REVIEW: When Winter Comes

When Winter Comes
Author: V.A. Shannon

It has been 13 years since Mrs. Jacob Klein came west to California. She doesn't like remembering her journey west. She has three children now and a husband....and she doesn't want them to know she was part of the Donner Party. She wants to keep the horror of that winter in the wilderness a secret. Some of the survivors have made money or gained fame from telling partial truths about their experiences that winter....but she doesn't want to risk the truth destroying her new life with her family.

This book switches back and forth from Mrs. Klein's present day to her experiences as part of the Donner Party in the winter of 1846. I don't usually like books that jump back and forth in time, but for this story it worked nicely. Mrs. Klein is hiding so much from her family...she hides behind her married name, never revealing really who she is while telling her story. Some secrets are just too much to share...too dangerous, too revealing. She chooses to remain silent, rather than tell half-truths like others have done.

Mistakes. Rough choices. Consequences. Starvation. The Donner Party is remembered for all of those things. This book adds a human element to the story we've all heard many times before. It isn't all doom and gloom. The author mixes the horror and desperation with courage, optimism and hopefulness. When I was all done with this book, I had to sit back and think for awhile to ascertain what I think about the narrator. Mixed feelings. On the one hand I find Mrs. Klein to be courageous, strong and intelligent. But on the other hand, I find her secretive, manipulative and maybe even a bit weak in that she can't tell the truth about herself for fear that her family will be horrified. I can understand it....and yet, it made me feel a bit of negative emotions about her. So strong in the face of danger....yet so fearful of telling the truth about the experience. I would suppose if I had something of that nature in my past, I would want to hide it from friends and family as well. And I would be very upset at others using the situation for personal gain, especially if I knew they weren't telling the whole truth.

Interesting and creative story. I am definitely looking forward to more by this author!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**