The Coldest Winter Ever (edition 2006)

Disappointing. I expected so much because of all the raving reviews that was why I bought it. I did not like the way this author puts herself in the book. But the parts where she was in were boring maybe because she portrays herself as so great and that is not done in our world nowadays. :)

What annoyed me most was all of a sudden my book was finished while there were still a hundred pages to be read. Guess what, it was all about Sister Souljah again. sigh. ( )

Read for YA Lit. I can see it's place but was not my cup of tea. ( )

I had two main problems with this book: first, I did not like the main character (Winter) at all. She was a selfish, conceited idiot who never woke up to the realities around her until it was too late. I like to be able to find at least one positive, likeable character in books I read, and I didn't come across a single one in this story.
Second, the author wrote herself into the book as a character, and a moralistic, preachy one at that. When I read (spoiler)....


...that the reason that Winter's love interest wasn't into her was because he was in love and involved with the author's character (Sister Souljah as herself - ha), I knew I was done with this.

I wouldn't recommend it. ( )

One of the first books I couldn't put down until I finished. ( )

When I was 16, The Coldest Winter Ever was one of the first pieces of urban fiction that I read and right away I loved it. Having read it again 10 years later, even though the writing hasn't grown with me, the story and the message still resonates today.

The voice that Souljah gave Winter is still there. She is well- written, raw and real. She definitely shares my blood and could have even been me once upon a time. She's the pretty girl with the bad attitude, incredibly clever and perceptive, but misguided and immature. Both her mother and father taught her that to be the best she had to have the best and the best man for her was one that would cater to her materialism.

Just about every character from Winter's neighborhood (including Winter herself) are prime examples of the crippling loop that minorities fall into in this country. We are not taught any better therefore we don't know any better, can't imagine any better and ultimately we won't achieve any better. But before I get carried away on my soapbox, I will just leave you with my opinion that Souljah has written an engrossing social commentary that is still a reality for many of our youths.

Since Winter was one of my first experiences with urban fiction, for me this book set the bar. 10 years later, having read tons of urban fiction (and ultimately giving up on them because any have yet to compare), this book is still the standard. ( )