Sister Souljah

Sister Souljah has written an urban "morality play" -- or a hip-hop Greek Tragedy -- and cleverly packaged it in an explosive, street-smart, "rags to riches" plot.

"The Coldest Winter Ever" is written in African-American vernacular, reminiscent of Alice Walker's "Color Purple", but with a more modern NY flavor:
"A live nigga needs a bitch who's so bad that other bitches know when they see her to just lay the fuck down."

Yet while "The Coldest Winter Ever" is not an intellectually challenging show more read (it won't have you reaching for a dictionary, unless its the Urban Dictionary), the narrative is still incredibly compelling -- with vivid imagery, colorful characters, cultural insights and sharp dialog.

A fantastic story-teller, Sister Souljah has us rooting for Winter Santiaga -- despite the fact that she's a cold, self-proclaimed "bad bitch" -- all the while sensing that her family is doomed.

Through this book, Sister Souljah manages to warn without preaching (to show, without telling).
By the end of the book I felt as if I'd lived through several lifetimes: a rich life, a street life, a life in shelters, a prison life.
And I could clearly see the moral issues within the story, the errors that had brought the characters to this point.

It isn't difficult to imagine that this book, and Sister Souljah personally, have probably managed to save quite a few real Winter Santiagas from making the same mistakes. But even outside of the social-awareness context, this book is simply a fantastic read; I couldn't put it down, finishing it cover to cover in what must have been a single breath! show less

Gripping from the get go, The Coldest Winter Ever, tells the story of a spoiled, materialistic young women who cares more about fashion, money, and good dick, then she does anything else. Her father is a big time drug dealer and everyone in her Brooklyn neighborhood respects her family and Winter can't wait to grow up to be a bad bitch like her momma. She rolls tight with her crew of fellow delinquents (school? who gives a crap about that?) and they love shopping and sucking their teeth at show more all the hot young men around. Things start to shift though when her father moves the family out to Long Island to get away from the scene for a while. Things slowly start to spiral out of her control. Just how far will Winter go to prove that she's the baddest bitch around? The answer is... pretty damn far! She has no qualms about shoplifting, carrying a boxcutter for protection, and sucking dick to get what she wants. She's got hustle and she wants you to know it. Winter is the most unlikable heroine who you still end up rooting for. A stunning book that makes you sit back and think when you get to the end. show less

I wish I could give this book a higher rating after having enjoyed the first one years ago. It's by pure chance that I heard about this book not so long ago, as I read Coldest Winter Ever over a decade ago when I was a teenager. I thought the story was over but I guess not, and I wanted to know what happened to Winter Santiaga.

What a dumb fucking bitch. Her attitude in the first book could be chalked up (in a big part) to her being a teenager, and a spoiled one at that because of her rich show more gangsta daddy. However, Winter was sentenced to 15 years in prison after essentially being framed for something someone else did.

You'd think she'd have matured in prison, but it's like she's still that same bratty teenager albeit in a 30something-year-old woman's body. I really had to push myself to finish this book and much as it hurts me to say because I know a book is not easy to write, this is something that should not have been published. 1.75/5 stars. show less

The Coldest Winter Ever is the debut novel by hip-hop rap artist Sister Souljah and tells the story of Winter Santiaga, the teenage daughter of Brooklyn’s top drug dealer. Winter has grown up living like a princess, she lost her virginity at 12 and now her main focus in life is all about sex and boys, clothes, getting her own way and being seen as “being on top”. School is treated as an after thought, her life revolves around her friends and her own pleasures but everything comes to an show more abrupt change when her father is arrested, her family separated and her things seized.

Now Winter is on her own having to rely on her own wits and beauty to carry her through but make no mistake, Winter is not a nice person, she is only out for herself and only cares about the comfort and betterment of Winter. She will lie, cheat and steal to get what she wants.

Originally published in 1999, The Coldest Winter Ever has gained a cult like following. Here I am, an elderly white Canadian lady totally enthralled by the life young, black and street smart Winter lives. Of course, I wanted to take her over my knee a number of times but the author has created an authentic, antagonistic main character who provokes yet draws the reader along in this urban contemporary piece of literature. Be warned however the book contains graphic sex scenes and explicit language. The Coldest Winter Ever was a wild ride but one I fear is shockingly real. show less