finding out what really happened that night of the murder. I found this story to be not only harrowing, but beautifully told, high in suspense, and an ending that was satisfying and bittersweet. As much as I didn't want this one to end, all of my questions were answered, my heart was full, and then it broke a little bit with one final page that left me hopeful yet melancholy. I may take away a lot from every book I read, but it is rare that I give a book a piece of my heart and I hope this tale carries it always.

Special thanks to Touchstone Books and Atria Books for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 5/5